fighting obesity

Stop Fighting Obesity – The War on Weightloss is Useless

Gavin Wren Food Education, Food Opinion Pieces, Writing

The bathroom scales have petrified me for weeks. I feel fear in the depths of my stomach when I see them, because I’m worried that I’ve eaten too much food recently. Adamant that my slender figure was consigned to history, I felt doomed to life in the third circle of hell with the gluttons. If you need me before I die, I’ll be in a branch of Chicken Cottage.

What’s the big problem? The problem is being overweight. 10 years ago my jeans required nearly eight inches more fabric around the waist and I nudged my trusty bathroom scales to nearly thirty kilograms more than this morning’s reading. I’m proud of having fought hard to remove that excess weight and I’ll be damned if it’s going to creep back into my life.

Losing that mass uncovered neurosis around food, which endures today in paranoia and hypervigilance about my weight. It… come and read more…

As I ponder the question of whether I should, or whether I can continue Eating meat, I see it's not a question of absolutes, but one of relatives and the fifty shades of grey that they encompass.

Eating Meat – Fifty Shades of Grey

Gavin Wren Food Opinion Pieces, Writing

Can I Eat Meat?

At the beginning of 2017, I wrote a blog post, asking the question “Should I eat meat?”. The motivation for this question came from a desire to seek moral congruity, meaning that I felt my actions as a human were not aligned with my sense of morality. I don’t like the idea of inflicting pain upon a living creature, I’d hate to see my dog in pain, yet I’m happy for other living creatures to be killed, simply to provide my food. It’s clear to see the contradiction here.

More recently, I’ve come across the psychological term ‘cognitive dissonance’, which refers to the ability of people to hold two or more conflicting opinions. In my case, I hold the opinion that inflicting pain on animals is wrong… come and read more…

There's one small change which can make a massive difference to each consumer

A Tiny Consumer Change with Big Potential for Food

Gavin Wren Food Opinion Pieces, Writing

We Consume.

Those of us who live in developed, affluent countries fiercely defend our position as consumers on this planet. We have consumer’s rights, consumer organisations and carefully plan our path of consumption, be it food, products or experiences.

It’s seen as the great aspirational freedom, to be able to consume at will. The greater the personal success and resources, the greater the opportunities for consumption. We devour food, imbibe beverages and plough through products with joyful abandon, because that is what living in a free, democratic, capitalist country means. It’s even become a growing issue in developing countries, dubbed the ‘nutrition transition’, as rapid economic growth leads people to pursue an aspirational Western diet, eating lots of meat and sugar, heading directly into over-consumption.

The USA and United Kingdom consume so much food, it’s estimated the United States is ploughing through natural resources at a rate equivalent to… come and read more…

Open Farm Sunday sheep

Open Farm Sunday 2017 – JC Farm, Little Kingshill

Gavin Wren Food Education, Writing

Animals make people happy, it’s a proven fact of life.

People who have dogs are proven to be healthier, happier people. In America, a care home introduced cats, dogs and 100 birds for the elderly residents to look after and it possibly saved some of their lives. A man who had given up on life was drawn back into the world by a pair of parakeets. Animals are also a cornerstone of the food system, helping to provide eggs, milk, yoghurt, cheese, meat, leather and lots more besides, something the little people of the world need to learn if they’re going to understand where their food comes from in the future.

Scape Goat.

A few months ago I saw an advert on Twitter for Open Farm Sunday, an annual event run by LEAF, when farms around the country open their doors to the public, to meet the furry, fluffy… come and read more…

Here's a food photography lightroom tutorial along with how to make the perfect sourdough cheese toastie with homemade red onion chutney.

Food Photography Lightroom Tutorial and Sourdough Cheese Toastie

Gavin Wren Food Education, Recipes, Sandwiches & Wraps, Writing

Today’s post is a bumper double edition where I’m giving you quick food photography lightroom tutorial demonstrating how to select images, colour adjust them and edit them, alongside a lovely simple recipe for a sourdough cheese toastie with my own lovely, homemade red onion chutney.

I’m going to keep it short today and let the video do all the talking. But first, here are the images before and after Lightroom, you’ll find the video below them… come and read more…

weight loss secrets why diets don't work

Weight Loss Secrets – Why Diets Don’t Work

Gavin Wren Food Education, Food Opinion Pieces, Writing

“I’m going on a diet”

Really? (yawn) Again?

We’ve all been there. And we’ve all heard it before.

Diets Don’t Work.

Eating too much food is a big global issue. The amount of diet-related illness in the world due to over consumption is increasing massively and the UK is charging ahead with this.

63.4% of the UK population is overweight or obese. Sixty three point four percent. That’s a lot.

Almost no-one decides to become overweight or obese. I doubt that many people in the world start each day by planning to extend their burgeoning waistline, or become giddy with excitement about a shopping trip to buy trousers with an extra 2 inches on the waistline.

Despite this upward trend in body size, dieting and wellness is a national obsession. Millions of people bow at the alter of the latest weight loss… come and read more…