MIT Weight Loss?

It appears that MIT had added a "weight loss" program to its ever growing list of advantages. The article states:

the program helps participants learn to love foods that support weight loss and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It includes meal plans, a high-fiber regime, and portion control. There is also a weekly online support group that provides nutrition education and helps dieters form new, healthy habits that promote weight loss sustainability. There is also weekly check-ins and weight tracking with various Web tools. Unlike many other weight-loss programs, iDiet requires daily weigh-ins — “an important and effective way to see and appreciate your success” according to the program’s website — but there are no set exercise requirements. Meal planning on the program is simple. You can buy the cookbook or find simple recipes online. Recipes include vegetarian options; others are designed to address special dietary concerns such as high blood pressure or cholesterol, diabetes, or gluten and lactose intolerance.

 Well here is my take:

1. Get rid of the high carb fast food "food courts". They are everywhere. One could in the past walk over to Walker Memorial, sit at a large table and have a conversation while eating a reasonably priced balanced meal. You got exercise, reasonable food, low prices, and you actually met people. Now we have the solitary fast food outlets selling high carb and high priced food just a few steps away from one's computer, or they now actually have it on the table.

2. Get rid of the refrigerators and food storage units in all of the "labs" It appears that there is always someone bringing cookies from "mom" in Bangalore and a constant flow of consumption. n my old days in Building 20, the wooden remnants of the Rad Lab any loose food was consumed by the resident rodents. Perhaps we should bring back the rodents!

3. Watch out for those Chinese Restaurants. Now I like Chinese food but it is so high in calories that the almost daily routine of going out to eat with the team gets a bit much, as well as adding to the waist line.

Adding another costly program will not change the above. It will just shall we say "put lipstick on the pig".