Food Babe Family - Header

How Do You Get Fat Without Really Trying? – MUST WATCH.

How To Get Fat Without Really Trying first aired December 8, 2003. Unfortunately many of the realities discovered here are still true and not much has changed. If you are like me, this report by ABC News’ Peter Jennings will have you shaking your head, throwing your fist up into the air and will make your stomach queasy. (Fun fact: I used to work in an AMC Movie Theatre behind the concession stand like they show in Part 1.)

This is a great night, to sit back, relax and watch this series of 5 videos with your family and friends. It will give you some serious motivation to avoid processed food in the new year! 

peter-jennings

Part 1

 

Part 2

 

Part 3

 

Part 4

 

Part 5

 

As you can see, these videos are very revealing! I’m counting on you to spread the word.

Knowing what the food industry is doing is half the battle.

In my #1 best selling book – The Food Babe Way – I show you what you can do to avoid their tricks. You’ll learn the habits that will allow you to reach your ideal weight, get healthy and look years younger in just 21 days. 

In my 2nd book, Feeding You Lies, I blow the lid off of the lies we’ve been fed about the food we eat – lies about its nutrient value, effects on our health, label information, and even the very science we base our food choices on. 

And, my first cookbook, Food Babe Kitchen, contains over 100 mouthwatering recipes from Baja Fish Tacos and Grapefruit Goddess Salad to Rainbow French Fries and an 8-Minute Candy Bar to show you how delicious and simple it is to eat healthy, easy, real food.

They are all available to purchase now.

Xo,

Vani 

Food Babe Family - Book
Food Babe Grocery Guide

Sign Up For Updates

And Get A FREE Healthy Grocery Guide Sent To You Now!

Find out what to buy and where at the top grocery stores near you

Posts may contain affiliate, sponsorship and/or partnership links for products Food Babe has approved and researched herself. If you purchase a product through an affiliate, sponsorship or partnership link, your cost will be the same (or at a discount if a special code is offered) and Food Babe will benefit from the purchase. Your support is crucial because it helps fund this blog and helps us continue to spread the word. Thank you.

123 responses to “How Do You Get Fat Without Really Trying? – MUST WATCH.

  1. Thanks for sharing these 5 videos. Amazing to think they are 11 years old and not much has changed. Thanks for your emphasis. Keeps me being watchful.

    1. I endorse the books “China study” and “Prevent heart disese” which both have proven track records on al the incorrect food processing.
      Having started a whole food plant based life style,-1, I lost 30 lbs, reduced Cholestrol to 110. 2-reduced BP meds by 90%, al of which a cardiologist endorses.
      Dr Campell, author of the “China Study” says to only shop the outer aisle of the food markets, since highly processed food is always located there.
      At 85 I wisk I had learned this lesson years ago.
      Thanks for posting this article. I have not watched cable TV for years but I doubt I would have paid attention at that time. Certainly my loss!
      Phil

  2. Thank you for telling us about these videos. Joe and I just recently started to watch videos about harmful food ingredients and the government. WE WANT TO THANK YOU FOR PROVIDING FOOD GUIDES AND RECIPES, WHAT INGREDIENTS TO LOOK OUT FOR AND AVOID…and we are VERY MUCH looking forward to reading your book!!! 🙂 Thank you for loving your country so much to want to protect us the way you do. You have opened our eyes to so many things–although it may seem like a difficult change to make, VANI, YOU HAVE MADE THE HEALTHY TRANSITION SO EASY. Thank you for all you do and every day we can open someone else’s eyes…THE FOOD BABE ARMY HAS SUCCEEDED IN SAVING ANOTHER LIFE. Love and good health to you. Joe & sue

  3. I do not think showing 10 year old videos lends credit to what you are doing.

    They are too old.

    1. The video is absolutely relevant today since the food industry and the public has not changed behavior very much in the last 10 yrs!!

    2. Even more relevant today! Don’t you find it strange that America (and her children) have never been fatter or sicker and we can’t seem to figure out why. Meanwhile, we’re told everything is fine with our highly processed, government subsidized, artificially flavored, chemically manufactured, steroid injected, antibiotic feed, genetically modified, fake food supply?

      Had no idea about America’s “food” supply until I experienced cancer at age 38 – and I thought I was eating “healthy.” Thankfully changed what’s in the shopping cart and that was over 13 years ago.

      Best health always,
      SuperMom-in-training

    3. The age of the video means nothing if the content is true and relevant. If you saw a 10 year old video on algebra would you discount the validity of the proofs?

      In our short attention span and latest and greatest society, we need to realize that there are enduring truths and facts. I suppose we could take a current news anchor and produce a video with the exact same content but with updated products and interviews and some people would give it more credibility. That reminds me of the some of the marketing techniques shown in this piece.

  4. These were pertinent and terrific because it compares then and NOW, and proves things are only worse, no better in the food industry and government. Kraft never had intentions to fix their products and continue to lie as long as they were making money. Most importantly, you will NEVER find reports like this on mainstream news today now that the News channels are all bought out by these huge corporations, food companies for one! Thanks for sharing as I hadn’t seen these. My son is raising his children in Europe and I am SO THANKFUL they aren’t raised on daily TV! Hope they never know anything about these disgusting processed foods!

    1. I have a thought about this and I might be wrong. I think this information is VERY pertinent today as well as in 2004. But did you notice the VOTE 2004 in the lower right of the videos? I wonder if the reason these wouldn’t be on mainstream media these days is b/c the mainstream media is very much for the current administration so they won’t be criticizing them.

      This was aired during a Republican administration. Just to be clear, I am not thrilled w/ the Republicans, but I think this is a valid point to make. What do you think? I’m not sure about the European laws. I think opting for less government intervention is perhaps the best way to go. I am not for all the manipulating advertising but seems to me that when gov’t chooses winners and losers we all lose typically.

  5. No, the videos are not too old. Why, because education is the first step to healthy diet choices. And like me there are literally millions (of Americans) that need to be educated on the consequences of a bad diet, how to properly read food labels, making correct diet choices, etc;. Educating ourselves is only the first step to better health for ourselves and our families. Then by our choices as consumers and voters.
    Like a previous comment stated, it’s so much easier to buy the cheaper food items and there is not much of a choice when economic necessity dictates where we spend our money. Knowing the consequences of those poor choices for our selves and families will help drive the economics and politics to finally change the spoils system of politics and the policy decisions of corporations.
    Thanks Vani for helping to educate me on wise diet choices which will hopefully lead to a healthier life for me and my family.

  6. well Anthony I believe things have gotten much worse in 10 years! that’s the point. It’s not about Vani promoting herself, it’s about her bringing awareness to the horrible ways and schemes the food industry is poisoning us on a daily basis if we allow it! It is up to us to educate ourselves by reading labels and substituting whole foods for processed foods. I for one thank her for continually exposing us to any information to us.

  7. Wow! what an amazing documentary it just goes to show how corrupt our government is in the so called land of the free. It makes me sick that the USA is the only western government that really can care less about its citizens at all levels especially health wise. These government corporations are only worried about their profits not the people and America will not change until the people wake up out of their deceptions and unite against all forms of corruption in government.

    Thank You Vani for being a voice for the people love you!

  8. Dear Vanni, Thank you so much that you have reminding us how and what to eat over and over again…. I have learn from you so much that I become self aware of the foods that I was eaten. We have been lie for so long that we become immune to their poisons. Many of us are dying inside and feeling trap in this self destruct world… Now everywhere I look I see pollution.. Our Air (chemtrails) air quality ,water, soil ,oceans, lakes and rivers.our animals and our foods. It saddens my hearth. Our mother Earth our home is being abused! Please continue to encourage us! This is your mission.. With love April

  9. The government wastes so much money on nothing programs, more needs to be put into the food industry and educating people at what they are consuming.
    The Obama administration has done nothing so don’t blame the Bush administration!

    1. Why do you people intentionally forget how much the Obama administration has done for the country?

      Do you not recall the uproar from Conservatives (still going on) about the new lunch programs across the country that require more fruits and vegetables to be provided to students? That was Michelle Obama’s baby, and it has been working so well that it is being continued.

      After the initial reluctance by the students as well as the schools, both students and schools are coming to realize the benefits of the program. Even though the conservatives are still complaining, students are doing much better due to eating better foods, at least at their schools.

      Not to add fuel to the fire but I don’t recall anything from the Bush administration about getting kids to eat healthy. This video is from 2004…

      1. The Obama adm gave the final approval to pollute our land and our people with GMOs. Despite Michelle’s paying lip service to eating healthy, she never says what that means, and school lunches are still nauseating slop featuring all of the diabetes-inducing empty carbs that our government subsidizes.

  10. The bottom line is this: It’s all about money. Period. No big industry cares about anything else, only the bottom line. They have no morals or feelings of giving back to the community, sharing profits w/their employees, or making a superior product. Only the bottom line. So hurt them where it really hurts. STOP BUYING THEIR GARBAGE!!!! You are going to have stop going to the grocery without a plan. Plan to visit more family farms, farmer’s markets, and bulk food co-ops. Find these on the internet for your area and make a plan. If you can, grow what you can if you have any kind of a yard or patio. Learn to can and freeze. Find people who have fruit trees in their yards with an abundance of fruit when in season. Get a quarter or half a beef from grass raised farms, get your eggs fresh from off the farm. They are everywhere in the rural areas. Right now I have 15 doz organic unwashed eggs in my second frige (they last up to a year unwashed). I have 35 lbs of potatoes and 50 mini-pumpkins in my insulated garage (never goes below 40 F in there. I have 12 braided strands of onions in my basement and grocery bags full of dried herbs – all that I grew in my yard. I can and freeze and dry when there is an abundance in season. I just met a old gentleman in a nearby town complaining how he wished someone would come out in the summer when his pear trees were producing and pick the pears. They are keeping him from being able to mow his yard, lol!!! I volunteered, of course. I’ll have canned pears sweetened with fresh raw honey from a nearby honey producer next year. Where there is a will there is a way. You just have to take the time.

    1. Susie Que you are doing everything right, my husband and I are also doing the same. We have a small garden that produces such an abundance it is truly amazing. I am not canning yet, although I make my own fermented foods, kefir, sprouted foods, etc.. (I am a health food chef and work in an organic market).

      People are waking up and learning from sites like this and from people like you!!!

    2. I’m with you and Vani. Have been trying to smarten up older family members. Just hate eating Fake Food and Plastic!!! And all the big corps and politicians are a joke. Check out chems in Hot Sauces, Apple Cider Vinegar, Mustard, Mayo and others. Yuck!!!!!!

    3. THANK YOU!!!! I was like….is anyone going to talk about co ops, buy local and farmers markets??? Kids love farmers markets and they always have fun things for kids to do or learn about healthy food facts. PLUS you are in the fresh air, walking and having family time!!!! For Pete sake they even take food stamps! I wish people would stop with all the politic fighting of who’s side is right or didn’t do what blah blah blah GET OFF YOUR ASS MAKE A STAND and stop buying CRAP! Go start a block garden, volunteer at a farm and get amazing discounts on organic food, sometimes FREE. It’s not that much more work to eat healthy and if your kids are involved from farm to table they will want to eat their veggies!!!!

  11. 90% of all politicians are responsible for lying to the American public, so the sooner you realize that being a member of a political party supports their agenda of lies, than maybe you’ll have time to educating yourself, instead of blaming the “blues” or the “reds”!

  12. Out of curiosity – wondering if ABC/Peter Jennings plans to do any sort of follow up to this now that it’s been a decade later.

    1. Sorry – just meant to say ABC News (no disrespect to Peter Jennings’ death in 05 – :~). Wasn’t thinking clearly.

  13. Well…I just got done watching all 5 of the videos 7
    minutes ago you sent me earlier. Thanks Vani for sending this to my email. Cause my mom said I eat a lot. But it doesn’t seem like it. Cause I’m an O.R.R.R.R.C. runner still. And I always be a runner. . So I don’t get overweight.

  14. These videos are very interesting and eye opening. I have shared with several family members. Thing is, I don’t see companies really wanting a lot of change because it will hurt their pocket book if they recommend apples and spinach over their processed crap that they can say is healthier because they lower fat grams by 2. One thing in these videos is he didn’t say anything about parental responsibility! We are parents and don’t need government involvement to raise our kids! At least, I don’t. Shut the tv off and they wont see the ads, refuse to take them to fast food and they wont get it, pack their lunch and you control what they eat! Its real simple if parents take back the job of raising their kids.

    1. I’m not so sure that you watched (or understood) all the videos. There were a couple parts (and likely more) where Jennings piece points out that kids are interviewed, tested, put through scenarios, and so on just to find out how to get them to want their products. And there was the part where the interviewee points out that even she would give in to her kids demands occasionally.

      So what it you turn off the TV? The junk food industry is advertising at your kids’ schools anyway. They advertise in the magazines that kids see. They give out free samples at races and other sporting events. They advertise at football games, baseball games, and so on.

      Do your kids ever trade the food you gave them in their lunch for food that other parents sent their kids to school with? Do you even know? I’ll bet they do, at least occasionally.

  15. In my opinion, here is why this 10-year-old program is still pertinent today.

    It reveals that ten years have passed, and nothing has been done about the junk food manufacturers and their sinister marketing style. In fact, it appears to me that it was gotten worse. (Aside from Michelle Obama’s wonderful changes to school lunch programs by incorporating more fruits and vegetables and less french fries and junk.)

    Did Kraft really make the changes they discussed in the video? Did they revert back when they started losing market share?

    Corn and soy are still the most widely grown and used staples in the American food system. The only difference is that they are 90+% GMO now.

    Nothing was done. It was left up to the food corporations to voluntarily regulate themselves. Have they? I don’t see them regulating themselves. “Voluntary regulations” mean “No regulations”, that’s what I’ve seen. Government must step in, regulate the industry, and allow parents to raise their kids without undue influence by the food industry. We would do well to follow the countries mention in the videos that impose such regulations.

    1. Watch the documentary “Fed Up”. French fries and pizza are still being served in school cafeterias because the wonderful folks in Congress had those 2 items exempted because of pressure from food manufacturers. It’s sad that nothing gets done in Congress for the benefit of the American people.

  16. the phila sunday inquire health section, written by sandy bauers about new oil made from gmo soybeans. restaurants and food industry has been using it for 2 yrs. just like the partial hydro oil it does not go bad ha ha ? its called PLENISH . made by dupont. at least we won,t get any bugs in our stomach. have you heard about it

  17. Who would have thought, that the most dangerous places in America would be your local super market. How sad!!!!

  18. Here is the real solution that is going to change the food and all of our issues-The Event and here is the link-http://www.veritasgalacticsweden.net/the-event

  19. I’m sorry…but I cannot understand what this (or any) administration has done for the health of our nation. Yeah, there’s Let’s Move…but it was an utter failure where I live. The kids were always hungry and the minute they got home or out of school, they ate crap. So half the day they eat “healthy” and the other half they eat crap. Gotta love government. And what about when they get out of school? They’ll have to make their own choices. Bottom line: government intervention does not and never has worked. The FDA is a prime example of government intervention gone awry. They don’t even do their damn job! So we have to do it…oh wait. That’s what this country was built on, wasn’t it? Making our own informed decisions and educating our own kids. Americans are not a herd of stupid sheep that need to be guided by some government overlord. We are a nation of the people, for the people, and by the people. Let’s keep it that way. Info on living life in a healthy way is ALL over the place these days. It’s up to the individual to take initiative for their (and their family’s) health. Many are doing so. Some are not. Well, everyone reaps what they sow and that’s a part of life. All I can say is, educating Americans on living healthily is awesome and I 100% support it. But that’s all we need. #donttreadonme

  20. Great work Vani !
    You’re incredible.
    My wife and I love you!
    Keep up the good work, we’re doing our part as well!

  21. Wow! The more I read the more I am having extreme thankfulness for you! I am ready to get your new book.

  22. Thank you for sharing! This is so true! I guess this is one of the downfalls of a capitalistic society. Companies first priority is their bottom line.

  23. Vani~ Thank you so much for the time and energy you put into this blog and all of your Food Babe projects! I get so excited when I get a note or newsletter from Food Babe in my inbox, and I always follow the link!

    Though I personally am already aware of the discussion points presented in the video series, these are such important and still very pertinent pieces of information for our general populous that I am grateful for the reminder!

    ~Stirling

  24. Thank you Vani for sharing these videos! Peter Jennings was my favorite newsman (when the news was worth watching). The day he died I quit smoking. In a week I will be celebrating my 60th birthday. I want to have a lot more and with your help and vision of the future I have a feeling I will.
    Bless you Vani for all you do for us, the betterment of society as a whole and for having the will and determination to stand up and speak out when it needs to be done! A heartfelt thank you!

  25. Thanks so much for sharing this video. Watching the Big Food corporations and government officials trying to squirm away from Peter Jennings “on the money” interview questions was amazing. The really sad thing is the comparison at the end of the video, between the food companies and the tobacco companies. Nothing has changed. But, thanks to The Food Babe, her army, and all the others out there trying to wake up America I believe they are really starting to. Thanks for your tireless devotion to my health.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

food babe with grocery cart - footer image