Gordon Clay here. Part Three of "Are you winning at losing?"

Conventional wisdom, developed since the 1960s, suggests to eat less total fat and saturated fat and replace fatty foods with fruits, vegetables and whole grains. However, such a diet has no beneficial effect on heart disease, stroke, breast cancer, colon cancer, or, for that matter, fat accumulation. It's low fat, high carbohydrate diets that make us fat and coincided with epidemics of obesity and diabetes, both of which increase heart disease risk.

No one said it would be easy. Losing weight and then gaining it back again isn't healthy for you, but it is easy.

It is possible to eat little or no sugars, foods with sugar alcohol, and sugary beverages including fruit juices and sodas.

No starches like cereals, flour, breads, pasta or grains (including whole grains). No whole or skimmed milk, yogurt, ice cream, or dairy substitutes.

Exclude starchy vegetables like pinto, lima, and black beans, carrots, corn, peas, white rice, or potatoes.

Avoid margarine, "lite" dressings and anything that contains trans fats, hydrogenated fats, high-fructose corn syrup, added sugars or artificial sweeteners. And, of course, avoid alcohol.

And, if you start or increase an exercise regimen, insure that you don't increase your calorie intake more than what you burn.

If you're really serious about losing weight for life and doing what's really necessary to make that happen, put your name on the list at the Chetco Library to reserve a copy of Why We Get Fat when it comes in or get your own copy http://amzn.to/s2aOfF and tune in in two weeks for the last episode of "Are you winning at losing?"