Tag: Steve Willis

The Miracle of Prayer

It’s been more than five years since Jamie Oliver’s Emmy-Award-winning Food Revolution aired on ABC, thrusting Huntington, West Virginia into the national spotlight. The series also prompted Winning the Food Fight, the book I helped Pastor Steve Willis (featured in two episodes) write. Although progress in the obesity battle is slow and often frustrating, this…
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The Food Revolution Continues

March marked the fifth anniversary of the premiere of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. The six-week ABC mini-series won an Emmy Award for “Best Reality Series” and catapulted Huntington, West Virginia into the national spotlight. Not only did the lush, colorful scenes that opened each installment put an attractive face on the area, it brought permanent…
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The Misery Index

According to the researchers who check the pulse of America, I live in the most miserable state in the nation. West Virginia recently topped the ratings for the sixth consecutive year, dragged down by such factors as poor well-being, motivation, finances, safety, and health. Kentucky and Ohio, the two states bordering the area where I…
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Weighed Down by Injury

The connections between Pastor Rick Warren and me are thin as a reed. We have never met and—considering his schedule—aren’t likely to in the future. Yet a few links exist, starting with me writing a couple stories for the Purpose Driven web site, back when his mega-bestseller had created a mini-publishing boom at Saddleback Church.…
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Attacking the Obesity Crisis

By Ken Walker – While it isn’t likely to attract national media attention, the Try This Conference at West Virginia Wesleyan College June 6-7 is a remarkable story of the grassroots awakening of healthy lifestyles in the state. One of the most tangible signs is the conference selling out in advance. The 350 attendees already…
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Obesity: A Step Back is No Big Deal

By Ken Walker- May brings more good news to the city that entered the national spotlight four years ago through Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. Indeed, there are so many encouraging developments that Huntington, West Virginia serves as a model for communities everywhere hoping to attack obesity problems. As I write this, the Wild Ramp is…
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The Quiet Road to Success

When I interviewed Steve Willis nearly four years ago for a story about the filming of the final episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, I had no idea the assignment would lead to a book. Until Steve later reminded me of it, I had forgotten an off-handed remark I made that day. After appearing on…
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Good News in Food Fight

By Ken Walker- Victory in the war on obesity will never be won via titanic, headline-grabbing battles, but through quiet, grassroots initiatives that slowly turn the tide. With Huntington at the center of this skirmish—which Steve Willis and I chronicled in Winning the Food Fight— I find it encouraging to see increasing indications of progress.…
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Healthy Kitchens Make Healthy Cities

By Ken Walker- Recently I attended a free seminar on men’s health and nutrition at Huntington’s Kitchen. The life of this sparkling facility originated as the cooking studio during filming of the ABC Network’s Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution. While this was only the latest of several visits to this downtown storefront space, this trip gave…
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Super Size Me In Reverse

By Ken Walker- It’s been almost a decade since Morgan Spurlock released his award-winning Super Size Me, which reviewed all the problems his experimental “Mickey D’s” 30-day diet caused. (You can watch a copy online here.) I remember when news of the documentary surfaced, I scoffed, “That’s ridiculous. Nobody would eat solely fast food all…
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