Tag: weight problems

Americans Not Likely to Count Calories

Having learned years ago in journalism school about the necessity of opening a news story with an interesting lead, I’m pretty sure the Associated Press writer who chronicled possible delays in posting of calorie counts on restaurant menus wasn’t trying to be funny. But when I read the lead sentence recently about attempts to delay…
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Healthy Eating a Long-Term Battle

Until I read about the pending opening of a Clean Eatz franchise in Huntington over the summer, I had never heard of the North Carolina-based restaurant chain. I was impressed with their proclamation that menu items are a maximum 500 calories, and that the owners’ goal is to help people adjust to a healthy lifestyle.…
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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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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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Gratitude for Life

By Ken Walker- Although I have written more than 3,500 articles for various publications and web sites over the past 25-plus years, I rarely am the subject of a story. And since I did the interview during a hectic book editing deadline, I had almost forgotten that the latest issue of Energy Times was carrying…
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The Fight for Better Health

By Ken Walker- I recently commented on an apology by Thom Rainer for old material produced by LifeWay Christian Resources that had offended the Asian-American community. However, another of his recent posts caught my attention for a different reason. I could have written “Confessions of an Obese Christian” for many years, all the while feeling…
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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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