Writer’s block and do I have it?

Published 5.5.2026: So I have read that a good writer never suffers from writer’s block. I don’t know about that, nor am I stating for the record that I’m a good writer. I don’t think that I am. I would like my writing to improve, and in that sense I need to write more.

However, I’m also not the worst writer. What I am currently, is a writer without a topic. What should I write about? Health at every size (HAES)? I think I’ve wrung everything out of that topic that I can. I know that there are online YouTubers who don’t think HAES is dying, but I disagree. Of course, this YouTuber also thinks that glucagon like peptides-1 (GLP-1) drugs will be banned in the next three to five years. Perhaps, but I don’t buy it. Too many people are benefitting, and drug companies are racing to develop new and better drugs. (And no, I’m not giving her any traffic.)

I do NOT think that people are dropping dead from these drugs (despite what fat activists say on podcasts), for 20 years these drugs were used to treat type-2 diabetes. Weight loss was a side effect, and one that didn’t affect all people. But if people had died taking the drugs, they would have stopped using them. Believe it or not, most doctors do not want their patients to die. But back to HAES, followers of HAES are clearly terrified of GLP-1 drugs, but so are online weight loss doctors — whatever diet they are selling. I listened to a vegan centered series of presentations, and most of their presentations were that the drugs were not as long term as the diets.

I don’t listen to carnivores or low carb gurus, so It is a guess that they are as worried as the vegans. Though perhaps not, as they eat a lot of animal protein, and protein is the macronutrient that everyone emphasizes to avoid muscle loss. That and resistance training is the two common admonitions. Do that, and you won’t lose muscle.

Speaking of low carb and keto diet fools: This is a recent article in the Journal of the American Heart Association about the dangers of a ketogenic diet. Essentially, they define the keto diet as an ultra low carb diet, the dangers of which can be mediated by eating a few carbs. Basically, eating a keto diet raising your so-called “bad” cholesterol, the low density lipoproteins (LDL). Many keto zealots will tell you that LDL doesn’t matter for heart health, but those people are fools. Yes, I am a believer in the diet-heart hypothesis, just so the few low carb readers I have leave.

So next topic (since this piece is an attempt to fight so-called writer’s block): Is it better for fat/obese people to lose wieght slowly or quickly? A podcast that I’ve been listening to (Chasing Clarity) would say that faster is better, because people with a large amount of weight to lose don’t want to diet or count calories forever. I don’t have any personal experience here, because I’ve never been that large (even at my heaviest when I needed to lose 30+ pounds).

I think “large” here means 100+ or more pounds. And to be honest, slow and steady, so-called, is what most dieticians and trainers suggest, no matter how much weight you need to lose. But there is an argument that showing a lot of progress in a short amount of time (even if initially what you’re losing ins water weight) is better. People get instant gratification if the scale moves at first, and if you’re eating enough protein, then ultimately what you will lose is body fat. I think THAT is the biggest shift in my thinking when it comes to weight loss. Eating enough protein is what I mean.

You don’t have to go low carbohydrates, but if you prioritize protein, you will typically eat fewer carbs (if you also prioritize fiber, which mean vegetables). The argument is that this type of dieting is the easiest for very large people (especially if you’re not vegan) because you still feel like your eating plenty, even while the deficit you’re creating is huge. I think very large people don’t realize how much they are eating (liquid calories count too), so I can believe this. It gets harder as you get smaller, but frankly the smallest people the podcast addresses are body builders prepping for a show and trying to get to only essential levels of fat. That ain’t me, nor anyone that I know.

I think I will end this piece on that note. This last is a topic I may revisit.