Eat whatever you want, as long as it fits on a 9-inch plate
We here at CalorieLab always like to be ahead of the diet trends, and it’s in that spirit that we inform you of the book that’s sure to be influencing what’s on people’s plates (and the size of those plates) when it comes out later this year.
From the guys who brought you Meatnormous…
The 9-inch Diet by Alex Bogusky and Chuck Porter isn’t really a diet book; it’s more about getting people to make one simple lifestyle change that the authors argue will help them lose weight effortlessly: using smaller plates.
It’s well known that we’re all on average eating more calories than we should (the book publisher’s website puts the figure at 300 extra calories a day), and the authors say people will eat 30 to 35 percent less if they’re eating on a smaller plate. They say that there is a twisted conspiracy in America that makes people fat, and their book is the solution.
The authors say big butts come from big plates
It’s not a particularly groundbreaking idea. In fact, there are portion control plates that help people dole out the right amounts of different food groups, bento box diets and scientific studies that show people eat less when they use smaller plates, because a smaller portion looks bigger on a small plate.
What’s catching the eye of critics already about this book is the fact that the authors work for an advertising agency that’s perhaps best known for junky clients Domino’s Pizza and Burger King.
These are the guys who were the brains behind the Quad Stacker, Meatnormous and a croissant sandwich filled with “meat and cheese and cheese and meat.” They were the masterminds of the Whopper Freak Out, during which restaurant workers told customers that the Whopper had been discontinued.
Could book be a prank?
A shot from the book, from the publisher's website
Some people have suggested that the book might be some kind of marketing stunt for Domino’s (are they planning to launch a new 9-inch pizza?), and the book’s publisher has published a fake diet book from the agency before.
Eating the Angus Diet by the faux Dr. Angus (actually a staff copywriter) extolled the virtues of Burger King’s Angus Steakburger. The publisher also printed the duo’s Hooplanetics, a book about “self-amplification,” whatever that means, according to its Amazon page.
Even if the book is legitimate, it’s pretty clear these guys have no real authority that should make people listen to them when it comes to dieting, and many have pointed out the double standard involved in promoting junk food on the one hand and writing a book that claims to help people lose weight on the other (admittedly, even the biggest burger would probably fit on a 9-inch plate, and there’s no word on height limitations).
The folks at Creativity have even suggested the book is like the Marlboro Man writing a book about the dangers of smoking. Whether the authors were motivated by wanting to cash in on the diet trend, promote a client’s products or an actual desire to help people, it sure will be interesting to find out the real story behind it. It’s due on shelves in December.
(By Sarah E. White for CalorieLab Calorie Counter News)
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