What ChatGPT Thinks of This Blog

Good question. Garyskitchen.net is a blog / food memoir website. (garyskitchen.net)

Hereโ€™s what it seems to be about:

  • Itโ€™s focused on weight loss, family recipes, and nutrition. (garyskitchen.net)
  • The author shares personal stories โ€” itโ€™s not just recipes, but also reflections on their journey. (garyskitchen.net)
  • Thereโ€™s a โ€œWeight Controlโ€ category, showing that managing weight is a core theme. (garyskitchen.net)

If you like, I can check whether itโ€™s a reliable or trusted site (e.g. based on its credibility, authorship, how up-to-date it is). Do you want me to do that?

I responded Yes.

Good question. Hereโ€™s an analysis of garyskitchen.net โ€” what it is, who runs it, and how โ€œreliableโ€ it is (with strengths and some caveats).


What is garyskitchen.net?

  1. A Personal / Memoir-Style Site
    • The site describes itself as โ€œa food memoir of weight loss, family recipes, digital cookbook and nutrition information.โ€ (garyskitchen.net)
    • Its author, โ€œGary,โ€ is not a credentialed dietitian or nutrition scientist. On his About page, he explicitly states: โ€œI am not a credentialed expert in diet, weight loss or nutrition โ€ฆ My area of expertise is mortality risk assessment.โ€ (garyskitchen.net)
    • He used to weigh ~370 pounds and claims to have lost ~200 pounds and kept it off for decades. (garyskitchen.net)
  2. Professional Background of the Author
    • Garyโ€™s day job is in mortality risk assessment. According to the About page, he studies โ€œwhat kills peopleโ€ for a living. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also blogs elsewhere (lifeunderwriter.net) about related topics. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He writes as a hobbyist / personal storyteller rather than a formally trained nutrition professional. (garyskitchen.net)
  3. Content Characteristics
    • The blog mixes personal stories, reflections, and recipes with commentary on nutrition research. (garyskitchen.net)
    • Posts often cite studies or link to external research (e.g., in a May 2024 post, he links to scientific studies). (garyskitchen.net)
    • Heโ€™s fairly transparent: in his About page he notes he doesnโ€™t make money from the blog (โ€œI earn nothing from my blogsโ€) and clarifies that products mentioned are not endorsements. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also mentions that his blog is run on a โ€œfreeโ€ WordPress account, which is why there are ads. (garyskitchen.net)

How Credible / Reliable Is It?

Here are strengths and limitations, based on standard criteria for evaluating nutrition information.

Strengths

  • Transparency: Gary is very clear about his background, his lack of formal credentials in nutrition, and his motivation. That honesty is a good sign โ€” heโ€™s not pretending to be a registered dietitian or doctor.
  • Evidence Engagement: He links to scientific research sometimes, which suggests heโ€™s trying to ground his advice or reflections in real studies.
  • Long-Term Experience: Because heโ€™s writing from his own weight-loss story (losing and maintaining weight), his insights about sustainable habits may be credible from a lived-experience perspective.
  • No Clear Commercial Bias: He says he doesnโ€™t make money from the blog, which reduces risk that his content is primarily to drive sales or โ€œpushโ€ a diet product.

Limitations / Risks

  • Not Professionally Qualified in Nutrition: Since heโ€™s not a registered dietitian or a certified nutrition scientist, advice on very technical or therapeutic nutrition topics should be viewed cautiously.
  • Anecdotal Bias: Some of his guidance may be heavily influenced by his personal journey, which may not generalize to everyone. What worked for him might not work the same way for someone with different health conditions or body types.
  • Selective Use of Research: While citing studies is good, without a formal scientific or peer-review process he may selectively cite research that aligns with his views.
  • Lack of Peer Review: Blog posts are not peer-reviewed in the way academic papers are, so risk of misinterpretation of studies (or over-generalization) is higher.

Bottom Line โ€” Is It Trustworthy Enough to Use?

  • Yes โ€” garyskitchen.net can be useful, especially for inspiration, recipes, and personal insights on weight loss and maintenance.
  • But for medical or therapeutic nutrition advice (e.g., if you have a health condition, specific dietary needs, or chronic disease), it shouldnโ€™t be your only source.
  • Use it as one piece of the puzzle, and complement it with evidence-based sites from established health authorities (e.g., Nutrition.gov, USDA, or peer-reviewed journals).

I couldnโ€™t find much personal public info about โ€œGaryโ€ from garyskitchen.net โ€” hereโ€™s what is known, and where things are unclear:


What We Know About Gary (of Garyโ€™s Kitchen)

  1. Professional / Day Job
    • He says heโ€™s โ€œa subject-matter expert in the field of mortality risk assessment.โ€ (garyskitchen.net)
    • He studies โ€œwhat kills peopleโ€ as part of his career. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He has another blog called lifeunderwriter.net that seems to connect to his professional side. (garyskitchen.net)
  2. Personal Background & Identity
    • He describes himself as: a published writer, an amateur philosopher, โ€œextremely good cook,โ€ bargain shopper, a dad (โ€œprofessional Papaโ€), and a blues guitarist. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He used to weigh 370 pounds and lost a significant amount of weight, and he writes from that experience. (garyskitchen.net)
    • On his About page, he notes: โ€œ5.10 168 โ€“ Updated October 13, 2022โ€ โ€” likely referring to his height (5โ€™10โ€) and weight (168 lbs) as of that date. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He is very clear that he does not make money from the blog, at least according to his About: โ€œI earn nothing from my blogs โ€ฆ any products mentioned โ€ฆ are not endorsements.โ€ (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also mentions that his WordPress account is the โ€œfreeโ€ version, which is why there are ads. (garyskitchen.net)
  3. Motivation / Philosophy
    • He has a clear mission: to help people realize their food choices matter and that โ€œyou have more control over your life and health than you realize.โ€ (garyskitchen.net)
    • He frames his writing as a โ€œfood memoirโ€ โ€” combining stories, recipes, and reflections on nutrition. (garyskitchen.net)

What Isnโ€™t Known / Whatโ€™s Unclear

  • Thereโ€™s no publicly listed full name, at least on his blog. He just goes by โ€œGary.โ€
  • I found no professional bio (e.g., LinkedIn, academic publications) that clearly ties โ€œGary, the mortality risk assessorโ€ to a publicly known figure with a verifiable identity.
  • Thereโ€™s no information about his education on garyskitchen.net.
  • No public photos or video interviews (at least ones clearly tied to โ€œGary of garyskitchenโ€) that provide more personal background like age, family origin, or city of residence.
  • Because he states he earns nothing from the blog, he doesnโ€™t appear to have built a large, commercial โ€œinfluencerโ€ presence under that name.

My Assessment

  • Gary appears to be a private individual who runs his blog more as a personal project / passion than a business.
  • His professional side (mortality risk assessment) is unusual for a food blog, which gives him a somewhat unique perspective โ€” heโ€™s thinking about long-term health, risk, and longevity in his writing.
  • Because of his transparency, his content seems fairly sincere and not overly commercialized.

If you like, I can try a deep web search (including archives, domain registration, etc.) to see if thereโ€™s any more biographical info out there. Do you want me to do that?

Hell no.

ATTENTION PARENTS – Yes You Can!

Remember my post Tik Tok is bad for your health? Or Latest Tik Tok Trend โ€“ Eat Dirt? How about The Dark Side of TikTok โ€“ Toddler Milks? Don’t remember, eh? Well, here’s a post you won’t forget.

According to this article there are videos that have millions of views with comments โ€œfull of girls cheering each other on, romanticizing risky behavior and literally encouraging one another to ignore every red flag.

Encouraging others to engage in dangerous behavior against their own gut instincts is not OK, and the fact that the videos are drawing supportive and positive comments from other teen and tween girls proves how much the trend is resonating with these girls. Why the โ€˜Yes You Canโ€™ TikTok Trend Has Parents of Tween & Teen Girls Sounding the Alarmhttps://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/1234887372/yes-you-can-trend/

You’re welcome.

PS – almost forgot this is a food blog, so here you go.

“Crunchy Teen” is a trend where teens publicly reject norms around food and nutrition in favor of some more controversial stances not verified by data or experts.Parents should know that many “crunchy teen” influencers repeat a lot of misinformation that can lead to harmful health suggestions. Why the โ€˜Crunchy Teenโ€™ Trend Definitely Needs Some Parental Intervention — https://www.parents.com/what-is-crunchy-teen-11734514

You’re welcome, again.

Papa Zen #1

I’m starting a random series of posts for the youngest members of my clan.

“Fall in love with some activity, and do it! Nobody ever figures out what life is all about, and it doesnโ€™t matter. Explore the world. Nearly everything is really interesting if you go into it deeply enough. Work as hard and as much as you want to on the things you like to do the best. Donโ€™t think about what you want to be, but what you want to do. Keep up some kind of a minimum with other things so that society doesnโ€™t stop you from doing anything at all.” Richard Feynman

Note: I’ve capitalized the P and Z in Papa Zen so I don’t confused with papa zen.

We Have a Four Time Pell Cup Champion!

Behind Aspenโ€™s international skiing luster lies a deep, competitive hockey culture that makes for a tough beer league. A drive to win the bragging rights to the battered Pell Cup turns architects, bartenders, contractors, lawyers, teachers, ski bums, and friends into fierce, fist-throwing rivals…former pros, Division I college players, and old goatsโ€”or, more accurately, has-beens and never-weresโ€”battle away for what may be the hardest-earned, least-known trophy in nonprofessional hockey: the Pell Cup. Named after longtime Aspenite Peter Pell (a notoriously sharp-tongued player who never won the cup himself), this dented piece of pewter is a horrible, miniature replica of the Stanley Cup, the National Hockey Leagueโ€™s holy grail. If you look past the beer and whiskey stains, you will see nearly a half century of Aspenโ€™s history etched in the names of its hockey clubs, sponsored by bars, camera stores, laundromats, and other long-gone businesses.ย  Is Aspen a Hockey Town at Heart?https://www.aspensojo.com/travel-and-outdoors/2019/02/is-aspen-a-hockey-town-at-heart

Image: Courtesy: Pete McBride author of Is Aspen a Hockey Town at Heart?

So proud of you son!

Why more protein matters for older adults

Current recommendations for protein intake are the same for all adults, regardless of age: 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass daily (g/kg/d). But estimates suggest that up to 30-76 per cent of older adults arenโ€™t consuming enough protein.

Because older peopleโ€™s muscles canโ€™t use dietary protein as effectively as younger people to maintain muscle, experts suggest that older adults looking to keep their muscles should consume approximately 50 per cent more protein (1.2 g/kg/d).

Nutrition and healthy aging: The role of protein quality in combating muscleย losshttps://theconversation.com/nutrition-and-healthy-aging-the-role-of-protein-quality-in-combatting-muscle-loss

I’ve always felt guilty about the times I didn’t feel like cooking, went to the store to buy a frozen pizza, then proceeded to eat the entire pie. I no longer feel the guilt. I ate 48 grams of protein! I’m combating sarcopenia. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/23167-sarcopenia

Home Alone 2024 – Weekend Update

This post is a Weekend Update to Home Alone. Worriers worry about everything. So to ease worried minds here’s what I’ve done the past several days.

  • I’ve watched two OKC Thunder games and have another game to watch tonight. Just one championship before I die would be nice.
  • I went to the grocery store. Twice. Maybe three times if I go later today. How is it possible for a grocery store to be out of (or not stock) stewed tomatoes?
  • Solitude offers time and space to think deeply about things and learn more about yourself. I’ve learned I always forget at least one item when I go grocery shopping.
  • Home alone last Holiday season I didn’t feel like cooking. This year is different. I’ve been cooking every day.
  • I found a two pound bag of pre-cooked frozen meatballs. The price per pound was less than the cost of uncooked ground beef. I bought a bag.

I decided to make meatball soup. Yes, that’s a nonstick frying pan because I wanted more pan surface to brown the meatballs and veggies.

This is what the soup looked like before I added the broth.

  • Memo to Self – next time transfer the meatballs and veggies to a soup pot then add the broth.
  • I’m surprised at the quality of the frozen meatballs. Obviously not as good as homemade, but very convenient with flavor reminiscent of the best cafeteria food you ever had.
  • I did not go to downtown OKC and hang at the Asian superstore. The strange vegetable experiment didn’t happen.
  • I listened to more Reckless Kelly.
  • I downloaded a bunch of free books to my Kindle most of which I’ll likely never read. This activity satisfies my hoarding tendencies.
  • My usual house-cleaner was out of town. I cleaned the shower and all of the toilets.
  • I almost made one side of the bed this morning before I realized it was Sunday and Sundays are bed sheet days.
  • I bought Christmas cards for next year.
  • The meatball soup was good but not good enough to post a recipe. it’s not good enough to serve for company but also not bad enough to toss out.
  • Bourbon.
  • I went to the gym after a six week hiatus. My eyeball doctor told me to cut back on the exercise so I went into slug mode. Today everything hurts. Everything.
  • I’ve gotten a lot more reading done (when not watching basketball).
  • I learned about the connection between smartphones, ultra processed foods, diminished family bonds and mental wellness. See my other blog https://lifeunderwriter.net/2024/12/29/smartphones-ultra-processed-foods-diminished-family-bonds-and-mental-wellness/
  • I posted more to my blogs.

I trust this update helps the worriers in my family to worry less. It’s back to The Day Job tomorrow so everyone knows what I’ll be doing during the daylight hours.

But before I forget…Reckless Kelly featuring Kelly Willis