Tag: Memoir

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What ChatGPT Thinks of This Blog

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

Here’s what it seems to be about:

  • It’s focused on weight loss, family recipes, and nutrition. (garyskitchen.net)
  • The author shares personal stories — it’s not just recipes, but also reflections on their journey. (garyskitchen.net)
  • There’s a “Weight Control” category, showing that managing weight is a core theme. (garyskitchen.net)

If you like, I can check whether it’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. Here’s an analysis of garyskitchen.net — what it is, who runs it, and how “reliable” it is (with strengths and some caveats).

What is garyskitchen.net?

  1. A Personal / Memoir-Style Site
    • The site describes itself as “a food memoir of weight loss, family recipes, digital cookbook and nutrition information.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • Its author, “Gary,” is not a credentialed dietitian or nutrition scientist. On his About page, he explicitly states: “I am not a credentialed expert in diet, weight loss or nutrition … My area of expertise is mortality risk assessment.” (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
    • Gary’s day job is in mortality risk assessment. According to the About page, he studies “what kills people” 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)
    • He’s fairly transparent: in his About page he notes he doesn’t make money from the blog (“I earn nothing from my blogs”) and clarifies that products mentioned are not endorsements. (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also mentions that his blog is run on a “free” 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 — he’s not pretending to be a registered dietitian or doctor.
  • Evidence Engagement: He links to scientific research sometimes, which suggests he’s trying to ground his advice or reflections in real studies.
  • Long-Term Experience: Because he’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 doesn’t make money from the blog, which reduces risk that his content is primarily to drive sales or “push” a diet product.

Limitations / Risks

  • Not Professionally Qualified in Nutrition: Since he’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 — Is It Trustworthy Enough to Use?

  • Yes — 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 shouldn’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 couldn’t find much personal public info about “Gary” from garyskitchen.net — here’s what is known, and where things are unclear:

What We Know About Gary (of Gary’s Kitchen)

  1. Professional / Day Job
    • He says he’s “a subject-matter expert in the field of mortality risk assessment.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • He studies “what kills people” 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, “extremely good cook,” bargain shopper, a dad (“professional Papa”), 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: “5.10 168 – Updated October 13, 2022” — likely referring to his height (5’10”) 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: “I earn nothing from my blogs … any products mentioned … are not endorsements.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • He also mentions that his WordPress account is the “free” 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 “you have more control over your life and health than you realize.” (garyskitchen.net)
    • He frames his writing as a “food memoir” — combining stories, recipes, and reflections on nutrition. (garyskitchen.net)

What Isn’t Known / What’s Unclear

  • There’s no publicly listed full name, at least on his blog. He just goes by “Gary.”
  • I found no professional bio (e.g., LinkedIn, academic publications) that clearly ties “Gary, the mortality risk assessor” to a publicly known figure with a verifiable identity.
  • There’s no information about his education on garyskitchen.net.
  • No public photos or video interviews (at least ones clearly tied to “Gary of garyskitchen”) that provide more personal background like age, family origin, or city of residence.
  • Because he states he earns nothing from the blog, he doesn’t appear to have built a large, commercial “influencer” 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 — he’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 there’s any more biographical info out there. Do you want me to do that?

Hell no.

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Lessons Learned From a Lifetime of Cooking #11

  • You can be friends for over 20 years and never know there’s one person in the group who doesn’t like cabbage.
  • Everyone does not collect cookbooks (but they should).
  • When you enjoy cooking and get good at it people assume you know more than you do.
  • I was asked how to prepare turnips. I’ve never cooked a turnip in my entire life.
  • People don’t know who Jacques Pépin is. Seriously?
  • Fresh parsley is cheap. Fresh chives are not cheap (time to grow some at home).
  • Every now and then, take your dinner guests outside of their comfort zones. Make a chicken dish from a French chef who learned how to make the dish from his Mother. Make them drink something other than a massively fruit forward California red.

Memo to Self – For this dish one boneless chicken breast feeds two people. Jacques says this in the video but I didn’t believe him.

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ATTENTION PARENTS – Yes You Can!

Remember my post Tik Tok is bad for your health? Or Latest Tik Tok Trend – Eat Dirt? How about The Dark Side of TikTok – 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 “full 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 ‘Yes You Can’ TikTok Trend Has Parents of Tween & Teen Girls Sounding the Alarm — https://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 ‘Crunchy Teen’ Trend Definitely Needs Some Parental Intervention — https://www.parents.com/what-is-crunchy-teen-11734514

You’re welcome, again.

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Lessons Learned From a Lifetime of Cooking #10

I’ve always preferred baking sweet potatoes over boiling and mashing sweet potatoes because my boiled version always turned out watery.

I just learned you have to boil the peeled sweet potatoes whole. After about 45-50 minutes check to see if the potatoes are cooked through. Then drain and return to the cooking pot. Turn the heat on to low and start smashing, and mashing while constantly stirring to avoid burning (I use a wooden spoon). After about five minutes a good amount of moisture will have evaporated from the potatoes. This is why sweet potatoes made this way aren’t too loose and watery. Add a splash of milk or half and half, a bunch of butter, salt and pepper to taste.

Memo to Self – buy more sweet potatoes, eat more sweet potatoes.

Photo by wr heustis on Pexels.com
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We Have a Four Time Pell Cup Champion!

Behind Aspen’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 goats—or, more accurately, has-beens and never-weres—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 League’s holy grail. If you look past the beer and whiskey stains, you will see nearly a half century of Aspen’s history etched in the names of its hockey clubs, sponsored by bars, camera stores, laundromats, and other long-gone businesses.  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!

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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 aren’t consuming enough protein.

Because older people’s muscles can’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 muscle loss – https://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

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Lessons Learned From a Lifetime of Cooking #9

Celery leaves. I always tossed them out until The Boss informed me she doesn’t like big chunks of celery in dishes I make that use celery for an ingredient. I recently discovered you can use celery leaves like a fresh herb, finely chopped and added to your creation in lieu of big chunks of celery. So far I haven’t gotten any complaints about the tiny green stuff floating in the soup.

10 Ways To Use Celery Leaves In The Kitchen.

Read More: https://www.tastingtable.com/1572645/uses-celery-leaves/

Memo to Self – instead of buying celery with less leaves buy celery with more leaves, especially bunches with dark green leaves which have a more intense flavor than the stalks.

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Eat More Beans, Peas and Lentils

The scientific report has some positive recommendations. It recommends that Americans eat more beans, peas, and lentils and eat less red and processed meat. It recommends that Beans, Peas, and Lentils move from a subgroup of the Vegetables Food Group to a subgroup of the Protein Food Group. When listing foods in the Protein Food Group, Beans/Peas/Lentils should be listed first, followed by Nuts/Seeds/Soy products, then Seafood, and lastly Meats/Poultry/Eggs. – 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee’s Scientific Report Recommends Eating More Beans, Peas, and Lentils and Eating Less Red and Processed Meat – http://www.vrg.org/blog/2025/01/31/2025-dietary-guidelines-advisory-committees-scientific-report-recommends-eating-more-beans-peas-and-lentils-and-eating-less-red-and-processed-meat/

If you want to geek out on the full report here’s the download link – https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/2025-advisory-committee-report

U.S. rates of nutrition-related chronic health conditions are high, and data show significant differences in prevalence across socio-demographic groups. For example, the prevalence of obesity is lower among non-Hispanic Asian children compared to all other race and/or ethnicity groups examined, and the prevalence is lower in non-Hispanic White children compared to non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic and/or Latino children. Obesity is significantly lower among children with higher family income compared to those with lower family income. Among adults, the prevalence of obesity is lower among non-Hispanic Asian adults and higher in non-Hispanic Black adults. Prevalence of hypertension is higher in non-Hispanic Black adults than adults of all other race and/or ethnicity groups examined. Diabetes is lower in non-Hispanic White adults compared to all other race and/or ethnicity groups examined, while gestational diabetes is highest among non-Hispanic Asian adults and lowest among non-Hispanic Black adults. Income data show that among adults, the prevalence of obesity, of hypertension, and of diabetes are higher among families with lower incomes compared to higher incomes.

I’ve not read the entire report but judging from what I’ve read so far it is definitely Geek Paradise.

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