Sometimes I wish I could prove it online

CarvedTones

It's annoying sometimes in forum posts when debating something with a woo peddler or someone convinced that exercise or less carbs or whatever is the only or most effective way to get fit and lose weight is seemingly on equal footing in a thread. Many of these people have a low post count and have probably been at it a short time. Their diaries are usually private. Others have been at it a long time with little or no progress.

I am not saying that the way I did it is the only way; it obviously isn't. But it would be nice if you could tell what opinions hold some (lost) weight and what opinions are more theoretical.

LiftHeavyThings27105

CarvedTones wrote: »

It's annoying sometimes in forum posts when debating something with a woo peddler or someone convinced that exercise or less carbs or whatever is the only or most effective way to get fit and lose weight is seemingly on equal footing in a thread. Many of these people have a low post count and have probably been at it a short time. Their diaries are usually private. Others have been at it a long time with little or no progress.

I am not saying that the way I did it is the only way; it obviously isn't. But it would be nice if you could tell what opinions hold some (lost) weight and what opinions are more theoretical.

You mean, "it is, because I said so" does not work for you? Wow! What a jerk you are! HA! HA! I agree with you completely. Everyone is different, but there are some things that are the same for everyone. Assuming, of course, that we are talking apples and apples. Which may or may not be the case - and not so clearly defined initially.

For example, I know a lady that had a thyroid issue, took medicine for it, gained 35 lbs because of the medicine - no matter what she ate (and her diet was really good) - and when she finally got the issue under control and was able to discontinue taking the thyroid medicine that 35lbs came off over time.

Naturally, if we did not know - because she never said anything abut that 'detail' - then things would not make sense to us - initially.

There are lots of people with an agenda. MFP is a well-known forum (let's just call it that) and there are a lot of keyboard warriors who are embrazzened by the annonimity of the Internet and - as such - feel that they can say and do whatever feels right at the moment. Most - it is my contention, anyway - would not have the cajones to say that stuff to my face. Likely a good thing, too! I am not shy and not afraid to smash their face through a wall!

Anyway, I get frustrated by the same thing. When I slow down posting it is because of this exact topic. I just feel like I am wasting my time with these idiots. End of my rant! Whew! I feel better now!

Keto_Vampire

Well, I can attest, there are many ways to "skin a cat". Have tried tons of different diets in my time (always fascinated with experimentation) but @ the end of the day, it always came down to consistency/adherence, kcals, & tracking progress. No such thing as magical foods, macros, supplements, etc.

GaleHawkins

CarvedTones wrote: »

It's annoying sometimes in forum posts when debating something with a woo peddler or someone convinced that exercise or less carbs or whatever is the only or most effective way to get fit and lose weight is seemingly on equal footing in a thread. Many of these people have a low post count and have probably been at it a short time. Their diaries are usually private. Others have been at it a long time with little or no progress.

I am not saying that the way I did it is the only way; it obviously isn't. But it would be nice if you could tell what opinions hold some (lost) weight and what opinions are more theoretical.

Over time if the BS detector staying in the learning mode it may give better results especially when reading peer reviewed sources. Everyone knows to discount posts without real names and web profiles to check out.

kommodevaran

Seeing so many people fall for hype and suffer needlessly, and not get the results they (say they) want, is frustrating, but we have to accept the truth in "I can explain it to you, but I can't understand it for you". We all choose what we want to believe in. We all like to think that humans are so rational, but our default mode for decision making is "irrationally" (or a-rationally); we use our emotions way more than we use logic and reason. Everybody has a personal responsibility to override that and apply common sense and critical thinking. No amount of credentials or scientific proof is enough to change the mind of a person who has already made up theirs.

bufger

I'll post a before and after picture at the end of every comment in order to prove my real life experience.

Just like I did on the chlamydia forum a few years back. Nobody believed me until I started using pictures to back up my arguement.

Just gotta make sure I upload the right photos from my phone. 1 min...

sardelsa

At the end of the day, you provide information the best you can and the person has to make a decision as to what they want to follow. Some might fall for the hype or be so focused on their ways they might not even listen. It happens. I was set in my ways at one point and probably wouldn't have listened to anyone's advice. I had to go down that rabbit hole myself and learn from my own mistakes in order to improve. Sometimes that's what it takes for people.

tirowow12385

CarvedTones wrote: »

It's annoying sometimes in forum posts when debating something with a woo peddler or someone convinced that exercise or less carbs or whatever is the only or most effective way to get fit and lose weight is seemingly on equal footing in a thread. Many of these people have a low post count and have probably been at it a short time. Their diaries are usually private. Others have been at it a long time with little or no progress.

I am not saying that the way I did it is the only way; it obviously isn't. But it would be nice if you could tell what opinions hold some (lost) weight and what opinions are more theoretical.

It shouldn't matter if someone has a low post count, if you want to talk logic, you should not appeal from a point of authority, it's a logical fallacy. Just saying.

SummerSkier

there are a couple of posters who I greatly admire for their patience and consistent explanations. When in doubt on a b board where it's hard to know the person, I believe we should try to err on the side of kindness in response or no response at all.

Orphia

CarvedTones wrote: »

It's annoying sometimes in forum posts when debating something with a woo peddler or someone convinced that exercise or less carbs or whatever is the only or most effective way to get fit and lose weight is seemingly on equal footing in a thread. Many of these people have a low post count and have probably been at it a short time. Their diaries are usually private. Others have been at it a long time with little or no progress.

I am not saying that the way I did it is the only way; it obviously isn't. But it would be nice if you could tell what opinions hold some (lost) weight and what opinions are more theoretical.

There's a fair bit to learn about doing it the way you/we have done it.

The woo peddlar can't take it all in at once anyway, so just pick one important aspect to make them think and make the reply empathetic.

It may not even be what they're riled up about, but an important aspect about self-deprivation, sustainability, or moderation that is the elephant in the room.

Easy for me to say, but hard not to get frustrated, I agree.

refugeefromkekistan

Sometimes we with more experience and understanding can forget what it's like to be a newbie, this happens in nearly any area of life. I try to be honest with myself and remember the start of my "journey," where I was being pilloried with this or that diet, ripped person A saying low carbs, ripped person B saying keto, mom-with-8-kids-and-now-looks-hotter-than-a-20-something-model saying it's all about meal timing or whatever, and on and on.

This isn't easy for someone who is overweight and dealing with whatever issues that may be associated with their view of themselves that being out of shape and walking around like that every day generates. If any of them are like myself, they had a lot of jokes at their expense, perhaps a family member or someone in the social circle or at work or wherever who made them feel uncomfortable in daily conversation, there's so many components of the everyday that build and build to frustrate oneself. Then they make that decision, that tough-*kitten* choice to try and do something about it, and they post here or elsewhere, ask what to do, do some searches, read blogs, studies, the whole deal. They wind up more confused than ever, don't know who to trust. Then they come here and one of us has a back-and-forth that looks something like:

"But I read I shouldn't eat late at night?"
"CICO"
"But glycogen levels and fat stores and--"
"CICO"

And on it goes as one by one, their amassed myths are struck down. It can be difficult to accept the brutal simplicity of being an organism within this universe where the laws of physics apply to your daily caloric intake and energy expenditure. Never underestimate how challenging acceptance of simplicity can be, especially when someone is about to undertake one of the most challenging projects of their life. Just saying "Eat less than you burn daily" or however you would phrase it is very tough because now it's just action time, no more research and debating and blah blah necessary, not for that specific goal of WL. It's time to be best friends with the food scale, grind out the new habit of measuring every frakkin thing that you eat, and just get to it. Way, way easier to constantly seek a new, magical method than accept the mundane reality.

Just my take! I may be wrong.

fb47

CarvedTones wrote: »

It's annoying sometimes in forum posts when debating something with a woo peddler or someone convinced that exercise or less carbs or whatever is the only or most effective way to get fit and lose weight is seemingly on equal footing in a thread. Many of these people have a low post count and have probably been at it a short time. Their diaries are usually private. Others have been at it a long time with little or no progress.

I am not saying that the way I did it is the only way; it obviously isn't. But it would be nice if you could tell what opinions hold some (lost) weight and what opinions are more theoretical.

My profile picture speaks for itself. I don't believe in any diets other than just counting calories with the foods I love and this includes eating over 200 grams of carbs while cutting. People who argue that is because in their past experience, they think they did things correctly, but in reality they didn't. Some will swear that they counted calories and it didn't work, but they don't realize they failed because they don't weight accurately or enter food entries correctly. On rare occasions, they have health issues that they don't know about, but most of the time their diets failed because they were simply doing it wrong which is why they took a diet that restricted them of something and helped them stay in a caloric deficit. They were simply baby proofed (not sure if that's how we say it) into being in a caloric deficit. So they claim that it's the diet that caused directly their weight loss and ignore that it's actually the caloric deficit that did that to them.