These Myfitnesspal bloggers

Seffell

Here's one reason why people come here on this forum to spread nonsense: Myfitnesspal blogs on your home page.

These blog articles published online under the Myfitnesspal blog logo are almost always complete woo.

Today's one is about how sugar has "negative health effects" and is "detrimental to your health". A commenter under the blog whole heartedly supported the author and refered to sugar as "heroin".

So there you go. If you wonder where these people get this rubbish information from - Myfitnesspal homepage.

Packerjohn

I always check a blogger's credentials before reading. Eliminates most, but still not all the BS

Seffell

Packerjohn wrote: »

I always check a blogger's credentials before reading. Eliminates most, but still not all the BS

That is quite smart.
Let's hope these people who just arrive and haven't formed an oppinion yet also do that.

RelCanonical

Yeah, the myfitnesspal blog is probably more interested in bringing in traffic. I'm gonna guess it's run by the marketing department who has metrics to hit based on traffic and sign-ups. They've probably found those types of topics have success, despite them being woo, so that's what they focus on. I'm not saying it's right, I'm just saying it the company playing into people's misconceptions rather than actually believing the woo themselves.

quiksylver296

People read MFP blogs?!?

MelanieCN77

Right now I'm getting the "cut sugar" one and "Can you run a 9 minute mile?" offering life insurance for not a very good deal, actually.

SelenaMariaStewart

I don’t read the blogs, but sugar does affect the pleasure centres of them brain to mimic a temporary “high”. Now, I’m not talking about sugars naturally found in foods, but added sweeteners. even so, you don’t have to be completely sugar free to be healthy! 😝 and it is most certainly not heroine. LOL

VUA21

Actually, there is a lot of peer reviewed, legitimate research on why lowering the amount of added sugar is very beneficial. Diets high in added sugar can severely increase one's risk of heart disease and other illnesses.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.cir.0000019552.77778.04

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793267/

But yeah, the blogs are pretty much a joke. My personal favorite was the "Healthy Bran muffins" one....Bran muffins aren't exactly the go-to dessert option for most people, healthy bran muffins sound even less appealing. Now if they can post a high protien, low-cal cheesecake recipe, that I might read.

cmriverside

VUA21 wrote: »

Actually, there is a lot of peer reviewed, legitimate research on why lowering the amount of added sugar is very beneficial. Diets high in added sugar can severely increase one's risk of heart disease and other illnesses.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.cir.0000019552.77778.04

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793267/

But yeah, the blogs are pretty much a joke. My personal favorite was the "Healthy Bran muffins" one....Bran muffins aren't exactly the go-to dessert option for most people, healthy bran muffins sound even less appealing. Now if they can post a high protien, low-cal cheesecake recipe, that I might read.

Did you even read these links?

VUA21

cmriverside wrote: »

VUA21 wrote: »

Actually, there is a lot of peer reviewed, legitimate research on why lowering the amount of added sugar is very beneficial. Diets high in added sugar can severely increase one's risk of heart disease and other illnesses.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.cir.0000019552.77778.04

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793267/

But yeah, the blogs are pretty much a joke. My personal favorite was the "Healthy Bran muffins" one....Bran muffins aren't exactly the go-to dessert option for most people, healthy bran muffins sound even less appealing. Now if they can post a high protien, low-cal cheesecake recipe, that I might read.

Did you even read these links?

Yes, I read the journals, not the editorial. There's a difference.

hesn92

Interesting how the general consensus in the forums is so different from the mfp blogs

ccrdragon

The problem with the blogs is that they are 'click-bait' designed to reel people in and possibly entice them into joining the site... for the most part, they are no better than most of the crap you see on Yahoo, Popsugar or any other MSM site.

MsHarryWinston

I get so annoyed when the blogs come up on my feed because the titles may as well read, “WOO! Get yo Woo here!”

Tacklewasher

But @gebeziseva has a point.

We often ask where people get the weird ideas they come here posting about. It's one thing for it to be FB, but at times it is an actual MFP blog bringing people here with dumb ideas.

Even in the "how often do you weigh" threads, it can be pointed out that on the check-in page it says to only weigh once a week.

Crochetluvr

When a person is diabetic, sugar is worse than heroin. And I honestly believe if you aren't diabetic and have no other health issues, eat the sugar. I envy you.

My blog is usually about the struggles I have with weight loss and related issues. I am NOT a dietician or an expert on dietary health nor would I try to be one. And I certainly wouldn't want to try to influence anyone on what they should do with their bodies....or let them influence me, either.

Tacklewasher

Crochetluvr wrote: »

When a person is diabetic, sugar is worse than heroin. And I honestly believe if you aren't diabetic and have no other health issues, eat the sugar. I envy you.

My blog is usually about the struggles I have with weight loss and related issues. I am NOT a dietician or an expert on dietary health nor would I try to be one. And I certainly wouldn't want to try to influence anyone on what they should do with their bodies....or let them influence me, either.

I don't think the comment is about individuals and their blogs, but the ones promoted (and likely paid) by MFP. I see them in my FB feed all the time. Some of them are right out to lunch. I tend to avoid the main page for MFP (and don't use my phone much) so I miss some of them I'm sure.

Crochetluvr

Ohhh, ok. I don't even GO to the main page....guess that's why I don't see them.

kiwiroz

My pet hate about the blogs on the main page is that most of the recipes don't include weights

AnnPT77

VUA21 wrote: »

Actually, there is a lot of peer reviewed, legitimate research on why lowering the amount of added sugar is very beneficial. Diets high in added sugar can severely increase one's risk of heart disease and other illnesses.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/abs/10.1161/01.cir.0000019552.77778.04

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793267/

But yeah, the blogs are pretty much a joke. My personal favorite was the "Healthy Bran muffins" one....Bran muffins aren't exactly the go-to dessert option for most people, healthy bran muffins sound even less appealing. Now if they can post a high protien, low-cal cheesecake recipe, that I might read.

I assume you've been here already:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10500016/low-calorie-protein-cheesecake

Forums FTW.

MelanieCN77

Tacklewasher wrote: »

But @gebeziseva has a point.

We often ask where people get the weird ideas they come here posting about. It's one thing for it to be FB, but at times it is an actual MFP blog bringing people here with dumb ideas.

Even in the "how often do you weigh" threads, it can be pointed out that on the check-in page it says to only weigh once a week.

I also got dinged for posting about medical marijuana in the forums, when there was a blog post that day about CBD.

fruitily

The sugar one wasn't the worst. It kind of used real science as basis, but it's obvious they didn't understand it.

It's the posts telling you about set point, and how counting calories doesn't work for everyone, starvation mode, and how drinking apple cider vinegar helps in weight loss that infuriates me.

nowine4me

I find some blogs useful and others garbage. If MFP wanted to provide a great UX, they would give us the option to “x” out of the blog and hide the post from our feed. At the end of the day, it’s about advertising revenue.

NovusDies

hesn92 wrote: »

Interesting how the general consensus in the forums is so different from the mfp blogs

Only because things get challenged here more. If it did not these forums would be full of the same stuff. The blogs don't bother me because I ignore them just like I ignore as much nonsense as I can when I am doing general surfing.

NorthCascades

MelanieCN77 wrote: »

Tacklewasher wrote: »

But @gebeziseva has a point.

We often ask where people get the weird ideas they come here posting about. It's one thing for it to be FB, but at times it is an actual MFP blog bringing people here with dumb ideas.

Even in the "how often do you weigh" threads, it can be pointed out that on the check-in page it says to only weigh once a week.

I also got dinged for posting about medical marijuana in the forums, when there was a blog post that day about CBD.

Got cat food today, they sell CBD drops at the pet store now.

Psychgrrl

One of my biggest pet peeves is when blogs or magazines say “a new study says ...” but don’t tell you anything about the study but the blog/magazine’s interpretation of results. Cite the freakin’ study unless you’re afraid that people who can read will see your “summary” was completely off the mark and structured to support this morning month’s trend/advertisers/diet or exercise plan.

One of the reasons I read FitnessRX for Women is that they actually cite the study/studies. I can go look it up and read it for myself. And I have. I appreciate that. It’s like they’re saying “go ahead—check our source.” And they don’t dumb down the research so much that it becomes erroneous or useless. Of course I ignore all the Hydroxycut/etc. ads.

AnvilHead

Most health/fitness blogs are little more than a bunch of derp/woo as a placeholder for an advertising platform. MFP's blog is no different in that regard. And most health/fitness magazines are nothing more than a few derpy articles in what amounts to a supplement catalog.

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psychod787

The bloggers use personal opinions. There is no requirement to be scientifically based.

100_PROOF_

I generally ignore click bait because it's mostly always woo. It's sad that some people don't realize that though.
I had one girl tell me that she was so hungry the night before that she didn't sleep and woke up with heartburn. I asked why she didn't eat something. She said she couldn't because anything she ate would've turned to fat because it was after 7pm. I asked where she got that bogus info and she showed me some click bait article. She really believed that if she ate at night that it turns to fat because she'd be laying down sleeping instead of up burning Calories. SMH!

Critical thinking is becoming a lost art. It's easier for people to gather information from blogs and Facebook than it is to do any actual research.

DoubleUbea

Psychgrrl wrote: »

One of my biggest pet peeves is when blogs or magazines say “a new study says ...”

One of my peeves is when the media uses the word "expert" to describe someone in the story. Having worked in tv news I can tell you the title 'expert' means nothing.

psychod787 wrote: »

The bloggers use personal opinions. There is no requirement to be scientifically based.

Professional journalist use personal opinions as well.

AnvilHead wrote: »

Most health/fitness blogs are little more than a bunch of derp/woo as a placeholder for an advertising platform.

*ALL* news/media is nothing more than entertainment to sell advertising. I wish more people understood this.

Unknown

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