Paths and Destinations

a lot of energy is expended arguing and debating various weight loss strategies on this website, because that's what people on the internet tend to do, so i just wanted to post a short metaphor i always think about when reading these discussions, with the hope that it might help clarify some of the thoughts new folks may be having.

weight loss is an activity that leads to your goal weight. your goal weight is the destination. for some people, their destination might not be a goal weight, but instead a BF% goal and/or muscle mass goal.

how you choose to meet your goal is simply your path to that destination.

some paths will lead to your destination. some paths won't. some paths will lead there quickly. some paths won't. some paths will take a very scenic route to the destination. some won't. some paths will have very expensive toll booths. some won't.

when you see people arguing over which strategy is best in the MFP forums, just remember this metaphor. they are arguing over which path is best for them. everyone has their own biases (i admit to a bias towards IIFYM) and you must account for that in every discussion, but the truth of the matter is that many paths can all lead to the same destination. some are faster than others and some are more enjoyable than others, but there will always be multiple ways to get to your destination. however, if you find you've started going down a path that you don't enjoy, there is no reason you have to stay on that path. seek out another path instead!

the only paths that you should avoid are the ones that are dead ends. those would be paths predicated on gimmicks such as raspberry ketones and such. you'd waste time and money learning that on your own, so many folks here in the forums try to help prevent new members from making that mistake right at the beginning.

therefore, and with the exception of those paths to be avoided, all of the other paths can/will get you to your destination if you just stay on them and don't stop along the way. these paths include paleo, IIFYM, low carbing, clean eating, Atkins, etc.

one final word of advice... be wary of anyone insisting that there is only ONE path that can get you there. it's not true. that's not to say there isn't one optimal path though. we all think there is. for me, i think IIFYM is the best path you can choose. but there are others who feel just as strongly about their own preferences. that's ultimately what we're really arguing about in the forums. if you decide you want a slower and harder path, who am i to tell you that's the wrong path for you? at the end of the day, you're the one who has to follow it, not me. so long as you understand that the path you're on is not the only possible path for you, then i think almost every reasonable person on MFP will respect your decision and simply wish you good luck in your endeavors.

i don't know if this helps clear things up for anyone who is confused by all of the back and forth about weight loss strategies they see in the forums, but i hope so. :drinker: