Guide to making claims based on experience
longtimeterp
Posts: 623 Member
Since everyone is here for advice and support on whatever their weight or body composition goals are, i feel it very important to know about actual real life instances and what may or may not have worked for people. If there was not a scientific study done on how you were successful, it's totally okay to provide an opinion of what works best for you. Ultimately what works for some people may or may not work for others, and if we all knew the secret none of us would be on this site. Continuing to provide personal and anecdotal evidence provides real life example and servesas a very positive motivator for many of us. And also because sometimes Lifes, not just Sciences. But always Maths! 
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Replies
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heh heh.longtimeterp wrote: »if we all knew the secret none of us would be on this site.
I think this is a great point. A lot OPs are asking for help losing weight, and a lot of people are responding calorie in < energy out, but the OP is really asking how did you deal with 1. cravings 2. eating out 3. emotional eating 4. grazing after dinner 5. fitting low-cal meals into a busy lifestyle 6. changing a lifestyle to one more healthy 7. weird issues that are popping up 8. exercise 9. understanding body mass and total energy expenditures 10. etc etc etc.
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Oh Snap...0
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My eyes glaze over when I get a scientific research link shoved at me.
I'm much more interested in hearing from real life people with real life experiences
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Yes indeedy happycamper
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The funniest thing is, when that thread started, i agreed...having recently acquired a graduate degree, i understand it is important to provide support. However when it changed into a "support your post with research, your opinion and advice is useless, we only care about what a scientific study said" i quickly changed sides.
i've actually posted a few studies today when my thoughts were questioned (a nice term for the attitude of some on the forums). They can be useful. But so is what works for someone that has lost 100 lbs, as i place a lot more value on that opinion that a research paper, especially since much like statistics, you can find research supporting almost any claim.0 -
Yes, that is what I love about the success stories. It is great to hear individual experiences and how people may deal with weight/health/fitness.
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Oh, I see what you did there OP …
I am in…to see where your rebuttal thread goes...0 -
DeirdreWoodwardSanders wrote: »heh heh.longtimeterp wrote: »if we all knew the secret none of us would be on this site.
I think this is a great point. A lot OPs are asking for help losing weight, and a lot of people are responding calorie in < energy out, but the OP is really asking how did you deal with 1. cravings 2. eating out 3. emotional eating 4. grazing after dinner 5. fitting low-cal meals into a busy lifestyle 6. changing a lifestyle to one more healthy 7. weird issues that are popping up 8. exercise 9. understanding body mass and total energy expenditures 10. etc etc etc.
All these. We all know the cico formula but it's the tips on what others found most beneficial to them that help most. especially if we can relate to that person.0 -
This should prove to be another classic exercise in futility.
I can't wait.0 -
DiabolicalColossus wrote: »This should prove to be another classic exercise in futility.
I can't wait.
Why bother participating then?0 -
I think that science and anecdote can both have a place on these boards. The problem becomes when people confuse one for the other.0
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Thank you.0
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diannethegeek wrote: »I think that science and anecdote can both have a place on these boards. The problem becomes when people confuse one for the other.
yes, or use flawed personal experience as evidence…
Like " i cut all sugar and lost weight; hence, sugar is bad for me and made me gain weight"…no, because you can eat sugar and lose weight …
*shrugs*0 -
I'm only going to write what matters.
Dave's guide to making clams, based on experience.
Take clam. Shuck. Add lemon juice. Eat.
OR
Take clams, apply to a hot liquid comprised of court boullion, white wine, garlic, chili flakes, bacon, lemon zest, salt, pepper, butter.0 -
diannethegeek wrote: »I think that science and anecdote can both have a place on these boards. The problem becomes when people confuse one for the other.
yes, or use flawed personal experience as evidence…
Like " i cut all sugar and lost weight; hence, sugar is bad for me and made me gain weight"…no, because you can eat sugar and lose weight …
*shrugs*
if someone experiences something personally, how can it be flawed for them?-1 -
[quote=" Ultimately what works for some people may or may not work for others, and if we all knew the secret none of us would be on this site. [/quote]
Honestly I think that we all know that the secret to losing weight is. What people have problems with is dealing with the restrictions of it. Or they are still looking for that magic pill, where they can have their cake and still lose weight.0 -
I don't think most people are looking to eat their cake....but up until using this site never really thought of weight training so it's something in addition to the cico formula.0
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longtimeterp wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »I think that science and anecdote can both have a place on these boards. The problem becomes when people confuse one for the other.
yes, or use flawed personal experience as evidence…
Like " i cut all sugar and lost weight; hence, sugar is bad for me and made me gain weight"…no, because you can eat sugar and lose weight …
*shrugs*
if someone experiences something personally, how can it be flawed for them?
My point was, which maybe it was not clear, when people extrapolate that to others and say if you cut sugar then you will lose weight too …or go the extreme of saying "sugar is bad/evil/etc"….
If it worked for them great..but don't make the leap to the "sugar is evil"..
if that makes any sense???0 -
longtimeterp wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »I think that science and anecdote can both have a place on these boards. The problem becomes when people confuse one for the other.
yes, or use flawed personal experience as evidence…
Like " i cut all sugar and lost weight; hence, sugar is bad for me and made me gain weight"…no, because you can eat sugar and lose weight …
*shrugs*
if someone experiences something personally, how can it be flawed for them?
It's the mistaking correlation with causation that is the problem. What ends up happening is something like "I switched to diet soda, and got fatter, so clearly the diet soda made me fat".
The person obviously did experience a gain in weight, and did make a correlation to drinking diet soda, but incorrectly attributed the causation of the "getting fat" to "drinking diet soda".0 -
longtimeterp wrote: »diannethegeek wrote: »I think that science and anecdote can both have a place on these boards. The problem becomes when people confuse one for the other.
yes, or use flawed personal experience as evidence…
Like " i cut all sugar and lost weight; hence, sugar is bad for me and made me gain weight"…no, because you can eat sugar and lose weight …
*shrugs*
if someone experiences something personally, how can it be flawed for them?
My point was, which maybe it was not clear, when people extrapolate that to others and say if you cut sugar then you will lose weight too …or go the extreme of saying "sugar is bad/evil/etc"….
If it worked for them great..but don't make the leap to the "sugar is evil"..
if that makes any sense???
Totally agree with that, especially since everyone is unique.0
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