To my brethren and sistren* converted from deep and woo

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prettysoul1908
prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
edited February 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm curious to know how you react when you're around friends or families or coworkers who are spreading woo.

Do you:

A. Smile and nod (thanks rabbitjb)
B. Call them out
C. Leave the convo

If you call people out, how do they handle it?

I'm finding people are really resistant to letting go of their woo beliefs. Personally I was RELIEVED to find out that crap was fake. Lol.

What's your experience?
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Replies

  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
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    Lol this reminds me. One time this woman who I barely know told me that the master cleanse has all the nutrients your body needs. For anyone not familiar that's cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon juice. My response was "oh yea really, are you on it?" She quit it because of some reason I don't remember. This woman is at least 2 times the size of me. I'll stick to my exercise and delicious food.
  • prettysoul1908
    prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
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    janjunie wrote: »
    Lol this reminds me. One time this woman who I barely know told me that the master cleanse has all the nutrients your body needs. For anyone not familiar that's cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon juice. My response was "oh yea really, are you on it?" She quit it because of some reason I don't remember. This woman is at least 2 times the size of me. I'll stick to my exercise and delicious food.

    That is quite hilarious. She didn't REALLY believe that did she?
  • determined24girl
    determined24girl Posts: 382 Member
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    I get ignored. I told a friend of mine about MFP and how I was having great results, she said she would get the app. and start using it, never did. I asked her why she hadn't once and she just said that counting calories wasn't her thing. She then went on to say that she didn't think she ate that much anyway. I nearly died when she said she was going to try that diet where you only eat like an egg, some crackers, and drink only green tea for 3 to 5 days...
  • janjunie
    janjunie Posts: 1,200 Member
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    prettysoul1908 wrote: »
    janjunie wrote: »
    Lol this reminds me. One time this woman who I barely know told me that the master cleanse has all the nutrients your body needs. For anyone not familiar that's cayenne pepper, maple syrup and lemon juice. My response was "oh yea really, are you on it?" She quit it because of some reason I don't remember. This woman is at least 2 times the size of me. I'll stick to my exercise and delicious food.

    That is quite hilarious. She didn't REALLY believe that did she?

    She looked pretty serious. Nothing surprises me about what people think causes weight loss anymore....or basic nutrition.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
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    I try to politely counter woo, but back off if they aren't receptive. I don't really see the point arguing, people rarely use their brains when it comes to woo (or anything, really), and won't listen to facts or evidence of their minds are made up
  • prettysoul1908
    prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
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    determined24girl wrote: »
    I nearly died when she said she was going to try that diet where you only eat like an egg, some crackers, and drink only green tea for 3 to 5 days...

    Egg and crackers diet? That's a new one. I wonder what were the promised results of that one. Lol
  • prettysoul1908
    prettysoul1908 Posts: 200 Member
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    katem999 wrote: »
    I try to politely counter woo, but back off if they aren't receptive. I don't really see the point arguing, people rarely use their brains when it comes to woo (or anything, really), and won't listen to facts or evidence of their minds are made up

    My approach is similar. Especially when they argue it's working for them. I give more pushback when I hear them spreading falsehoods and giving woo as advice to someone else looking to lose weight.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    prettysoul1908 wrote: »
    determined24girl wrote: »
    I nearly died when she said she was going to try that diet where you only eat like an egg, some crackers, and drink only green tea for 3 to 5 days...

    Egg and crackers diet? That's a new one. I wonder what were the promised results of that one. Lol

    "Crackers" being the key word on that one! :lol:

    Nobody wants to believe it's as simple as eating right and getting off the couch. They want to believe all the magic pills, potions, eat-this-not-thats, while mastering the latest fad workout/class/machine/DVD or whatever.

    Lifestyle change with sustainable results? Ha! What nonsense! [end sarcasm] :wink:
  • determined24girl
    determined24girl Posts: 382 Member
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    prettysoul1908 wrote: »
    determined24girl wrote: »
    I nearly died when she said she was going to try that diet where you only eat like an egg, some crackers, and drink only green tea for 3 to 5 days...

    Egg and crackers diet? That's a new one. I wonder what were the promised results of that one. Lol

    I can't remember what she said it was supposed to do. Probably something ridiculous like LOSE 20 LBS IN 5 DAYS!!!!!!!
  • tracie_minus100
    tracie_minus100 Posts: 465 Member
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    I don't say anything unless I'm directly asked for my opinion. I've been asked how I lost the weight a lot, and people either seem disappointed when I tell them portion control and regular exercise, or they don't quite believe that that's "all" I've done. But if someone mentions a cleanse, or detox, or wraps, or something of that nature, people are all over that. So many people really want there to be some magic product that will take the weight off them with little or no effort.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
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    I try to just bite my tongue. And smile. Can't forget the smile. Two of the most memorable... A teacher I worked with who weighs at least 300 lbs telling me her metabolism 'just doesn't work' because she's sure she's been eating 1200 calories a day since school started (in August!) and that's got to be a sign that gastric bypass is the only thing that will work for for someone with a metabolism like hers. And another classroom assistant who had gastric bypass & said to me 'You don't understand. I was huge. I weighed 200 lbs and I was NEVER going to be able to lose that kind of weight.' Which is exactly what I weighed when I started. To each his or her own, I know, but it seems to me the people pushing the surgeries really don't work very hard to educate their prospective patients in advance.
  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
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    My husband kept telling me that I wouldn't lose weight because I eat at night. Eventually I told him that he was wrong and that meal timing doesn't matter. He continued to argue even though he hasn't read an article about weight loss or probably even health for 10 years. I've lost 17 pounds in the last 55 days and he doesn't tell me how to eat anymore.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,442 Member
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    I'm not an unassertive person. I give my perspective, strive to be polite, use "I" statements ("I have not found that to be helpful/effective/etc. and here's how/why), give objective/scientific information ("I read a study that found . . . ."), I ask quasi-Socratic "interested" questions ("Has that worked for someone you know? What were their results? How long have they kept the weight off?"), and offer my personal experience as a non-woo case study. Sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. If there are attentive but quiet listeners, I'm more persistent. One on one, I don't bother trying to convert people in the midst of their religious fervor about their new woo, if initial efforts at dialog fail.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    Some extended family members are fond of doing black/white diets like no sugar, no carbs, no grains, etc. I don't say anything because I'm not asked for my opinion.
  • disneygirl626
    disneygirl626 Posts: 132 Member
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    Sorry, but what is woo? I'm getting the general idea it is unwanted weight loss advice?
  • RedBeardBruce
    RedBeardBruce Posts: 15 Member
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    In skeptic circles, "woo" is superstitious nonsense. Anything from ghosts, alien/bigfoot sightings, to homeopathic remedies.
  • bendyourkneekatie
    bendyourkneekatie Posts: 696 Member
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    http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Woo
  • CoffeeNCardio
    CoffeeNCardio Posts: 1,847 Member
    edited February 2016
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    uggghhh. My sister in law is an ultra-militant vegan. Like, convinced all the problems of the world would suddenly be erased if everyone were forced to be vegan tomorrow. I cannot even with the woo that comes out of her mouth. She's a Freelee disciple and is convinced beyond all reason that eating meat causes cancer. I used to fight, but it turns out just like with anti-vaccine advocates, the best way to win the argument is to ignore them entirely. I just change the subject as quickly as possible. Sometimes when she's being ultra absurd (she's convinced right now that in spite of her vegangelism, she's not losing weight because she "damaged her metabolism" with her juice fast....40 day juice fast....LAST March) I just toss in there a few nods and uh-huhs and then reiterate that it's all cico.


    ETA: Nothing against regular vegans. She's the exception, not the rule I'm well aware, and I love you all that much more for it.
  • ElizabethOakes2
    ElizabethOakes2 Posts: 1,038 Member
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    "Great, if that's what works for you. What I'm doing seems to be working fine for me."

    I lived in Mount Shasta for a long time. I believe lots of woo stuff, but I've also learned a lot about how to let others keep their woo beliefs without losing sight of my personal truths.
  • Coley88
    Coley88 Posts: 114 Member
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    I now just smile and nod. I have coworkers who ask me how much I've lost(which is only 23lbs)/how, and when I tell them they always say "I wish I could do that!" They refuse to believe that they can because another coworker (who is a good 50lbs over weight and constantly on a "diet" without ever losing) tells them the only way to lose weight is to eliminate carbs, not eat after 6, and avoid "bad" food.

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