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What commonly given MFP Forum advice do you personally disagree with?
Replies
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GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
I don't get the underlying assumption that people aren't smart enough to make wise choices to avoid hunger while counting calories nor do I get the underlying assumption that people don't already know anything about nutrition.
This is really a better and shorter way of making the point I was trying to.
I do not get that at all!5 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
Disagreement != offense.
It's weird to me how so many people leap to "Oh, you're offended" when people disagree with them.21 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
Your statement was unclear.
If the statement was intended to be: "not everyone can lose weight merely by counting calories, some need other tools too, or instead of that," then I don't even think it's an unpopular opinion. I'd add to it that you need to be ready and willing to do what is necessary to lose weight, and some people just aren't. That's not a slam, there was a time when I wasn't.11 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
Your statement was unclear.
If the statement was intended to be: "not everyone can lose weight merely by counting calories, some need other tools too, or instead of that," then I don't even think it's an unpopular opinion.
Yep- I don't think anyone would have batted an eyelash.6 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
There are times when counting calories is torture for me, so in those instances I pull out a different tool to get me where I need to go. I get it my man...0 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
But the weight loss still occurs because of the calorie deficit, whether a person counts calories or not. Eating plans like IF and keto are just different tools to accomplish that. I don't think I've ever seen anyone say you can't lose weight if you don't count calories.
I don't believe he is arguing that...2 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
But the weight loss still occurs because of the calorie deficit, whether a person counts calories or not. Eating plans like IF and keto are just different tools to accomplish that. I don't think I've ever seen anyone say you can't lose weight if you don't count calories.
I don't believe he is arguing that...
Maybe not. He just mentioned "continually maintaining a deficit".0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
Disagreement != offense.
It's weird to me how so many people leap to "Oh, you're offended" when people disagree with them.
Yeah, I find this odd too.7 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Yeah, anyone can though. I mean, anyone mentally capable of doing the calculations and mentally capable of abiding by them. It may not be fun, it may not be pretty, but even someone whose basal metabolism is tiny, even someone with a deficient thyroid, even someone on medication which causes weight gain can eat less, create a deficit, and if there is a deficit, that person will lose weight.
In some cases a person may need to eat far less than the default calculations suggest to create a deficit, but there are no people who can magically survive without food. If there were, they would be signing them up for the trip to Mars - it would save NASA a whole heap of trouble!4 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
Actually everyone (at least everyone reading this that has access to the internet and ability to use it along with many who can do it manually) DOES have the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and maintaining a deficit. Some people just need to find a different way that fits their personality/lifestyle better.
I don't think most of the regulars here care what method a person chooses to get into a calorie deficit as long as it is not scammy in nature.
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chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying.
Didn't realize this was the riddle thread......16 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying.
Didn't realize this was the riddle thread......
It's actually the semantics and interpretation thread.6 -
Great responses.0
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chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Not sure what you're trying to say.
This is akin to saying people cannot get out of debt by balancing their accounts.5 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Huh. 50 pounds down and maintaining for almost a year. What do you think people need to do to lose weight in addition to counting calories?
edit: If you meant to say that you don't believe "everyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone, sure, I agree with that. Not even an unpopular opinion. But those are two completely different statements.2 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Huh. 50 pounds down and maintaining for almost a year. What do you think people need to do to lose weight in addition to counting calories?
edit: If you meant to say that you don't believe "everyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone, sure, I agree with that. Not even an unpopular opinion. But those are two completely different statements.
That's exactly what I meant. I should have used everyone instead of anyone. Thanks for the insight.2 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
I'm glad you clarified. I was going to ask you for clarification, but wanted to finish reading the thread first. I have to say, I found your comment ambiguous, but felt like some responses were making assumptions and responding to those.
In general, I agree with what (I think) you're saying.
We all became overweight for a huge variety of reasons, and all have different experiences with weight loss. While I agree with many here who believe that CI < CO is the baseline physics of what's needed, that doesn't speak to any other dimension that can enter into the situation: Emotional, psychological, physical challenges like illness or injury or their treatments, family dynamics, food supply logistics, discomfort with the arithmetic or other characteristics of the calorie counting process, and much more. I think that's the logic behind a saying you see around here sometimes about weight loss: "Simple, but not easy."
While I agree with Jane that offense and disagreement are two different things, I think some people who did lose weight by counting calories alone (in their perception) may've felt ignored or even disbelieved (but I hasten to say that I don't know that; I'm just reading words, and how they come across to me.)
Actual communication is hard! :flowerforyou:
But if that's the interpretation someone took, I can see how they might feel that way, or close enough to come across that way in a text-based format.5 -
I would post that "words" thing, @AnnPT77....but we already had that discussion
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chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
I'm glad you clarified. I was going to ask you for clarification, but wanted to finish reading the thread first. I have to say, I found your comment ambiguous, but felt like some responses were making assumptions and responding to those.
In general, I agree with what (I think) you're saying.
We all became overweight for a huge variety of reasons, and all have different experiences with weight loss. While I agree with many here who believe that CI < CO is the baseline physics of what's needed, that doesn't speak to any other dimension that can enter into the situation: Emotional, psychological, physical challenges like illness or injury or their treatments, family dynamics, food supply logistics, discomfort with the arithmetic or other characteristics of the calorie counting process, and much more. I think that's the logic behind a saying you see around here sometimes about weight loss: "Simple, but not easy."
While I agree with Jane that offense and disagreement are two different things, I think some people who did lose weight by counting calories alone (in their perception) may've felt ignored or even disbelieved (but I hasten to say that I don't know that; I'm just reading words, and how they come across to me.)
Actual communication is hard! :flowerforyou:
But if that's the interpretation someone took, I can see how they might feel that way, or close enough to come across that way in a text-based format.
I interpreted him to be saying "no one can lose weight by counting calories alone," so to be claiming that EVERYONE who wanted to lose needed some kind of extra help (whatever it was).
Now that it has been clarified, no big deal, but the new version is just not an unpopular opinion. Most would agree. Thus the confusion.
Edit: I will admit that I have a chip on my shoulder about the idea that if one is overweight one must need to be tutored by others in how to eat or follow some special diet (which to me sounds like "if you are fat you must also be dumb and ignorant), and that is what I thought he was saying. It was a jump to conclusion based on my reading that NO ONE could lose just counting calories.5 -
bobsanders1 wrote: »bobsanders1 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »jseams1234 wrote: »bobsanders1 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »
I don't think I need to answer to you ABOUT WHAT ADVICE I PERSONALLY DONT AGREE WITH - GO EAT A BOWL OF CARROTS OR A BOWL OF ICE CREAM - YOUR CHOICE.
It's the Debate forum. We're debating.
As for carrots or ice cream...
More like an everyone must comply, hold hands and sing Kumbya together forum.
When is the last time you took a diet break? You seem a bit hangry.
I eat what i want on the weekends, no need for a diet brake, that's for the weak minded.
I highly recommend you educate yourself on the benefits of diet breaks. When you in a deficit for a long time and get to very lean levels (such as I do) they really make a huge difference.
Not looking to be lean, just not die early as a fat slob so I cant relate.
Well if your goals ever change or you find yourself wanting a break from being in a deficit, you may want to consider giving a diet break a chance. It's not just for us weaklings 11 -
cmriverside wrote: »I would post that "words" thing, @AnnPT77....but we already had that discussion
This one?
I thought I said you could post it, with a credit to my visual journal? (. . . or did I?
). You know, my IP and copyright on that lettering and newspaper collage are so darned valuable. Or not. Korzybski's is, though - but I credited him. 5 -
I don't personally disagree with any of the default boilerplate advice, I just don't think it's always applied appropriately, if that makes sense. Sometimes people will ask pretty specific questions/questions that may not necessarily be about the mechanics of how weight loss works, and they will receive default advice that kinda sounds like the person responding didn't even read the post. There's a fair number of posts I've seen where it seems like the person is asking more of a psychological/motivational question, and like six people respond with "calories in < calories out". It's not like that advice is incorrect per se, it's just...kinda irrelevant to the post if you actually read it, and at times this comes off as dismissive and rude.
Also, on a more general note, the rudeness to non-argumentative newbies who maybe aren't that educated about some things but are trying to learn is pretty pointless to me. I'm several years past being a newbie to this but it's still obnoxious. People come up with a lot of excuses for why they do it, but they just don't hold water with me, it really just sounds like an excuse to act like a **** on the internet to someone. I get that some people here are tired of answering the same questions over and over again but, maybe...don't respond then? You don't have to. You are not Designated Answerer-In-Chief. I see a lot of threads I have no time or patience to answer, so I just...don't. And there are literally no consequences to me not answering, at all. Being brusque with someone could very well be even less helpful to them than just not giving them any response at all, and you've got to be really naive to think you're going to teach a stranger manners over the internet by browbeating them, so I don't really think you're doing it for their benefit, I think you're just doing it to make yourself feel good or take out some pent-up aggression.
Btw, the default response to this situation is that they should've looked up other related topics that have been done before or read stickies, and I mean, sure, they could, but keep in mind that this is primarily a community forum, a type of *social* media, not a wiki/knowledge base. The point is to interact, and a lot of people learn better and more efficiently by having an active conversation with someone than by reading articles or archived conversations between other people. It's also a bit hypocritical, because I guarantee you 99% of the conversations you could have with someone on this forum, no matter how creative you think are, have happened at the very least a dozen times elsewhere on this forum and the internet in general.29 -
I don't think there's a lot of rudeness unless the newbie gets rude first, so I wonder if it's a difference in conversation style. Some people find merely expressing disagreement politely to be somehow out of bounds, I've found. (I perceive posting on a forum without reading first to be quite rude and odd, but I realize that's not a universal view so I don't hold it against people.)
On the other hand, if someone posts to lecture others: "I am going to explain in my first post how I know everything and my way of doing it is best," I don't really think of them as newbies who we need to worry will be frightened off. I think some assume all newbies = eggshell plaintiff types, who need to be treated differently than regulars, and I find that to be a double standard. When someone is asking for help, I absolutely try to help and to understand what they are actually asking (or ask for clarification). (And if it is something I have 0 sympathy with -- like I have an irrational hatred both of diet pills and of picky eating -- I generally don't post, because I know I cannot be helpful.)
That said, I think sometimes regulars are too anxious (meaning, of course, more anxious than I would be) to talk people out of ridiculous dieting plans or scams. I think it's really well-meaning and often comes from being burned themselves, but my view is that for many people they have to try something to know if it will work or not, will learn by failing, and it's very unlikely that most silly diet tricks will cause much hard.
IMO, a week long cleanse (for example) is idiotic and unhealthy, but a week is not a long time, usually it's nothing that will harm them (I'd feel different if we were talking about actual laxative use and not some tea or food that has slight laxative properties or merely drinking only juice or smoothies), and most people will not last the time anyway. Same for the disgusting Mayo Clinic/Military/GM type diets.
I think it's sad when people waste money on naturopaths who sell them dumb things or some weight loss clinics that seem scammy, but if they are set on it, shrug. I do think it's worth making the point for bystanders, but I wouldn't invest energy in trying to argue someone out of it.12 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
It's really quite a bit to word a post as vaguely as you did and then sit back and wait and watch what happens.
Considering what you actually meant, I don't think anyone actually disagrees with that. We're all well aware that calorie counting is merely a tool that works for some people and not others.
This is a debate forum. People who interpreted your post in one way and countered it weren't "offended", they disagreed with what they thought you were saying.
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I think it is unwise to try and judge what is rude most of the time on a message board. I am accused more often than I am guilty because I often give short replies that are left open to interpretation on tone. I think there are personal prejudices to communication style that make a person see a post that is worded or handled differently than they would do it as rude. That is not to say that everyone is on their best behavior all the time but I have seen many threads accused of being hostile that were simply matter-of-fact in style.9
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The low fat diet. I agree that eating too much saturated fat can be a problem, but for me, having more fat in my diet has actually helped me lose weight. All I ever did on the low-fat diet was GAIN weight. Now that I maintain a good amount of healthy fat in my diet, I have lost 50 pounds and been able to maintain it for 4 years. I never want to say that my eating plan works for everyone, but it sure worked much better for me.2
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Tacklewasher wrote: »whatalazyidiot wrote: »Just to ease everyone's mind, since I know we're all super concerned..
Combat boots are super in right now. So, let your Doc Martens flag fly.
How about granny gowns and love beads to go with the Doc Martens? Long straight hair? I was so totally "in" for about 5 seconds when I was 18!
edited to finish sentence. and spelling.
@pinuplove will be so happy to hear this.
They make me look taller, ok?!
As a fellow “slightly-vertically-challenged” person I’m going to totally back you on this. They do, and mine have even got pretty ribbons on them 🤗1 -
chrisahubbard wrote: »
You know I don't disagree with this. Weight loss, gain or maintenance is always CICO. Calorie counting is but one of many tools in the tool bag to facilitate the process. That said, not everyone has the straight up willpower to do it. Some need other tools like IF, Keto, Low fat to get in and maintain a deficit...chrisahubbard wrote: »I don't personally believe "anyone" can lose weight by counting their calories alone. That's my unpopular opinion.
Finally someone got what I was saying. Not everyone has the ability to lose weight by counting calories, logging, and continually maintaining a deficit.
Everyone else just took offense that they and many others have done it.
That's because in your first post you said "anyone"...which is different than "everyone"6 -
Halo Top is not the food of the gods.
Yeah. I went there.
Dairy-free Halo Top has hit the shelves of my exotic locale, and salted caramel has turned out to be a true disappointment after all the hype I read on here.8 -
I don't personally disagree with any of the default boilerplate advice, I just don't think it's always applied appropriately, if that makes sense. Sometimes people will ask pretty specific questions/questions that may not necessarily be about the mechanics of how weight loss works, and they will receive default advice that kinda sounds like the person responding didn't even read the post. There's a fair number of posts I've seen where it seems like the person is asking more of a psychological/motivational question, and like six people respond with "calories in < calories out". It's not like that advice is incorrect per se, it's just...kinda irrelevant to the post if you actually read it, and at times this comes off as dismissive and rude.
Also, on a more general note, the rudeness to non-argumentative newbies who maybe aren't that educated about some things but are trying to learn is pretty pointless to me. I'm several years past being a newbie to this but it's still obnoxious. People come up with a lot of excuses for why they do it, but they just don't hold water with me, it really just sounds like an excuse to act like a **** on the internet to someone. I get that some people here are tired of answering the same questions over and over again but, maybe...don't respond then? You don't have to. You are not Designated Answerer-In-Chief. I see a lot of threads I have no time or patience to answer, so I just...don't. And there are literally no consequences to me not answering, at all. Being brusque with someone could very well be even less helpful to them than just not giving them any response at all, and you've got to be really naive to think you're going to teach a stranger manners over the internet by browbeating them, so I don't really think you're doing it for their benefit, I think you're just doing it to make yourself feel good or take out some pent-up aggression.
Btw, the default response to this situation is that they should've looked up other related topics that have been done before or read stickies, and I mean, sure, they could, but keep in mind that this is primarily a community forum, a type of *social* media, not a wiki/knowledge base. The point is to interact, and a lot of people learn better and more efficiently by having an active conversation with someone than by reading articles or archived conversations between other people. It's also a bit hypocritical, because I guarantee you 99% of the conversations you could have with someone on this forum, no matter how creative you think are, have happened at the very least a dozen times elsewhere on this forum and the internet in general.
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