Rant Against Ignorant Advice
Replies
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I don't mind when someone offers advice or talks about what has worked for them, but when they imply that their way is the ONLY way it should be done then I really can't take them seriously. Anyone who is even a little bit informed knows that there are more ways to accomplish fitness and weight loss than can be counted.0
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Still think this site needs either a rep system or the ability to down-rank bad/stupid/wrong advice into oblivion. There are too few who know what's going on and too many that offer bad advice. It's hard to cut through the bad advice and get the good advice.
Unfortunately, there are so many sources of bad info out on the internet and real life and people are gullible.
Yeah, this is totally what I'm getting at. It bothers me that people with different goals and no health background other than what works for them give advice as a DEFINITE, i.e. "you MUST do 'x' if you EVER want to lose weight", "you NEED to cut/add 'x' to/from your diet", "you HAVE to exercise 'x' way if you want 'y' results", and on and on. I know it's all opinion, but some people really DO take it seriously.
Advice is great, don't get me wrong. I love to know what my friends and people on mfp think about various subjects, and how their goals were achieved using various methods. It's really interesting! But it just worries me, I guess, when for example my friend trying to lose weight is seriously taking advice from someone trying to gain it. I can't say anything because I don't have a health background either, but...it just makes me worry, that's all
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I don't mind when someone offers advice or talks about what has worked for them, but when they imply that their way is the ONLY way it should be done then I really can't take them seriously. Anyone who is even a little bit informed knows that there are more ways to accomplish fitness and weight loss than can be counted.
this.0 -
....just because someone gives us advice doesn't mean we need to follow it.
The whole thing is about getting different opinons and finding what works best for YOU.
Plus, with men they always try to 'fix' things when giving advice when sometimes us women just want to complain...lol I am sure he was just trying to help in his own way.
^^^^^THIS!:drinker:0 -
Completely understand where you're coming from and agree. A lot of us have spent a lot of time listening and doing things that worked for someone else. I think I finally understand that what works for you may not work for me or for friend x for that matter. This is your journey, your body, your life and your goals. Stay smart, strong, open minded and make your decisions accordingly towards health and wellness as the goal.
THIS!
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Well, it's fair to be like, "I heard ___" or "for me, ___ works" or "from what I've read and understand, ___ is a good approach" etc.
I think it's important to hear all advice. You just have to decide how informed it is by doing a little homework.
^0 -
....just because someone gives us advice doesn't mean we need to follow it.
The whole thing is about getting different opinons and finding what works best for YOU.
Plus, with men they always try to 'fix' things when giving advice when sometimes us women just want to complain...lol I am sure he was just trying to help in his own way.
^^^^^THIS!:drinker:
Agree!
Yeah, he was trying to be all sweet and helpful I'm over it, it was just a moment of frustration. Thanks for letting me rant mfp :flowerforyou: 0 -
There's nothing wrong with offering advice. The problem, IMO, is a person who, instead of offering advice, insists that their way is the only correct way.
irony?0 -
If someone asks me "So, how did you lose the weight?" or "How have you kept the weight off for 18 months?" - I have no problem telling them what worked for ME. I won't tell them it'll work for them or that it is the ONLY way to lose weight and keep it off. I make sure they know that just because something worked for me, doesn't mean it'll work for them. On the other hand, if it weren't for other people, Google, articles, etc I might have given up when I was stuck for months at 167lbs. Had no one else been willing to say "This is what worked for me..." I wouldn't have figured out that I wasn't eating enough. Or how to check my BMR or TDEE.
So, not all advice is "bad". Not everyone who offers up what has worked for them thinks they know it all about everyone - they simply know what works for them. I have no issue telling someone to figure out their OWN body - they'll be happy they did.
I see a lot of posts here with people offering up what has worked for them. I'll read them because you never know when you might stumble onto something that works even better for you!
Completely agree. If it hadn't been for mfpers giving me advice on my food diary, I might never have realized that I wasn't eating NEAR enough protein!
I ranted because I was worried about my friend, and because he phrased his advice to me as a 'you must do this', which made me frustrated. Thank you for listening 0 -
I think giving someone advice is fine, but it really pisses me off when people act like their advice is not advice but the gospel truth and tell people they're DOING IT WRONG when they're eating healthily and losing weight.
^^ ThIS! There are some people on here that I have found that they almost sport for a fight, so gladly love to read the different pieces of advice or stories etc but will not take anything as law!0 -
Just because someone finds something that works for them and tries to share it doesnt justify a rant. We are all egocentric, and unless educated in this area, can easily assume it worked for me it will for you.....take it with a grain of salt or politely point out to them it might not work for you due to....a,b,c.......starting another rant about advice is a waste of space----0
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If someone asks me "So, how did you lose the weight?" or "How have you kept the weight off for 18 months?" - I have no problem telling them what worked for ME. I won't tell them it'll work for them or that it is the ONLY way to lose weight and keep it off. I make sure they know that just because something worked for me, doesn't mean it'll work for them. On the other hand, if it weren't for other people, Google, articles, etc I might have given up when I was stuck for months at 167lbs. Had no one else been willing to say "This is what worked for me..." I wouldn't have figured out that I wasn't eating enough. Or how to check my BMR or TDEE.
So, not all advice is "bad". Not everyone who offers up what has worked for them thinks they know it all about everyone - they simply know what works for them. I have no issue telling someone to figure out their OWN body - they'll be happy they did.
I see a lot of posts here with people offering up what has worked for them. I'll read them because you never know when you might stumble onto something that works even better for you!
I totally agree with what she wrote here. I have people (on MFP and in "real life") who ask me how I lost my weight all the time...I can give them my personal experience; what worked for ME...without saying it's the only way, and I am VERY clear that this was my personal experience and it's not right or wrong, it's what worked best for my body.
I don't think it's fair to say people shouldn't give advice at all...People ask for advice all the time, and sometimes they want other people's experiences, not just scientific fact...MFP is a place for support, and sometimes that support comes in the form of advice...I agree that you shouldn't post something as scientific fact/gospel truth if it's just your personal experience/opinion...
personally, I know I like to read everything, research it on my own, and come to my own decision.0 -
It sounds to me like your friend is trying to validate his own way of doing by gaining approval from other people. In assuming your ignorance, he is making himself feel better about what he feels is a good diet..... It will be kind of awkward when what you're doing actually works and he ends us eating 3 meals through one drink. :ohwell:
Maybe what he's doing is working for him, and that's great! It bothered me that he acted like this was something I 'had' to do...he may not have said "you have to do this", but he was pushing his shake on me haha. Then he couldn't explain WHY I should have a protein shake first thing in the morning, that REALLY bothered me. I wanted to say, "then why are you doing it, and why are you telling me to do it?" lol.0 -
Lol
I wont even rant over your rant.
The important thing is to do what the winners do.
Follow advice from people who are applying the advice in their lives and where you can see measurable results!
For instance I've been turning groups of people over to the high calorie dieting side of things.
The amount of resistance I get in the beginning is HUGE!
But when they see the results after a month...the HUGE turns into HUGS!
=D
So research it!
And PS...meal frequency has nothing to do with weight loss.0 -
Note to self...never give Megan advice.
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LOL A co-worker/friend told me a couple weeks ago that "I'll say this though... if you want to lose weight, don't lift weights!" I totally blew his advice out the water by explaining that muscle helps burn fat
:laugh:0 -
The carbs apparently destroyed his!!! LMAOI understand the frustration.
I have a friend of a friend who is 350lbs and lost a limb to type 2 diabetes last year caused from his morbid obesity who, upon hearing about my 36 lb weightloss (28 on MFP) wrote me a 1000 word tirade in my email about how I was "doing it wrong" and how eating carbs was destroying my metabolism... blah blah blah... Yeah...
Some people just can't keep their mouths shut.
Just ignore it and move on...0 -
Just because someone finds something that works for them and tries to share it doesnt justify a rant. We are all egocentric, and unless educated in this area, can easily assume it worked for me it will for you.....take it with a grain of salt or politely point out to them it might not work for you due to....a,b,c.......starting another rant about advice is a waste of space----
Sorry...0 -
This ..and this...Well, it's fair to be like, "I heard ___" or "for me, ___ works" or "from what I've read and understand, ___ is a good approach" etc.
I think it's important to hear all advice. You just have to decide how informed it is by doing a little homework.
i agree0 -
There's a difference between telling people what they should do (because it "obviously works" for them) and making suggestions based on what they have seen/experienced.
Everyone's body is different. We break down foods differently, we store fat differently, and our energy levels are quite different. My 385 lb frame and body is going to need different things than your 130 lb (I think that was it) body needs.
With that said, there's still similarities between the two, and a mutual necessity. To be quite honest, if you've got something working for you, then stick with it. Don't take someone else's advice in hopes that you'll lose more even faster. If you're looking for something to work for you, ask people around your body type what has worked for them, those who have gone through the struggle of losing weight and are now at your ideal weight. The closer you are to someone like you, the better your chances at finding something that will work for you.
It might be good to tell your friend that he needs to re-evaluate things, especially if he's trying to lose weight.0 -
while most anecdotal evidence is given with the best of intentions, it can be annoying when this evidence is presented as unassailable fact. inflammatory blog posts authored by questionable "experts" are also commonly presented as fact.
pubmed is a useful tool to wade through some of it; it contains 21 million citations from legitimate, peer-reviewed studies.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/0 -
There is loads of idiotic advice on this site. After a few weeks dieting some members here seem to consider themselves dietary/fitness experts. "eat back your exercise calories, you are not losing weight because you are not eating enough, too much exercise and you might go into starvation mode if you don't eat more.."
Find what works for you best and stay with it. Treat non-professional advice with caution...0 -
We've all got them sista! I've got a morbidly obese coworker who decided to do weight watchers at the beginning of the year. I think it's great she's trying to be healthier, but now she rants on and on about how I don't eat enough carbs .... while she eats 2 slices of white bread every day at lunch, 5-6 tangerines for a snack, and her facebook posts are full of anecdotes about raiding her hubby's chocolate stash and eating out. OH, and god forbid I weight train! According to her, that's gross and she'd never be caught dead doing it [wrinkling her nose!] I just laugh and flex my biceps at her!!!:explode:
Just ignore it all and seek out your MFP buddies.0 -
Apparently that person believes that what he is doing is working...for him anyway. Perhaps he's a person who used to eat 1,000 calories for breakfast and dropping it down to 600 has helped him lose weight? Who knows. I know that if I think something is working for me I'll pass it on but only to people who ask me for advice, what works for me, etc. You have to find all the info you can, no matter who it's from, what size they are, etc., pick what to wisely ignore and find out what YOU are willing to do and what works for YOU. In the end, it's about you. Here's to good health! Good luck. 0
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There is loads of idiotic advice on this site. After a few weeks dieting some members here seem to consider themselves dietary/fitness experts. "eat back your exercise calories, you are not losing weight because you are not eating enough, too much exercise and you might go into starvation mode if you don't eat more.."
Find what works for you best and stay with it. Treat non-professional advice with caution...
My feelings and thoughts exactly0 -
Take the advice if it is worth taking, if not..don't go posting about it.0
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If someone asks me "So, how did you lose the weight?" or "How have you kept the weight off for 18 months?" - I have no problem telling them what worked for ME. I won't tell them it'll work for them or that it is the ONLY way to lose weight and keep it off. I make sure they know that just because something worked for me, doesn't mean it'll work for them. On the other hand, if it weren't for other people, Google, articles, etc I might have given up when I was stuck for months at 167lbs. Had no one else been willing to say "This is what worked for me..." I wouldn't have figured out that I wasn't eating enough. Or how to check my BMR or TDEE.
So, not all advice is "bad". Not everyone who offers up what has worked for them thinks they know it all about everyone - they simply know what works for them. I have no issue telling someone to figure out their OWN body - they'll be happy they did.
I see a lot of posts here with people offering up what has worked for them. I'll read them because you never know when you might stumble onto something that works even better for you!
Completely agree. If it hadn't been for mfpers giving me advice on my food diary, I might never have realized that I wasn't eating NEAR enough protein!
I ranted because I was worried about my friend, and because he phrased his advice to me as a 'you must do this', which made me frustrated. Thank you for listening
I do understand what you're saying (ranting about). Do you know that I actually have strangers who send me PM's on here and inform me that I am "doing it wrong"? Do you know that I have people argue in the forums when I tell someone what I've done that works for me?
I get what you're saying. Offer advice is one thing, telling someone "YOU HAVE TO DO IT MY WAY!" is another. It drives me insane when people tell me "You eat too many calories. You're going to gain all the weight back". Clearly, I know what I'm doing if I've been at or below my goal weight for 18+ months. I KNOW what my body needs and wants. I truly despise people who insist that their way is better and more effective than what you're doing.
So. Yeah. I totally get it.0 -
Yep, I was told this week that eating 1400 calories a day is far too much for a fat person like me, and I should cut that in half. I'd easily lose weight that way. When I pointed out that 700 calories a day is far too low and not healthy, I was told that it is too few for "normal" people, but not someone like me! Funnily enough I paid no attention at all, apart from getting very angry!0
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while most anecdotal evidence is given with the best of intentions, it can be annoying when this evidence is presented as unassailable fact. inflammatory blog posts authored by questionable "experts" are also commonly presented as fact.
pubmed is a useful tool to wade through some of it; it contains 21 million citations from legitimate, peer-reviewed studies.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/
Wow! Wow. That's a lot of citations lol. I recognize this...there's a version for music too!0 -
Thanks everybody for your input! I'm sorry for those of you I've offended...but c'mon, it's a rant, and if you don't want to see a rant, you should just pass it by
That said, THANKS for letting me vent! :flowerforyou: 0
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