Overweight weight loss experts

C

Carthonn

New member
When did these people start to outnumber actual nutritionists? It's like anyone who has watched two episodes of biggest loser has all the answers.

I guess my question is, at what point do you actually take what someone tells you as weight loss advice seriously?

For me it's when someone has reached a reasonable GW and has sustained it.
 
I see your point ... Oprah, Kirstie Alley. Why would anybody want to listen to those people? OTOH, the mere fact of successfully losing weight does not make someone an expert either. You can lose weight by doing a lot of unnecessary things, or things that won't work for everybody.
 
So someone who has lost a lot of weight by starving themselves or doing some funky fad diet is more worth listening to than someone who knows what they're talking about but isn't at their GW?

I dunno. I've lost and kept off 80+ lbs for 3 years now. I'm really struggling with the last 30 lbs for a lot of reasons (some motivational, some personal, some logistical, etc.). Does that mean that my advice isn't worth anything because I'm not at my GW? Or does it mean that I understand the struggles of losing weight and keeping the momentum and still knowing how hard it is? And yet I work hard to educate myself and make sure that I'm being healthy and safe?
 
I like your point Kara. For me, personally...I would listen to someone whos' had weight to lose ...and then kept it off...I dont' care about goal weights, those are always changing. I know theres alot of people out there that are "experts" yet never had weight to lose. They just know the facts. While the science may help you to lose, I like knowing someone has actually been there...understands the mental struggle, ect.
 
KaraCooks said:
So someone who has lost a lot of weight by starving themselves or doing some funky fad diet is more worth listening to than someone who knows what they're talking about but isn't at their GW?

I dunno. I've lost and kept off 80+ lbs for 3 years now. I'm really struggling with the last 30 lbs for a lot of reasons (some motivational, some personal, some logistical, etc.). Does that mean that my advice isn't worth anything because I'm not at my GW? Or does it mean that I understand the struggles of losing weight and keeping the momentum and still knowing how hard it is? And yet I work hard to educate myself and make sure that I'm being healthy and safe?
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How can we know that they actually know what they are talking about?

I'm not saying don't give advice. I'm saying overweight people should not give advice on something they haven't accomplished yet. I'd stick with things you know. Like your struggle with losing the last 30 pounds. That should be your expertise. That is where you would serve best.

Why do you think it has been so difficult for you?
 
I'd stick with things you know. Like your struggle with losing the last 30 pounds. That should be your expertise.
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Riiiight. Cause losing 80 lbs and keeping it off for 3 years shows that I don't know anything about actually losing weight or maintaining a healthy loss. Going from not being able to climb the stairs in my house w/out getting out of breath to being able to run 5k means I don't know anything about getting in shape. Going from not being able to lift basic weights, to being able to squat over 100 lbs and bench over 1/2 my current bodyweight means I know nothing about lifting weights. :rolleyes:

How can we know that they actually know what they are talking about?
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Because anyone with enough intelligence and the ability to actually do research and then think logically, analytically, and critically should be able to weigh any advice they read and figure out which is the valuable and rational advice vs. which is bs and hype.

But whatever. I'm just insulted enough by your response to really not give a flying rats ass how you choose to judge who to listen to. Go ahead and listen to someone who chooses to reach their goal weight by taking dangerous drugs, starving themselves, and not exercising ... but seems to meet your criteria for "success".
 
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KaraCooks said:
Riiiight. Cause losing 80 lbs and keeping it off for 3 years shows that I don't know anything about actually losing weight or maintaining a healthy loss. Going from not being able to climb the stairs in my house w/out getting out of breath to being able to run 5k means I don't know anything about getting in shape. Going from not being able to lift basic weights, to being able to squat over 100 lbs and bench over 1/2 my current bodyweight means I know nothing about lifting weights. :rolleyes:

Because anyone with enough intelligence and the ability to actually do research and then think logically, analytically, and critically should be able to weigh any advice they read and figure out which is the valuable and rational advice vs. which is bs and hype.

But whatever. I'm just insulted enough by your response to really not give a flying rats ass how you choose to judge who to listen to. Go ahead and listen to someone who chooses to reach their goal weight by taking dangerous drugs, starving themselves, and not exercising ... but seems to meet your criteria for "success".
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Funny thing is, I'm sort of coming at this from a background of research and analytical perspective. But I suppose this is now getting a bit personal and perhaps I shouldn't have entertained anything personal you said.

Anyway, let me put it this way. I'd rather know why and for how long a person is curretnly overweight rather than entertain how they accomplished their current weight loss.
 
Carthonn said:
Anyway, let me put it this way. I'd rather know why and for how long a person is curretnly overweight rather than entertain how they accomplished their current weight loss.
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Wait, you'd rather know how a person got fat instead of how they got healthy?

Sooooo, you'd rather know that someone ate McDonald's everyday, which caused them to balloon up to a weight of 350 lbs, instead of knowing how they changed their lifestyle and got healthy again?

I'm not following you.
 
Hey, there's a balance to be struck here! First up, people, like Kara have been there and done that. She's taken the tough road to learn how her body and metabolism reacts to calorie deficit and good old hard working exercise. On the other hand , you've got "experts" who, by and large (there's a word) know the theory. Bottom line is trial and error. To loss as much weight as Kara and to continue to do so takes mental, physical and emotional fortitude.........something NO text book or classroom can teach!
 
Carthonn said:
Funny thing is, I'm sort of coming at this from a background of research and analytical perspective. But I suppose this is now getting a bit personal and perhaps I shouldn't have entertained anything personal you said.

Anyway, let me put it this way. I'd rather know whyand for how long a person is curretnly overweight rather than entertain how they accomplished their current weight loss.
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please do elaborate...

If you can read, do research, investigate cause vs. effect in the body then you will know why and how your body loses (and gains) weight.. thus being able to provide valid advice to anyone regardless of your current (or goal) weight. Whether you take your own advice or not is a different story.
 
For me it's when someone has reached a reasonable GW and has sustained it.
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Well, that kinda INCLUDES Kara and a few others.
 
Cukorka said:
please do elaborate...

If you can read, do research, investigate cause vs. effect in the body then you will know why and how your body loses (and gains) weight.. thus being able to provide valid advice to anyone regardless of your current (or goal) weight. Whether you take your own advice or not is a different story.
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Well if these experts know everything then why are they overweight? Is that not a valid question? Not only that, I view them as far more knowledgeable on what doesn't work than what actually works. So tell me why your overweight so I can find out what doesn't work and leave it at that.
 
ChefChiTown said:
Wait, you'd rather know how a person got fat instead of how they got healthy?

Sooooo, you'd rather know that someone ate McDonald's everyday, which caused them to balloon up to a weight of 350 lbs, instead of knowing how they changed their lifestyle and got healthy again?

I'm not following you.
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I do not view overweight people as healthy.
 
Many fit people at the gym are known for spouting nonsense. There is even a name for it - "bro science." I look for people who can back up their statements with solid information and who have helped other people with their advice.
 
Carthonn said:
I do not view overweight people as healthy.
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What does that have to do with their ability to provide you with helpful, accurate and beneficial advice on how to lose weight?

I worked with a vegan chef who followed the vegan diet for over 20 years of his life, but he could cook the best steaks I've ever seen. And, you'd be an idiot if you didn't take his advice on how to perfectly cook meat, just because he didn't cook meat for himself.

Just because you don't practice what you preach, it doesn't mean that what you're preaching isn't the right thing to do.
 
Well if these experts know everything then why are they overweight?
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That may very well be the stupidest question I've ever read on this site - and I've seen a lot of stupid questions here.

Do you seriously not get that knowing how to do something doesn't mean that what you know is EASY to put into practice. It is fully possible to know how to do something and still struggle with doing it.

Wow. I'm just so boggled by your whole attitude and mindset. That lack of critical thinking is exactly what's wrong with people in the world - and in America - today.
 
ChefChiTown said:
Just because you don't practice what you preach, it doesn't mean that what you're preaching isn't the right thing to do.
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^ Exactly. Seriously, just because someone is overweight does not mean that they don't know HOW to lose weight. It just means that they haven't put in the effort yet.

Ok, yes, if the choice is between a 400 pound man eating McDonalds every day and a thin, healthy person who got that way in a healthy way, I'll probably listen to the healthy person. But if it's between someone who has just started their weight loss journey, who did a lot of research and is being healthy about it, but has only lost 15 pounds so far because they've just started OR someone who got to their goal weight by starving themselves on some quack diet; I'll take the chubby one, thanks.

I think there are a lot of people on this site who are only part way through their journey who know a hell of a lot about weight loss! I've learned so much here about how to do it right. And, even though I've only lost 20 pounds so far, I feel as if I know enough to pass on to friends if they ask.

What you have to watch out for is the people who are just spouting nonsense that they've heard on TV/the internet/idiots on the street, no matter what weight they are.
 
Carthonn said:
Well if these experts know everything then why are they overweight? Is that not a valid question? Not only that, I view them as far more knowledgeable on what doesn't work than what actually works. So tell me why your overweight so I can find out what doesn't work and leave it at that.
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I kind of sort of see where you're going with this.. but you still didn't acknowledge what I wrote previous... You can, of course, not take your own advice but still be incredibly knowledgeable about how the body works (i.e. how to manipulate the body to gain/lose weight) from reading, seeing other people do it, scientific experiments, and maybe even previously losing and then gaining weight themselves. Just because someone is overweight does not also make them stupid. ;) Do you understand this reasoning at all or are we just going in circles?
 
If these experts know everything - why are they overweight?

Probably because it's not worth it to them to make the effort. And I know the feeling. I know what I need to do to lose the last 20lbs, but really I look good, my health is good, my cholesterol & BP is good - is losing even 5-10 to get to a BMI of 25, or to wear size 4-6 jeans instead of 6-8 going to make me that much happier? Is eating more food on a regular basis going to make me happier?

In any event, if there's someone selling their services and they're grossly overweight I'd definitely be put off. On the other hand, if I'd seen they had a 90%+ success rate with clients that would probably outweigh (haha) the initial impression that they're not that motivated to help me.

If it's a random person on the street - I research it in more depth no matter what the source. My friend who's always been skinny telling me she keeps weight off by taking the stairs at work (3rd floor) does not convince me that stair climbing will get me thin. Nor does Oprah convince me of much.

I do think that the one issue is that if it's someone who's selling their services as a weight loss expert if they don't have the motivation and enthusiasm to keep their weight off themselves to better their business, it makes me question their commitment to helping me, but not necessarily their knowledge or understanding.
 
David Leadbetter was an average golfer....taught Faldo well though! Carl Lewis had a pretty good coach too. I was taught to drive a race car by a guy who, argueably, was one of the poorest competitors I've seen......it hasn't stopped me winning numerous races! One thing they all have......EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!!
 
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