Why haven’t I been posting?
Well, it’s not because of laziness, or lack of material, or because I’ve been busy at work or doing other things.
It’s mostly for lack of motivation.
The type of motivation I think I’m lacking in is the type that makes me feel as though I’m making a difference.
It’s not that I don’t get encouragement from the occasional email or comment from a reader that says they enjoy reading what I have to say, and that they’re glad that someone is actually saying it.
What I’m wondering is: Am I preaching to the choir? Or are the people that actually need to make changes in their lives getting inspired too?
I mean, who am I? I’m not a nutritionist. I’m not a doctor. Why are the things I’m saying any different from the crapload of crap out there that mis-informs most people about how to eat? It’s not even a matter of whether I wonder if I’m right or wrong (because I’m right), it’s that I wonder; Why would anyone listen to me anymore than they listen to someone giving the wrong information, but making a lot of sense doing it?
In thinking about this the past couple of weeks, and while reading a lot more of the interesting information that has led me to want to learn more about nutrition, and to write about it, is that I feel as though I have an interesting perspective on the subject.
I actually feel as though because I came into this blog not knowing a whole lot about nutrition, and because I haven’t had a lot of data to throw at you to show you why you should eat a certain way, I’ve been able to use logic and reasoning to point out why a lot of the habits that people adopt don’t make sense.
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A big example of this is my argument about moderation.
Lets put aside the idea that too much of anything is bad (of course if you ate 10 pounds of carrots a day, you’d probably have some negative effects).
The phrase “everything in moderation” is not logical. The reason people say it, every time, is to justify the fact that they want to eat something that has some likely-hood of negative effects.
If they’re reason for wanting to keep something in their diet, by eating it in moderate levels so as to minimize any consequences, is because they really like the taste of it… fine! Seriously, that’s a great reason. If you really like the taste of something, and don’t ever want to give it up, that’s your decision.
But, if your reason for eating something in moderation is because it happens to have some nutrients that you know you need, in addition to the bad stuff, then you are not thinking logically, and you are ignoring the big picture of food.
Always, always, always you can find another source of those nutrients. Usually you can find a better one, especially if the topic of discussion is a food item that is questionable.
Bottom line, people don’t realize that the statement “everything in moderation” is merely a justification to continue to eat the things they like that are bad for them.
People aren’t eating brussel sprouts in moderation, are they? No, because most people hate them.
Are people screaming “EVERYTHING IN MODERATION!!” when a food item they hold dear to them comes into question, such as fried chicken, ice cream, or BBQ? You’d better believe it.
Well, sure those things aren’t great for you, but they’ve got protein and calcium, and stuff!”
I would say that the negatives outweigh the positives in those foods, but foods like these really don’t even have any positives when you think of them in the larger context of your diet.
When you’re eating a food, you’re getting the whole package.
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ANYway, I’ve gone and ranted again.
So, I’m going to try and post more. I need to get over this idea that I have to make some huge point when I write about something, and remember that blogging can be a tool to start a discussion, or keep one going, rather than me just vomiting everything I have to say about something onto my computer.
This is your forum too, not just mine.
Stay tuned for bacon posts (I tried Bacon Salt), Co-Worker updates, and more!
I found your blog as I was slipping off the health and fitness wagon, yet again. I’m not a ‘wobbler’ as you call them. But I could have become one. I realized, this time last year, that I no longer had the option of shopping in ‘regular’ stores, it was time to do something. This is of course not the first time I’ve gotten up the resolve to ‘do something’. Most people who are overweight have tried many times to loose the weight and I am no exception. Finding a blog like yours does give me some of the motivation I need, not to make this yet another in the string of yo-yo diets.
So, what has this blog given me that others haven’t?
First and foremost, permission to laugh at myself, and then kick myself in the butt. Eating right and exercising is not rocket science. While your blog has lead me to others that have an extremely informed view on proper fitness and nutrition with all the studies and statistics to back it up…. sometimes I just need the simple message that it’s not about BMR ratio’s and perfecting the fat to protein to carb ratio’s… it is just as simple as starting with “eat less… move more”.
Secondly, you do point out quite well that if we don’t shape up, we could very well become the wobblers. I got as heavy as a size 20, which is obese for my proportions. Like many people it just seemed to happen, a series of poor choices that I didn’t give much attention to. Your blog reminds me that these mindless food choices that are all too easy to make in our culture are nevertheless choices. Just because it’s easy to get the fast-processed-chemical-filled-crap does not mean we should eat it! You point out clearly, and simply what a stupid, and I do mean stupid thing it is to choose to feed ourselves stuff that will kill us.
I guess that brings me to the third thing and that is your social, shall we call it outrage? At the wobblers…. now, I get that you are not persecuting individual people, I’m not accusing you of that, nor am I saying that I read your blog that way.
Nevertheless I think it’s beneficial to have someone who is willing to be confrontational and upfront that we should not accept people eating themselves to death. Seriously, if you were screaming about how bad anorexia is you would be patted on the back for being a guy confronting such a negative stereotype of women’s bodies and pointing out how unhealthy it is. But, to be fair there are more people of both genders dying of obesity and obesity related diseases now, than there are of anorexia. (Doesn’t mean I don’t think that’s a serious disease as well). While I don’t think that individuals should be persecuted for their physical fitness, I do think that as a society we should agree to set standards, and not accept the decline of our population to what is an epidemic disease. We do need people to yell out and say “we’re eating ourselves to death! This is NOT okay!”
Anyways, keep up the good work. I enjoy your blog. You may not have the earth-shattering post that is going to create a clarifying epiphany for all of us who need to eat less and move more. But, you do provide that note of a conscious when I am feeling like quitting.
I think I understand what you are saying about preaching to the choir.
Don’t get me wrong, I love the regular visitors to my blog that respond to my posts by agreeing with the things I had to say.
But I love when someone disagrees with some point I made and challenges me to defend it.
Whether I am right or wrong, I know that someone is going to learn something through that exchange.
Personally, I look forward to your posts. I subscribe to the feed and I actually get a little disappointed when I look at my blog aggregator and see that you don’t have anything new.
I think that your POV on the subject is unique and I would like to ask all of your regular readers to give Bloggy’s posts a little boost on StumbleUpon or Digg or Mixx or Propeller or…
I will be submitting this post to Stumble/mixx and Propeller
Bloggy,
I was wondering what happened to you! I’m glad you’re back, and I look forward to more incendiary posts. I think you are right- you do have a unique perspective. You aren’t afraid to call a spade a spade, and I like that. Beaglesmuggler touches upon the idea that modern ideas about how to care for our bodies border upon being overthought and unnecessarily complex. The very fact that you AREN’T a nutritionist or a personal trainer is what makes your blog readable and not dull. It is, after all, really only a matter of common sense.
And you’re funny, too! Welcome back to the “blogosphere”!
Thanks for the responses, folks!
I like the points that it’s good to not be unnecessarily complex. In no way, though, do I try and dumb things down.
Beagle, I like what you said about “willing to be confrontational and upfront”. I’ve always found it annoying that there are so many positive blogs that just stay along the lines of reminding people to eat better and exercise, while everyone knows this, of course.
I like to stay on the other side of the fence and point out not just what everyone knows they should be doing, but especially what they’re doing wrong, and point it out to their face. I think a lot of people can easily keep their “bad habit skeletons” in their closets if no one ever shakes them up and brings them to the surface so they can address them.
Thanks for the reader boosts again DR!
I also like a good disagreement. I haven’t had any big dissenters in a while. Looks like I need to stir the pot a little more.
I think the important thing is that you may feel you have to convince people or preach. But you don’t. Perhaps you should treat this blog for venting your frustration.
I have disagreed with points you have made (as you know) but I always find your insights and posts really interesting. So don’t worry you are not preaching to the choir, as I often come to this blog to get some of my views challenged and get a different perspective. Although we do agree most of the time.
Glad you’re back too. I like your posts and your POV. I was excited when Google reader showed me you had something new!
Great thoughts on the “everything in moderation” saying. It’s funny because on occasion even I say that to justify eating something that I don’t need.
hiii how are you where do you live
I’ll disagree with you. I moderate my brussel sprouts as much as I moderate my fried chicken. Once or twice a year on both, but the brussel sprouts are an effort to cook so that I’ll eat them. The fried chicken, maybe once a year intentionally, and maybe another when I’m starving and don’t want a sandwich and that’s one of the few options at the deli that I’ll eat. I’m kinda picky.
And while that baconaise is nasty, one of my favorite breakfasts is a bacon/shitake/spinach/cheese omelette on 9-grain. I’m also ok with this moderation, because I used to eat 2 egg/bacon/toast, now just one. And I lose weight on that (I exercise a fair amount).
So I’m not really part of your choir, though not too far off.