The Nutrition Grouch
The weight loss industry is, has been, and always will be a dumpster fire. People like to say health & wellness (of which weight loss is a part of) is “broken” or full of “misinformation” but that is being too generous because it implies that some of it is good or that it is actually fixable. It is damaged beyond repair. If it were possible, I would burn it to the ground and start over.
While it is impractical to try to summarize what’s wrong with the industry in one podcast description, my premise is this: there is a truly astronomical amount of information that neither our media nor our professionals are able to communicate to you in a meaningful way without losing all context, applicability to real life, and/or the ability to see how all of the pieces fit together.
The media should just stop covering health & wellness because their soundbites explain nothing and are little more than headlines and talking points. They may raise awareness but not understanding, leading to the illusion of explanatory depth. Academics actually know what they are talking about and could help educate us but are too busy with their work and only some are engaged with the public. Most academics look down on and laugh at the quacks and zealots in the field but it’s the quacks and zealots that have the real power.
Businesses do not have the right people in place (PhDs or medical professionals) to drive product and service development (that’s left to the MBAs). After the brand is established, the number one rule is that you must protect and promote the brand no matter how myopic, self-serving, or unimportant that brand is. Healthcare is for the (already) sick and public health is so surface level.
When it comes to their health, the public is lazy. They want the most entertaining, convenient, and positive information available, even if it is at the expense of achieving their goals. Hard work, I think not. Let me take the path of least resistance and “do it on the side”. There’s no reason for real change.
Instead of being stuck in pedaling the news of the day, disconnected factoids and tidbits, overly reductionist, cliché, idealistic, magic cures, easy fixes, secrets, tips, tricks, hacks, fads, gimmicks, cherry-picked, binary, good/bad, flashy, insanely optimistic, exaggerated, fantasy land, sunshine and rainbows, theoretical, testimonial based weight loss information -- let’s come up with a more comprehensive, systematic, sustainable, realistic, semi-automated, results-oriented, pragmatic approach to weight loss with a slice of common sense.
I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time (years and decades) thinking about the thousands of nuances of weight loss (just Google Energy Balance Nutrition Consulting, The Paper Database, or The Science of Dieting). I’ve also spent thousands of hours trying to understand why the health & wellness field isn’t actually science based despite the information being readily available.
I am so fed up and exhausted by it all. It is so broken that on many days I want to say forget it. I’m done with this. It can’t be fixed. I’m a smart motivated guy that can take my talents elsewhere (LeBron). But something keeps drawing me back. It’s like a sickness or a bad relationship. I just can’t get out of it. At my core, it’s who I am. In this podcast I want to offer you truly science-based weight loss advice, critiques of the weight loss industry/diet culture, and thoughts on my experiences and failings in the profession. And with that, I bring you The Nutrition Grouch.
The Nutrition Grouch
Where is Weight Loss or Healthy Eating on Your Priority List?
No one ever has enough time. Everyone is too busy. Meal planning becomes an afterthought and meal decisions are made in the moment. Pardon my pun, but this is not a recipe for success.
Diets work in the short-term because they help you create a negative energy balance and provide you with a system and a way of eating. But they fail in the long-term because diets fall on your priority list and suffer from a lack of long-term commitment.
In today's podcast the Nutrition Grouch outlines the first three steps you need to take to build a systematic, comprehensive way of eating and also talks about the importance of periodically identifying/ranking our priorities and making sure that nutrition stays towards the top. He realizes this isn't easy and that some sacrifices need to be made, but it's what you need to do for healthy living.
Some of the topics in todays podcast include:
Nutrition is Not transactional (0:37)
The first 3 steps to building a comprehensive and systematic way of eating (4:12)
What are the most common priorities for people? (12:20)
Time use surveys – what do you do with your time? (13:05)
My top 10 priorities (19:49)
My priority #1: Sleep (20:31)
My priority #2: Chores/Household Activities (21:16)
My priority #3: Food (22:33)
I want to be a snake and eat once a month (25:20)
My priority #4: Kids (26:30)
My priority #5: Work (27:39)
Studying hungover and missing Packer games (29:19)
Doing this podcast is a real grind (31:28)
Meaning making and mattering (32:23)
My priority #6: Spouse (34:54)
My priority #7: Self Care/Personal Care (36:51)
My priority #8: Friends (38:43)
My priority #9: Hobbies/Recreation (39:27)
My priority #10: Extended Family (41:13)
Create an excel spreadsheet to manage meals and cooking methods (44:32)
Nutrition is more about time management than it is about knowledge (47:42)
Skinny people have to try hard too (49:09)
The eating advantages I have (51:12)
Riding my bike to a brewery (54:58)
Things I cut back on or do when I’m too busy (55:28)
Coffee and beer are life, the rest is just details (56:28)