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
Everyone Needs an Enemy
It may sound crazy, but everyone needs an enemy. Not the kind that wants to hurt you, but someone or something to fight against. If you don't find something to fight against, you may find yourself lacking purpose and floundering in the wind.
Enemies can help define who you are by helping you identify what you want to become and who you definitely do not want to be. In today's episode The Nutrition Grouch and special guest/co-host, Jeff Burkart discuss their biggest enemies and how they use them to succeed at what they do.
Not all enemies are helpful and as Jeff illustrates, you need to pick your battles. But even if you do not want, or are not seeking an enemy, they'll be sure to find you in some way. Rather than letting them define you, use that energy to drive action towards your goal, whether that be race performance, weight loss or healthy living.
Some of the topics in today's episode include:
Introduction to my new co-host (0:00)
My man strike, I mean, man crush (4:07)
An Alan Watts idea: everyone needs an enemy (8:06)
When you say “enemy”, what do you actually mean? (9:13)
Jeff’s greatest enemy (13:23)
Todd’s greatest (internal) enemy (20:25)
Why Todd doesn’t belong in academia or industry (20:21)
Afraid of being pigeonholed into one role (24:12)
Personal training is so much more than just sets and reps (25:33)
Health coaching: a jack of all trades, master of none (27:55)
School left me totally unprepared for the real world (29:10)
Even with a PhD, you’ll never know everything! (35:01)
How to be okay with not knowing everything (36:11)
Being comfortable with making mistakes (37:43)
Todd’s many, many external enemies (40:24)
Nutrition is no longer science based, now it’s art and entertainment (44:28)
Nutrition is used to support your superiority complex (46:21)
Nutrition is dangerous when it becomes part of your identity (46:54)
I’d be out of the nutrition field if it wasn’t for my enemies (47:32)
Don’t you dare trust science, unless it’s for your dog’s food! (49:29)
Do you pick your enemy, or does your enemy pick you? (50:30)
What happens when you get rid of McDonalds? (51:35)
Is having an enemy worth it? (52:29)