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
The 5 Universal Laws of Weight Loss
There are hundreds of diet types and thousands of diet do’s and diet don’ts for weight loss. And yet, what does every diet type have in common? The 5 Universal Laws of Weight Loss.
It doesn’t matter if you eat low carb or high carb, low fat or high fat, Paleo, Keto, or alternate day fast. Eat fat to burn fat, lift weights or run, drink water before meals, eat after 6pm, eat slowly, avoid carbs to keep your insulin low, protein and keto to suppress your appetite, or avoid ultra processed foods like the plague.
All of the (oftentimes) contradictory, factoids and tidbits, hacks, tips, and tricks do not matter.
Some of the topics in today’s episode include:
- Weight loss advice hasn’t changed for decades, and it won’t change (2:03)
- A comprehensive list of all the diet interventions for weight loss (3:26)
- Should SNAP benefits really exclude soda? (7:51)
- If all diets suck the same, can I just pick the one I like? (10:51)
- Stay suffering in the familiar or embrace freedom and uncertainty? (12:11)
- The 5 Universal Laws of Weight Loss are… (15:05)
- #1 Meal plan to create a calorie deficit (15:25)
- #2 Log your food daily and self-correct as needed (19:59)
- How long do I have to food log for? (21:08)
- Food logging is really just “checking your work” (23:06)
- Hunger, satiety, and intuitive eating are relatively worthless in the 21st century (24:09)
- Food logging in real time, not daily (24:32)
- #3 Exercise 300 minutes a week (25:22)
- Will Smith, Hugh Jackman, and the jacked Cross-Fitter (28:23)
- Todd’s exercise history and the importance of being flexible (33:35)
- I’ve never regretted doing a workout (43:03)
- Don’t worry about doing things right or knowing what to do (44:39)
- #4 Weigh yourself at least once weekly (46:41)
- #5 Control your food environment (51:48)