ExRx.net

Robb Wolf posted a very interesting blog entry about yo-yo dieting I though might be useful for some folks:

http://robbwolf.com/?p=78

It's pretty basic stuff, but it's blunt, well-written, and concise.

Peter

It was pretty interesting. He had a tad bit of a lack of professionalism and his claims about fish oil, sleep, and insulin are a bit puzzling. I'd like to see some science to back those claims up.

Social- He is accually right about that, at work this guy I work with always asks "What the hell are you eating when I eat a salad". But nevner says a word if I eat a hot dog.

The problem as it shows with yo-yo is not anything to do with the diet itself. But the lack of self control you get after wards where you have to go on a world class eating binge.


Right on

You can always email Robb Wolf, or find him on the forums for Performance Menu. He's big on paleo dieting and intermittent fasting. I figure it was a blog post, he didn't feel compelled to quote sources.

The social part is interesting. It's mostly if you are eating differently than other people. Folks here in Japan marvel at my lunches - no rice, all meat, veggies, and nuts with a little fruit. It's different so it's discussion-worthy. But I also perceive less sabotage...nobody is excluding me from the lunchroom or making me eat sugar snacks or whatever, here or anywhere else.

That guy sounds a lot like me. We must have been separated at birth. That is so true about the circus side show lunch. People look at me like I'm biting the heads off live animals or swallowing swords and fire when I eat the way I do.

People do try to sabotage you. They are always telling me it's ok to have a little of this or that, and say but it's (insert holiday, person's birthday or any other social event you can think of here).

Those people just want to feel better about themselves by creating faults in you. I havn't been around long enough to say thats definitive but its a logical theory.

I'm gonna call those kinds of people "The Sabotagers"!

When you get into the working world, you will see what I mean. Unless you work at a very small company.

I'm working now, but It's in a facility with less than 20 people in it. Sadly those people probably find you to be weird or deranged too.

Most people find me weird or deranged. Especially at lunch time.

I get it as well... Just goes over my head now...

"so, what kind of diet you on? Does it work"

Um... what? I'm not on any 'diet' !

"C'mon! Its Friday, it's PIZZA DAY, you can't eat healthy ALL the time!!"

* Turns iPod volume up louder *

"It's a weight watchers pizza, so it's a healthy pizza" (finishing 3rd healthy pizza, going onto 4th)

A healthy pizza, eh? Who would of thought :-)

I also get the occasional person asking my advice. Which is when you know their desperate - about 30 people in my office, I reckon 25 are on a diet, and have been since i've known them, and maybe 2 of them make progress when they knuckle down.

Some questions are priceless,

(whilst eating a huge pack of Doritos with some kind of cheese salse dip stuff)

"are smoothies good for you"?

* dumbfounded * ('coz I can't quite believe what's coming next)

repeat - "smoothies?! Are they good for you? i'm trying to lose weight?"

I'd say there better than the Doritos anyway, that's for sure.

"yeh, yeh, but I've got this diet (brings photocopy from magazine), and it's a smoothie diet"

Kool, well, let me know how that goes, you can only try, then monitor your results, and then decide - (Can't get image of workmate stuck on toilet out of my head).

......A smoothie diet? I still haven't got over that one.

KPj

There is a severe case of ignorance and lack of knowledge with people and diets which is the biggest problem in this country at the moment. Alot of these people don't even know how to read a nuitrition label or even realise how high there caloric intake is. Then they choose to be ignorant towards it by saying that some day that they will start their diet or that one or two peices of pizza once per week isn't bad. Everybody looks for that magic pill out there that will do the work for them. Now people get lipo, bypass surgeries, audition for the "Biggest Loser" as the easy wasy out. Sad state of affairs.

I think this is the nail being firmly hit on the head. I've worked in my office a few years now, and despite the attitude i displayed in my previous post, I generally try and be as nice, understanding and friendly as possible (not counting the last 6 months, though). I was always of the opinion that it was a shame really, because these people don't know what their putting in their mouth, and if they did, they would change. I know, 'coz I used to be one of them... sort of.

So I change my attitude from trying to give them tips / advice (which they don't hear, let alone follow) to saying things like 'the best thing you can do is learn a little, learn about protein, carbs, and fat. What they are, what they're needed for, recommended requirements. Good carbs and bad carbs. Etc'. Then this changed to, "OK, the BEST thing you can do, is write down EVERYTHING you eat from now until this time next week. Don't leave anything out, write down everything, even and especially calorie containing drinks and what time you eat / drink each item. Then, next week, you look at your food log and try and identify where your going wrong. you can count your calories, see what time of day you get most calories, etc etc etc". I also gave them a link to a site that has most foods and drinks you can buy in the UK, and tells you what calories are in them, so they can count them up easily.

It's all worthless. in saying that, the people that come to me with a specific question or questions seem to be much more motivated - these are the ones that don't really need to diet, lol.

Anyway, now I just say,

"i recommend the smoothie diet".

Maybe not, but i might just start ;-)

KPj