Telling someone who is struggling with their weight to “eat less and move more” is like telling a depressed person to “be happy”.
This was a Facebook status I read the other day… and my first response after reading it was anger.
“NONSENSE” is the first word that sprung to mind.
However, after thinking about it, I realize that the quote is a good one.
There is a difference between being true and being useful… these are not mutually inclusive things.
It’s the difference between stating a fact and providing practical advice.
“To lose weight you need to eat less and move more” is a true statement, but not necessarily useful.
…and it’s certainly lacking any practicality. There’s no clear direction on how to put this fact into practice.
This is where people get confused over weight loss advice… true statements aren’t necessarily useful, and untrue statements can still be practical.
“Fast once or twice per week, weight train 3 to 4 times per week, and you’ll keep the fat loss pixies happy.” This isn’t a true statement, but it may be useful and practical.
Weight loss experts disagree on a lot of things, and often times they spend an inordinate amount of time arguing about the truthfulness of facts while losing sight of what they are (hopefully) trying to do, which is to provide practical and useful weight loss advice AND true facts.
They’re not always the same thing, and we need both to effectively lose weight.
“Fast once or twice per week, and when you’re not fasting try to eat responsibly. Weight train 3 to 4 times per week and focus on gaining strength and challenging your muscles. Stay active by taking part in activities you enjoy, and do your best to get a good night’s sleep.”
That’s my best practical and useful advice 😉
BP
