Would you be less likely to accept nutrition / health advice from a (visually) overweight health professional?

[Prof_Don]

Simple question here.

Vote and reply as much as you like, using examples of yourself or others that you know.

Thanks for answering! :)

I'd accept the advice just the same

I'd frankly be less accepting of their advice because they may not "practice what they preach"

[madmisskelly]

Health looks different on everyone. The advice may not be about weight loss at all. As a matter of fact, nutrition has to do with health and not necessarily weight loss. Losing weight can be a product of eating healthier but it isn't a must. If the person was in good health then yes, I would be just fine with taking advice from them.

As a future dietitian, I realize that it is everything in moderation. Meaning, you can eat ice cream, drink beer, eat some bad foods so long as you aren't doing it on a regular basis. Eat healthy a majority of the time and enjoy your food- just don't overdo it.

[Prof_Don]

:)

[musiclover100]

If it's good logical advice then I would accept it no matter what the person looks like. I would be sure to research it later though before I apply it to my life because that's just what I do with all advice given to me. It wouldn't be fair of me to judge someone about their weight because I don't know the reason behind their extra weight. So yeah, I would take the advice.

[beastman88]

i think I would even though theyre fat or whatever. especially if it was a dr, they usually have a good idea of what your supposed to be doing and what not to be doing. not very often do I see a healthcare professional that is fat and unhealthy. people know what's bad for them but they do it anyway. carelessness, people know smoking is bad for them but they do it anyway.

[TheDigitalSaint]

I'd take it with a huge grain of salt and do my own research. Many doctors are too willing to prescribe meds instead of make lifestyle changes, and an overweight one is even more suspect. No thank you.

[xzinax2]

if a virgin tells you to use protection when sleeping with a stranger-does it mean their advice isn't valid? of course not,if what they're saying makes sense,of course I'd accept it.

[Prof_Don]

Well said. :)

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

No, it's nothing like that. If he says "I've been doing cycles of this training and eating program the last year and a half and it keeps me really motivated and fit" and he looks like a slob after having done it.. yeah it makes a difference. Because clearly it didn't get him enough results, or it didn't motivate him enough.

[xzinax2]

you can be fit and fat at the same time,you know. I know plenty of fat people who can run longer than me and who are stronger than me.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

You can be strong and obese.. that's true. But it is not healthy to be obese. There are a lot of health problems that come with it. Studies have shown that NFL offensive/defensive linemen are around 50% more likely to die of cardiovascular disease. And these are professional athletes. They're very strong. But to be fit, means to be in good physical condition.. and they're not. Regardless if they can beat you in a race, or lift more, which isn't really reliable info.

[xzinax2]

some people are obese no matter how hard they try,weight isn't always accurate as to if a person does their exercises effectively or if their diet works

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

So just humor me and answer me one question... in the case of one of these obese people you're describing.. if that person doesn't eat anything for one week.. does he/she gain, lose or maintain weight?

[xzinax2]

he/she gets sent to a hospital.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

See you refuse to answer cause the obvious answer is he/she loses weight. Because everyone is capable of losing weight. It's a matter of energy. The calorie equation is true for skinny, medium sized, and over sized people alike. Just over sized people delude themselves and pretend weight loss is impossible or somehow 10 times harder for them specifically, so they can live with themselves.

[xzinax2]

i'm not refusing to answer,i'm just stating a fact-i mean,what are you saying-if you're fat and can't lose weight the healthy way-starve yourself? of course that will lead to weight loss,but the reason people diet-is to be healthy,so starving wouldn't be very good advice,would it? I wouldn't take it from a skinny or fat person,but I would take a meal plan from a fat person

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

It doesn't need to be the extreme.. the extreme proves eating less causes weight loss even in obese people. So an obese person can eat less and lose weight, without eating so much less that they're dying. Being obese is not healthy and little else factors into weight gain/loss beyond the calorie equation.

[xzinax2]

if someone if overweight cause of an illness,that doesn't mean they should deprive themselves of food just because of a set standard on what 'healthy'' looks like,even if you're fat,you should eat enough that you get your daily dose of protein,fibers,and vitamins,your weight shouldn't matter as long as you're healthy

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

illness? What illness makes you eat more than you can burn? And obese isn't healthy. It's defined as OVER a healthy weight. So it's not about what they look like. It's about health. You can get your portions of protein, fiber and vitamins, and still eat a deficit (especially a fat person who typically burns MORE than the average person by sitting around, since they need more energy to just simply function they can eat more and still be on a deficit). Heck everyone else in the world manages.

[xzinax2]

link

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Okay let's start at this... An article is not an accurate source of information, particularly because, in most cases, they do not include a shred of tangible data. It's all statements which they assume you'll assume are true. Secondly, enlarged organs and fluid retention may contribute to weight gain... but there is a difference between weight gain and obesity. And an enlarged organ does not become 10lbs heavier. Nor does your body retaining more water somehow create large fat stores.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

And finally, you're gonna have to point out to me which of those you think causes obesity to such a severe degree that diet and exercise will have little or no effect in preventing/curing the obesity.

The conclusion in this article is really cute.

"Weight gain can also be caused by organ enlargement, such as from an ovarian cyst, and obstruction of lymph fluid." The conclusion isn't that organ enlargement can cause obesity? Oh, that's right. Because the article is about weight not fat.

[crookthings]

Doesn't make a difference to me.

#1. Some overweight people do have healthy lifestyles and are overweight anyway. It happens.

#2. Even if they don't "practice what they preach," it doesn't mean they don't have the knowledge. They have the same educational requirements as their peers.

[TheStaff_Sergeant]

Agreed.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

#1 How is that possible?

#2 How does he have accurate knowledge if he hasn't tested it? He would only have theory.. someone who is fit, would have a more sound education in fitness since they have tested their theories. E.g. I've done mini-meals, I've done intermittent fasting, I've done long distance, middle distance, short distance and weightlifting.. I feel that experience PLUS research would make me a much better source of advice.

[crookthings]

How is it possible that some skinny people have unhealthy lifestyles and are skinny anyway? It's not black and white.

Again, what makes you think an overweight person hasn't experienced that? If anything, naturally overweight people have more experience with exercise than naturally thin people because they're had to work harder to fit in to whatever is deemed "a healthy weight."

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

#1 not even close to answering my question... Healthy weight and skinny are not synonymous.. so to say how is someone unhealthily skinny living an unhealthy lifestyle possible.. it's just pure logic.. unhealthy lifestyle begets unhealthy results. What I'm asking is how does a healthy lifestyle, such as eating right and exercising right, beget obesity? Like you claim.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

#2 "[they've] had to work harder to fit in to whatever is deemed "a healthy weight."" Umm.. no they haven't, because they're overweight.. not a healthy weight.. So how did they work harder to be a healthy weight?

And this "naturally skinny" vs "naturally fat" is bogus. You're not naturally fat or naturally skinny. You consume calories, you burn calories. If you are a glutton and you are lazy, you get fat. There's no excuse, unless you're mentally or physically impaired.

[crookthings]

Sigh. I'm saying that there are clearly other factors besides diet and exercise, or else everyone who eats junk food and doesn't exercise would be fat. That isn't the case. My boyfriend has a sedentary lifestyle with mostly processed foods, yet he's slim. I eat great and exercise, yet I don't lose weight. Of course lifestyle can change your weight, I'm not denying that, but you still have limits according to what your genetics, hormones, and natural body type allow.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

A guy with a six pack cause he knows how to eat right and exercise right AND he does eat and exercise according to his knowledge is much more qualified than an obese guy who knows how to eat right and exercise right and maybe eats and exercises according to his knowledge, but doesn't see results.

It's like who is better to show you how to sprint the 100m? Usain Bolt, or the guy next door who googled how to sprint the 100m?

If the answer isn't obvious, your ability to reason is flawed.

[crookthings]

link

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

"I'm saying that there are clearly other factors besides diet and exercise, or else everyone who eats junk food and doesn't exercise would be fat"

Yeah, they don't get fat cause they eat correct proportions. That's still a part of diet and exercise. The calorie consumption - burn equation.

At the end of the day is calorie equation is better. Your last sentence about genetics and hormones, and etc.. is a scapegoat and the mantra for the lazy and delusively dishonest.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

Your link is just sad and ignorant.. But whatever.. use all the scapegoats you can to pretend your flaws aren't your own making.. and that other people are just magically gifted with fairy dust that keeps them skinny.

[crookthings]

You: it's impossible

Me: well here are some examples where it's been possible

You: nope it's impossible

Not gonna keep going on with this. Of course my reasoning seems flawed, because your reasoning has been built by a fatphobic weight loss industry who profits off of it. Read about the flaws in weight loss pseudo-science (books by Paul Campos, Eric Oliver). If you're refusing, then there's nothing more to say.

[crookthings]

Did I mention that I eat great and exercise every day? Yes? Okay.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

No because skinny does not equal healthy! Did you miss that memo?

And I just find it pathetic that some overweight people, rather than admitting they overeat or are under-active.. would insult everyone else who has lived a healthy lifestyle as to pawn it off on some scapegoat. To take away from our accomplishments, our control over our habits, by brushing it off as genetics, hormones, etc.

I exercise 120mins Mon-Fri. And you take away from that, when you claim genetics determines fitness

[crookthings]

Didn't I say that? This whole time I've been saying you can't tell someone's health by looking at them.

I never said that genetics and hormones dictate everything, just that they're factors. I get that you defend the opposite belief because this insults you, but when people mention these things, they're not trying to disregard YOUR hard work. It's not about you. It's about stereotypes. I'm saying I'M tired of people claiming that I don't care about my health when they don't know my lifestyle.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

They're not huge factors in weight loss, at all. The calorie equation remains true. It is proven that 100% of the time that you burn more calories than you consume, you lose weight. Because eating less is a proven method. Works 100% of the time. So you have no excuse to be overweight. You're not an exception to the eat less, burn more, lose weight rule. There is no magic gene or hormone that makes your body exercise off less calories or consume more. That's all on you.

[crookthings]

Oh my god buddy. I try to level with you and you just keep on going. I'd talk about how the caloric deficit method didn't work for me (or that it has a success rate of 5% over 5 years), but you'll probably just say I (and everyone else) obviously didn't do it right despite diligently sticking with it for a year. Caloric intake doesn't magically change your metabolism, and not all calories are equal. Again, read a book I suggested if you won't listen to me.

[NotJustAnotherGuy]

A caloric deficit didn't make you lose weight? Then you need to go to a psychiatrist for your delusions of grandeur, because you're not doing as much as you think.

You're a perfect example of how overweight people don't know what it takes to be healthy and fit and therefore are less credible sources of info. You will likely never see a ripped guy or girl that says calorie deficits don't make you lose weight, because they have personal experience telling them otherwise.

[crookthings]

Uh exactly, they know by personal experience that it CAN work, just like I know that SOMETIMES it doesn't. How is their experience more valid than mine?

You are so disrespectful. When someone is telling you about their life, do you regularly just tell them they're lying or do you only do it to fat people? I feel like throwing all of the paperwork showing my health stats in the face of people who claim I'm not healthy. F***off forever.

[Prof_Don]

Unlinke this dude below here...I understand that there are hormonal effects that affect metabolism, thus making it harder to lose weight.

Your base sedentary metabolism may SUPPOSED to be 1800cals, so you eat a 1300cal diet daily to lose 1lb per week.

BUT...what if your body responds abnormally by lowering your metabolism due to less food...AND your body doesn't handle physical stress of exercise well and raises cortisol?

[Prof_Don]

...and what if your body doesn't produce leptin effectively, or your body doesn't react to it correctly?

There are more hormonal factors to metabolism than a chart-based "you are this gender, this height, your base metabolism should be this much cals per day."

I understand the dude below you spitting venom in general, because he feels that too many people blame hormones for their excess weight in the USA instead of taking care of their health.

Frankly he's probably ran into A LOT of those ppl.

[crookthings]

Yes thank you o_o

I think that's one of the many misunderstandings here. I'm not "blaming" anything for my weight, because I'm done caring about my weight, it's ALL about my health now. According to my actual health stats, my new lifestyle has extremely paid off. Yet people still insist that I'm not doing enough because I apparently don't look the part. God forbid I mention that I have PCOS, because then I'm "making excuses." :P

Oh well. I only wish I could block people in real life. XD

[pr3ttybr0wn]

Yes because they should take their own advice, its hypocritical. I don't think you should be in the health industry and have the nerve to be overweight

[sketchy]

Not really. Ever heard the phrase "Do as I say, not as I do"?

It's much taking advice from a careers guidance counselor - lets face it, no kid ever dreamed of becoming one of those when they grow up.

[goldgunsgirls]

I'd have some prejudice but I'd try to take the person's advice on its own and judge it myself based on whether or not it made sense.

[martyfellow]

Dang right, just like I hesitate to accept advice from teenagers about adult relationships...

[palek]

Yeah, I hear ya, havin a fat doctor's a little too much like having a homeless financial planner.

[starlight124]

No it wouldn't make a difference to me, if they give good advice I may follow it

[kspillanxx]

yes only because nobody practices what they preach but it doesn't mean they aren't knowledgable they just choose not to do it