True Story

Yesterday I was checking out some new blog links (I'm always interested to see who my favorite bloggers have linked to their blogs), and I stumbled upon this one guy's blog. It had the customary catchy title, before and after pics, and a series of links that took you to his favorite posts that he had written. One of the links/post titles was called "Best Way to Lose Weight." I could not resist clicking on it. Somewhere, deep inside me is still the yearning for a cure all/quick fix, or perhaps new ground breaking knowledge on weight loss that I don't have.

If I have learned anything in the past year, it is that no one can tell you how to lose weight. What works for one person will not necessarily work for me. So, it takes some serious blogging balls of steel to actually write a post telling people "the best way to lose weight." This particular blogger lost his weight by counting calories, tracking them, and reducing intake. Fair enough. He was then brazen enough to go on and on about how this way was the only way, and every other diet out there is a fad.

Obviously, if someone is successful in their efforts, they believe their way is the best way. I'm definitely guilty of being biased towards my Paleo Diet as the best way to lose weight. It worked for me- shocking I would feel this way, I know. I am not now, nor will I ever be in any position to tell people what is going to work for them if they want to lose weight. I do know this though...if you do nothing you will not lose weight. If you do something only part-time, you will not lose weight. If you do something to lose the weight, and then stop, you will gain the weight back.

As you can imagine, there were many comments left on his post. Most of which were in agreement with him, but there were a few dissenters. My favorite comment said:

"While South Beach/Paleo/Atkins get results, it’s often through “tricks” like setting your body into Ketosis. And to get your body to do that, there are often major sacrifices, in the sense that certain things cannot be eaten ever. For me, personally, any diet that excludes certain things every time, all the time, is not sustainable. For me, the diet that works is the one that makes me feel like I can “cheat” – eat the piece of cake at the party – while still following the rules."

First off, putting Paleo in the same category as South Beach and Atkins...that was comical to me. Do some research, get back to me. Secondly- "there are certain things that cannot be eaten ever." Yup. If you are eating processed foods and are fat, and you don't want to be fat, you are going to have to give up processed foods. Sorry about that...pick your battles. Lastly, and this relates do doing research on a Paleo diet for modern people...you can eat a piece of cake now and then- I know I have!

This is a perfect example of what I'm talking about. I can find flaws in the "arguments" but the commenter knows what works for them and what doesn't. Who am I to say what is right and what is wrong? After all, we are aiming for the common goal- doing whatever we think is right to get ourselves healthy. No one can write the best way to do that, except you.