Never Settle For Less

It’s always interesting to see what type of information is floating around when it comes to weight loss.  The good news is there’s never a shortage of information. The bad news is…there is never a shortage of information.  Some of it is good and some of it is "interesting".

Great American Newscast

A few days ago I was watching the local news when a headline grabbed my attention.  A gorgeous, trim newscaster stared into the camera with a concerned look on her face and said "Is a lack of sleep making you fat?  Find out when we come back from our commercial break".

The "news" that followed the commercial break was disappointing.  A local Atlanta study indicated a strong correlation between a lack of sleep and being overweight.  I wasted the next 10 minutes of my life listening to how sleep deprivation leads to obesity.  Sleep deprived people just can’t eat right.  What?

I listened and listened for any information about diet, exercise, portion control, or something even remotely related to the process of losing weight.  That information never came.

When it was all said and done the good people watching the program were left with the wrong impression.

Sleep more.  Continue doing the same things you’ve always done.  Lose Weight.

Not all Correlations Correlate

My issue with this editorial piece is simple.  A "correlation" between two disjointed activities doesn’t make them any less disjointed.  If you search hard enough I’m sure you can find a correlation between just about anything.  Let’s think aloud together:

• People who tie their right shoe first are 40% more likely to become President than their counterparts
• People who floss twice daily eat more food due to the decreased force of gravity on their mouths
• People who throw rocks into the ocean for just 10 short minutes a day build better sand castles than 95% of people who don’t bother throwing rocks into the ocean
• People who chase dogs in a circle, in a snowstorm, in Arizona, in July, have decreased exposure to HPV, hang nails, and that night time, sniffling, sneezing,aching, fever condition you encounter when you don’t take your Nyquil

These “correlations” carry about the same weight as the one between no sleep and a big belly.  I know we have to put something on TV.  Let’s at least make it accurate.

Conclusion

The science of being overweight is simple.  I know because I used to be a master.  It goes something like this.  If you eat a lot and sit still you’ll gain weight.  If you control your portions, exercise, and push yourself you just might shed a 1 lb, 2 lbs, or 100.  That’s the only correlation that matters in this game.

If you like this blog please bookmark this page or RSS subscribe.  To RSS subscribe scroll to the bottom of the page, click on “entries RSS”, and select the page you’d prefer.  Forward this information to anyone who can draw benefit from it.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!