Information Overload!

Thanksgiving is past and the Christmas Season is upon us. It is closing on New Years, the time for resolutions. You go onto the computer and Google “losing weight.” You are immediately overwhelmed; 3 steps, 26 overlooked ways, 12 tips, 16 ways, 11 things to know, 40 fast and easy tips. What do you do with all of this information? It is complete overload. There is undoubtedly good information contained in those websites, nuggets of gold waiting to be mined. But how do you sift through it? Is it even possible? Or is like the image above, like trying to drink from a fire hydrant. Sure some water will end up in your mouth, but you will also get a head ache from the pounding and you’ll be all wet.

What if you let someone filter that information for you?

Let’s take a look at the first “hit” in my own Google search for “losing weight.” The first tip is drink your coffee black. Nothing wrong with that, reducing total calories is a great step toward weight loss. And drinking it black will hopefully help you get comfortable consuming less sweet food and drinks.

The next tip is “go full fat”. Already, on tip #2, we are on something that will be easily misconstrued. Fat can be wonderful for you. Please use your olive oil and coconut oil. Please include some avocado and fish oil in your diet. But this tip provides none of those clarifications. It simply says to go full fat. It does provide a link for suggestions, but many people will not bother. Fat is the most caloric of the nutrients and it is therefore easy to overdo. Not exactly what you want if you are hoping to lose weight.

The third tip is “choose red fruit over green”. This is called majoring in the minors. It’s just not that important. Rather than worrying about the color of your fruit, how about eating less starchy carbs and trying to gradually increase your intake of vegetables and fruits. Fruit, like anything else, can be overdone. I have been in the health and fitness business long enough to know that some clients would see this tip and use it as an excuse to eat fruit all day. Guess what? It’s still packs lots of sugar! You do not want to be consuming sugar all day long.

Tip 4 is “steep pu-erh tea”. I don’t know what this tea us and it doesn’t matter. When you start telling people to drink a certain tea for fat loss they equate it with a magic potion. “Oh, the rest of my diet doesn’t matter, as long as I drink this magic tea!” Nope, wrong, what you eat the rest of the day matter greatly. If you eat crap 3 meals a day, it doesn’t matter if you are drinking a fancy tea between meals.

Number 5 talks about wearing to jeans to work. I am not kidding. You cannot make up this garbage. Supposedly it is because when you wear more casual clothes you are more likely to move around. The amount of movement you have in your day is highly influenced by your schedule and habits. If you WANT to move more, then make a conscious decision to move more. Rearrange your day to force you to move more or use a fitbit or alarm clock to remind you to move. Wearing jeans won’t make you move unless you WANT to.

My head is hurting reading through this list. 6 talks about showering, 7 about smelling, very practical. Can you smell yourself losing weight yet? If not, at least you are clean.

Last one, because I honestly think my head will explode. Number 8 asks you if your crazy morning routine leave you with little time to eat? Their solution; make slow cooked oatmeal. Huh? If you are lost as you read that you are not the only one. So with my lack of time, I am supposed to swap my cold cereal for slow cooked oatmeal which takes even more time to cook. How does that improve my situation? Aside from failing to address the time issue, it also is suggesting a breakfast full of carbohydrates. It simply suggested swapping one carbohydrate (cold cereal) for another (oatmeal).

Have they heard of protein? They say to eat oatmeal because it is more satiating (keeps you feeling full). But protein is even more satiating and a better option. How about some eggs in the morning? You can prepare eggs in a muffin pan ahead of time to have a ready to go healthy breakfast. They can easily be made to your liking by sprinkling in some veggies, bits of bacon, cheese, etc.

You see, even going to your first Google search result can leave you hopefully lost. Late to work because you made slow cooked oatmeal in place of your cold cereal, in trouble with your boss because you broke dress code in an attempt to move more, on a sugar high as you eat your red fruit all day, buzzed on caffeine as you drink your black coffee and special tea, and stuffing yourself at dinner with your full fat meal.

Is that scenario ridiculous? Sure, but no more than that article on losing weight.

Unfortunately, people LIKE information overload as it takes away from their responsibility in two ways. First, inaction is excused as there is simply no way to know what to do. And second, action is taken that deep down the individual knows will not help. But action was taken, therefore alleviating them of responsibility when they fail to lose weight.

Let me help you sort through the information. Make a choice to focus on what’s important.