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| This isn't about "ego and aesthetics" says Horton |
Periodically, I watch Dr Oz episodes at bedtime but I have
to stop. The last time I pressed play Elisabeth Hasselbeck was on dispensing
information on food intolerances. This time Tony Horton was the featured guest.
Perhaps you recognize the name from the
P90X videos; Tony Horton has a tremendous client roster as a personal trainer.
What made me cringe wasn’t his exercise advice it was when he stepped into
nutritonland. And cringe is in understatement. I got out of bed too worked up
to sleep.
What irked me about Horton’s advice is something I’ve seen a
lot lately. I would categorize it as the advice you want to hear, the advice
you want to be true. However, when you get down to it, it’s really patronizing.
The show opened with skinny minis popping out from behind their old enormous
clothes. I thought for sure Horton would come out and play the role of expert
in smaller-sizing but no. Dr Oz asked Horton why he was disappointed with
dieters. First, Horton told Dr Oz, this is not about fitting into certain
clothing. Horton sighed and shrugged and explained that most people were focused on
looking good. Efforts should be focused on improving our quality of life. This
“it’s on the inside that matters” guidance was followed less than 2 minutes
later with Horton lifting up his shirt at Dr Oz’s request (a weird moment but
it didn’t take that much convincing). And here’s the deal, eating well is about
feeling good and sleeping better, “going” better and whole host of things that
have nothing to do with aesthetics. But looks matter to most of us and no
trainer or “guru” is going to get you or the rest of the world to take vanity
(his or yours) off the menu. Plus, I’m sorry how can you look into a camera and
tell us to shift the focus from our little black dresses with enough Botox to
all the "Real" Housewives wrinkle free? Hmn. This is in the same “vein”
as diets that “aren’t diets but food plans”. We go on diets to look (and feel)
better and once we establish that we can move on. …
Horton moved on to
his specific food advice with his 90/10 concept. Who doesn’t like plans that
hinge on cheat days? Horton revealed a table full of fruits and vegetables and
salmon and nuts, the typical diet rainbow and then came his big reveal. If you
eat these “clean” foods 90% of the time you can, drumroll please, have
chocolate cake some of the time. The oohs and aahs filled the room, who would
object to the chocolate cake system? Horton said, “people need to ne rewarded.”
I’m not treat-averse. I’ve talked about treat training and how to integrate
less-than-wholesome items into your diet. However, it can’t all be about the
cake. What worries me about this reasoning is that you can’t be living 90% of
your hours waiting for cake time. If you’re spending your days choking down
kale and quinoa pining for your food reward, I’m sorry but it’s not going to
work. Most people who keep their weight in a happy place enjoy how they are
eating and keep their food choices interesting and pleasurable. It’s can
be suffer and then celebrate because in the long run, who wants to suffer?
With all nutrition and diet advice, we have to separate what
would be nice: if size didn’t matter or cake could be a regular part of our
lives from the truth.
What diet advice
drives you crazy? Are you familiar with Horton? Do you watch Dr Oz? Did you
happen to see this show? And do you think it detracts from a message if experts
flaunt their own bodies?
Nutrition advice from so-called experts drives me nuts, it confuses the public. And I've been hearing a lot of it lately. I find it hard to take him seriously when he says it isn't about vanity and then flaunts his washboard abs, he might as well be honest. Besides, one of the main reasons people want to change their eating habits IS because they want to look better, to feel better about themselves. And if he had any nutrition background, he'd know that nutrition 101 advises against food-reward
ReplyDeleteOh good lord. If I watched Dr. Oz before going to bed, I would be worked up too!! Just reading this post makes me ANGRY!! UGH! His show is such a giant contradiction. I just can't watch it anymore. It's too bad too, because it used to be so good, and educational, now it's just a huge joke.
ReplyDeleteI like Dr Oz I do. I think it was your post on his supplements that I found myself nodding along to. It's too much time to fill and the real experts lose credibility to these product-hockers.
ReplyDeleteAgree, agree. If some spiritual master is telling me to focus on peace and love and serenity, I may listen. If you tell me it's not about my black dress because you want me to think you're deep or have a new approach no thank you. Blah Blah. You don't celebrate the kale with the cake. You celebrate being in charge of your health and looking/feeling better.
ReplyDeleteFamiliar with TH, yes, but only because my husband used to do the P90x workout, but now he does Insanity. Have not seen the infomercials w/ Dr. O but no doubt I would lose sleep over them too! The nutrition advice that drives me crazy, is anything that's "My way or the highway"...You MUST eat vegan...you MUST eat Paleo...you MUST eat glutenfree (even if you don't have celiac or gluten sensitivity). Oooo....all fired up now and is only 6 a.m.!
ReplyDeleteAhh there are so many things I want to comment on here! I actually wrote a post not too long ago that spawned from Dr. Oz's show and he had another trainer discussing a cheat day each week! Cheat days make me furious! It's not about pining away all week for one cheat day! It's about enjoying your food, surprising your taste buds, and not allowing any food "off-limits" (just choosing not to eat them, most of the time). The minute there is acheat day, is the minute you start CRAVINGS. I dunno about you but when I tell myself I can't...I WANT immediately.
ReplyDeleteEducating yourself about nutrition is what will really change your diet. The more you learn what is IN your food and how it's made, the less you want those foods some may consider "cheats."
I could go on, I want to go on, but Hannah calls! Great post!
I definitely agree with the previous comment, soo many things to say! First, I hate the idea of cheat days. My problem with them is that if you're someone who is overweight because of a lack of structure or control, a cheat day kind of destroys control all together and it's like starting your diet over again. You really have to make it a way of life and not a regiment where one day a week you can shove tons of food down your throat. We don't tell recovering drug addicts that if they stay clean 6 days a week we'll reward them with a cheat day! Second, I hate the notion of "I'm just doing it for my health." I feel like that is what people who halfheartedly commit to weight loss tell themselves. Let's be honest, if you're not seeing results in your clothing sizes little motivation exists to keep you from eating high fat items (especially if you're one who previously ate those types of foods!).
ReplyDeleteI am agree with you about "cheat days". People are not going to last if they only have that day to look forward to. It needs to be about the choices they made majority of the time that they really enjoy! And yes, my biggest pet peeve is when others give nutrition advice when they don't have the backgrounds to do so.
ReplyDeletecouldn't agree more about knowing what's in food then cake with terrible ingredients isn't appealing.
ReplyDeleteLove the analogy to drug addicts, can you imagine- try a coke binge 1 day/week or be "clean" then you earn a fix. Makes no sense, thanks Whitney.
ReplyDeleteAnd in this case also dislike people confusing personal experience for expertise. Tony Horton repeatedly said "this is what I have after a workout" well how would that differ for a female who's 100 pounds heavier and is it sound advice or just what he does. Argh.
ReplyDeleteAs a non-nutritionist I have to gently remind you that to the average "dieter" without a break of some sort on the horizon it is really tough to commit to a (strict) diet. I am someone who knows a lot about nutrition and regardless I need a "break" every week. Not necessarily a binge feat, but yeah, a legitimate "cheat" or else I feel deprived. And then really binge. It's easy to get on a high horse & spout ideals. The truth is, many of us are simply trying to do our best & diets that remove the concept of perfection ate much easier to swallow than those such as the one described here.
ReplyDeleteCameo, I don't think there's any nutritionist commenting here (or me) who feels a proper diet is a perfect one. I think what we were objecting to was luring people with the chunk of chocolate cake and the fact that a 90/10 ratio is very complicated for most dieters who have a piece of cake and feel off to the races.I was objecting especially to the notion that your healthy eating is some sort of hellish-ness so that you can get to the stepping stones of sugar and "reward". The healthy is what we need to focus on and the sweet/drinks/junky stuff happens and how I work with clients should happen in a planned and savored manner. Treats should be because they taste delicious and not because you've had greens or fish for a few days. So it's not the treat or less-than-stellar food choice I was mentioning but presenting this as the cornerstone of a plan.
ReplyDeleteThat makes sense. Thank you for clarifying. I think my response came off a bit more harsh than I intended. I should not type from my iphone in bed and hungry...
ReplyDeleteFrom what you know of me/the blog you know I love a "healthy" debate and welcome seeing the other side presented. Bring it on.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there's a celebrity out there who should offer any sort of advice. They live in a different world than the average person, they have more money, time and resources than many people and their entire business is based on looks, which should negate everything they might say whether it is sound or not. Unfortunately, I'm not sure it does detract from their message when they flaunt their bodies. I think a great many people are vulnerable to that tactic.
ReplyDelete