Dr. J on Signs and Rules
Contributor: “Dr. J”Dr. J offers his irreverent, slightly irrelevant, but possibly useful opinions on health and fitness. A Florida surgeon and fitness freak with a black belt in karate, he runs 50 miles a week and flies a Cherokee Arrow 200.
It seems we live in a world of signage and rules!
I was out at the airport the other day, and as I taxied past the overrun area where I had my “plane crash”, I noticed a sign that read, “Prohibited Area: Keep Out.” I’m glad I didn’t try to obey that sign as my plane was dropping like a rock!
I was reminded of a time when my dad and I went sailing in a lagoon in our little 10 foot boat, and it capsized. As we paddled around trying to decide our next course of action, I happened to notice a large sign in the water saying, “No Swimming Allowed.” Perhaps in the small print it said that keeping from drowning was an allowed exception.
Recently at my fitness center pool, I was looking at a swimming kick board. In large letters it proclaimed, “Not a Lifesaving Device.” If I was drowning, and you can’t find anything better, throw me the kick board, please.
OK, I break a lot of rules!
I don’t eat breakfast and haven’t in a long time, even though I’ve read that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and will cause overeating later in the day.
I eat most of my food for the day after seven in the evening, even though I’ve read that that behavior causes us to gain weight.
I run every day, even though I’ve read that that causes all kinds of injuries to our joints.
I don’t tend to set goals, even though I’ve read that people with goals are more accomplished and get where they are headed.
I believe that our weight is simply a function of calories consumed versus calories utilized, even though I read daily how it’s so much more complicated and more than that.
Perhaps It’s All In the Interpretation
I feel that most of our behaviors are habits that we have adapted to.
I do not go over my calorie limits for the day even if I do not eat breakfast and eat the majority of my food after seven in the evening.
I’ve worked up to running every day, and I run with proper form, good shoes and off of hard surfaces.
I am direction oriented and move in a direction even thought I don’t often know where I am headed, but I still find that I accomplish a lot of goals on the journey.
I have found that calories utilized versus calories consumed for the vast majority of people is accurate in spite of society’s delusional; need to disprove it.
Maybe Some Things We Read are Wrong
I believe that doing healthy behaviors is more important than spending time trying to understand what is stopping you, even though I read every day about people’s wasted efforts directed toward understanding why, rather than just doing them. As I’ve stated before, push past your barriers and build positive, healthy habits, and you may eventually understand or not, but I believe you will be so much better off in the long run that way.
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I have been able to lose 30 pounds and maintain that loss, even though I’ve read experts saying that it is not possible to do that because of “internal factors,” and that we all know studies about “why some sedentary folks can eat like horses and remain lean while their neighbors consume moderately, train for triathlons and stay fat,” except I don’t.
I have seen statistics that report that even though people can initially lose weight, almost all of them gain it back. A conclusion drawn from these is that dieting is useless. However, the reason people gain the weight back is that they have stopped the diet and returned to what brought them to need to diet in the first place.
The Choices We Make Determine Our Lives
If I had followed every rule or believed everything that I’ve read, I don’t know where I would be, probably not where I am. I guess, within the realms of chance, each one of us has the opportunity to make the choices that will determine our lives. When you are faced with your choices, make the one’s that will help you succeed in your health and fitness voyage rather than accept the rules and signage that may put your plane into a house or your self under water. I don’t know if we are a certified lifesaving device here at CalorieLab, but we have changed servers and we can definitely float!
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Bobbie!
Awesome comment!! Thank you!
Awesome post Dr. J. It’s very true, all of it. As a consumer you hear all kinds of do’s and dont’s but the gist of it is you gotta find what works for you and just freaking do it.
Sometimes that means experimenting a little bit, sometimes trying new things. Personally, finding out the why’s have helped me a bit on this journey only because I’ve found my trigger points and are more aware.
Being aware is so important. I’ll say it again, BEING AWARE is so important. :)
Aware of what you are consuming and how it makes you feel. Aware of your options, choices and decisions and how they effect you, etc., etc.
Roy!
That’s why we are a great team :-)
It seems to me that most people have several voices going on at once. To hear one’s true inner voice, we have to learn to ignore the parental and rebellious voices, for example. This takes thoughtfulness, experience, and diligence.
Sagan!
Good to have a rhetorician on board! I had to look it up when you first mentioned it as your area of study on your website :-)
The rhetorician in me sincerely loves this post. I get a kick out of signs and rules; so much is assumed and implied, but if we don’t recognize the implications behind the sign (for example, keep swimming to prevent from drowning), then things get pretty messy!
More and more I’m seeing just how important individuality is to health. Interpretations and individuality make a big difference as to what is and is not going to work for each of us. Some people need breakfast to get their day going; others do not. Some people can eat a raw vegan diet for years and flourish; other people fall to pieces after doing it for 3 days. It all depends on the person!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Q7cP3ij5g Come on dude, you had to know I would serve this one up. Signs/rules are little more than gravity to chaos.
It goes back to what we talk about all the time; followiing one’s instincts. Do what you belive to be right — to be true, and you will always end up in a better place. Why then, is that so freakin’ hard for people to do this….?
Vered!
Easier but not efficacious!
I think it’s great that you’re using common sense. “I have found that calories utilized versus calories consumed for the vast majority of people is accurate in spite of society’s delusional; need to disprove it.” -> Probably because the other “rules” somehow seem easier to follow than “Eat less, exercise more.”
Jody!
Being happy where we are and striving to improve seems like a good plan to me!
Lance!
Thanks so much!
Sahar!
Not hungry.
Julie!
I agree that it is easier for some people than others. I just don’t
equate the successful individual with it being necessarily easy for
them.
Karen!
I agree that the is it working test is a good standard.
Janell!
Thanks, so are we!
Carla!
You mean you don’t listen to me :-)
I find that for me whenever I give myself rules or tell myself that I HAVE to do something, it just makes me want to do the opposite!!! That’s why I truly beleive we each have to find our own way to health and fitness and weight loss. I got pretty tired of listening to all the experts tell me what to do to lose weight! Great post!!!
This is a great post, Dr. J.
And I’m very happy you guys got your sh*t together with the server issues.
Well there is that old saying “Rules are meant to be broken.” I think that in the healthy living game, we each need to find our own way and what works for us. Some like the structure of “rule” and some balk at them. Some can change habits and some seem unable to despite everything they try to modify their behavior. Some figure it out easily and stick with it; others not. Some people have bodies that are just built differently and respond differently to exercise. But it is all very individualized. I think for many the key is to realize this. And if you try something and it doesn’t work for you, try something else.
I don’t much care for breakfast either, truthfully. I don’t pay much attention to the rules, nor do I obey. But while I do agree with calories in/out, some of us have it easier than others. I only have to look at my mother vs me or my dad, and it’s plain to see. We all exercise a whole lot, but only one of us gets to eat chips, cookies, burgers, ice cream, on a regular basis. I eat all of these things rarely, my dad never. The one who gets to eat pastries and dessert every day, stays thin.
Ummm… wait a minute – you don’t eat breakfast??? What’s up with that?????
Hey Dr. J!
Rule breaker!!!
Some rules are good…and serve a very important purpose. Still, though, if we’re doing something that’s working for us…even if it goes against so called rules that people have created – keep at it!!
And hey…I’d say you are doing pretty darn awesome…so keep it up!
OOPS, hit submit by mistake!!! I was going to say that I loved that last paragraph you wrote in my previous post. Some parts of that post hit home & I am sure you can guess which ones…. I just can’t keep making apologies for who I am. I try to do my best but somethings I just am not the best at but I work to better.
PS: I did not spellcheck in the first comment due to that “quick finger”! ;-)
Yahoo for that server changer! The old was was driving me to drink!!! Well, water.. ;-)
Thank you sooooooooooooooooo much for this post. IT made me feel so much better!!! Even though I believe that we all have to find our own way & what works for one may not work for another, I still wonder about some things.
I breal a lot of the “rules” in my fitness regimen too…. BUT I have learned about myself & my bod over the years & I think I know what works best for me AND my lifestyle & life. It has to fit into my life & work there.
I believe that doing healthy behaviors is more important than spending time trying to understand what is stopping you, even though I read every day about people’s wasted efforts directed toward understanding why, rather than just doing them. As I’ve stated before, push past your barriers and build positive, healthy habits, and you may eventually understand or not, but I believe you will be so much better off in the long run that way.