A study in common sense.

[Sewnknit]

Have any of you seen this?

phc.ox.ac.uk/research/resea...

Very interesting and I may well mention it to the Dearly Beloved when he comes out of hospital.

It is a clinical trial but the basic plan help to give a bit of focus to starters etc.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

I think they've copied us

[Sewnknit in reply to moreless]

Yep!!

Interesting read. In any other hands it would be an add all over facebook.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Sewnknit]

It's an uphill struggle!

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone]

Good graphic illustration

[Sewnknit in reply to BridgeGirl]

Yes, i think i might print them off, and download the app.

The dearly beloved might like it. I think I'll save it for those rotten weeks when I loose the plot!

[BridgeGirl Administrator 2 stone in reply to Sewnknit]

Good idea

[TheAwfulToad Visitor]

I may have misunderstood, but I'm a bit skeptical. The concept, it seems to me, is based on the idea of biofeedback: measure some biological parameter and you will learn how to control that parameter. This works on certain things (for example, you can learn to control your heartrate) and when the sampling time is very small (seconds).

It absolutely does not work for weight. Firstly, weight is a very poor proxy for bodyfat; and secondly, you have no conscious control over bodyfat. As long as you're eating healthy food and exercising (up to your abilities - the D.B. may be in no condition for that) then you'll lose flab and eventually reach a healthy weight. Nothing you do can alter how fast or how slowly you lose it - and even if there was something, so what? Why does it even matter?

The net result is that people who weigh themselves often become dangerously obsessed with their weight, rejoicing over little losses and being plunged into the depths of despair by gains, when in reality these losses and gains are nothing more than measurement noise; those who are watching the trend start aggressively "reducing their calories" in the belief that this will speed things up.

In short, I don't think weighing yourself is a very good idea.

[Sewnknit]

Good points.

I liked the idea that people could change one thing. The study said that people tended to change the things that were easy for them (well duh). Making simple changes rather than everything at once, then crashing and burning might be useful for people who are really lost and anxious.

I think I was rather smitten with the idea of the gadgets!

And yes, you're right about the daily weighing.