“Want to Feel Full? Eating Two Burgers is Better For Your Health Than Ordering Fries”
“Is Swapping Fries For Another Burger Healthier?”
“Nutritionist Explains Why Having Two Burgers is Sometimes Healthier Than One.”
These are just a sample of the tens of (hundreds of?) headlines that are rippling across the internet after one article from Business Insider started it all. Don’t believe me? Type in [Emily Field] + [two burgers no fries] and you’ll see an endless list of google returns.
Apparently, all it takes is a sensational title and controversial recommendation to swap out your burger and fries with two burgers to get viral status. The soundbite was picked up by everyone from Ladbible to Daily Mail to Shortlist. I heard there was chatter on radio stations from LA to NYC. And it wasn’t until an international want-to-be client told me he wanted to work with “the hamburger nutritionist”, that I had any clue this was happening. I guess I did think it was weird that I had fans in Cape Town, South Africa though.
There was a mini freakout that included lots of “are you kidding me’s?”, and “how do you make a YouTube video from this?”, and “what language is this translated to?”. Eventually I calmed down and realized there was no way I was going to be able to pick up the pieces of my butchered recommendations.
But here’s the deal, I know why it went viral. It’s not a secret.
IT WENT VIRAL IS BECAUSE WE LATCH ONTO IDEAS FOR WHICH WE NEED VALIDATION.
You hear food and nutrition messages every day – from everywhere. You’re numb to recommendations. Even if you were looking for help online and trying to make sense of the things you saw, you would get no where fast.
That makes me frustrated for you!
It’s easy to find information online that supports you eating a paleo style food pattern. You’ll have less inflammation, boundless energy, and a trimmer waistline. Then, in just a few clicks there’s a parallel online universe that supports you eating a vegan style food pattern. You’ll also have less inflammation, boundless energy, and a trimmer waistline.
The vast amounts of information we could consume on any topic because of what the internet affords us, is not a reason to throw your hands in the air and say, “screw it, I’ll eat what I want!”. Just as easy as it is to find some angle of a story online to support your fast food habit, the internet also makes it just as easy to find professionals like me. And I use the online space to spread factual, practical and applicable nutrition strategies.
I know that people consume these posts, articles and videos and don’t immediately change their behavior. I don’t expect for this message to have reached thousands (hundreds of thousands?) of people and they’re immediately ordering two burgers in lieu of a burger and fries. I’m not worried that my words got a little bent out of context and regurgitated all over the internet because it brought a lot of curious eyes to my website. If this is their first time hearing a nutrition professional approach health recommendations through a real life, real talk lens – then you’re welcome!
>> I talk about balanced eating for balanced blood sugar. I elaborate on the importance of balanced blood sugar + how to do it by eating whole, real food proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in this blog post.
>> I talk about eating more, NOT less. I want you to support your metabolism, not damage it.
>> I talk about behavior change strategies that relate not only to food and nutrition but stress, sleep and physical activity habits because these play large roles in your ability to make strides in your health.
>> I use flexible dieting and tracking macros with nearly every single one of my clients because eating ENOUGH of the right stuff, consistently, will improve your metabolism, change your body composition, and allow you to excel in your choice activities.
If it took this loud article title to catch your attention and lead you here, I am glad it did because the truth is, I am different. I am not your average dietitian, but it’s tough to cut through the noise online with my passion practice. Someone else did it for me and I am thrilled I have your attention.
