What makes an "expert"?

I just brought up one consolidation into te off topic post on how to make this forum better... but all those things you mentioned - do exist in individual forums...

What would make it easier for them to be seen - I'm going to pick on you since you mentioned it - you've been here a while now -why haven't you seen those forums? The name of the forum? The description?
 
Blancita said:
mal and I cross posted :D. I guess I haven't visited the other forums mal mentioned. I think it would be great to have one place where all WL, nutrition, exercise and even social (such as looking for support because someone called you fat or whatever) questions can be answered by anyone that wants to try to help. Some of the forums around here seem very quiet, so it may be better to consolidate rather than have a million very focused forums. But hey, who am I to say, since I'm semi new?
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I'd disagree. I think it's good how we seperate sub-forums right now. Nutrition and exercise are VERY complex subjects alone. Combining them would be too much, I'd suspect, for most.

How do you view posts in this forum, as a whole. It sounds like you might come here and go right to the diaries section of the site.

I, on the other hand, come right to the main site and click on "new posts." This allows me to see all new posts since my last visit that were made in ANY of the forums. So, in reality, you are looking at everything if you do it this way.
 
I guess I only have the subcribed forums in my control panel so I never even see the others coming up. Guess I didn't explore that much at first and just got roped into the diaries (and I also subscribed to HT and Club Challenges). Guess I should do a bit more exploring, but sheesh, those diaries keep you so busy..

mal, I like your new avi, though I do miss the f*cking filing cabinets :).
 
Blancita said:
This section of the forum tends to be very quiet, so you will find some poor soul who's eating 1000 calories a day and still not losing wondering if they're "doing it right", yet getting no response. Clearly the answer is "NO!", but very often the person's post goes unanswered. That's when I may chime in. No, I'm not an "expert" (meaning I don't practice fitness and diet as my profession), however, I am an intelligent and well-read individual who has worked hard to maintain my weight and lose weight at times over the years. So I have my own experiences, and frankly, just like the "experts", I can also read articles about the science.

Some questions (such as the 1000 calorie diets or the cabbage patch starvation soup diet) simply do not require any specific expertise to respond appropriately, just a bit of basic nutritional knowledge and some common sense to help the poster (usually a desperate teenager) avoid a frustrating future of yo yo dieting. Sometimes the problems posed are less clearly resolved, and that's when I would step off and hope the "experts" will respond.

I also believe that, despite the comment that any wrong answer (such as "go on the cabbage soup diet") is a waste of time, that these wrong answers are always debated by others and actually give the readers a chance to see why that's the wrong way to go. Wrong answers, if debated, can be very educational.

Note that sometimes the experts' grammar and spelling is poor/wrong, and it makes you wonder how educated they really are.

To sum it up, my vote would be to (a) either open the forum up to everyone, the so-called experts and the lay person or (b) limit this forum to only the self-described experts AND open a new forum that is for general support and allows everyone to respond. Why waste the knowledge of so many people who really want to help just because they may not do nutrition/fitness for a living?

Hope this quick response is coherent.
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For the record during the course of this I don't think anyone ever deemed themselves an expert. It also was stated that non-professionals that showed a good understanding (Trevor, Mal, etc) would be apart of those responding.

The problem that I think you are failing to see is maybe some people know that you shouldn't workout for 2 hours a day, but they don't know why. Are they just recycling what they think they understand?

People also will usually read the shorter responses over longer ones in the attempt to get their answers and move on, not just the posters but the lurkers too. So if you see a quick response stating "hey just eat 1000 calories a day, it worked for me!" in a section titled harsh truth and then just move about your way, then yes I can see this as a problem because they didn't take the time to read through Steve's 4 paragraph response of why that isn't a good idea.

There is nothing wrong with anyone saying this is their job, this is what they do, this is what they are good at. My free time after I deal with this all day is to come here and help people. This is NOT is a COCKY way but I can easily charge for it, as could Steve, and others. I get more PM's in a day then I can usually respond to and THEN I try and answer posts here. I do it because I love it, not because I am trying to get something. At the same time though I have no problem saying I am damn good at what I do, and will continue to get even better. I think a lot of people fail to remember what this place use to be, because it wasn't remotely this lucid, and this kind of information got lost under piles of starvations, fasts, fad diets, and more. The ones that knew made a valid effort to start shouting over the ones that didn't. It isn't cockiness or superiority, its the need for survival of the information.

I say just go a head a do away with it, since everyone can do what us so called "experts" can do then.

One thing if for sure I would be much better at my training people day in and out though if I could just find that damn spell check button, it's really ruining my fat loss training.
 
Maybe instead of the "Harsh Truth" it could more specific and "Help from Knowledgable Members" or something.

A few people could be given the user title of "Trusted Member" or ""Highly Knowledgable Member."

The current forum members would have to decide who gets this title.
 
tonymcclellan said:
Im no expert. Just someone who tries to understand the body; how it works and how particular results can be achieved. I love this stuff, bottomline.
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I wanted to retract this and state that I think that Steve, Leigh, or anyone else would probably agree with this statement.

I think it kind of makes it sound like I am tooting my own horn, which I did not want to imply by any means.
 
tonymcclellan said:
I wanted to retract this and state that I think that Steve, Leigh, or anyone else would probably agree with this statement.

I think it kind of makes it sound like I am tooting my own horn, which I did not want to imply by any means.
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Tony, you are refreshingly humble. But I don't think you're tooting your own horn at all. Rather, you said only that you "try" to understand how the body works and also that you enjoy helping people, which I think is really sweet and kind of you. I'm sure the people you've taken the time to respond to really appreciate your advice :).
 
Yea right Tony!!!111 I'm like total expert to the 5th power. All u R crazy to question my athouratay.

:p
 
Hey guys, I've been gone for a while.

I apolegize for some of my behaviors on these forums. I've acted as an authoritative figure but I feel I (well, I don't feel, I know :p) lack credentials to be one. What mal is saying is right, and this section needs some sought of moderation (and I also need to learn to shut my pie hole :)).

I know personally for myself, I have to see something published / stated by many "gurus" as the industry before I regard it as fact. Always question everything...just because one of the "experts" on these forums states something, doesn't make it true. (but sometimes I get lazy to do research and take it as truth :doh: )

I am sure 99.9% of the people leaving advice are trying to help. Everyone is built physiologically different, so different approaches work for different people. I think another key thing the "experts" have, that the average Joe does not, is experince (which I certanily lack :rotflmao: )

Just my 2 cents.
 
Well, if you ask me, there is no such thing as a weight loss expert. Sure, there are people out there that know ALOT about weight loss. They understand the science behind weight loss and have experienced the emotional part of weight loss. I could sit here and say I'm an expert too. I've been through the dieting processes so many times. I've lost decent weight before..I understand the science behind weight loss..but DOING it is something else completely.....

I guess where I'm trying to get is this....everyone is different. There is no forumla thats gonna help everyone. I believe weight loss is something that you really have to figure out yourself. YOU have to figure out what works for you. You have to break your own weight loss demons b/c you are the only one that can.

Now, dont get me wrong. I think we need people that will help answere questions...there are alot of questions floating around out there; and having someone to explain things to you is a HUGE help. But I'm just trying to say, i think when someone looses alot of weight, its b/c they found the special combination that works for them;more than they followed a certain diet/excersize routine someone else told them to do. You know???

But thats just my 2 cents, take it w/ a grain of salt!
 
I don't need a special tag nor do I think any one else does. If I see someone giving poor advise there or anywhere els, I will correct it with or without a special title. Though, this regulated section would avoid this unnecessary possible confusion for the OP all together.

Although, If the harsh truth sub-forum is going to be called and thought of as a place where experts gather, than a person should be able to post there with out worry of ignorant replies from users who are not thought of as "experts" or "knowledgeable".

One worry I have though. If it does become regulated than what purpose does the nutrition sub-forum,fitness and so on serve? Why would a person post a question in those places when they could get answers strictly from "experts"?

If it isn't regulated than I see no point or beneficial use for it.
 
Trevor M. said:
I don't need a special tag nor do I think any one else does. If I see someone giving poor advise there or anywhere els, I will correct it with or without a special title. Though, this regulated section would avoid this unnecessary possible confusion for the OP all together.

Although, If the harsh truth sub-forum is going to be called and thought of as a place where experts gather, than a person should be able to post there with out worry of ignorant replies from users who are not thought of as "experts" or "knowledgeable".

One worry I have though. If it does become regulated than what purpose does the nutrition sub-forum,fitness and so on serve? Why would a person post a question in those places when they could get answers strictly from "experts"?

If it isn't regulated than I see no point or beneficial use for it.
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Great point Trevor.

That's why I never felt a real need for it anyhow. People were being handed great info with along with the bad before HT.

The HT was created and it's the same stuff inside of it. Just more sub-forums to add confusion, IMO. Especially as set up now.
 
I think the main areas need a little work and organization and then this area could be removed sure. Like combining surgical methods/cohens/etc.
 
You know I don't care what happens, the important thing to me guys, really, is am I going to lose my post count? Cause its like this whole section;)

Whatever is done I support and will help with, I think we all will and that is the important point correct?
 
To Blancita:

I wanted to express to you because it has been bothering me, that my tone was not the most appropriate regardless of what was being implied about the expert situation. I felt your more negative comments about the "experts" were directed towards me, in return I got defensive and what I should have done was direct to you why you felt that way about my manner so that I could confront the problem.

I have never thought that your advice was inappropriate and I think a lot of posters took to offense where I and some others may have been coming from. I don't care about non professionals giving good advice, I care about posters who have a low post count that just showed up stepping all over the hard work we are trying to do, that is all.

Regardless, I shouldn't at anytime allow that frustration of the bad posters flow over to helpful ones.

There...group hug time.... :hug2:

And to Mal, yeah I know I was just kidding;)
 
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