Tuesday, September 4, 2012

My Final Letter from [redacted]Coach Jen

"In June, 2011 you were given a final warning about giving members advice that goes against [redacted]People’s program recommendations.  Many of your posts link to non-research supported sites, and I know you’ve also been giving members unsolicited advice through [redacted]Mail when they post about something on the general Message Boards.  It’s great if you’ve found a style of eating that works for you, and it’s fine that you don’t agree with our recommendations.  But because we believe our guidelines are based on sound research and they are being applied to a wide range of people with a wide range of medical histories, we consider it dangerous to be giving advice outside of these guidelines.  Therefore, your account has been closed.

Best of luck in your healthy lifestyle journey, [redacted]

I suspected a set-up when I started getting unsolicited [redacted]mails from people, asking me for advice.  This is weird, since I don't give advice but only tell people to keep reading.  There have been a few people on the main message boards who have been saying that I have been giving advice and putting other words in my mouth, so I am not surprised at all.  I think the main message boards have become infested with some seriously mentally ill people who have been demanding compliance to their way of eating.

So, goodbye [redacted]peeps, and I hope you will come over here more often.

Here's the last "non-research supported" site that I posted.  I think some of y'all will find this very funny.


42 comments:

  1. Since I live in Canada, not familiar with the organization you are referring to but it sounds like your typical "Don't confuse me with facts/articles/new research, I've made up my mind and I'm not changing it."

    You are a threat to them so you need to be removed.

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  2. The following is an unsolicited opinion and does not reflect the views of Exceptionally Brash, nor any of her subsidiary companies:

    SparkPeople makes 27 million dollars a year feeding people the same tired, 'conventional wisdom', calorie restricted diet suggestions. They are trying to be the Facebook of dieting and are doing a wonderful job of that. To be honest, I wish the Low Carb community had that level of support and fan base around it.

    Unfortunately SparkPeople refuses to recognize the studies that are out there that suggest that calorie restriction as a whole doesn't really work (most calorie restricted diets become diets higher in carbohydrates...look it up, I am not doing your research for you. [As Brash would say, "Read, people!"]) in the long run.

    SO if you take the second part of that, and put it with the first part of that it translates as thus: SparkPeople is making 27 million dollars a year selling a system that doesn't work. It is making that 27 million a year on the back of the poor people who have drunk the Kool-aid. (literally, Kool-aid is low fat!)

    Brash, I am glad you stuck with the [redacted]. It makes me smile. But yeah, I am over SparkPeople. I needed to move on from that. It was unhealthy.

    Keep fighting the good fight. Keep up with the reading.

    Big Daddy T.

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  3. Well I have been watching you and learning from you for such a lone time, you know I will be here too. I have been attached to SP, because of the friends I have made there and the wise connections like you.
    I hope many come here as well. I appreciate what you have in your knowledge and sharing that knowledge. God forbid we have the right to think for ourselves...but money talks and shuts up freedoms.

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  4. Oh, Scott, you aren't sending me any unsolicited e-mails, are you? If so, I might have to ban you from my blog!! lol I think Becky and a few others got really upset about the Gary Taubes salt/high blood pressure article that I also posted, instead of a "real research" site. Cause, you know, Gary is a "freelance science writer" not a researcher.

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  5. Hi Erin, I will miss interacting with some of my friends there, but frankly, many have moved on and only one of my family members is on there anymore and not so active. I hope you will visit here often, and as long as your page is public, I will be visiting you over there.

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  6. And thanks ya'all for taking over team leadership for the 50 and over LC team. Now, who wants to take over the Leptin and Cold Thermogenesis team????? ;)

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  7. If people want to take a team private, they can just volunteer to be the team leader and then they can change the settings.

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  8. I maybe in trouble next.
    My page is public and now I am starting to fear their heavy hand....but I am just a fly on the wall...no threat. I am one of the needy who actually want health and believe 100% in a healthy clean low carb lifestyle. To bad it has become about money and not health for their members.

    I wrote this on the Leptin team today;

    "You Linda would be a great team leader. But at what price? I did not know that there are such strict rules and did not know that certain things can not be shared. For gosh sakes, I have seen some pretty touchy subjects talked about and shared here...not here on this team, but on SP. Some pretty out there practices and ideas. I just chalked it up to diversity and people doing their own thing. Never gave it much mind at all.

    I am almost fearful to say something that might be looked upon as bad. I do love SP and what I thought they offered EVERYONE!

    Are private teams even safe? And with a private team you do not get that vast awareness of SP as a whole either. I also belong to one. Is this what SP has become; private hiding behind closed door to share on our own health journey? What have they to fear from us, they are a multi million dollar company we mean them and others no harm...we just love having separate teams for our own interest. and that they supply this for us all is fantastic.

    I have learned a great deal from here. Not only from SP, but many of their members and how they do things, even as different as they are. As long as it leads to a healthy lifestyle then what is the issue...I saw none here or from JUSTBIRDY.

    I do not know what will happen here, but I know, I like the idea of having a team that is open minded to such new controversial ideas. Look at history in all medical fields and see where ideas that save today were considered witch craft and crazy practices and the ideas well...nuts. Cryogenics...an example...the use of it today is amazing...if no one thought outside of the box we would not have some of the wonderful things we do today.

    What fear is there in seeing all possibilities. In stumbling through some of these researchers ideas and papers, I have found a freshness and hope outside of commercial practices for health and weight loss. This self journey has brought me new understanding in areas I never would have looked into before. From low fat, to high fat, from vegan to paleo. From raw foods, to all fruit and even to all meat. From caloric understanding to bodily function understanding. From spiritual health to physical education on exercise and health. My point it is all good on a journey, it is all education on our own health. It should all be welcomed or at the least tolerated along side other groups with their likemindedness of their life choices.

    I hope SP stops and takes a true honest look at what they are doing and why. At the end of the day if they feel they have accomplished equality and safety for all their members than so be it. But sometimes we just have to trust in people and believe in us for a change. That SP is more than a money making social net work, that SP has become for so many their only source for pursuing health and health needs through sharing. That SP is apart of people's lives and so are their members. SP needs to know their value, but also the value of it's members..."

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  9. This moment "had" to come - I stopped feeling comfortable over there when they started harassing you - I still enjoy reading your blogs & will continue to -

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  10. Hi Kaki!!!! I haven't heard from you in awhile and hope that you are doing ok.
    I remember that at first when I thought I was going to have to leave [ ], I was an avid tracker, but the experience taught me how to be successfully independent on constant tracking. Now I only track to learn a few things when I am tweaking my diet. I found I could go anywhere and not worry about the tracker. They want you to think that you must exercise and track everything, and that way people will keep on clicking on to their site. It is all about clicks, not about health and safety.

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  11. I can't remember if I privatized the Friends team. I was going to lay it down permanently, but don't remember how I left it.

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  12. I never knew that any of this was going on...it has truly made my stomach turn in more ways than one.
    I would love for the media to address this with them.
    I always wondered why some folks got recognized for their weight loss and others didn't. I saw members that got heigh lighted and celebrated for weight losses a lot less than others, mine. I suppose due to the fact that mine and some of the others were low carb followers. Embracing everyone's vicitories is not on their agenda. I know I am starting to pull away and will leave my email for the ones I care to keep as friends.
    I am very happy reading the information here and the links you share. I have learned more from you and the ones you have lead me to, than any other form of health and living through diet and choices. I appreciate your attitude, your progressive informed sharing through the factual development of science from health professionals/experts...yourself included.
    Bravo on standing your ground!

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  13. so funny. I used to be the model [ ] person, too. I was a community member, successful in weight loss, and the tops in points every month, and my motivational page was featured on the main page a couple of times. I even got a successful blogpost award. (you can find that post on this-here blog now, I think in the nutritional fascism category) Once Jen started sending her threatening e-mails, all that changed. About a year ago, sp asked several successful men to share their experiences for an article. Bearclaw did send in his story, and he told them the truth, and we all laughed about how that story won't be featured!

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  14. There is a team over there called Ancestral Health, and I started it, but pulled out when the paleosphere got so weird. But, there are lots of links over there, and it may be just the team you are looking for. [ ] has several inactive paleo-type teams, mostly because the pro-paleo people get pretty much disgusted and leave. If you are primal, MDA is probably a better place. The paleo crowd has been really tough recently, with their low-carb-bashing, so several of us are sort of out in no-man's land currently. The low carb boards seem too drenched in da Vinci syrup for me.

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  15. Paleo left me feeling like an outsider, even though I eat so close to what they follow as well as Primal. Clean, well as close as I can get.
    It felt as if I was the old lady looking in and was more of a bother, being treated like a fly buzzing around getting shooed away. I stepped on toes a few times, thinking we were all close cousins and wanted to share asking a few questions. Pretty much got shown the door. Oh my some young bucks can be quite nasty...but I too believe in karma, their day is coming.

    MDA and Paleo even have riffs amongst themselves, both seem very into young, toned and athletic types...I still haven't given up that dream...ya right LOL
    I read from both blogs and teams and get much of all their news letters. Keeping up on which new doctor or scientist they are sharing, in their search for knowledge supporting their beliefs. Seldom do I find anything that someone else has not already covered.

    Not even touching on the nasty starved low fat action figures. Out there with their constant attacks, thinking they are the super heroes of health. Gosh it gets sickening.

    I see us all trying our best to eat healthy and live in the best possible way for our health. I hate tags and being placed in one catagory or another. Makes learning so much harder.

    I have eaten 'high raw' if that really is even accepted in any world...vegan, paleo, 80/20 what ever they call it. But I find myself recently stepping back and going back to a base. Yes low carb but clean eating and trying to find that sweet spot where I can live. Eating and being healthy, losing my weight along the way. Taking with me more knowledge.

    I check out Jimmy Moore's site often. Really don't like the other boards for low carb....I can see the da Vinci syrup reference fitting.

    So I wander and stop any where I see someone trying. Trying to deal and live healthy. Hoping along the way I too can find something that allows me to live and yes age in a graceful healthy way. Living long and at my best. With mind and body active and sound. I guess when the paleo/primal group gets our age we will be the experts then and they may finally come to us, for the answers they will seek. By that time I hope to have it all figured out and hell still being alive would be a great accomplishment in it's self. LOL

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  16. Ha! figured it out.

    I've been debating whether to post a protest, perhaps under a disposable account. I'm kind of surprised I've never had any problem from them, since I frequently suggest 'the diet that shall not be named'.

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  17. Erinb - Mark Sisson (Mark's Daily Apple) recently posted a story/article/blog about the different ways males and females store fat, which worked well for premenopausal and fertile women, but a bunch of us asked him to research postmenopausal changes...maybe he will, he seems quite responsive and is in his mid-fifties himself (as is his wife) -

    Tracking doesn't work well for me - right now nothing does, but my labs are all within normal limits, so I am grateful for that (but I would like to weigh 50 lbs less...) LC/VLC/Kruse/Primal/Protein Power.....all ineffective - but the labs are good, so I think I just have to come to terms with being 50 lbs. "overweight"...

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  18. Hi salmon!!!! If you want to follow a cause, Steve Cooksey is the one to follow. My situation is not a huge deal, since all they did was kick me off their private website. The best way to fight something like this is to continue to be trim, healthy and fabulous!!!!!!

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  19. Just also wanted to let you know that I scored some wild coho salmon today for 4.99. I got three packages!!

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  20. Erin, I feel the same way about the paleo world, which showed me the door after I had the temerity to be somewhat more successful with Kruse's suggestions than with straight paleo.

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  21. Kaki, have you tried CT? I just love it, even though summer CT hasn't resulted in significant and lasting weight loss.
    I follow the blog sites listed to your right, though Kruse and Wolf a little less than before.

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  22. Brash, the thing of it is, they're suppressing knowledge that these people really need. How many people are feeling like failures because they're trying unsuccessfully to lose weight doing high carb, low fat/calorie? And they're just being pigheaded. Most of the evidence supports lower carbs, but they ignore or belittle it.

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  23. Kaki, I read Mark and will hopefully read some day about him checking into this...I doubt that the powers to be on his site will allow much chit chat about it going on very long. I have all of Mark's books and have learned somethings from him, but sad to say little has helped me either. I read from his "eating fat" artical just last evening. Yup he is around my age and looks and does amazingly. But he isn't an over the hill short fat mother of 5, that got her butt handed to her genetically and emotionally throughout the years. That has battled her weight her whole life and has not given up. I too could lose another 50, but will be totally thrill on half of that.

    Bash I have fish envy right now :-D I will check him out.
    I am going to get back doing c/t on a regular routine again. I have been a hit and miss lately and my sleep has been paying the price. Which could also be why I have stalled completely in weight loss. I am upping my game as well with walking more.

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  24. Salmon, you are right. They are deliberately ignoring and hiding critical information. Becky is so angry and hostile towards this way of eating, that she encourages others to bash both the plan and the people who are successful with it. When I called Dragonchilde out on her bad behavior, she said she was just repeating what Becky said. And I am afraid she is partially right on this point.

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  25. Hey Erin, I hope you meant Brash, not Bash!! I hope I am not bashing anyone (OK, except nutrition researchers....)

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  26. Oh you know it might have worked out (my mistake) in your favor LOL Someone needs to bash a few LOL ;-D

    I heard you on an old podcast this morning, when I was listening on Jimmy Moore's site...he addressed you as EB.
    Volek's I believe it was #11 episode.

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  27. I call in often, but I don't always ask a question. BTW, I never got an e-mail from Wispy.

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  28. I wasn't going to argue the point any more, I tried to set things straight twice.
    I think many have "there" as their only life line and will never do anything to stir the waters or even support the ones that do. In fear that they too could be on the chopping block.
    Sad that many live in fear with something they love....hmm wouldn't that make for a discussion on that personality trait.
    But many see what they choose too, for their own reasons.

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  29. I think that is the tough part for people who have such strong connections on the site. I used to participate on another site, and was disappointed when it decided to close. For me, online paleo/lc friends are important because at the time I didn't know anyone irl who did it. But, now while I enjoy my internet friends, I have other irl friends who have adopted the low carb lifestyle based on their doc's recommendations and I call my sisters on the phone often.
    I can certainly understand why some team leaders don't want to rock the boat. That was the problem with the Atkins lc team. The leader of that team went really ballistic when Jen sent the post to to the entire team, threatening to shut it down. You have to wonder why anyone like that would even want to lead a lc team.

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  30. You also get out amongst the low carb world and to have family also involved is unbelievable.
    Back home in my neck of the woods (truly it is)I have zero low carb friends or family. The few people that think they know about it are not worth the effort to explain, that they are so wrong in thinking it is unhealthy. They have a mindset that is blank and flat.
    They still use low fat, high carb diet to treat the disease that is killing our Native American population, up there.
    My own aunt runs one of the food distribution center's health informational departments, and teaches how to use their government supplied foods; of corn syrup, white flour, crisco, white rice, corn meal, instant potatoes, boxes and boxes of cereals hot and cold...just to name a few items pushed on them as healthy foods to supplement their diets...just to have them eventually end up at the local clinic, struggling with multiple health issues....I bet you can name everyone of them.
    I do appreciate the world in and out of cyber space. Love the information that is available for all, but to get the all to open their eyes is the biggest challenge of all. Paleo/primal or even a simple understanding of Atkins, could change and save so many people every where.

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  31. Some in my family do low carb, but others are violently against it and refuse to even read anything about it. Sad, too, cause I really need a translator for Hyperlipid lol.

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  32. Well, if I am next for promoting Paleo and minimalist shoes, I will have to make my own blog and will definitely be stopping by here either way! I think it is complete BS that they do this type of thing! I only stay for my (redacted) friends! :)

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  33. Hi Cindy! If you minimalist shoes are made of carbohydrate, you will probably be OK

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  34. LMAO!! I think they must be as they are not leather...so I will prolly be fine! :)

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  35. I have wondered many times why they allow some and not others...the 80-10-10 with huge fruit comsumption, the 30 banana a day folks, and extreme fasting with water diets or the juicing and enema practices...some lasting 30-90 days? The only thing I can think is that LC, paleo/primal are the true only threat to them.

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  36. Erin, that is it. The 80-10-10 can roam about the whole place, telling people what to eat, but we can't. The 50-30-20 people feel the call to carefully moderate the whole place, and they can dish out all sorts of advice, post their website and e-mail address on their pages, and post all sorts of non-research-related links. LC and paleo's can't. It is really just like don't ask don't tell. You're allowed to stay on board as long as you shut up.
    I had suspected for a long time that there was a double agent. It looks like somebody may have outed herself.

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  37. Currently I haven't been blocked, but slowed down. I haven't received one notification from there, not a team message, not personal mails, not anything I am subscribed to. I have to dig and fight to get on the site. Many times I will type a message and it vanishes or lately I struggle to even stay logged on. I do not believe this is just a computer glitch. Fine one day and now the last week issues one right after another.
    I have no issue with any other site on line...just them.

    Do you think that they watched you that closely or that someone complained to them about you? With such a huge membership how can they keep track of so many and so much being shared?

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  38. I don't think they watch all that closely for too long. It is more that they mark certain people and then watch them like a hawk when they have the time. But, they really don't have to watch that much, since they seem to have a cadre of people who troll the message boards looking for "violations". The vegans and ED people are more than willing to do the heavy lifting.
    I knew something was up when I started getting a few of these people posting comments on my blog there. I usually erased their comments, which did not, for the most part, follow established [ ] guidelines. I reported Anaree, Alebellia, Brewmeisterbill and Dragonchild all the time. But some of them can say the meanest things to others, in fact, some of them are even moderators.
    So, essentially, they had sort of the same system going as paleohacks, with some of the most abusive people as "moderators".
    Many in the same situation at [ ] have left in disgust over the unfair treatment, so I am not really all that disappointed in my diminished presence over there.
    [ ] collects an amazing amount of data, and some of their "affiliate" sites are slow. You might try setting to private browsing and see if things go faster for you.
    If you read my earlier posts (under "nutritional fascism"), it is an eye-opener. I was blocked from putting the blog link because they said it was linked to a commercial site. I don't have any ads on my blog, I don't make any money or get any free stuff from blogging.

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  39. It looks like they are going after everything related to Gary Taubes. Houndlover posted a link to the eating academy and it looks like she got a warning.

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  40. Oh I have done everything with the brower and allowing the spark in and absolutely nothing, not even an answer to my inquirys.
    Oh well, it is what it is.

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  41. Thought I would share this here, I found it interesting. There was a blog on SP today that was very political and an opinion of a member and many guffed about it and this was placed there in defence of the poster. Hmm I find it interesting that they pick and choose who has these rights.
    .........from Sparkpeople "Using your Blog at Sparkpeople.com. Blogging Basics for SparkPeople Members"

    -- By Jen Mueller, SparkPeople Community Leader

    "According to Merriam-Webster, a blog is "a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer."

    "A blog is your own personal outlet, where you can voice your opinion, share your ideas, and reflect on the changes you're making."

    "Your SparkPeople blog doesn't just have to be about your weight loss or health goals either. You can write or talk about a wide variety of topics that interest you."

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  42. yes, they are very choosy. In the last week I had a public presence there, it seems like Becky kept going on rants about Gary Taubes. Perhaps it was my link to the Taubes' article on blood pressure that got me kicked out. Every time they do this to someone else, it ends up as a discussion point on some other team about how that person must have broken some rule. That's what they did with Scott, too.

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