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Ok – this is a rant. sorry in advance.
I am extremely frustrated, confused and quite honestly annoyed at Matt’s participation in this “Future of Nutrition Conference.”
So I get this email about Matt’s interview with some guy named Marc Jacobs and Matt says “Since Marc so clearly understands where I’m coming from” and “as we share many philosophies.”
So I think great and take a look at this conference, and I was shocked to see who was participating in this conference. There were many people who I didn’t know BUT there were many names who I am very familiar with like: David Perlmutter, JJ Virgin, Sally Fallon-Morell, Natasha Cambell-McBride, Barry Sears and Donna Gates (I meant really?!) – and I’m like WTF?? How can Matt have so much in common with and so much reverence for a guy who host a conference with these people??
I get it, he needs to make money, fine. I even get that maybe he’s trying to reach more people, fine. But what annoys me is that Matt constantly talks about all the barrage of conflicting info out there and how harmful it is, and here he is participating in something that is massively contributing to.
I know Matt’s story and I’ve read at least 6 of his books. I really get (and welcome) the new change in his website.
But what I want to say is this: Matt’s message (especially his newer “evolved” message in DR2 and EFT) obviously speaks to the people who got “sick” from being healthy. I get how some fit person in their 20s gets on the paleo, keto, IF, crossfit bandwagon and get sick. Fine. But what about the rest of us? Like me, I was sick BEFORE any restricted eating. I did the paleo, low carb, GAPS-thing because I was sick. Those diets didn’t help me and I found Matt Stone. I read Matt’s books (Diet Recovery 2 and Eat for Heat) and I was so relieved – but it’s not really working that great for me and now I’m 60+ pounds over fat to boot. In retrospect I probably took some of the information out-of-context for my particular situation, but where is his advice for people like me? People who came to restricted eating because they were sick.
Just as I saved myself from falling back into some really “ortho” thinking because I was toying around with the idea of going BACK to GAPS or AIP, here Matt is participating in a conference with the very people who advocate those diets. What am I supposed to think, all of this makes me what to scream.
PS – I haven’t heard the interview, nor do I plan to. I find it completely insulting that, as someone who is prescribing to and trying to follow Matt’s advice, he would encourage, suggest and “market” that I support it. Isn’t the tenant of Matt’s message to stop stressing, spending money and obsessing about diet and health? Um, wouldn’t buying and listening to these interviews fall under that category? AND these are the VERY people that Matt convinced me made me sicker (and may even have contributed to the downfall of my marriage) – why would I support that – even if it is free for 24 hours (but you can buy the entire even for JUST $149).
I would say that it’s important for people who are interested in nutrition and health to hear what Matt has to say. So many of the people in this conference are going to be conflicting what eachother say; most of them aren’t going to agree. This is a way for him to reach out to people who might listen, I think?
btw I haven’t listened to any of the talks yet either…just not convenient for me to do so with little kids. Not sure why I signed up.
I get that. I realize that Matt has to put himself out there to get his message heard (and to make a living.) My gripe isn’t necessarily that he is participating in this conference, but it is in the way it was marketed to me.
In the email that I got from 180degreehealth it was pretty clear that Matt seems to have respect and admiration for Marc Jacobs (thus an endorsement). BUT Marc Jacobs is hosting an event called “The Future of Nutrition,” so one can only assume that Marc Jacobs believes people like David Perlmutter, JJ Virgin, Sally Fallon-Morell, Natasha Cambell-McBride, Barry Sears and Donna Gates are the “future of nutrition.” What I find frustrating and confusing is how can Matt say he is on the same page with this and actually endorse it (or endorse Marc Jacobs)? He said “we understand each other” and “we share many of the same philosophies.” As someone who isn’t seeing great results from following Matt’s advice – getting this information, from Matt himself, is very confusing and frustrating.
I also get that not all presenters are going to see eye-to-eye, but this is a list of people that embody pretty much the exact opposite of Matt’s view and are the Superstars of restricted eating.
Also, if Matt is trying to only reach a new audience by this interview, then why is he marketing to me? Someone who is already in his audience.
Ok so it’s Marc David – not Marc Jacobs – I guess I have shopping on my mind (not that I could afford Marc Jacobs!)
esb,
I’m sorry for your frustration and can empathize with your situation a bit.
Regrettably, I don’t have any wise advice to offer. However, I thought you might relate to my post on the following web site:
http://www.cheeseslave.com/week-save-85-new-year-new-summit/#comments
While I’m just some anonymous person in cyberspace, I share some of your issues (physically and morally) and want you to know you’re not alone.
Truly, I wish you the best.
Jeff
I haven’t yet heard Matt’s talk but I did listen to Marc David’s intro to the conference. I suspect that the common ground Matt referred to is the important part the mind/mental state (and probably stress) plays with regards to food and metabolism. Marc David knows that all these people have different ideas and often directly conflicting ones, my take away was that his goal was not to create a definitive answer but to help forward the discussion.
I listened to some of the speakers yesterday and was able to pick out some interesting tidbits even though I disagreed with some of the speakers basic assumptions. I’m certainly not going to spend the money to purchase these but I’ll listen to the ones that most interest me as I’m going about my housework this week.
So I went ahead and listened to Matt’s interview with Marc DAVID. After thinking about it I figured that I probably shouldn’t bash it so much without hearing what he has to say. I thought maybe Matt would have something groundbreaking to say or that maybe he would challenge Marc David is some regard. Regretfully, this wasn’t true AT ALL. There was nothing in this interview that was new to me. It was basically a very simple synopsis of Matt’s ideas, and not at all funny (but lots of ass-kissing). There was no new information that couldn’t be found in one of Matt’s books or the first few “lessons” in his new e-course emails.
If Matt and Marc’s ?common ground? is the importance of stress reduction and mental attitude towards health food, then why are they hosting and participating in this conference that is the epitome of the fuel that feeds people stress and confusion with regard to diet and health, not to mention it is a total time and money suck.
So I am left with the exact same confusion and frustration. I now have no other conclusion but to assume Matt marketed that conference to me for pure profit without regard to the fact that the whole concept of it is was a total slap in the face and a complete hypocrisy to what he has ‘taught? me. I was really starting to doubt all of this, but I was holding out because I really wanted to believe in Matt and believe that he was different. I am sad to say that Matt has lost my respect due to this.
Matt spoke in his interview that his work speaks to the “health -ists” out there and I am starting to concede to that fact. I am now realizing that the information he provids in Diet Recovery 2 and Eat for Heat (and the blog before it went down) did not apply to my situation. I just wish I had realized that 7 months and 40 pounds ago. I still believe what Matt teaches is valuable, and I am sure there are plenty of people out there who have seen amazing results and recovery following his advice – but many have not (including me). I am worse now (mentally and physically) after following Matt’s advice for 7 months than I have ever been. Matt seems to believe that most people reading him are these “health-ists” who are starving themselves. But there are people like me (some of who I have seen post on this forum) who are genuinely sick and possibly even overweight and are trying to wade through all the confusion and debate out “there.” They are looking for answers on how best to deal with their health problems – not just recover from “orthorexia” and/or the effects of low-carb or severely restricted eathing
I think changing the website and introducing these e-courses is definitely a step in the right direction, but I also think that Matt needs to update and be more clear in his books. I have recently re-read both Diet Recovery 2 and Eat for Heat and neither book (nor much of anything else I have read from Matt) address the “other” issues. Actually quite the opposite, he basically alludes (quite arrogantly) that his ideas will work for everyone and every condition. Just like every other person out there trying to “sell” their health ideas. In my opinion, Matt is no different. He has an idea and makes a lot of broad generalizations and promises.
I don’t expect Matt to have all the answers, or anyone for that matter, but I think he needs to be more responsible in how he presents his information (which is looks like he’s doing, but it’s too late for me). I realize that every author (health or not) has a target audience, and I am not suggesting that Matt can help every single person/situation (although he writes as if he can). What I am suggesting is that he present his information in a different way, so that folks can know if this is the right path for them.
LOL I got an invite to “Future of Nutrition Conference” from being a subscriber to Abel James, another speaker at the “Future of Nutrition Conference.” However, my invite didn’t include who it was from, after reviewing the list of speakers, many of which I have heard of I was able to determine that only one of the speakers(Abel James) had my email address. I’ve only discovered Matt Stone as of today, while researching which speakers I may be interested in listening to. My basic take on Matt’s approach is: use common sense listen to “your body” not the so called experts. That surely is the best starting point for most people.
I am trying to figure out a way to delete this post that I started. Although I stand by what I said, I am regretting ranting about it in such a public fashion. I don’t want any unnecessarily consequences to come to Matt or for people to make any opinions of him based on what I wrote. Despite what I wrote, I do believe Matt does have an important message.
Administration, can you please delete this?
It’s cool ESB. I always welcome and encourage free expression. That’s what the internet is for. I have a little bit of a love affair for it because of that.
I won’t delete this. I don’t delete anything.
These summits/conferences/book bundles etc. are a double-edged sword. There are always mixed messages. At the same time, many people found me through these events. It’s important that I make an appearance at events like these rather than let the other dogmatists steal the show, if you know what I mean.
Promoting the event in earnest like I did is what gets me invited and re-invited. I promote my own talks, and rarely that of anyone else’s.
Marc David’s actual personal work is great. He runs these summits for the same reason. Nearly 100,000 people subscribed to his direct mailing list. Now he can communicate with these people to educate them on his point of view, which is an excellent complement to my own. I really mean that. He’s a sharp cookie. These summits are not for promoting other health gurus. They are to steal followers away from all of these gurus.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Politeness is for pussies.
Matt, you are a boss dude!
ESB, I feel your pain. Being sick is a beeyatch. But here’s my perspective- I think you gotta meet people wherever they might be at. Someone following one of the gurus listens to the conference, stumbles upon Marc’s or Matt’s interview and there’s one more person hip to their work. That wouldn’t happen if Matt decided he would not participate in any events with speakers who preach nonsense. I found Matt through a Paleo site, I think. Or something similar. I think at the end of the day, you gotta exhaust all the options to get followers and get your work out there.
Thanks guys
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