Google Maps Pulls Calorie-Counting Feature After Criticism
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We’ve gotten into this habit of thinking about our bodies and the foods we take in and how much activity we do as this mathematical equation, and it’s really not"
Actually, yes. Yes it is.
“But for people who are hyper-focused on numbers, that can feel very oppressive to see calorie counts everywhere when you’re trying to shift your relationship with food.”
If Google wanted to promote walking, it could have framed it “in terms of strength and how it makes you feel,” Ms. Mysko said.
Since Google knows how the weather is in your area, it could suggest walking on nice days, Dr. Zerwas said.
“Let’s encourage it because it’s fun, it feels good, it helps you think and you can enjoy the gorgeous weather,” she said
Knowing that you only have 1500-2000 calories a day to spend, and finding out that a cupcake wastes a whole lot of them, without nutrition, is oppressive.
The entire premise of chastising this app is that some people might get too focused on it. And I think that's a reasonable concern. But it should be a minor one.
On the other hand, more and more people are getting more and more obese. They have zero idea the effort it takes to balance their activity with the huge amount of calories that they take in. They hear 300 calories in that soda and have zero idea the effort it takes to not gain weight from continuing to take it in. They have no idea that you cannot outwork your diet. You can always eat more than you can work and linking those two for that understanding allows better estimates as you see that oversized plate of food.
I'm far less concerned with the "oppressive" nature of math than the continued accidental gluttonous diet from a population that isn't aware a donut/macchiato everyday is making them obese.
"Walking feels good" isn't enough when a daily venti pumpkin spice latte feels better.
Some of my favorite quotes:
“We’ve gotten into this habit of thinking about our bodies and the foods we take in and how much activity we do as this mathematical equation, and it’s really not"
Actually, yes. Yes it is.
“But for people who are hyper-focused on numbers, that can feel very oppressive to see calorie counts everywhere when you’re trying to shift your relationship with food.”
If Google wanted to promote walking, it could have framed it “in terms of strength and how it makes you feel,” Ms. Mysko said.
Since Google knows how the weather is in your area, it could suggest walking on nice days, Dr. Zerwas said.
“Let’s encourage it because it’s fun, it feels good, it helps you think and you can enjoy the gorgeous weather,” she said
Knowing that you only have 1500-2000 calories a day to spend, and finding out that a cupcake wastes a whole lot of them, without nutrition, is oppressive.
The entire premise of chastising this app is that some people might get too focused on it. And I think that's a reasonable concern. But it should be a minor one.
On the other hand, more and more people are getting more and more obese. They have zero idea the effort it takes to balance their activity with the huge amount of calories that they take in. They hear 300 calories in that soda and have zero idea the effort it takes to not gain weight from continuing to take it in. They have no idea that you cannot outwork your diet. You can always eat more than you can work and linking those two for that understanding allows better estimates as you see that oversized plate of food.
I'm far less concerned with the "oppressive" nature of math than the continued accidental gluttonous diet from a population that isn't aware a donut/macchiato everyday is making them obese.
"Walking feels good" isn't enough when a daily venti pumpkin spice latte feels better.
