Starting around 2014 the company, Hotels.com, began using “Captain Obvious” as their pitchman. The character, “Captain Obvious” goes back decades and is a cartoonish type person that goes around stating the obvious. In the case of hotels.com, the messaging is about Hotels.com being the “obvious” choice for anyone searching online for deals/best pricing on hotels. This ad campaign is much more noticeable than the competitors to hotels.com such as Expedia, Kayak, etc.
Now, turning to our favorite subject, weight control: Often I feel like I am stating lots of “obvious” stuff to our patients. For people trying to control weight, hearing recommendations such as the following are quite “obvious”:
- Lower carbohydrate intake
- Decrease night time snacking
- Increase exercise
- Drink plenty of water
- Reduce alcohol intake
The formula for weight control, is, in fact, sort of “obvious” but being able to follow this long-term is by no means easy. Why? Lots of reasons: chemical cravings, instinctual/reflexive behavior patterns that favor immediate gratification, slowing of metabolism, tastes of foods, social behavioral patterns…these, and more, explain why it is also “obvious” that controlling weight is very difficult.
So, although I may seem at times to be “Doctor Obvious”, I also understand why so many people struggle with the “obvious”. This is why support is so vitally important for people on a long-term weight control journey. We do not need people stating the “obvious”. We are better helped by people that understand why the “obvious” , although easy to understand, is quite difficult to follow.
Where would these entries be without some ending analogy? Here goes: I, “Dr. Obvious”, is politely asking you to do the “obvious” things I recommend and ultimately wind up at the very best “hotel”, called the “Health and Happiness Resort”.