Things I had to unlearn about losing weight
bpetrosky
Posts: 3,911 Member
These are some of the things that were either bad information peddled by diet plan sellers (Atkins, South Beach, Tim Ferris, etc) or broscience that I had to unlearn to actually lose weight successfully. Unlearning these things has helped me approach eating and losing weight from a far better direction mentally.
- Cut out all bad foods, eat only healthy things. (No, I can have a balanced diet that allows room for some treats)
- Cut out carbs or fat or sugar. (No, carbs are good, and healthy fats are necessary. An appropriate level of all of them can be had if I work them into my calorie budget)
- Don't eat anything after X o'clock, it'll go straight to fat. (No, eating so that I end up in a surplus made me fat)
- Starvation mode will make me store fat. (No, but undereating too much will cause other problems)
- Certain types of foods must be eaten in the morning or afternoon. (No, our bodies evolved to make the most of the food we eat when we get it)
- You must eat 6x a day to boost metabolism. (No, eating frequency does not significantly change metabolism)
- You must take certain powders or pills to boost metabolism [usually part of a diet plan]. (No, supplements are not effective to change metabolic rates)
- You can eat unlimited amounts of certain healthy foods. (No, eating too much of anything will put on weight, but very calorie dense foods are much easier to overeat)
- You must eat certain combinations of foods in certain orders to optimize thermogenic effects. (No, any such effects are too small to make enough of a difference)
- You have to work out X minutes a day, or do certain routines to lose weight. (No, you don't have to exercise to lose weight, but it can help you get to a deficit and has other benefits)
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Replies
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Thanks for posting this!5
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Solid post OP7
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Good stuff!!3
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Yup!!
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Great post. In addition, you have to exercise to lose weight (you don't HAVE to, but it certainly helps!).22
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This needs to be stickied/be a pop up add when you download the app/ put in every "health" magazine, blog and pintrest, put under childrens pillows, handed out to people on the street, and dropped from airplanes leafleting major cities!!!!
Excellent post!!!42 -
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Great post! I usually approach threads like this expecting a bit of an eyeroll, but you're spot on!2
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Awesome post! I agree! This should be stickied
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Nicely done, @bpetrosky
You definitely have become someone on My List of People I've Noticed Being Awesome since I've been here.7 -
Great post1
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Solid.
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LOVED it. Spot on.0
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Awesome post.0
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Thank you so much for posting this. It makes me aghast as to why there are still so many weight-loss myths out there and that so many people still believe them. 2
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These are some of the things that were either bad information peddled by diet plan sellers (Atkins, South Beach, Tim Ferris, etc) or broscience that I had to unlearn to actually lose weight successfully. Unlearning these things has helped me approach eating and losing weight from a far better direction mentally.
- Cut out all bad foods, eat only healthy things. (No, I can have a balanced diet that allows room for some treats)
- Cut out carbs or fat or sugar. (No, carbs are good, and healthy fats are necessary. An appropriate level of all of them can be had if I work them into my calorie budget)
- Don't eat anything after X o'clock, it'll go straight to fat. (No, eating so that I end up in a surplus made me fat)
- Starvation mode will make me store fat. (No, but undereating too much will cause other problems)
- Certain types of foods must be eaten in the morning or afternoon. (No, our bodies evolved to make the most of the food we eat when we get it)
- You must eat 6x a day to boost metabolism. (No, eating frequency does not significantly change metabolism)
- You must take certain powders or pills to boost metabolism [usually part of a diet plan]. (No, supplements are not effective to change metabolic rates)
- You can eat unlimited amounts of certain healthy foods. (No, eating too much of anything will put on weight, but very calorie dense foods are much easier to overeat)
- You must eat certain combinations of foods in certain orders to optimize thermogenic effects. (No, any such effects are too small to make enough of a difference)
- You have to work out X minutes a day, or do certain routines to lose weight. (No, you don't have to exercise to lose weight, but it can help you get to a deficit and has other benefits)
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Thanks for the post. -- My biggest one lately is the one about fats. I think we've been so conditioned to think that "fat" = "BAD!" that we forget there are "good" fats. For example, an avocado is better than a donut. lol. I mean that's obvious, but I was also thinking "nope, can't eat avocado because it has fat, must eat carrots instead". Problem is that I don't really like carrots and I love avocados. lol. So half an avocado is part of a great breakfast, healthy, and keeps me full longer.
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loved it, shamelessly re-posted
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Amen! I've kept this weight off for several years but as I was losing I made a ton of mistakes. Everything I knew about dieting, or I thought I knew, was not always the case! For one the word diet, which I hate, is misleading because I did not diet, I changed how I live my life. Thank you for posting! It's a great reminder for those of us that have been doing this awhile and good advice for those just starting 5
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These are some of the things that were either bad information peddled by diet plan sellers (Atkins, South Beach, Tim Ferris, etc) or broscience that I had to unlearn to actually lose weight successfully. Unlearning these things has helped me approach eating and losing weight from a far better direction mentally.
- Cut out all bad foods, eat only healthy things. (No, I can have a balanced diet that allows room for some treats)
- Cut out carbs or fat or sugar. (No, carbs are good, and healthy fats are necessary. An appropriate level of all of them can be had if I work them into my calorie budget)
- Don't eat anything after X o'clock, it'll go straight to fat. (No, eating so that I end up in a surplus made me fat)
- Starvation mode will make me store fat. (No, but undereating too much will cause other problems)
- Certain types of foods must be eaten in the morning or afternoon. (No, our bodies evolved to make the most of the food we eat when we get it)
- You must eat 6x a day to boost metabolism. (No, eating frequency does not significantly change metabolism)
- You must take certain powders or pills to boost metabolism [usually part of a diet plan]. (No, supplements are not effective to change metabolic rates)
- You can eat unlimited amounts of certain healthy foods. (No, eating too much of anything will put on weight, but very calorie dense foods are much easier to overeat)
- You must eat certain combinations of foods in certain orders to optimize thermogenic effects. (No, any such effects are too small to make enough of a difference)
- You have to work out X minutes a day, or do certain routines to lose weight. (No, you don't have to exercise to lose weight, but it can help you get to a deficit and has other benefits)
Great post mate.0 -
These are some of the things that were either bad information peddled by diet plan sellers (Atkins, South Beach, Tim Ferris, etc) or broscience that I had to unlearn to actually lose weight successfully. Unlearning these things has helped me approach eating and losing weight from a far better direction mentally.
- Cut out all bad foods, eat only healthy things. (No, I can have a balanced diet that allows room for some treats)
- Cut out carbs or fat or sugar. (No, carbs are good, and healthy fats are necessary. An appropriate level of all of them can be had if I work them into my calorie budget)
- Don't eat anything after X o'clock, it'll go straight to fat. (No, eating so that I end up in a surplus made me fat)
- Starvation mode will make me store fat. (No, but undereating too much will cause other problems)
- Certain types of foods must be eaten in the morning or afternoon. (No, our bodies evolved to make the most of the food we eat when we get it)
- You must eat 6x a day to boost metabolism. (No, eating frequency does not significantly change metabolism)
- You must take certain powders or pills to boost metabolism [usually part of a diet plan]. (No, supplements are not effective to change metabolic rates)
- You can eat unlimited amounts of certain healthy foods. (No, eating too much of anything will put on weight, but very calorie dense foods are much easier to overeat)
- You must eat certain combinations of foods in certain orders to optimize thermogenic effects. (No, any such effects are too small to make enough of a difference)
- You have to work out X minutes a day, or do certain routines to lose weight. (No, you don't have to exercise to lose weight, but it can help you get to a deficit and has other benefits)
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Well done, sir!
Add in something about cleanses being bogus and you've got the holy grail. 9 -
Excellent!0
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very nice post, thanks!1
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This is fantastic. As a forum lurker, I've noticed your posts/comments are always well thought out and informative. I spent years inundated in what I jokingly refer to as "fat fiction". It was a cycle of gimmicks and attempts at losing weight, which more often than not, ended with me gaining weight. I've learned more in a month of mfp than I ever knew in years prior, and it's due to posts like this. Thank you!5
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snickerscharlie wrote: »Well done, sir!
Add in something about cleanses being bogus and you've got the holy grail.
But THE TOXINS....how am I supposed to get rid of the evil toxins that are making me fat????
The only two cleanses that are proven to be beneficial are The Peeps Master Cleanse™ and The Haribo Sugarfree Gummy Bear Cleanse™ because delicious.
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