Medical Conditions Which Affect Weight: Separating Fact From Fiction

Options
1356720

Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    CICO = useful to weight loss
    DKA = not so much

    (I know a guy that lost his legs and lost 40lbs that way! Neato, relevant to weight loss? I don't think so.)

    My cat passed two years ago from DKA. =/
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Options
    brendak76 wrote: »
    I'm fascinated with cortisol levels right now. I've had a significant amount of trauma in my life the last 2 months. I'm also type 1 diabetic. I went to my endocrinologist this week to help with my suddenly out of control high blood sugars. I also asked her about the 8 pounds I gained almost overnight despite diligently counting calories, weighing food, exercising, etc. The weight gain, high blood sugars are all stress/cortisol induced. She gave a very scientific explanation of how excess cortisol causes weight gain even when you do not change your eating habits. So I'm still weighing my food and eating at a deficit but I'm also actively trying to reduce cortisol levels.
    MKEgal wrote: »
    None cause (effect) weight, though some can influence (affect) it, if people don't change how they eat.

    That seems to have been adequately addressed in this thread...
    as well as the myriad of others saying exactly the same thing.

    You feel that they've been adequately addressed? I see so many thyroid and PCOS threads with misinformation in them every day on this forum. Both conditions lead to marginal weight issues, but you wouldn't think that from some of what you see here.

    Neither of them necessarily call for a special diet, except by choice either.

    I know I've seen studies to back up what I'm saying. I'll try to find them in a bit and post them.

    This discussion about cortisol is very interesting to me, as I want to understand it better. :)
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    edited November 2015
    Options
    Where I take issue is when users argue that it isn't possible to lose weight unless one is burning more calories with RMR + exercise than what they consume (often referred to as CICO). I've seen users argue that medical conditions don't change that, but can only affect RMR. My point is that there are, in fact, medical conditions that fall outside of the CICO equation. Is it a good idea to try DKA? No, absolutely not. Does it still provide an example of where CICO is wrong? Yes, definitely.

    I'm pretty sure most people understand there are medical conditions that cause massive amounts of water retention, and massive amounts of water loss. Those things are exceptions to the day in, day out issues people deal with in regards to management of chronic disease. My type 1 diabetic uncle had issues with water retention to the point where he would get water in his lungs. This did contribute to his weight. The reason he was obese was still primarily CICO.

    When I gave birth to my 11lb 4oz son I lost 25 lbs due to water retention from being pregnant with a baby, and having HBP. That has nothing to do with the fact that I was also obese, and had to lose weight.
  • soulofgrace
    soulofgrace Posts: 175 Member
    Options
    Interesting subject. I'm 48 and perimenopausal (undiagnosed and untreated, of course) and I have Hashimoto's Thyroiditis with Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disorder (for 12 years.) Fatigue, pain, depression are just a few of my battles.

    I had an interaction with one of my doctors years ago where I told him that some such medication "made me" gain weight. I wish I had the doctor mentioned upthread that explained clearly what was going on. My doctor only told me, in a smug sort of way, in no uncertain terms, did the medications that he prescribed "make" me gain weight. Of course, this approach only fueled my continued denial.

    So, eventually it finally just clicked for me. I got sick and tired enough. At this point I wonder if it would have made a difference if that doctor had tried to explain it to me. We all have our own motivators and style of learning. We get there when we're motivated enough and not before, even with all this knowledge at our fingertips.

    CICO is simple in principle, not in execution. The calculations provided on MFP are a guidepost for the average person. We have to do a certain amount of fiddling with intake to find our personalized numbers.

    Best to everyone.

  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    But this is a forum for an app dedicated to using CICO to meet weight goals. This isn't a DKA site.

    It's a fitness site, and DKA is relevant everywhere I've brought it up or responded to a mention about it. Otherwise, the same logic could be used when mentioning PCOS or any number of other things related to weight.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Options
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Another type of fiction is that certain drugs cause weight gain. Well... yes and no. They don't directly just magically produce weight gain. They either lower metabolic rate or increase appetite, but that would only account for a certain margin of gain. Gains beyond that point come down to consumption.

    Fiction is a loaded word, but it scans nicely with fact, so I went with it. I'd like this thread to explore the real causes of weight gain or loss with medical conditions as you did with explaining what happened to your friend there.

    I find when we truly break these things down, it leads to understanding the component issues so that they can be addressed.

    BOOM!

    It's disturbing to so often see people say "blah blah" caused my weight gain. NO, eating too much causes weight gain. You may have different caloric needs now, for whatever reason, but it still comes down to CICO.

    People attribute their weight gain to many things, don't they? I see threads here all the time where new jobs or break ups "caused" weight gain.
    I don wonder if we truly know the effect of some medicines, however. So I'll reserve comment on those.
    I do believe that with some conditions caloric needs may not remain constant, thus making it even harder to find the sweet spot for losing.

    Yes. People blame all sorts of things on weight gain. On the opposite side of the coin, (I'll use myself as an example), when going through my second divorce with my husband (two young kids), I had dropped 40 pounds in 3 months. I was to a very, unhealthy weight for my size and it was a very scary time, when I could actually see this. The point is that "divorce" didn't make me lose weight. NOT eating did. Again, it comes down to CICO.

    Calorie needs are never constant, they are affected by such a variety of factors that CICO isn't as simple as many seem to present here.

    It's like saying it is all due to breathing and oxidation reactions! (Which is true.) But it doesn't explain how that is regulated.

    What part of the CICO equation describes HOW your divorce affected HOW MUCH you ate?

    Imagine if we could reduce all autopsy to "well the heart stopped, and then the brain signal stopped too". How is important. Oh, but it all comes down to heart and brain function!!

    CICO is only part of the process and a complex part at that.

    PS - glad you recovered.

    I think this is something I, and others, may neglect to factor in adequately whenever we address the latest repeat of derp in an effort to stop it in its tracks

    Bears thinking on

    +1

    When trying to simplify a message to someone who clearly doesn't have even a basic understanding of calorie management, we often don't convey the nuances behind the equation.

    This is my point as well.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,538 Member
    Options
    Things that are legit IMO: Issues that disrupt hormone balance, issues that reduce voluntary physical activity, psychological issues that may lead to things like depression, self loathing.
    I've dealt with clients that have had 1 or more of the issues above and while it's not impossible to help with health improvement and weight loss/maintenance, it's quite challenging sometimes.
    What I believe needs to be addressed is the severity of the issue. One can have hypothyroidism, be treated with the correct drug, yet is convinced that it's the main reason they can't lose weight at all. Yet I've had many in the same situation (my DW included) and they've lost weight just fine.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    CICO = useful to weight loss
    DKA = not so much

    A symptom of DKA is rapid weight loss, so I would hardly believe it isn't useful. A better way to say it is that it isn't safe.

    Where I take issue is when users argue that it isn't possible to lose weight unless one is burning more calories with RMR + exercise than what they consume (often referred to as CICO). I've seen users argue that medical conditions don't change that, but can only affect RMR. My point is that there are, in fact, medical conditions that fall outside of the CICO equation. Is it a good idea to try DKA? No, absolutely not. Does it still provide an example of where CICO is wrong? Yes, definitely.
    I eagerly await your self-amputation threads, then. That's some rapid weight loss, too.

    No, it doesn't. But there aren't enough words in the language to get you to understand the context, that CICO isn't about water weight, isn't about short snapshots of time, and isn't about creating or destroying energy, so good luck with your understanding of how CICO does or doesn't apply to your scenario.

  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    CICO = useful to weight loss
    DKA = not so much

    A symptom of DKA is rapid weight loss, so I would hardly believe it isn't useful. A better way to say it is that it isn't safe.

    Where I take issue is when users argue that it isn't possible to lose weight unless one is burning more calories with RMR + exercise than what they consume (often referred to as CICO). I've seen users argue that medical conditions don't change that, but can only affect RMR. My point is that there are, in fact, medical conditions that fall outside of the CICO equation. Is it a good idea to try DKA? No, absolutely not. Does it still provide an example of where CICO is wrong? Yes, definitely.

    This is like saying CICO is wrong because I cut off my legs and lost weight.
    DKA isn't a weight loss strategy. CICO, as used on this site, is relevant to long-term, well-structured weight loss.

    If I go and sweat off 10lbs at the sauna did I break CICO?
    If I finesse my macros and meal timing for improved recomp, did I break CICO?

    The answer is no in both cases - and on the other hand, it isn't a thermodynamic law, it's a simple time dependent energy balance equation. Now, can we get back to thread?
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Options
    lyttlewon wrote: »
    Where I take issue is when users argue that it isn't possible to lose weight unless one is burning more calories with RMR + exercise than what they consume (often referred to as CICO). I've seen users argue that medical conditions don't change that, but can only affect RMR. My point is that there are, in fact, medical conditions that fall outside of the CICO equation. Is it a good idea to try DKA? No, absolutely not. Does it still provide an example of where CICO is wrong? Yes, definitely.

    I'm pretty sure most people understand there are medical conditions that cause massive amounts of water retention, and massive amounts of water loss. Those things are exceptions to the day in, day out issues people deal with in regards to management of chronic disease. My type 1 diabetic uncle had issues with water retention to the point where he would get water in his lungs. This did contribute to his weight. The reason he was obese was still primarily CICO.

    When I gave birth to my 11lb 4oz son I lost 25 lbs due to water retention from being pregnant baby, and having HBP. That has nothing to do with the fact that I was also obese, and had to lose weight.

    It isn't just water, there is fat loss with DKA. As I explained earlier, your body breaks down fat to convert it into glucose and then removes that glucose through urine. Again... this is not healthy, but it is what happens to cause fat loss without exercise.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    But this is a forum for an app dedicated to using CICO to meet weight goals. This isn't a DKA site.

    It's a fitness site, and DKA is relevant everywhere I've brought it up or responded to a mention about it. Otherwise, the same logic could be used when mentioning PCOS or any number of other things related to weight.

    DKA, which results in a loss of fluid is not relevant to a site where people are looking for meaningful, lasting fat loss.

    You continually bringing up an emergency medical condition to "prove" CICO is wrong is spurious. It just proves that there are medical conditions that can impact the fluid levels in the body and that the human body carries a lot of fluid in it.

    It is not meaningful to constantly interject "CICO doesn't always apply" into discussions based on your experience with fluid loss and dehydration, just as it's not meaningful for me to bring up my experience with celiac disease.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    But this is a forum for an app dedicated to using CICO to meet weight goals. This isn't a DKA site.

    It's a fitness site, and DKA is relevant everywhere I've brought it up or responded to a mention about it. Otherwise, the same logic could be used when mentioning PCOS or any number of other things related to weight.

    DKA, which results in a loss of fluid is not relevant to a site where people are looking for meaningful, lasting fat loss.

    You continually bringing up an emergency medical condition to "prove" CICO is wrong is spurious. It just proves that there are medical conditions that can impact the fluid levels in the body and that the human body carries a lot of fluid in it.

    It is not meaningful to constantly interject "CICO doesn't always apply" into discussions based on your experience with fluid loss and dehydration, just as it's not meaningful for me to bring up my experience with celiac disease.

    Again, it isn't just fluid. There is fat loss as well.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Options
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    brendak76 wrote: »
    I'm fascinated with cortisol levels right now. I've had a significant amount of trauma in my life the last 2 months. I'm also type 1 diabetic. I went to my endocrinologist this week to help with my suddenly out of control high blood sugars. I also asked her about the 8 pounds I gained almost overnight despite diligently counting calories, weighing food, exercising, etc. The weight gain, high blood sugars are all stress/cortisol induced. She gave a very scientific explanation of how excess cortisol causes weight gain even when you do not change your eating habits. So I'm still weighing my food and eating at a deficit but I'm also actively trying to reduce cortisol levels.
    MKEgal wrote: »
    None cause (effect) weight, though some can influence (affect) it, if people don't change how they eat.

    That seems to have been adequately addressed in this thread...
    as well as the myriad of others saying exactly the same thing.

    You feel that they've been adequately addressed? I see so many thyroid and PCOS threads with misinformation in them every day on this forum. Both conditions lead to marginal weight issues, but you wouldn't think that from some of what you see here.

    Neither of them necessarily call for a special diet, except by choice either.

    I know I've seen studies to back up what I'm saying. I'll try to find them in a bit and post them.

    This discussion about cortisol is very interesting to me, as I want to understand it better. :)

    I don't know a lot about it, to be honest. I'm hoping someone with more knowledge weighs in. Perhaps @usmcmp?
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    Options
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Another type of fiction is that certain drugs cause weight gain. Well... yes and no. They don't directly just magically produce weight gain. They either lower metabolic rate or increase appetite, but that would only account for a certain margin of gain. Gains beyond that point come down to consumption.

    Fiction is a loaded word, but it scans nicely with fact, so I went with it. I'd like this thread to explore the real causes of weight gain or loss with medical conditions as you did with explaining what happened to your friend there.

    I find when we truly break these things down, it leads to understanding the component issues so that they can be addressed.

    BOOM!

    It's disturbing to so often see people say "blah blah" caused my weight gain. NO, eating too much causes weight gain. You may have different caloric needs now, for whatever reason, but it still comes down to CICO.

    People attribute their weight gain to many things, don't they? I see threads here all the time where new jobs or break ups "caused" weight gain.
    I don wonder if we truly know the effect of some medicines, however. So I'll reserve comment on those.
    I do believe that with some conditions caloric needs may not remain constant, thus making it even harder to find the sweet spot for losing.

    Yes. People blame all sorts of things on weight gain. On the opposite side of the coin, (I'll use myself as an example), when going through my second divorce with my husband (two young kids), I had dropped 40 pounds in 3 months. I was to a very, unhealthy weight for my size and it was a very scary time, when I could actually see this. The point is that "divorce" didn't make me lose weight. NOT eating did. Again, it comes down to CICO.

    Calorie needs are never constant, they are affected by such a variety of factors that CICO isn't as simple as many seem to present here.

    It's like saying it is all due to breathing and oxidation reactions! (Which is true.) But it doesn't explain how that is regulated.

    What part of the CICO equation describes HOW your divorce affected HOW MUCH you ate?

    Imagine if we could reduce all autopsy to "well the heart stopped, and then the brain signal stopped too". How is important. Oh, but it all comes down to heart and brain function!!

    CICO is only part of the process and a complex part at that.

    PS - glad you recovered.

    I think this is something I, and others, may neglect to factor in adequately whenever we address the latest repeat of derp in an effort to stop it in its tracks

    Bears thinking on

    +1

    When trying to simplify a message to someone who clearly doesn't have even a basic understanding of calorie management, we often don't convey the nuances behind the equation.

    This is my point as well.

    It seems to me that your point is that CICO doesn't actually apply in some cases, whereas the nuances are actually about how to determine the CI and CO sides of the equation.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    Options
    lyttlewon wrote: »
    Where I take issue is when users argue that it isn't possible to lose weight unless one is burning more calories with RMR + exercise than what they consume (often referred to as CICO). I've seen users argue that medical conditions don't change that, but can only affect RMR. My point is that there are, in fact, medical conditions that fall outside of the CICO equation. Is it a good idea to try DKA? No, absolutely not. Does it still provide an example of where CICO is wrong? Yes, definitely.

    I'm pretty sure most people understand there are medical conditions that cause massive amounts of water retention, and massive amounts of water loss. Those things are exceptions to the day in, day out issues people deal with in regards to management of chronic disease. My type 1 diabetic uncle had issues with water retention to the point where he would get water in his lungs. This did contribute to his weight. The reason he was obese was still primarily CICO.

    When I gave birth to my 11lb 4oz son I lost 25 lbs due to water retention from being pregnant baby, and having HBP. That has nothing to do with the fact that I was also obese, and had to lose weight.

    It isn't just water, there is fat loss with DKA. As I explained earlier, your body breaks down fat to convert it into glucose and then removes that glucose through urine. Again... this is not healthy, but it is what happens to cause fat loss without exercise.

    Yes I understand this. My hypertension caused at least 10 extra pounds of water weight. Adjust for the 11lb 4oz baby, the 2lb 8oz placenta, and normal amniotic fluid. The 220 body I ended up with after he was born, and I dumped all of that garbage, was not because of the hypertension. It was because I ate more than I burned. That's the point the OP is trying to make.
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    Options
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    brendak76 wrote: »
    I'm fascinated with cortisol levels right now. I've had a significant amount of trauma in my life the last 2 months. I'm also type 1 diabetic. I went to my endocrinologist this week to help with my suddenly out of control high blood sugars. I also asked her about the 8 pounds I gained almost overnight despite diligently counting calories, weighing food, exercising, etc. The weight gain, high blood sugars are all stress/cortisol induced. She gave a very scientific explanation of how excess cortisol causes weight gain even when you do not change your eating habits. So I'm still weighing my food and eating at a deficit but I'm also actively trying to reduce cortisol levels.
    MKEgal wrote: »
    None cause (effect) weight, though some can influence (affect) it, if people don't change how they eat.

    That seems to have been adequately addressed in this thread...
    as well as the myriad of others saying exactly the same thing.

    You feel that they've been adequately addressed? I see so many thyroid and PCOS threads with misinformation in them every day on this forum. Both conditions lead to marginal weight issues, but you wouldn't think that from some of what you see here.

    Neither of them necessarily call for a special diet, except by choice either.

    I know I've seen studies to back up what I'm saying. I'll try to find them in a bit and post them.

    This discussion about cortisol is very interesting to me, as I want to understand it better. :)

    I don't know a lot about it, to be honest. I'm hoping someone with more knowledge weighs in. Perhaps @usmcmp?

    I'm quite interested. This time of year, my job is incredibly stressful, but I often have my best losses around now.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    edited November 2015
    Options
    lyttlewon wrote: »
    Where I take issue is when users argue that it isn't possible to lose weight unless one is burning more calories with RMR + exercise than what they consume (often referred to as CICO). I've seen users argue that medical conditions don't change that, but can only affect RMR. My point is that there are, in fact, medical conditions that fall outside of the CICO equation. Is it a good idea to try DKA? No, absolutely not. Does it still provide an example of where CICO is wrong? Yes, definitely.

    I'm pretty sure most people understand there are medical conditions that cause massive amounts of water retention, and massive amounts of water loss. Those things are exceptions to the day in, day out issues people deal with in regards to management of chronic disease. My type 1 diabetic uncle had issues with water retention to the point where he would get water in his lungs. This did contribute to his weight. The reason he was obese was still primarily CICO.

    When I gave birth to my 11lb 4oz son I lost 25 lbs due to water retention from being pregnant baby, and having HBP. That has nothing to do with the fact that I was also obese, and had to lose weight.

    It isn't just water, there is fat loss with DKA. As I explained earlier, your body breaks down fat to convert it into glucose and then removes that glucose through urine. Again... this is not healthy, but it is what happens to cause fat loss without exercise.

    It's clear that this episode of hypovolemic shock was very impactful on your life. You lost a lot of weight.

    Can you point to an instance when bringing this up has made a meaningful change in someone's health journey? It's an unlikely scenario for most people and the fact of the matter is, MFP is built around a caloric deficit and that should be the focus because barring a tiny percentage of medical conditions that may change the way someone implements CICO, it still works.

    How is it impacting your journey NOW? What are you doing differently NOW because of it? Do you count calories? Are you in a deficit? Because if you're not tracking with MFP and believe in deficit, why are you here? It's an honest question.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    But this is a forum for an app dedicated to using CICO to meet weight goals. This isn't a DKA site.

    It's a fitness site, and DKA is relevant everywhere I've brought it up or responded to a mention about it. Otherwise, the same logic could be used when mentioning PCOS or any number of other things related to weight.

    The app lets you track other things related to fitness, but the concept behind "My Fitness Pal," as an app, is that calories DO matter when it comes to meeting weight loss goals. You're trying to act like DKA is as applicable to the majority of users as discussions of CICO. That just isn't the case.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Options
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Another type of fiction is that certain drugs cause weight gain. Well... yes and no. They don't directly just magically produce weight gain. They either lower metabolic rate or increase appetite, but that would only account for a certain margin of gain. Gains beyond that point come down to consumption.

    Fiction is a loaded word, but it scans nicely with fact, so I went with it. I'd like this thread to explore the real causes of weight gain or loss with medical conditions as you did with explaining what happened to your friend there.

    I find when we truly break these things down, it leads to understanding the component issues so that they can be addressed.

    BOOM!

    It's disturbing to so often see people say "blah blah" caused my weight gain. NO, eating too much causes weight gain. You may have different caloric needs now, for whatever reason, but it still comes down to CICO.

    People attribute their weight gain to many things, don't they? I see threads here all the time where new jobs or break ups "caused" weight gain.
    I don wonder if we truly know the effect of some medicines, however. So I'll reserve comment on those.
    I do believe that with some conditions caloric needs may not remain constant, thus making it even harder to find the sweet spot for losing.

    Yes. People blame all sorts of things on weight gain. On the opposite side of the coin, (I'll use myself as an example), when going through my second divorce with my husband (two young kids), I had dropped 40 pounds in 3 months. I was to a very, unhealthy weight for my size and it was a very scary time, when I could actually see this. The point is that "divorce" didn't make me lose weight. NOT eating did. Again, it comes down to CICO.

    Calorie needs are never constant, they are affected by such a variety of factors that CICO isn't as simple as many seem to present here.

    It's like saying it is all due to breathing and oxidation reactions! (Which is true.) But it doesn't explain how that is regulated.

    What part of the CICO equation describes HOW your divorce affected HOW MUCH you ate?

    Imagine if we could reduce all autopsy to "well the heart stopped, and then the brain signal stopped too". How is important. Oh, but it all comes down to heart and brain function!!

    CICO is only part of the process and a complex part at that.

    PS - glad you recovered.

    I think this is something I, and others, may neglect to factor in adequately whenever we address the latest repeat of derp in an effort to stop it in its tracks

    Bears thinking on

    +1

    When trying to simplify a message to someone who clearly doesn't have even a basic understanding of calorie management, we often don't convey the nuances behind the equation.

    This is my point as well.

    It seems to me that your point is that CICO doesn't actually apply in some cases, whereas the nuances are actually about how to determine the CI and CO sides of the equation.

    CICO is not clearly defined in every thread where it is used. Explaining the nuances behind the equation, as you are using it, would go a long way. Most users seem to imply (but rarely explicitly state) that the CO part of CICO is RMR + exercise. In that case, my example is of weight loss not explained by CICO. If the definition of CO is expanded to include excretion of energy through pee, poop, and vomiting; then it is included in CICO. Most users don't seem to recognize that as part of CICO, though, while exclaiming there is nothing possible outside of that almighty equation.

    It all comes down to absolutes. Many users on MFP use absolute responses when it comes to things like CICO, which dismisses a lot of known circumstances. Even if 80%-90% of users can use the simple CICO, it still isn't fair to the other users who are asking for help and "shouted down" because their experiences don't match CICO and MFP masses just want to call them liars.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Options
    @midwesterner85 - This is now the 11th thread in which you're discussing DKA. Since it's so dangerous and has absolutely nothing to do with weight management, how about making this the last thread?

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/search?adv=1&search=dka&title=&author=midwesterner85&cat=all&tags=&discussion_d=1&comment_c=1&group_group=1&within=1+day&date=

    Most of those other threads were either specifically about diabetes (where DKA is relevant), and I didn't really go into detail. In some of those threads, it was in response to others who had already mentioned DKA (as in this thread). DKA is related to weight loss, and is relevant to individual conditions experienced by users in the threads where I've either brought it up or responded to it.

    This thread is specifically about medical conditions / anomalies that affect weight. It directly is linked to the topic of this thread. In addition, another user brought up the topic and provided bad information. What I'm providing is accurate information about the topic, and I'm not encouraging anyone to do it. In fact, I'm explicitly encouraging people NOT to inentionally go into DKA.

    I'm not going to stop mentioning it any more than other users on this site will stop mentioning CICO (which is not as exact as most users purport).

    But this is a forum for an app dedicated to using CICO to meet weight goals. This isn't a DKA site.

    It's a fitness site, and DKA is relevant everywhere I've brought it up or responded to a mention about it. Otherwise, the same logic could be used when mentioning PCOS or any number of other things related to weight.

    DKA, which results in a loss of fluid is not relevant to a site where people are looking for meaningful, lasting fat loss.

    You continually bringing up an emergency medical condition to "prove" CICO is wrong is spurious. It just proves that there are medical conditions that can impact the fluid levels in the body and that the human body carries a lot of fluid in it.

    It is not meaningful to constantly interject "CICO doesn't always apply" into discussions based on your experience with fluid loss and dehydration, just as it's not meaningful for me to bring up my experience with celiac disease.

    Again, it isn't just fluid. There is fat loss as well.

    There is - quite a bit too from the lipids being dumped into the blood, gluconeogenesis, ketone body metabolism, etc...

    & still not relevant because a) it is not a chronic condition that impacts weight loss, b) nor a method that should be used, c) nor advice that one should be giving on "how to lose weight".

    Now, if you want to talk about how diabetes affects weight loss and how insulin abuse is a harmful strategy for weight loss... well, that's a whole 'nother ball of yarn. And possibly it's own thread.