Obesity research-impossible to lose weight long term?

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  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
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    I've read studies like this for a long time and there is one thing to keep in mind. Regardless of what this article claims a study like this CANNOT be highly controlled. Scientific study is all about controls and limiting variables. People are rotten with variables. We aren't genetically similar. We weren't raised the same. Our intelligence and freedom complicate things so much as to make studies like this highly suspect.

    Another thing that stood out is the authors use of absolutes. The reason why you don't get scientists saying "this is impossible" is because they don't have evidence for that, because the scientists understand variables and would rather figure out how to limit them then "call it".

    Classic misrepresentation of scientific studies to make a story where there isn't one. Not saying that it woulnt turn out to be true, I'm saying the study this author is describing, and ones like it, ask more questions than they answer.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
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    brower47 wrote: »
    EvgeniZyntx wrote: »
    All people die. So I guess we should give up, huh?
    Go ahead, use this to have that donut.
    After all, you are going to fail.
    It's "impossible".


    Oh, wait.
    Maybe it's just that the majority of people try thousands of bs diets.

    This X 6x10^23.

    A Mole of Truth!

    ....wait...what's the MW of Truth?
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
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    I know a few people who have kept the weight off long term. They eat more nutritionally dense food most of the time and less overall. I've seen all of them eat chips and pizza and burgers, etc. sometimes, but the difference is they have just a few chips or only 1 or 2 slices of pizza and then stop. They don't eat all of everything. The biggest thing is that they are all very active.

    I know many more people that have not kept the weight off. Some lost through diet and some with wls. The common issue for them is once the weight was gone, they considered themselves done. They no longer kept their eating in check and stopped exercising. They think exercise is just for hard core athletes and for weight loss.

    I'm glad I've discovered a few activities that are not boring and get me out of the house. I was always very active up until my medical issues sidelined me for the last decade and it feels good to be back! (Still a lot to lose but it doesn't even feel like hard work now)
  • pinktara2013
    pinktara2013 Posts: 19 Member
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    That's why, as frustrating as it is, I'm okay with the weight coming off slowly. I know that I could get all crazy and drop a larger amount of weight fast, but then it wouldn't be a lifestyle change. I have A LOT of weight to lose. If it takes me a couple of years even, that's okay. Because by that time, healthy eating and exercising will be a way of life. I tend to be an all or nothing person and I think that's why I've failed so many times. I'd drastically reduce how much I ate and I'd exercise like crazy. I'd lose some weight and then I'd gain it all back. So this time I'm doing the slow and steady. Also, if I overeat or don't exercise one day, I don't declare myself a failure and stop altogether. I will use this article as motivation, not an excuse.
  • crazyjerseygirl
    crazyjerseygirl Posts: 1,252 Member
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    I have to say, I was going to have a lazy day today, but thanks to this thread I'm walking to my appointments today. It's 2.5mi one way. A decent walk there and back!
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
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    The true meaning of insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.
  • LJgfg
    LJgfg Posts: 81 Member
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    This is why I can't think "diet" - and I really can't think too much about "calories". And I definitely have to ditch thinking about "exercise".

    What I do have to do is think about how much I want to make my bucket list happen and focus on what I have to do to achieve those goals. Do I need to lose 100+lbs and keep it off - heck yeah! But I know I'll never accomplish that as a goal. Knowing it doesn't motivate me. Finishing a half marathon - and then possibly a triathlon certainly does. I can train (aka exercise) but I have to have a quantifiable goal with a finish line. And then enjoy the benefits that come along with reaching for it as an added bonus rather than a goal themselves.

    For me, at least, it's all about emotions, environment, and assumptions. Having a goal of "weight-loss" or "eating healthy" just doesn't work. I'm only at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the changes that must occur to reach my finish lines, but the two things I know are that it involves way, way more than "dieting" or even "making healthy food choices". And it involves my family, my friends, even my work. It's attitudes about sleeping and time management and what constitutes relaxing / vacationing.

    Considering the prevailing American culture regarding dieting, food as a reward/celebration, exercise as a burden or task to do, sleep being for the weak/lazy, etc - it's no wonder people find it hard to keep weight off. It's seen as an ordeal to go through. And I don't know many people who can voluntarily "suffer" for long periods with no end in sight and with friends/family/society encouraging them to "relax" their effort because they've "reached their goal".



  • Vixenmd1
    Vixenmd1 Posts: 146 Member
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    I lost 75 lbs (227-152 at 5'9) using WW online in 07/08 (which is baiscally a calorie counting program with formula to create pionts). I kept it off till 2011 so a long term success. In 2011 I gained 30 lbs in 7 months. Stress eating and I got marriaged. And and after two months I got the brillant idea to stop tracking, weighing myself, and running. I stayed at 180 Till 2014. In the last 15 months I managed to get up to 207.

    The reason I regained is that I stopped doing everything. But also I did not regain all my weight and proved I can maintain. I also learned I will need to track forever which is fine.
    In 35 days on MFP I have dropped 13 lbs and I am back to running 5 miles a day. I won't be a stat.
  • wishiwasarunner
    wishiwasarunner Posts: 202 Member
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    yeah, yeah - we all understand that if people don't change habits, the weight comes back on when you go back to the old habits. So this study, poor though it may be - which is not uncommon in this field - just proves that habits are hard to break.
    It makes me think more about what we should be doing to prevent these bad habits in children. My kids are not overweight at all. My son (13) is 5"10 and 121#. My daughter is younger so she does not go around spouting her stats so I don't know them - but she is a healthy weight. My son runs track, does travel soccer and used to swim competitively so I have never really monitored what he eats. He does eat vegetables and makes some healthy choices - but since he is on the underweight side and very active - I have not worried about the fact that he goes through a gallon or so of ice cream every week or that he always gets the double burger if that is what he is eating. But these habits could be setting him up for failure when he gets older and the level of growth and physical activity he is accustomed to is no longer a possibility.
    I like the idea of treating calorie counting balancing your check book. Perhaps, this should be taught in school. Not everyone needs to balance their checkbook meticulously - not everyone needs to log as meticulously, but the concept makes sense.
  • Vixenmd1
    Vixenmd1 Posts: 146 Member
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    wishiwasarunner wrote: »
    yeah, yeah - we all understand that if people don't change habits, the weight comes back on when you go back to the old habits. So this study, poor though it may be - which is not uncommon in this field - just proves that habits are hard to break.
    It makes me think more about what we should be doing to prevent these bad habits in children. My kids are not overweight at all. My son (13) is 5"10 and 121#. My daughter is younger so she does not go around spouting her stats so I don't know them - but she is a healthy weight. My son runs track, does travel soccer and used to swim competitively so I have never really monitored what he eats. He does eat vegetables and makes some healthy choices - but since he is on the underweight side and very active - I have not worried about the fact that he goes through a gallon or so of ice cream every week or that he always gets the double burger if that is what he is eating. But these habits could be setting him up for failure when he gets older and the level of growth and physical activity he is accustomed to is no longer a possibility.
    I like the idea of treating calorie counting balancing your check book. Perhaps, this should be taught in school. Not everyone needs to balance their checkbook meticulously - not everyone needs to log as meticulously, but the concept makes sense.
    IT should be taught in schools starting early so should real money management.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    Vixenmd1 wrote: »
    wishiwasarunner wrote: »
    yeah, yeah - we all understand that if people don't change habits, the weight comes back on when you go back to the old habits. So this study, poor though it may be - which is not uncommon in this field - just proves that habits are hard to break.
    It makes me think more about what we should be doing to prevent these bad habits in children. My kids are not overweight at all. My son (13) is 5"10 and 121#. My daughter is younger so she does not go around spouting her stats so I don't know them - but she is a healthy weight. My son runs track, does travel soccer and used to swim competitively so I have never really monitored what he eats. He does eat vegetables and makes some healthy choices - but since he is on the underweight side and very active - I have not worried about the fact that he goes through a gallon or so of ice cream every week or that he always gets the double burger if that is what he is eating. But these habits could be setting him up for failure when he gets older and the level of growth and physical activity he is accustomed to is no longer a possibility.
    I like the idea of treating calorie counting balancing your check book. Perhaps, this should be taught in school. Not everyone needs to balance their checkbook meticulously - not everyone needs to log as meticulously, but the concept makes sense.
    IT should be taught in schools starting early so should real money management.
    If someone's going to teach my kids real money management, it's not going to be someone working for an entity that gets three times the real dollars per student as in 1970 without producing better results. Someone should teach schools some real money management first.
  • zap5
    zap5 Posts: 38 Member
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    if this is your attempt at justifying why you can't lose weight or keep it off then it's pathetic lol, this is probably the dumbest article I've seen, in terms of your body naturally being okay (not having diseases or conditions that affect your weight) then once you lose weight after being obese you can definitely keep it off, if you find a sustainable diet and actually continue to keep a conscious mind while eating. people always looking for excuses, dumbest topic I've seen LOL there's 7billion people in the world and you think a simple experiment proves anything loooool
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    This study simply illustrates the fact the people talk a good talk about "lifestyle" change...but most people never really implement such a change. Most diets, including calorie counting, focus namely on losing weight...they don't focus on forming healthful and sustainable habits. People just crash their diets...they exercise in a way that is unsustainable, etc because they're only focused on weight loss and what the scale is doing..they really aren't in the mindset of developing healthful habits that are necessary for long term success.

    Just look at how many people on this site talk about being "done" and when will they be "done" and when can they be normal...having this mindset means you've already lost the war. It illustrates the fact that most people simply don't know how to implement a true lifestyle change...because if they did they would understand that hitting some arbitrary number on the scale is simply the beginning. There is no "done"...health and fitness are life long endeavors.
  • Zedeff
    Zedeff Posts: 651 Member
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    This thread is entertaining. All of these posters saying "but I will be DIFFERENT" is crazy; all of the patients in the studies who regained weight thought they'd be different too.

    The facts are the facts, and your attitude cannot overcome your biology. However, I will continue to work hard because it's the only option. I'd rather work hard to be in the 5% and know that I earnestly tried than the alternative of letting my blubbery behind waddle through life in a panting, sweaty mess. Maybe I'll be that fat guy forever, maybe not, but trying affords me a 5% chance and not trying affords me 0%, so it's an easy choice.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    Zedeff wrote: »
    The facts are the facts, and your attitude cannot overcome your biology.
    In this instance, mine will. If "my biology" allows me to lose 100 pounds, it will sure as heck allow me to keep it off if I do the work.

  • DeWoSa
    DeWoSa Posts: 496 Member
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    Meh. I've kept 40 pounds off for 10 years. I used to eat way too much, now I only eat too much.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    This study simply illustrates the fact the people talk a good talk about "lifestyle" change...but most people never really implement such a change. Most diets, including calorie counting, focus namely on losing weight...they don't focus on forming healthful and sustainable habits. People just crash their diets...they exercise in a way that is unsustainable, etc because they're only focused on weight loss and what the scale is doing..they really aren't in the mindset of developing healthful habits that are necessary for long term success.

    Just look at how many people on this site talk about being "done" and when will they be "done" and when can they be normal...having this mindset means you've already lost the war. It illustrates the fact that most people simply don't know how to implement a true lifestyle change...because if they did they would understand that hitting some arbitrary number on the scale is simply the beginning. There is no "done"...health and fitness are life long endeavors.

    I think that covers it. I have 13 years of maintenance. What I've gained back was for medical reasons, and it's coming off pretty quickly now that I'm cleared to exercise again and have tightened up tracking. That said - I tracked for 13 years. I gained when I got sick and didn't give a *kitten* about tracking compared to other things I had to deal with. Never will I ever be "done." I'll be dead. I'd rather postpone that as long as possible, and if that means I have to actively pay attention to what I eat and what I do from day to day, fine by me.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    HappyCampr1 wrote: »
    Zedeff wrote: »
    The facts are the facts, and your attitude cannot overcome your biology.

    but trying affords me a 5% chance and not trying affords me 0%, so it's an easy choice.

    Wanting something badly enough cannot overcome the obstacles if you don't also have the tools and knowledge to help yourself. Determination can help you be in the 5% if you have the know-how and use the tools available to you.

    I have a feeling that more than 5% of MFP users have and/or will maintain their losses. No stats to back that up, but I really think the stats are so bad because of a lack of information, tools and support...all things we have right here.

    I tend to agree with this. I see, at least among forum posters, a great many people who don't/won't consider themselves done when it comes to maintenance. Weight control as an ongoing concern is key to successfully keeping any loss permanent, I would think. At least that's the approach I plan to take.

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