The 6 Weight-Loss Tips That Science Actually Knows Work

Soopatt

Great article, there are some things in there that I want probe further for my own interest. If it is harder for life if you were overweight, how overweight do you have to have been for that effect to kick in? a little? a lot? (and what is a little and what is a lot 10%? 20%?) I got a little (in my book) overweight before I dealt with it - does this apply to me? How much harder? Why?

I know they couldn't deep dive in an article like this, but I always read something like this and leave with more questions than answers.

TimothyFish

ManiacalLaugh wrote: »

Interesting - though if the findings from the NASA sleep study are true, it's also a little depressing. (Basically, those who have let themselves go waaaay too far are always going to have to work harder than their counterparts to maintain a healthy weight.)

Could be, but it could also be that the reason people have let themselves go too far is because they already have to work harder than their counterparts to maintain a healthy weight. The opposite side of that is that a person who has to work harder to maintain a healthy weight burns calories more efficiently. If we were more concerned about our food bill or where our next meal is coming from than we are about being able to eat as much as we want, not having to eat as much to maintain a healthy weight would be a very good thing.

Annie_01

TimothyFish wrote: »

ManiacalLaugh wrote: »

Interesting - though if the findings from the NASA sleep study are true, it's also a little depressing. (Basically, those who have let themselves go waaaay too far are always going to have to work harder than their counterparts to maintain a healthy weight.)

Could be, but it could also be that the reason people have let themselves go too far is because they already have to work harder than their counterparts to maintain a healthy weight. The opposite side of that is that a person who has to work harder to maintain a healthy weight burns calories more efficiently. If we were more concerned about our food bill or where our next meal is coming from than we are about being able to eat as much as we want, not having to eat as much to maintain a healthy weight would be a very good thing.

It's early...I have only had one cup of coffee...but after reading the above bolded statement a few times I still can't figure out what you mean by that.

If it is harder for a once overweight person to maintain...how could they be burning calories more efficiently? My head keeps telling me that the opposite is true.

stevencloser

Annie_01 wrote: »

TimothyFish wrote: »

ManiacalLaugh wrote: »

Interesting - though if the findings from the NASA sleep study are true, it's also a little depressing. (Basically, those who have let themselves go waaaay too far are always going to have to work harder than their counterparts to maintain a healthy weight.)

Could be, but it could also be that the reason people have let themselves go too far is because they already have to work harder than their counterparts to maintain a healthy weight. The opposite side of that is that a person who has to work harder to maintain a healthy weight burns calories more efficiently. If we were more concerned about our food bill or where our next meal is coming from than we are about being able to eat as much as we want, not having to eat as much to maintain a healthy weight would be a very good thing.

It's early...I have only had one cup of coffee...but after reading the above bolded statement a few times I still can't figure out what you mean by that.

If it is harder for a once overweight person to maintain...how could they be burning calories more efficiently? My head keeps telling me that the opposite is true.

It needs less energy for the same task. Like fuel efficiency in a car.

crazyjerseygirl

Wow, that's...accurate, and surprising!
Forbes? Really? Who knew they had a good science writer?

tumbledownhouse

haha the post above is what I bet people expected when they clicked my OP!

peleroja

I'm legitimately shocked that most of this jives with what I think I know. Not bad!