Discouraged by weight loss study
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Hey, I've un-fatted myself and then maintained for 30 years (and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed). It's just grade-school math and a little self-control; nothing to it.
Articles like are irrelevant to _your_ life, so just focus on what you need to do and get it done. People on here will help you with the particulars.0 -
I saw a statement in a fitness mag that said that "it is a process, not a project." It should be a lifestyle not a "diet" with a start and end date. The changes you make need to last a life time--not till you've lost the lbs you want to lose then go back to your old eating habits. That does not mean you give up things you like; just have them every once in a while (and control the portion size). Also, if you mess up, get back on the wagon instead of thinking "I blew my diet so may as well quit;" that is where most people miss the boat. So what if you ate more chocolate pie (ice cream, or whatever) then you should have; just dust yourself off and keep going.
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It doesn't matter what any study says. It doesn't matter how many people fail. It doesn't matter how many people on MFP succeed or how many come back here over and over again.
What matters is what you want and how motivated you are to get there. There's no magic pill, no special fad diet, no "eat this to boost your metabolism" and no one to tell you that you can't be who you want to be.0 -
Thanks to main stream media, the hopes of many have been destroyed. Main stream media takes delight in spreading fear, uncertainty, and doubt. That is how they make money. You won't hear them reporting on the many success stories here on MFP. I believe hope remains for those folks who WANT to make a positive difference in their health and lifestyle.0
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Here's two more statistics for you:
100% of people who eat under their TDEE lose weight.
100% of people who eat at their TDEE maintain their weight.
I find these far more useful and relevant.0 -
It has taken me four years to finally get into maintenance. I kept exercising even during diet breaks. I always take off Christmas season0
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You would do much better by reading studies of the people who have been successful. Here is a good source (The National Weight Control Registry): http://www.nwcr.ws/ Emulate the habits of those who have been successful and you will also be successful. Some of those habits:
- 78% eat breakfast every day.
- 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
- 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
- 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
Obviously, everyone is different but if it has worked for a large number of people, why not try it?0 -
LiftAllThePizzas wrote: »100% of people who eat under their TDEE lose weight.
100% of people who eat at their TDEE maintain their weight.- 78% eat breakfast every day.
- 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
- 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
- 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.
YES, boom, there you go. Fantastic.
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Lost a lot of weight years and years ago.
Maintained it for a bit more than 20 years and gained after becoming injured...so sedentary and keep eating the same as when i was very active.
Now almost lost everything again and i dont have a hard time at all. Also when i shift to maintenance i dont have to change anything but eating a bit more, because i just lose weight by eating less now as what i did before. So no pills/fad diets/low carb/keto etc etc. I just eat less and lost 101 pounds in 8.5 months.
So it is possible for sure, but you have to want it and put work for it. And indeed studies also show what @earlnabby says.0 -
Diets fail. Because people "go on" diets and then "come off" them when the weight is gone. They go back to the eating habits that caused them to gain weight in the first place and then wonder why they can't stay slim.
It's a lifestyle change. When you grasp that concept you will win.0 -
I will say, if simply reading a study makes you give up, you will probably struggle. I mean geeze, in the real world most things (and people) will work against you. Do you just give up on life? No, you actively decide to make changes for the better, and you DO IT.0
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Don't let it discourage you; the article didn't do a good job, IMO, of explaining WHY people don't keep off the weight. It's because so many think, "oh, I'm thin now, I can eat what I want". No, you can never again just "eat what you want". You will always have to keep on top of your eating habits. You won't have to DIET, but you will have to keep on a program of MAINTENANCE. Let's say you want to weigh 100 pounds (just to make math easy). If you stay moderately active, take walks after dinner, etc., you will need to eat no more than 1500 calories per day to maintain that weight. (Or exercise more if you go over, for example). If you are good about using myfitness pal, logging your meals, and sticking to a maintenance regimen...and if you are one of the people who realizes that the ONLY way to lose AND keep the weight off is to watch calories and exercise - you will keep it off. It's a lifestyle change, but one that is NOT out of the realm of possibility for most people. Frankly, I'm addicted to myfitness pal. And I am determined to be one of the ones who keeps the weight off. Good luck. I say you can do it!0
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I think instead of googling 'impossible weight loss', I'd rather google 'weight loss maintenance strategies'. Sometimes it's all in how you see things.
I see this as a lifestyle change not a diet.0 -
That study can only speak to the effectiveness of the behaviours of participants they tracked, and there's no indication of what those behaviours were. Odds are, at least some of them went on diets that were popular at the time data was tracked, or referred to popular knowledge about diet and weight loss within that time period - which is between 2004 and 2014.
I think conditions are slightly different today than they were in the earlier part of the study, certainly. For one thing, apps like MFP make it much, much easier to track calories than was the case in 2004. Like I can't believe how easy it is now. (I would be really interested to see research on the long-term use and impact of apps like this). Anyway, this is the kind of variable that was not addressed in the study.
Although fads still exist, obviously, and it's true that people will look for the kinds of things they want to see (so if they search for a soup diet or whatever, they'll find it), I imagine it is now slightly easier than it was in 2004 to find helpful and accurate information - or at least, people who know how to read the web somewhat critically may find it easier than they would have then to locate good information, because most sensible health/fitness info/articles tend to agree on the main points. (I admit this is probably not everyone, though.) But MFP, for example, comes up pretty regularly in popular articles about weight loss, and broader searches, as well. And there is loads of good info here.
And there is room for many more changes to the conditions people encounter - the public dialogue about weight loss is a factor; policy changes, preventative programs, delivery of particular services can make a difference, - I'm hopeful we go in directions that can support people's long-term success.
ANYWAY the point is I think we are in uncharted territory (research wise), with e.g. MFP. You can find or be pointed to everything you need to know to be successful. And, you're here! So it's up to you to see what you can do.0 -
Wow ! Nothing like looking to give yourself an excuse to give up before you even try. If you believe that it can't be done, it wont get done. One commonality among all that have succeeded, or are succeeding is that they believe that it is possible & they don't give up trying. I suggest that you not believe everything that you read, or hear & try to develop a more positive "can-do" attitude. The negative "I can't do this" stuff you can keep to yourself...
I for one can do his !0 -
Exactaly what happened to me in the past when I losted weight... and was a newbie to it .. I did not know of such thing as maintain .. i not know about TEE's and deficits either at the time .. only thing i knew was to eat less to lose weight .. i did'nt count calories to lose it.. after that i went back to eating normally as in mounds of food . i did'nt know i'd gain back the weight after losing it. I was losted and confused. i thought once it was gone it was gone .. silly me = P i was.. and all the weight i had losted pilled back on with 3 monthsDave_GettingFit wrote: »Diets fail. Because people "go on" diets and then "come off" them when the weight is gone. They go back to the eating habits that caused them to gain weight in the first place and then wonder why they can't stay slim.
It's a lifestyle change. When you grasp that concept you will win.
then I started to do lots of research on why that had happened and took it from there to fix that problem...
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Those studies just annoy me... I'm sick of people telling me I'll never make it. It's my life and my choices and I'll make it if I want to. I don't know what those studies are trying to prove anyway? Do they want to make people so hopeless that they'll just continue to over-consume food that they don't need?
I think that these studies can be used as a learning tool. Too many people think if they lose the weight that is the end of if...they can eat "normally" at that point.
The success rate for keeping the weight off is low...that is a given. People need to learn that there is a next step to this process...keeping it off.
Personally...these type of reports have motivated me to think ahead...what happens next. It has also motivated me to start planning that next step...putting plans in to action even before I get there.
If you research you will find what steps those successful people have taken. You can use what they have done to start readying yourself for that stage of weight maintenance.
I don't want someone to tell me it is a piece of cake to maintain my weight loss. I would rather know up front that it is and always will be a balancing act.
But that is just me...I want ALL the information now...good or bad...that will help me succeed in the future.
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For those that actually read my post instead of commenting on the topic alone, thanks for the replies. I didn't post the link because I'm new here and wasn't sure if linking stuff was allowed (frequently isn't on most forums).blankiefinder wrote: »I think instead of googling 'impossible weight loss', I'd rather google 'weight loss maintenance strategies'. Sometimes it's all in how you see things.
I see this as a lifestyle change not a diet.
Uh...I only suggested googling that because that's how you'd find the article in question without the link......but anyways....I'm still gonna try to lose weight, even though I'm now "scientifically proven" to fail lol.. you gotta wonder what they got out of publishing those results..it's almost as if they are just dying to say "your fat...and will remain fat forever..just accept it" but they can't because they have to be politically correct about it.
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For those that actually read my post instead of commenting on the topic alone, thanks for the replies. I didn't post the link because I'm new here and wasn't sure if linking stuff was allowed (frequently isn't on most forums).blankiefinder wrote: »I think instead of googling 'impossible weight loss', I'd rather google 'weight loss maintenance strategies'. Sometimes it's all in how you see things.
I see this as a lifestyle change not a diet.
Uh...I only suggested googling that because that's how you'd find the article in question without the link......but anyways....I'm still gonna try to lose weight, even though I'm now "scientifically proven" to fail lol.. you gotta wonder what they got out of publishing those results..it's almost as if they are just dying to say "your fat...and will remain fat forever..just accept it" but they can't because they have to be politically correct about it.
My point is that I wouldn't even read an article telling me it's impossible to maintain. And by putting that thought out there, you will discourage people from even trying, just like the smokers who say that quitting is too hard or impossible, therefore they won't try. Who knows what you can do, until you try. Is your glass half empty, or half full?0 -
Generalizing a sample size that small is not generalizable to the larger population. Questions to ask yourself when you read a study summary conclusion. Sample size large (several hundred to thousand)? Representative of diversity in ethnicity, gender, age, educational preparation (does factor in), diversity of location (was it only in one city?) Diversity of occupations and income? Is the study reproducible (i.e. did they repeat the study and get same result)? Was everybody doing the same thing to lose weight or were there a variety of plans? Everyone is an individual. There are confounding variables in every study (things out of our control or unknown influencing factors) and if we draw conclusions on one study we are doing ourselves a great disservice. In short, bunk.0
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radicalchanges wrote: »Generalizing a sample size that small is not generalizable to the larger population. Questions to ask yourself when you read a study summary conclusion. Sample size large (several hundred to thousand)? Representative of diversity in ethnicity, gender, age, educational preparation (does factor in), diversity of location (was it only in one city?) Diversity of occupations and income? Is the study reproducible (i.e. did they repeat the study and get same result)? Was everybody doing the same thing to lose weight or were there a variety of plans? Everyone is an individual. There are confounding variables in every study (things out of our control or unknown influencing factors) and if we draw conclusions on one study we are doing ourselves a great disservice. In short, bunk.
I think because of the sample size and data source that it's representative enough of a population of dieters and non-dieters in Britain between 2004 and 2014. But that still doesn't say anything about the effectiveness of any particular approach and it's limited to time- and place-specific conditions (eg culture, services, available tools)0 -
For those that actually read my post instead of commenting on the topic alone, thanks for the replies. I didn't post the link because I'm new here and wasn't sure if linking stuff was allowed (frequently isn't on most forums).blankiefinder wrote: »I think instead of googling 'impossible weight loss', I'd rather google 'weight loss maintenance strategies'. Sometimes it's all in how you see things.
I see this as a lifestyle change not a diet.
Uh...I only suggested googling that because that's how you'd find the article in question without the link......but anyways....I'm still gonna try to lose weight, even though I'm now "scientifically proven" to fail lol.. you gotta wonder what they got out of publishing those results..it's almost as if they are just dying to say "your fat...and will remain fat forever..just accept it" but they can't because they have to be politically correct about it.
Believing its impossible before you have even tried or learned how to do it correctly will only undermine your efforts in reaching your goal. Your analysis of the article is not what it actually says.it's almost as if they are just dying to say "your fat...and will remain fat forever..just accept it" but they can't because they have to be politically correct about it.
Nope thats you putting a spin on it that isnt really accurate and is unhelpful to you.
Losing weight is straightforward.
You can increase your chances by learning how to form an accurate deficit, be consistent and develop a good mindset that will give you self belief and determination not a fatalistic outlook that fails you before you begin.
Its not impossible to lose weight and maintain. these boards have many people who have done just that.
It only needs to happen to you and that will give you a 100% success rate.
Whether that happens is 100% within your control.
If you are reading it then you can cut and paste the url of the article you are reading, which is in the address bar. That bit aside you should work on your mindset and approach if you want to improve your chances of losing.0 -
Don't worry - it was a study of people who didn't use MFP to lose weight. The results could have been so different0
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I hate this thread. Stop believing what the media tells you. Look at the success stories on these forums. You can be discouraged by what the stupid media says or you can go after what you want for yourself.0
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Came here to post what williamwj2014 said but it's worth re-iterating. That was timely. He's got this nailed.
Ignore the media. Best thing you can do.
Media is funny/ridiculous and unfortunately it get's people off track.
One little piece of text that helped me understand was a book by Chris Aceto I picked up years ago. It's on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Need-Know-About-Loss/dp/0966916867
It teaches you how to eat. It's not just about losing fat. It teaches one what happens when you eat what you do. Myfitnesspal is great but what I do not agree with are the carb recommendations. @180, recommends 400. No. Run fine with 150-200. Offset calorie requirements with adequate quality protein and fats. The "low fat" trend has made folks fatter than ever. That's the carb/sugar thing.
On supplements, don't get suckered into it. A WPI as a meal replacement is good with resistance training but solid diet is key. Fat burners are bs. Supplement industry preys on those that don't know. Drink a cup of coffee before workout. Eat clean, keep moving and be proud of it. Payoff is huge.
Don't buy that genetic rebound crap. It's a myth. Personal decision to change it what it comes down to. Heck, got fat as fvck in my 30s making $$ and partying. I think 260 was it but carry weight well with my frame. 40's happen and realized I can't do it anymore. I'm shooting for 90 before I fall off this place.
Good luck to you OP.0 -
Actually, I lied. I am not in that study. I am in the National Weight Loss Registry. If you qualify, you should join too.
http://www.nwcr.ws/0 -
The reason why they fail: they used a diet program to lose weight. They didn't ADAPT to a HABITUAL change of reduced calorie intake over a LIFETIME. Math still applies. CICO is still the reason for weight gain/loss/maintenance and most people who go on a crash or fad diet AREN'T willing to quit their desired eating lifestyle before the program. Same thing happens at bootcamps for the US services year in and out.
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
YEP!0 -
"Research has shown that ≈20% of overweight individuals are successful at long-term weight loss when defined as losing at least 10% of initial body weight and maintaining the loss for at least 1 y. The National Weight Control Registry provides information about the strategies used by successful weight loss maintainers to achieve and maintain long-term weight loss. National Weight Control Registry members have lost an average of 33 kg and maintained the loss for more than 5 y. To maintain their weight loss, members report engaging in high levels of physical activity (≈1 h/d), eating a low-calorie, low-fat diet, eating breakfast regularly, self-monitoring weight, and maintaining a consistent eating pattern across weekdays and weekends. Moreover, weight loss maintenance may get easier over time; after individuals have successfully maintained their weight loss for 2–5 y, the chance of longer-term success greatly increases."
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/222S.long0
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