Heard a statistic that basically nobody can truly lose weight, is it BS?

SCoil123

I can only speak from my own experience. I lost 80-90lb and kept it off for 3 years. When I started to gain some back (30lb) I took measures to get back on track. I did not gain it all back plus some despite my setbacks.

I have some health issues that can affect weight maintenance. That hasn't stopped me though. I'm down 20lb of the 30 I had gained back and even stronger than I was before at this weight because I changed my workouts.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

SeikoMonster

You have to be very careful of the advice you listen to and follow.

As far as the statistics, yes it is a very low number that keep the weight off. BUT ONLY OF PEOPLE WHO CRASH DIET. Make your new diet a lifestyle change, not a short term "OMG I HAVE TO LOOSE 40 POUNDS NEXT WEEK".

Start eating right, within a calorie loss range that fits realistic objectives. Once you have reached the goal, slowly add back calories per day till you find the true number you need to maintain.

Your friend is a jerk for discouraging you. Find better more positive people to be around.

crazyycatlady1

SeikoMonster wrote: »

You have to be very careful of the advice you listen to and follow.

As far as the statistics, yes it is a very low number that keep the weight off. BUT ONLY OF PEOPLE WHO CRASH DIET. Make your new diet a lifestyle change, not a short term "OMG I HAVE TO LOOSE 40 POUNDS NEXT WEEK".

Start eating right, within a calorie loss range that fits realistic objectives. Once you have reached the goal, slowly add back calories per day till you find the true number you need to maintain.

Your friend is a jerk for discouraging you. Find better more positive people to be around.

Actually the statistics are pretty grim, regardless of what plan/method is followed (from what I've been able to find at least).

z4oslo

Trestjerner wrote: »

An overweight and very negative friend told me today that, I shouldn't bother trying to lose weight because only 3% manage to keep the weight of and the rest will gain it all back and then some. That statistic sounded...less then credible to me, but she couldn't give me any evidence for it except to point me towards a fat acceptance blog.

My question; Is the statistic as BS as it sounds like? Where does it come from and how can I debunk it for her?

So what you should do, is to do a research of what those 3% did to succeed.
You will find that they have all one thing in common: Lifestyle change.

Scary as it may sound, that is the success factor you are looking for.

Bob314159

90.267 % of the new people here indicate they are going to fail.

e.g I need to lose 15lbs by the end of the month for a wedding.

I've been drinking ACV and green tea for week and gained 8lbs- why?

Zoltansbeard

TimothyFish wrote: »

Zoltansbeard wrote: »

I think this boils down to the people who are "just" dieting temorarilly and those who make a livelong lasting lifestyle change.

If you are really 10000% serious about changing your Lifestyle you succeed.. guaranteed.
The problem is.. we often just think we are really serious about this when deep down we arent..

How many here including myself have thought "Now it has clicked. Now i have made the Mental Change needed" .. and whoops.. a few weeks or months later back to the same bad habbits..

You will just feel it when it REALLY has clicked.

10000%? What if I'm only 100% serious?

If 100% means you truly mean it and are fully commited then any Percentage Number is fine.

I exegerated because i wanted to make a Point. At least i thought so many times "This time i mean it" but in hindsight as Serious as i thought i was at that point i really wasnt.. something held me back unconsciously.

stevencloser

crazyycatlady1 wrote: »

SeikoMonster wrote: »

You have to be very careful of the advice you listen to and follow.

As far as the statistics, yes it is a very low number that keep the weight off. BUT ONLY OF PEOPLE WHO CRASH DIET. Make your new diet a lifestyle change, not a short term "OMG I HAVE TO LOOSE 40 POUNDS NEXT WEEK".

Start eating right, within a calorie loss range that fits realistic objectives. Once you have reached the goal, slowly add back calories per day till you find the true number you need to maintain.

Your friend is a jerk for discouraging you. Find better more positive people to be around.

Actually the statistics are pretty grim, regardless of what plan/method is followed (from what I've been able to find at least).

From what I remember, those statistics didn't even check whether the people actually tried to lose weight.

malioumba

Liftng4Lis wrote: »

You can debunk her, by proving her wrong.

She wouldn't be 'debunking' her. She would just be making herself part of the 3%.

Barbs2222

Your friend is a negative person. Don't listen. It's like people telling you shouldn't bother doing anything you want because nobody makes it. It's sad really. Don't try to be a singer song writer, only 1%? of the population makes it. Or don't try to get into the school you want, they won't except you. It's the kind of person that even makes small dreams seem like they are unobtainable (I'm married to one of these people). Why bother trying to grow tomatoes they will die anyway. Negative people are in our life for a reason I've heard. All I ever say to them is," I'm having fun and you're raining on my parade. Go away from me." Then I put in my ear buds.

crazyycatlady1

This is an interesting read-

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/222S.long

Theo166

crazyycatlady1 wrote: »

This is an interesting read-

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/82/1/222S.long

That is a interesting read.

Such a complicated subject. While losing 10% is significant, my journey requires losing >30% to get into a healthy BMI range. Losing 10% still had me at obese.

I wonder if weight-loss sticks better if one makes it down to their healthy range rather than just 'less obese'

DietPrada

The bottom line is that yes, most people who "go on a diet" and lose weight at some point or other go "off the diet" and gain it all back and then some. The whole concept of "going on a diet" is pretty much setting you up to fail. It indicates an end date. A point in time in the future where you can "return to normal". Normal being what you were doing before you "went on a diet".

The only way you can lose weight, and keep it off, for the rest of your life is to actually change they way you eat FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Pretty scary, huh? Most people can't do it. Hence the 3% statistic.

For me, I know for a fact I can gain weight at the rate of 1kg a week. I went off plan for 3 months after surgery and gained 14kg. I can only lose 0.5kg a MONTH. Pretty unfair IMO. But I have lost 38kg over the last 4 years. And I will keep it off because this is the way I eat now. My normal. There is no going back to the way things were before.

fitmom4lifemfp

Trestjerner wrote: »

An overweight and very negative friend told me today that, I shouldn't bother trying to lose weight because only 3% manage to keep the weight of and the rest will gain it all back and then some. That statistic sounded...less then credible to me, but she couldn't give me any evidence for it except to point me towards a fat acceptance blog.

My question; Is the statistic as BS as it sounds like? Where does it come from and how can I debunk it for her?

I lost 60 pounds 12 years ago. Gained 10-15 the last 2 years, but taking that off now.

Fat acceptance is for those that can't and won't. I am neither. What are you?

MaddMaestro

She sounds like a HAES supporter. Don't listen to her lol.

It's called effort.

Anybody can lose the weight and keep it off. Your friend sounds like she didn't even try.

Golbat

I can't imagine why anyone would say that to you. Although fear of that kind of negativity is one reason why I don't really discuss my weight loss with people. People tell me they've noticed I've lost weight, but I don't bring it up.

inertiastrength

With all the people you see on mfp doing cleanses, detoxes, 17 day diets and low carb gimmicky fads it's no surprise. That doesn't exclude YOU from actually learning how to take weight off and maintain your weight loss by respecting your energy balance. Don't be a quick fix fool and there is absolutely no reason to pay mind to that stat.