Frustration when trying to help other dieters

youngandaspiringxo

Do you get frustrated with other dieters who are just looking for the easiest route to weight loss? I've lost 12 pounds since I started using mfp 6 weeks ago and I've had people ask me what my secret is. I tell them, eat healthy, eat at a deficit and try to work out some. It's that simple. No one wants that answer. They wanna listen to Becky who lost 30 pounds doing the 21 day fix or Rachel who lost 20 pounds doing the lemonade diet. It makes me so mad!

laurenceHarris

Hi that's the route I'm trying to go down too! How many "net calories" do you eat a day?

Afura

I got into a disagreement with a friend about CICO/eating at a deficit, and she's convinced it's partly that, but partly <insert whatever is trendy>. Right now it's low carb, which doesn't make sense to me with as much as she runs. I gave up and we wandered off into another topic instead.
People don't want the answer that takes time, they want the quick fix.

Espresso345

I hear you. I've only lost 10 pounds in the last 5 months - sometimes lasting weight loss just takes T I M E - but hey, my cholesterol and triglycerides are both down 30 points and fasting glucose is in the normal range. You can't SEE that, though, so it's not a DRAMATIC VISUAL change.

Even with all the good information out there - via WebMD, MFP and other sites - people don't want to hear things like, "Even if you only lose half a pound a week, that's 26 pounds in a year."

youngandaspiringxo

laurenceHarris wrote: »

Hi that's the route I'm trying to go down too! How many "net calories" do you eat a day?

I'm eating max 1200 a day. That's because I work a desk job so I don't get to move around much all day. I also don't get to exercise as much as I'd like having a baby at home. I have a fitbit that I sync with mfp and it shows I typically burn between about 2000-2300 calories per day. And I never eat back my exercise calories. Doing this I've been so far consistently losing 2 pounds per week.

SecretWeaponKevin

It is frustrating, especially after having switched your brain to look at food as fuel. So many people complain about how easy it is for people to lose weight while they just can't seem to do it...as they stuff french fries and a large coke into their mouth.

jsecret

I lost a ton of weight before my 2nd child. When people asked how I said I count calories and make sure I'm eating under a certain amount, they replied they didn't want to do that. So I then offered up that they could exercise more to burn the excess calories instead of cutting back eating, they didn't want to do that either. They then stare blankly waiting for my next suggestions... there is no other way, sorry.

youngandaspiringxo

Afura wrote: »

I got into a disagreement with a friend about CICO/eating at a deficit, and she's convinced it's partly that, but partly <insert whatever is trendy>. Right now it's low carb, which doesn't make sense to me with as much as she runs. I gave up and we wandered off into another topic instead.
People don't want the answer that takes time, they want the quick fix.

Im part of this thread on Facebook right now that started with a girl asking about the best diet that actually works. One chick suggested injecting yourself with a hormone to lose weight! Like come on are you that lazy? Unless you have a medical condition hindering your weight loss there's absolutely no reason you need to go to extreme measures like that.

Cortneyrenee04

jsecret wrote: »

I lost a ton of weight before my 2nd child. When people asked how I said I count calories and make sure I'm eating under a certain amount, they replied they didn't want to do that. So I then offered up that they could exercise more to burn the excess calories instead of cutting back eating, they didn't want to do that either. They then stare blankly waiting for my next suggestions... there is no other way, sorry.

Some people don't WANT to lose weight, they WISH to lose weight... sigh!!

EliseTK1

Espresso345 wrote: »

I hear you. I've only lost 10 pounds in the last 5 months - sometimes lasting weight loss just takes T I M E - but hey, my cholesterol and triglycerides are both down 30 points and fasting glucose is in the normal range. You can't SEE that, though, so it's not a DRAMATIC VISUAL change.

Even with all the good information out there - via WebMD, MFP and other sites - people don't want to hear things like, "Even if you only lose half a pound a week, that's 26 pounds in a year."

Congrats on your improvements!! That's huge. It's also more likely to be permanent if it's slow, so kudos!

You are all absolutely right. People want a quick fix and then get angry when it doesn't work or when the weight comes back with a vengeance. I often try to stress this to my patients. Some of them listen. Sometimes.

One patient keeps asking me about various vitamins/supplements she can take, but she eats chips and candy like it's going out of style.

youngandaspiringxo

Well according to an acquaintance of mine, all you have to do is take an itworks fat fighter pill that will prevent your body from absorbing all that bad fats and carbs, and you can eat whatever you want! Lolllll okay have fun wasting your money on that.

Ohwhynot

Cortneyrenee04 wrote: »

Some people don't WANT to lose weight, they WISH to lose weight... sigh!!

Boom. That's brilliant.

littleli0ngrl

I agree with you, so many people want a short-cut to weight loss and would rather do ANYTHING instead of eating better/less and/or exercising. These people also generally prioritise how their body will look rather than their health and it's a shame. Especially when their attempts to lose weight through different methods/denial will end up taking longer/never give them the results than if they just accepted that it takes time and a bit of effort! I think a lot of it comes down to the fact that sometimes the most difficult part is the mental aspect when it comes to losing weight.

itsthehumidity

I get very frustrated, but what I realized is that very few people actually want help. That sounds weird, but they really don't, even when they ask for advice or suggestions. What they really want is confirmation that the process of weight loss must involve excruciating temporary events, because the idea of changing themselves permanently is scary. They want to feel like they can continue their current habits for the rest of their lives knowing that they can lose weight any time with a quick fix.

That kind of makes sense. It would be nice if it worked that way, right? I wish I could eat thousands of surplus calories a day, demolishing entire pizzas and cakes, and then reverse all the damage with a week of lemonade. I'd totally do that. But I know it doesn't work that way, and I've never met anybody who has had success with that kind of method.

I came to the conclusion that I have to let people fail.

JenPass1977

My work colleague who is sitting opposite me now has been doing a shake only diet since January 1st and has only lost 7 lbs! She keeps falling off the wagon because she is bored with only drinking shakes. She won't, however, give up the very expensive shakes and start eating healthier because she is lazy and doesn't want to cook. So frustrating!!

Jruzer

NewMeSM75

youngandaspiringxo wrote: »

Well according to an acquaintance of mine, all you have to do is take an itworks fat fighter pill that will prevent your body from absorbing all that bad fats and carbs, and you can eat whatever you want! Lolllll okay have fun wasting your money on that.

Yes and enjoy their uncontrolled watery stools. That sounds like so much fun! Not! Lmbo!!

Afura

youngandaspiringxo wrote: »

Afura wrote: »

I got into a disagreement with a friend about CICO/eating at a deficit, and she's convinced it's partly that, but partly <insert whatever is trendy>. Right now it's low carb, which doesn't make sense to me with as much as she runs. I gave up and we wandered off into another topic instead.
People don't want the answer that takes time, they want the quick fix.

Im part of this thread on Facebook right now that started with a girl asking about the best diet that actually works. One chick suggested injecting yourself with a hormone to lose weight! Like come on are you that lazy? Unless you have a medical condition hindering your weight loss there's absolutely no reason you need to go to extreme measures like that.

There's a reason why the dieting industry does so well. Get thin quick, shed those pounds, super foods that will drop inches. And some things really DO help. For like a week, until you stop it. I'd ask them how sustainable those things are that they're doing. "If you inject yourself with hormones, how will that help you keep the weight off? How often will you have to do these injections to continually help? Does it help you adjust to better eating habits and portioning so the pounds stay off?" That's why so many see weight loss surgery NOT work, because they're not given/haven't learned the tools to help going forward. They only see the quick way.
The sad part is, is that sometimes there ARE medical reasons these things should be done, but people just throwing out advice like that? Ugh.

tiffanylacourse

youngandaspiringxo wrote: »

Well according to an acquaintance of mine, all you have to do is take an <insert brand name here> fat fighter pill that will prevent your body from absorbing all that bad fats and carbs, and you can eat whatever you want! Lolllll okay have fun wasting your money on that.

Hahahahahhahahahahaha

Suuuuuuuureeeeeeee. If it were really that easy, everyone would be thin/fit/in shape and SAID company (or companies) would go out of business.

HamsterManV2

Some people just want a magic bullet / that one special trick that makes trainers hate him! / easy way out. What they don't realize is that the longer it takes to change, the more permanent said change will be. The discipline learned from proper long term healthy eating will stay with you, hopefully for the rest of your life.

Lucy1752

The one that irks me is the Shakeology thing. A friend of a mutual friend goes on and on about how wonderful it is (yes, she sells the program) and how she has never looked or felt better, etc...what she fails to mention to people is that she devotes hours upon hours every single day to exercising. She has 4 kids and does this as a job so it is in her best interest to look good as their rep, which means workout at every possible moment and document everything on social media with her mugging with a shake.
When I mention to the mutual friend that CICO is working just fine without the expense, she regurgitates this marketing nonsense about nutrition and proteins and not wasting time tracking calories when she can drink this nutritious and delicious shake and then eat a sensible dinner.
I usually just avoid the topic altogether now.