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So. What's the worst weight loss myth?

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  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    goldthistime wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    My vote is starvation mode. But there are so many good myths out there that are a hinderance to healthy weight loss that it might be fun to put them all in one place, argue about them and decide which is the worst of all.

    Since this IS the debate section, let me jump in with a different view on the discussion opener. IMO, if a poster is eating so little that they wonder if starvation mode is a factor in why the scales aren't moving, they mostly likely ARE eating too little to be healthy and shouldn't be advised to eat less.

    I'm in no way trying to argue that eating less will cause you to put on fat or muscle but when people stress their bodies by undereating and/or overexercising water retention/edema can follow.



    Or their tracking sucks. Ockham's Razor to the rescue.

    Do spelling mistakes count as myth's?????

    It's Occam's :)

    I agree it's most likely tracking, but how many times do we see a poster say they heard it from their PT? I think that is what annoys me the most. Paying someone to help with weight loss or training and they have no clue on what they are talking about. Not all of them, but we see it here too often.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    Nadine_A_Saad wrote: »
    rileysowner wrote: »
    Nadine_A_Saad wrote: »
    Skip dinner. I hate how people say if you skip a meal you will lose weight. You won't.

    You will if you are in a calorie deficit. If I skip meals it is the first meal of the day since I usually don't like eating in the morning. If a person simply skips a meal with no thought about overall calories, they usually make it up with other meals or snacks.

    That might be true if there are tracking. But if they aren't tracking and do it everyday, it actually slow down your metabolism which makes it harder to lose weight.

    No, it does not slow down a person's metabolism. That is a myth. One that just won't die it seems.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    goldthistime wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    My vote is starvation mode. But there are so many good myths out there that are a hinderance to healthy weight loss that it might be fun to put them all in one place, argue about them and decide which is the worst of all.

    Since this IS the debate section, let me jump in with a different view on the discussion opener. IMO, if a poster is eating so little that they wonder if starvation mode is a factor in why the scales aren't moving, they mostly likely ARE eating too little to be healthy and shouldn't be advised to eat less.

    I'm in no way trying to argue that eating less will cause you to put on fat or muscle but when people stress their bodies by undereating and/or overexercising water retention/edema can follow.



    Or their tracking sucks. Ockham's Razor to the rescue.

    Do spelling mistakes count as myth's?????

    It's Occam's :)

    I agree it's most likely tracking, but how many times do we see a poster say they heard it from their PT? I think that is what annoys me the most. Paying someone to help with weight loss or training and they have no clue on what they are talking about. Not all of them, but we see it here too often.

    Yet another myth, that just because someone is a PT that they know anything about nutrition and diet at all. They are trained to be trainers, not dietitians. Many specifically sign statements with the group they got certified with that they will not give nutrition/diet advice since they are not trained for it.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    markrgeary1 wrote: »
    The worst are any who cause older, feeble, or poor people to spend needed money on garbage they know won't work(all the the diet aids).

    The people who push anything like that should be on the bottom of the ocean with whale excrement.

    Spoken like someone with an elderly family member who is a sucker. Don't worry, we all have one or two. I just stopped trying to give advice to mine about ten years ago. One can only waste their breath but so many times.
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    markrgeary1 wrote: »
    The worst are any who cause older, feeble, or poor people to spend needed money on garbage they know won't work(all the the diet aids).

    The people who push anything like that should be on the bottom of the ocean with whale excrement.

    Spoken like someone with an elderly family member who is a sucker. Don't worry, we all have one or two. I just stopped trying to give advice to mine about ten years ago. One can only waste their breath but so many times.

    Nope, no suckers. Just a life long distaste for anyone who takes advantage of the people who can't help themselves.

    Don't get me started on financial advisors or annuity salespeople.
  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
    markrgeary1 wrote: »

    Nope, no suckers. Just a life long distaste for anyone who takes advantage of the people who can't help themselves.

    Don't get me started on financial advisors or annuity salespeople.

    I really wish people would realize financial advisors are only selling what they get kickbacks for. I know so many smart people who have bamboozled into stupid investements (yes, really dumb annuities)
  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
    Nadine_A_Saad wrote: »

    That might be true if there are tracking. But if they aren't tracking and do it everyday, it actually slow down your metabolism which makes it harder to lose weight.

    You need to read up on Intermittent Fasting.

    https://authoritynutrition.com/intermittent-fasting-metabolism/

    Short-Term Fasts Boost Metabolism by up to 14%

    Many people believe that skipping meals will cause your body to adapt by lowering its metabolic rate to save energy.

    It’s well established that very long periods without food can cause a drop in metabolism (28, 29).

    However, studies have shown that fasting for short periods can actually increase your metabolism, not slow it down (30, 31).

    One study in 11 healthy men found that a 3-day fast actually increased their metabolism by an impressive 14% (26).

    This increase is thought to be due to the rise in the hormone norepinephrine, which promotes fat burning.
  • JohnnyPenso
    JohnnyPenso Posts: 412 Member
    annaskiski wrote: »
    markrgeary1 wrote: »

    Nope, no suckers. Just a life long distaste for anyone who takes advantage of the people who can't help themselves.

    Don't get me started on financial advisors or annuity salespeople.

    I really wish people would realize financial advisors are only selling what they get kickbacks for. I know so many smart people who have bamboozled into stupid investements (yes, really dumb annuities)
    Funny story. I was in the insurance business for a couple of years right out of university. I sold 2 - $30,000 annuities to an older couple who were approaching retirement. The guaranteed lifetime payout was fixed and based on current interest rates which were about 14% at the time. A few years later when they started collecting, interest rates were half that and continued downward of course, for the most part. Sometimes annuities do work out...pure luck of course.
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    JohnnyPenso wrote: »
    annaskiski wrote: »
    markrgeary1 wrote: »

    Nope, no suckers. Just a life long distaste for anyone who takes advantage of the people who can't help themselves.

    Don't get me started on financial advisors or annuity salespeople.

    I really wish people would realize financial advisors are only selling what they get kickbacks for. I know so many smart people who have bamboozled into stupid investements (yes, really dumb annuities)
    Funny story. I was in the insurance business for a couple of years right out of university. I sold 2 - $30,000 annuities to an older couple who were approaching retirement. The guaranteed lifetime payout was fixed and based on current interest rates which were about 14% at the time. A few years later when they started collecting, interest rates were half that and continued downward of course, for the most part. Sometimes annuities do work out...pure luck of course.

    I think a lot of the financial investment houses just have a bad rap due to the last decade of things being tanked. Nevermind the 40+ years where all of the "safe" investments performed as well, or better than expected; every suit contains a shark just trying to prey on maw and paw's Social Security checks.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    markrgeary1 wrote: »
    The worst are any who cause older, feeble, or poor people to spend needed money on garbage they know won't work(all the the diet aids).

    The people who push anything like that should be on the bottom of the ocean with whale excrement.

    I would rank any that cause health problems as number 1 offenders. But I think that's fairly rare. Most of us could tolerate even a ridiculous detox without getting into trouble.

    Number 2 would be those that, as you say, cause people to spend money who can't afford to do so.

    Number 3, and I think this is where the vast majority of them fall, are diet myths that cause the process to seem so unnatural or difficult or complicated that they're unsustainable.

  • annaskiski
    annaskiski Posts: 1,212 Member
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »

    I think a lot of the financial investment houses just have a bad rap due to the last decade of things being tanked. Nevermind the 40+ years where all of the "safe" investments performed as well, or better than expected; every suit contains a shark just trying to prey on maw and paw's Social Security checks.

    Except that unmanaged index funds almost always outperform managed funds. When a fund manager manages to beat the index one quarter, they celebrate and advertise widely..
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    How did we go from weight loss myths to index funds? :huh:
  • Gallowmere1984
    Gallowmere1984 Posts: 6,626 Member
    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    How did we go from weight loss myths to index funds? :huh:

    They both often involve losing things due to missed details?
  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    How did we go from weight loss myths to index funds? :huh:

    They both often involve losing things due to missed details?

    Good point. Probably why I'll be poor to the end of my days... I don't trust anyone trying to sell me something (meaning I won't place my money in anyway that might make it more). Probably also the reason why I'll hopefully be slim one day... I don't trust anyone trying to sell me something...

    Which brings me to another myth: I'm paying a lot for it, ergo it will help me lose weight

    (that gem came from a coworker today. She's a bottomless pit for diet myths...)
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    annaskiski wrote: »
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »

    I think a lot of the financial investment houses just have a bad rap due to the last decade of things being tanked. Nevermind the 40+ years where all of the "safe" investments performed as well, or better than expected; every suit contains a shark just trying to prey on maw and paw's Social Security checks.

    Except that unmanaged index funds almost always outperform managed funds. When a fund manager manages to beat the index one quarter, they celebrate and advertise widely..

    There is definitely a lot of junk out there, and advisors as a whole are a mixed bag: some are great, some are shady, and some are plain ignorant. That's why it's so important to do the research and look for fund managers who consistently beat the benchmarks on 20- or 30-year rolling returns, rather than the managers who are bleating about extremely short-term returns. Basically it all comes down to knowing your investment fundamentals, being disciplined, and doing your due diligence.

    Almost exactly like following common sense, long-term weight/fitness control techniques instead of running from Cabbage Soup Diet to ACV Diet to whatever the woo of the day is.

  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    French_Peasant wrote: »
    Almost exactly like following common sense, long-term weight/fitness control techniques instead of running from Cabbage Soup Diet to ACV Diet to whatever the woo of the day is.
    Got asked the other day if I was eating cabbage soup. "Oh God now" I quickly replied to a religious person. Ooops.

    Anyway, it was an awesome wicked thai soup I had made.

  • ladyreva78
    ladyreva78 Posts: 4,080 Member
    French_Peasant wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    French_Peasant wrote: »
    Almost exactly like following common sense, long-term weight/fitness control techniques instead of running from Cabbage Soup Diet to ACV Diet to whatever the woo of the day is.
    Got asked the other day if I was eating cabbage soup. "Oh God now" I quickly replied to a religious person. Ooops.

    Anyway, it was an awesome wicked thai soup I had made.

    "Dear Lord in Heaven, preserve us" may have been more appropriate. Or "Satan, begone!"

    I spent the weekend arguing diet woo with my beloved brother and his wife. Coincidentally, I am also now the proud owner of a Himalayan pink salt lamp and an essential oil diffuser since it was our (very late) Christmas get-together. :) So now my air is cleansed of its (bad) positive ions and diffused with the disease-preventing power of Thieve's Oil. Yay!

    I'm getting a headache just thinking of the smells those must emit... :confounded:
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Wife has the diffuser. I kinda like it, but mostly because it adds some humidity to our dry air. I really should look into a humidifier for the winter months again.
  • allie2girlz
    allie2girlz Posts: 42 Member
    EAT LESS, MOVE MORE

    You cannot out work a bad diet, I repeat, no matter how much you exercise, it is 90% diet 10% exercise. Also, the less you eat and the more you exercise, your body is behind the scenes lowering your metabolism.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Why do people think there's some set percentage that always applies? It doesn't make sense. In fact, I would class all those "it's 80% this" or "90% diet!" as bad weight loss myths.

    If my eating is controlled and stable and I monitor it in a way that means I won't increase calories (doesn't have to be counting), then I most certainly can lose just by increasing exercise.

    Oh, and yes you lose by eating less, moving more, or (ideally) some combination of the two. That is not a myth.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    allie2girlz wrote: »
    EAT LESS, MOVE MORE

    You cannot out work a bad diet, I repeat, no matter how much you exercise, it is 90% diet 10% exercise. Also, the less you eat and the more you exercise, your body is behind the scenes lowering your metabolism.

    What do you mean by a "bad diet"?
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    ladyreva78 wrote: »
    French_Peasant wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    French_Peasant wrote: »
    Almost exactly like following common sense, long-term weight/fitness control techniques instead of running from Cabbage Soup Diet to ACV Diet to whatever the woo of the day is.
    Got asked the other day if I was eating cabbage soup. "Oh God now" I quickly replied to a religious person. Ooops.

    Anyway, it was an awesome wicked thai soup I had made.

    "Dear Lord in Heaven, preserve us" may have been more appropriate. Or "Satan, begone!"

    I spent the weekend arguing diet woo with my beloved brother and his wife. Coincidentally, I am also now the proud owner of a Himalayan pink salt lamp and an essential oil diffuser since it was our (very late) Christmas get-together. :) So now my air is cleansed of its (bad) positive ions and diffused with the disease-preventing power of Thieve's Oil. Yay!

    I'm getting a headache just thinking of the smells those must emit... :confounded:

    It actually smells pretty good! Like a nice winter tea. Thieve's is based on cloves, cinnamon, rosemary, eucalyptus and citrus, which have anti-microbial properties in the petri dish, but the theory seems a little dubious when steamed into the air. I wanted to put in the lavender ("sleepytime") oil but was settling in for an hour+ of 30 Day Shred so needed my smelly smells to be a little aggressive. :)

  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    goldthistime wrote: »
    Gallowmere1984 wrote: »
    goldthistime wrote: »
    Tacklewasher wrote: »
    My vote is starvation mode. But there are so many good myths out there that are a hinderance to healthy weight loss that it might be fun to put them all in one place, argue about them and decide which is the worst of all.

    Since this IS the debate section, let me jump in with a different view on the discussion opener. IMO, if a poster is eating so little that they wonder if starvation mode is a factor in why the scales aren't moving, they mostly likely ARE eating too little to be healthy and shouldn't be advised to eat less.

    I'm in no way trying to argue that eating less will cause you to put on fat or muscle but when people stress their bodies by undereating and/or overexercising water retention/edema can follow.



    Or their tracking sucks. Ockham's Razor to the rescue.

    Right. We can only guess which problem they are having. But if we're looking for the simpler solution, I'd say that if they feel like they're starving, they're probably undereating.

    As someone who has run both moderate cuts and vlcd hellcuts: nope. I didn't even know what real hunger was until three weeks of cutting at 700 kcals/day as a 177 lbs. male.

    Most overweight people have godawful hunger signaling.

    Yes. In addition, many equate "not full" as hungry.
  • tmoneyag99
    tmoneyag99 Posts: 480 Member
    subcounter wrote: »
    I really, really hate the one about how you need to eat every 3-4 hours. I remember carrying packs of chicken in my pocket back in college :smiley:

    I actually dumped a guy for this crap. I was really fit at the time and he was more worried about his diet than I was. Naturally I was young, but I didn't want someone so wound up in his diet he couldn't enjoy life.

    I might start doing this now though so I can get my lean protien macros up. :D
  • aelunyu
    aelunyu Posts: 486 Member
    I'm not sure if "starvation mode" is the correct phrasing of the condition. Even more, I'm reluctant to categorize the lack of weight loss due to moderate calorie restriction as starvation mode by which the metabolism naturally seeks energy equilibrium.

    As far as I understand, starvation mode is some kind of scape-goat term thrown around weight loss communities to validate the absence of weight loss in the presence of a supposed caloric deficit without understanding that the baseline metabolic requirements of a lighter and healthier body has decreased. This is not starvation mode, but an attempt to rationalize a stoppage in progress.

    True starvation mode as I've witnessed occurs in people with eating disorders, and (mostly) female bodybuilders and physique athletes trying to surpass a biological boundary in which the body decides that enough is enough and it refuses to relinquish more weight for the sake of preservation. To eat less than that critical level is to starve, and possibly suffer long term health risks. Many women stop having periods before they stop losing weight, and no amount of cardio or keto, or restriction will allow them to lose more. That phenomenon is VERY REAL, but only occurs if you're extremely low on bodyfat (<8-10% for females).

    I'm not sure when the general weight loss community of overweight individuals adopted the concept of starvation mode as a component of their own experiences but I assure you it has something to do with the desire to eat more.
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