Bad advice?
Replies
-
Most ridiculous: iridology & “alternative nutrition”
Most irritating: “walking doesn’t count as exercises” - this was said by my SO and I came back with like 5 million articles and I’m still mad about it lmao.7 -
-
I overhear in my office people being given bad advice when starting their fitness journeys.
For example, someone was told to lose weight she had to cut out carbs. There was no medical reason for it. Just cut out carbs and the weight will all fall off
What's the worst advice you've received? Or heard about?
That definitely is bad advice if they don't know the reason behind it!
It sounds crazy but counting calories and carb grams actually can make weight loss easier. When we eat carbs, if they are not used up immediately by exercise, we store them as fat. Not to mention, carbs need extra water to be absorbed properly. So when you cut them out, you not only lose fat, but also water weight. (The Ketogenic Diet makes use of this theory)
However, if you're doing regular exercise, carbs are still good because your body will burn them up for fuel and not store them as fat
Not to mention, going really low-carb is hard, because carbs are in almost everything!!
33 -
CrazyPixie1234 wrote: »I overhear in my office people being given bad advice when starting their fitness journeys.
For example, someone was told to lose weight she had to cut out carbs. There was no medical reason for it. Just cut out carbs and the weight will all fall off
What's the worst advice you've received? Or heard about?
That definitely is bad advice if they don't know the reason behind it!
It sounds crazy but counting calories and carb grams actually can make weight loss easier. When we eat carbs, if they are not used up immediately by exercise, we store them as fat. Not to mention, carbs need extra water to be absorbed properly. So when you cut them out, you not only lose fat, but also water weight. (The Ketogenic Diet makes use of this theory)
However, if you're doing regular exercise, carbs are still good because your body will burn them up for fuel and not store them as fat
Not to mention, going really low-carb is hard, because carbs are in almost everything!!
You only store carbs as fat if you are eating more calories than you are burning. Carbs don't magically store as fat if you are in a calorie deficit.
And yes, cutting carbs can make you lose water weight quickly. That's not the same as losing fat.15 -
"Counting calories is too hard! Just (insert equally hard and probably useless thing) instead!"11
-
That it’s ok to go back to “regular habits” in Maintainance mode. It’s a lie I even believed for myself!7
-
37 -
2
-
I overhear in my office people being given bad advice when starting their fitness journeys.
For example, someone was told to lose weight she had to cut out carbs. There was no medical reason for it. Just cut out carbs and the weight will all fall off
What's the worst advice you've received? Or heard about?
Reducing my carbs to 50 grams daily at age 63 finally resolved my binging of 40 years so just doing this without trying to lose weight I did drop 50 pounds within a year and it has stayed off for the first time for 3 years while I eat all that I want when I want it. I would likely never cut out carbs totally in my case.
Most any dieting advice is nothing more than a rumor or something that did work for the advice giver. Will it work for the next person is unknown. There typically is some biological/social factor at play to become seriously overweight. Finding that factor(s) is key to find the cause behind obesity.
15 -
CrazyPixie1234 wrote: »I overhear in my office people being given bad advice when starting their fitness journeys.
For example, someone was told to lose weight she had to cut out carbs. There was no medical reason for it. Just cut out carbs and the weight will all fall off
What's the worst advice you've received? Or heard about?
That definitely is bad advice if they don't know the reason behind it!
It sounds crazy but counting calories and carb grams actually can make weight loss easier. When we eat carbs, if they are not used up immediately by exercise, we store them as fat. Not to mention, carbs need extra water to be absorbed properly. So when you cut them out, you not only lose fat, but also water weight. (The Ketogenic Diet makes use of this theory)
However, if you're doing regular exercise, carbs are still good because your body will burn them up for fuel and not store them as fat
Not to mention, going really low-carb is hard, because carbs are in almost everything!!
^ Fitting that this is in the "bad advice" thread. Because it's bad advice, and completely wrong.14 -
jennifer_417 wrote: »"Never lift anything without a spotter." I think I can handle these 5 lb dumbbells without any help, tyvm.
Hahahaha, I've heard the same thing. Also, you don't want to go heavier than 5lb dumbbells or you'll bulk up and end up with arms like a bodybuilder. Yeah, cause I'm sure Arnold Schwarzenegger curled 5lb dumbbells to get his physique....6 -
jennifer_417 wrote: »"Never lift anything without a spotter." I think I can handle these 5 lb dumbbells without any help, tyvm.
Hahahaha, I've heard the same thing. Also, you don't want to go heavier than 5lb dumbbells or you'll bulk up and end up with arms like a bodybuilder. Yeah, cause I'm sure Arnold Schwarzenegger curled 5lb dumbbells to get his physique....
So true! The myth that a female just needs to step within a few inches of a dumbbell and she'll turn into the Hulk. Seriously, I wonder where that absolute nonsense came from. Once you're educated it's truly t laughable.6 -
MagnumOpus1 wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »"Never lift anything without a spotter." I think I can handle these 5 lb dumbbells without any help, tyvm.
Hahahaha, I've heard the same thing. Also, you don't want to go heavier than 5lb dumbbells or you'll bulk up and end up with arms like a bodybuilder. Yeah, cause I'm sure Arnold Schwarzenegger curled 5lb dumbbells to get his physique....
So true! The myth that a female just needs to step within a few inches of a dumbbell and she'll turn into the Hulk. Seriously, I wonder where that absolute nonsense came from. Once you're educated it's truly t laughable.
It's even more laughable when you start lifting and actually trying to build muscle mass, and discover that it doesn't happen quickly, it doesn't happen easily and it doesn't happen accidentally.
There would be a lot more really, really big, muscular people (both women and men) walking around if it was as easy to 'get bulky' as some people think it is.8 -
MagnumOpus1 wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »"Never lift anything without a spotter." I think I can handle these 5 lb dumbbells without any help, tyvm.
Hahahaha, I've heard the same thing. Also, you don't want to go heavier than 5lb dumbbells or you'll bulk up and end up with arms like a bodybuilder. Yeah, cause I'm sure Arnold Schwarzenegger curled 5lb dumbbells to get his physique....
So true! The myth that a female just needs to step within a few inches of a dumbbell and she'll turn into the Hulk. Seriously, I wonder where that absolute nonsense came from. Once you're educated it's truly t laughable.
I think it ultimately stems from the vestigial taboo against women exercising at all. You know, because we might become strong and healthy,* or temporarily lose our periods (and thus the reproductive capacity on which our value depends), or (gasp!) actually leave the house....
(*Which, of course, could turn us all into lesbians, don'cha know...)17 -
middlehaitch wrote: »
A friend in science posted it on her Facebook yesterday, I figured it wouldn't be long before an appropriate opportunity arose here
3 -
I saw a post on a facebook community group earlier, where a mother was complaining that Sprite is now 'lower sugar' and therefore has aspartame in it. She was angry that her kids were now unknowingly drinking aspartame and she would rather they drink sugar. SIGH2
-
That you must drink a tonne of water in order to lose weight.4
-
MelanieCN77 wrote: »middlehaitch wrote: »
A friend in science posted it on her Facebook yesterday, I figured it wouldn't be long before an appropriate opportunity arose here
Stealing this.
0 -
On the other side of the coin, when I lost a bunch of weight I had several people ask me how I did it. I could see the disappointment on their faces when I said I just count all my calories and stay in a deficit. It’s like they wanted me to give them bad advice 😜11
-
“Counting calories doesn’t work” is most common (though not the most entertaining) bad weight loss wisdom I encounter.
I think the bad advice I enjoy the most is the extremely specific, looong lists of requirements, as if losing weight is some sort of arcane ritual.
Guess those fruit popsicles I love so much will make the spell fall flat lol
6
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393K Introduce Yourself
- 43.7K Getting Started
- 260.1K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.8K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 416 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.9K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.6K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.5K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions