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What commonly given MFP Forum advice do you personally disagree with?
Replies
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Those variables influence the equation, sure. But that doesn't change the underlying principle that in order to lose weight, you need to take in less than you burn.8
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Lifting weights is better for your health then cardio5
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Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Lifting weights is better for your health then cardio
I'm confused. Do you believe this or do you think this is bad advice?
Regardless, the part I don't get is why one or the other? I prefer cardio and enjoy going for a run, but I still lift 3 times a week.
Cardio is a better calorie burn but does not do enough to increase muscle mass. Lifting is better for maintaining or increasing muscle mass, but sucks as a calorie burn.
While personal preferences and goals come into play, I see no reason to not do both in some form.10 -
walktalkdog wrote: »I have occasionally read on here the suggestion to those who are not losing as quickly as they hoped, or are stalled that they "need to to eat more to lose weight". Huh? That one I don't understand, nor agree with.
this is the theory that eat to perform, renaissance performance and some others operate under - when i started with ETP i was averaging maybe 1400cal a day - they slowly stepped me up to 2800 over the course of 2 years and i stayed within 2-3lbs of my starting weight - but i have sooo much energy now and sleep so much better that its crazy
then when you do a fat loss cycle - instead of a continuous restrictive calorie - you do a short burst (28days) at a 1000-1500cal deficit from the runway you build (the higher you can get your calories the more effective these periods are) - and then you slowly ramp back up3 -
cmriverside wrote: »MFP avatars have devolved into kittehs and mooscles.
There I go again, failing to be one of the cool kids.4 -
That drinking (standard US commercial) ACV will rot your teeth, or burn your esophagus, assuming you're of normal health to start.
Good for teeth? No. But in the standardized-to-3%-acidity form, let alone further diluted, it's in the same acidity range as lots of other common foods/beverages, just super tart/harsh because it's not smoothed out with sweetener.
Still won't help with weight loss, though . . . unless via placebo effect.
Or it makes you lose your appetite because it tastes so nasty
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FireOpalCO wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »MFP avatars have devolved into kittehs and mooscles.
There I go again, failing to be one of the cool kids.
No one ever accused me of being a cool kid, so you're probably fine.1 -
I’d love to have somebody who believes this nonsense explain how I lost 75 pounds while averaging 200g of carbs per day and eating ice cream for dessert virtually every night.I don't agree with the simple assumption that "calories in vs. calories out" is directly related to gaining or losing weight. The direct and only metabolic mechanism for fat build-up is excess blood glucose and insulin as a result of excess carbs. Only by depleting blood glucose and therefore depleting insulin your body will start burning fat...
N+1, my story is similar, down 50# anywhere from 200-225g carbs/day on a diet that has gone from 2250 cal/day to just over 2025 cal/day and 203g carbs (plus eating back about 1/2 of my exercise calories as the calorie figure wasn't MFP assigned, but diabetes coach assigned)
Someone above said no fasted workouts. My approach is "it depends." If I wake with a blood glucose over 100 mg/dL, I don't eat before heading to the gym and test again when I get home. If I'm in the normal range, I have a banana or similar fruit before my workout.
For example, yesterday, I was 119 mg/dL @ 4:35am because we had Chinese the night before, and rice and the sauces seem to hang around a bit longer.
After 45 minutes of a spin class, and then hanging around with my class mates, etc, at 7:30 I again took my BG and it was 87 mg/dL.
So I had a nice 3 egg omelette breakfast with two slices of center cut bacon
One doesn't need to eat low carb to lose weight. However, one may need to limit their carbs on medical advice and monitor the BG.
My A1C went from 7.3% in Feb to 5.1 in August and as I seldom have a fast BG above 100mg/dL as long as I follow the above advice (I'm sure my Chinese food was more than the prescribe 60g carbs/meal) things work well.
And if I occasionally indulge, just resist eating until the values return to normal.
This seems to be working for me. For others YMMV, consult a doctor, not an internet forum for advice.2 -
Ironlady70 wrote: »Calories in, calories out ... a deficit will always result in weight loss. The human body has too many other variables to consider and not everyone is created alike.
What specific variable overrides CICO?10 -
Tacklewasher wrote: »Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Lifting weights is better for your health then cardio
I'm confused. Do you believe this or do you think this is bad advice?
Regardless, the part I don't get is why one or the other? I prefer cardio and enjoy going for a run, but I still lift 3 times a week.
Cardio is a better calorie burn but does not do enough to increase muscle mass. Lifting is better for maintaining or increasing muscle mass, but sucks as a calorie burn.
While personal preferences and goals come into play, I see no reason to not do both in some form.
I'm not saying one or the other, to the contrary I'm saying both play a roll...
But today I think cardio is undervalued compared to lifting because most just don't want to do it lol1 -
Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Lifting weights is better for your health then cardio
I'm confused. Do you believe this or do you think this is bad advice?
Regardless, the part I don't get is why one or the other? I prefer cardio and enjoy going for a run, but I still lift 3 times a week.
Cardio is a better calorie burn but does not do enough to increase muscle mass. Lifting is better for maintaining or increasing muscle mass, but sucks as a calorie burn.
While personal preferences and goals come into play, I see no reason to not do both in some form.
I'm not saying one or the other, to the contrary I'm saying both play a roll...
But today I think cardio is undervalued compared to lifting because most just don't want to do it lol
Yeah, I'm a bit funny that way. I'd rather go run 5K then lift for 30 mins. But I know I'm better off doing both. I'm far more serious about the running side though.5 -
I disagree with the assertion that you don't need to exercise.
What you mean is that you don't want to do the work necessary to follow a proper training program, no matter how much it might improve your quality of life, your physique, or your longevity.11 -
I disagree with the assertion that you don't need to exercise.
What you mean is that you don't want to do the work necessary to follow a proper training program, no matter how much it might improve your quality of life, your physique, or your longevity.
This doesn't make any sense. I don't *need* to exercise, but I choose to.
People who acknowledge that exercise isn't obligatory aren't saying anything about their personal *desire* to exercise.8 -
I disagree with the assertion that you don't need to exercise.
What you mean is that you don't want to do the work necessary to follow a proper training program, no matter how much it might improve your quality of life, your physique, or your longevity.
I'm speaking solely with respect to weight loss here, so I don't disagree with the overall quality of life point you are making.
I worked out 4-6 days a week, and I mean REALLY working out. I could outwork and outride almost everyone in my group and yet I still got up to over 265# (5'11" 50 something male)
My point is, you cannot outwork your fork.
With respect to weight loss, for me anyway, the biggest lever in the toolbox is what you eat. It is so much easier to eat 1000 calories than it is to burn the same number of calories up.
Therefore, if your goal is weight loss, the first focus is likely on what you are eating.
Why?
First, it's as close to a one size fits all solution. Everyone eats. Now it may need to be tailored to fit some medical concerns such as diabetes or food allergies and sensitivities. But everyone eats.
Not everyone can go out and do a 1 hour spin class. You are not going to add 1000 calories to your daily burn with 30, 60 or maybe even 90 minutes in the gym with a balance of cardio and resistance training.
But most everyone can put themselves in a daily 500 calorie deficit by simply making different food choices and accurately measuring what they eat.
So is it that people don't want to do the work, or that we want to focus on working the lever with the most leverage first? I don't doubt there are people just want to push the easy button and get 50# lighter by taking a pill or drinking a magic drink or whatever.
However, I'm not sure I'd put focusing on diet in that same category of not wanting to do the work.
I believe it's the lever that has the greatest impact on weight loss and one that is attainable to almost everyone, regardless of circumstance.8 -
I disagree with the assertion that you don't need to exercise.
What you mean is that you don't want to do the work necessary to follow a proper training program, no matter how much it might improve your quality of life, your physique, or your longevity.
Not everyone needs what we picture as "exercise": regular time scheduled for a set routine of cardio or strength training. Someone whose job is heavy on manual labor does not need to go home and spend an hour "working out". They already got that built into their regular day. My uncles were farmers. Their regular workday was plenty all by itself.
Someone whose job is highly sedentary? Yes, they should get some sort of exercise, but not necessarily a "proper training program".7 -
I disagree with the assertion that you don't need to exercise.
What you mean is that you don't want to do the work necessary to follow a proper training program, no matter how much it might improve your quality of life, your physique, or your longevity.
That advice is often given in the context of "Help, can I still lose weight without exercise?" Of course you can, if you're in a calorie deficit you'll lose weight with or without exercise. All the threads like that also contain plenty of advice related to the health benefits of exercise, and urging the OP to try to find a little time to do what they can every day, but for weight loss, exercise isn't necessary.
eta: Wow, didn't realize I type that slowly! ^^What they said 6 -
I disagree with the assertion that you don't need to exercise.
What you mean is that you don't want to do the work necessary to follow a proper training program, no matter how much it might improve your quality of life, your physique, or your longevity.
I have only ever seen acknowledgement that you do not need to exercise to lose weight if you create a calorie deficit through only lowering your calorie intake. This is true. Why have you interpreted a statement of fact about how our bodies work as people are too lazy to follow a proper training program?
It is not common advice on MFP that people do not need exercise. People are often advised to watch their calorie intake for weight loss and exercise for their health and improving their body condition.3 -
tbright1965 wrote: »
I’d love to have somebody who believes this nonsense explain how I lost 75 pounds while averaging 200g of carbs per day and eating ice cream for dessert virtually every night.I don't agree with the simple assumption that "calories in vs. calories out" is directly related to gaining or losing weight. The direct and only metabolic mechanism for fat build-up is excess blood glucose and insulin as a result of excess carbs. Only by depleting blood glucose and therefore depleting insulin your body will start burning fat...
N+1, my story is similar, down 50# anywhere from 200-225g carbs/day on a diet that has gone from 2250 cal/day to just over 2025 cal/day and 203g carbs (plus eating back about 1/2 of my exercise calories as the calorie figure wasn't MFP assigned, but diabetes coach assigned)
Someone above said no fasted workouts. My approach is "it depends." If I wake with a blood glucose over 100 mg/dL, I don't eat before heading to the gym and test again when I get home. If I'm in the normal range, I have a banana or similar fruit before my workout.
For example, yesterday, I was 119 mg/dL @ 4:35am because we had Chinese the night before, and rice and the sauces seem to hang around a bit longer.
After 45 minutes of a spin class, and then hanging around with my class mates, etc, at 7:30 I again took my BG and it was 87 mg/dL.
So I had a nice 3 egg omelette breakfast with two slices of center cut bacon
One doesn't need to eat low carb to lose weight. However, one may need to limit their carbs on medical advice and monitor the BG.
My A1C went from 7.3% in Feb to 5.1 in August and as I seldom have a fast BG above 100mg/dL as long as I follow the above advice (I'm sure my Chinese food was more than the prescribe 60g carbs/meal) things work well.
And if I occasionally indulge, just resist eating until the values return to normal.
This seems to be working for me. For others YMMV, consult a doctor, not an internet forum for advice.
Congrats on improving your A1c!
High morning numbers are sometimes caused not by food but by dawn phenomenon, which is the liver releasing stored glycogen in order to rev up your body for the coming day, combined with stress hormones trying to wake you up. When that's the case, in my experience eating a little something will actually cause the numbers to drop, by lowering stress hormones. I have pretty pronounced dawn phenomenon - the other day woke up at 110 (which is high for me, usually I'm about 94) and was 89 an hour and fifteen minutes after a 43 net carb breakfast. (Steel cut oats made with milk, fruit, cottage cheese.) Something you might want to test for yourself, since everyone is different.1 -
I disagree with the assertion that you don't need to exercise.
What you mean is that you don't want to do the work necessary to follow a proper training program, no matter how much it might improve your quality of life, your physique, or your longevity.
As others have said, if someone asks whether they need to exercise to lose, the factually correct answer is no. (I would also add that activity is important for health, so trying to add in activity/exercise might be something to think about or reconsider later on.)
Why would you think giving the factually correct answer says anything about whether the person answering chooses to exercise or not (I do, it is very important to me).
Also, exercising need not mean following a "proper training program."8 -
Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Tacklewasher wrote: »Mr_Healthy_Habits wrote: »Lifting weights is better for your health then cardio
I'm confused. Do you believe this or do you think this is bad advice?
Regardless, the part I don't get is why one or the other? I prefer cardio and enjoy going for a run, but I still lift 3 times a week.
Cardio is a better calorie burn but does not do enough to increase muscle mass. Lifting is better for maintaining or increasing muscle mass, but sucks as a calorie burn.
While personal preferences and goals come into play, I see no reason to not do both in some form.
I'm not saying one or the other, to the contrary I'm saying both play a roll...
But today I think cardio is undervalued compared to lifting because most just don't want to do it lol
Dunno... I always see a ton more people clogging the cardio equipment who never hit the weight room or even the machines. Gyms today seem to be moving much more towards cardio focused dominance and to most of the population "exercise" means some sort of cardio activity. People who actually lift seem to be a smaller segment of the fitness population, which isn't terribly big to start with.2
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