Weight loss myths
Replies
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I heard some time ago that men lose weight quicker than women because men usually have more muscles and muscles help to burn more calories. just another myth? 🙂
Not completely a myth. The actual caloric effect of the muscles at rest is estimated by most researchers to be fairly small, on the order of 4 calories per pound per day (i.e., a pound of muscle at rest burns something like 6 calories per day, a pound of fat - which is also metabolically active - something like 2 calories per day, if I recall correctly). So, women with more muscle mass will tend to burn more calories daily than women with less muscle mass . . . but the differences are still fairly small, and muscle mass is devilishly slow and effortful to build, perhaps especially so for women. Worth working to do, for various reasons, though.
Suspicion is that there are other relevant differences between men and women, but I'm not up on the mechanisms. (Hormones? Metabolisms? Dunno.)
I suspect, but have no proof, that there's another beneficial affect of being more muscular, in calorie terms. Generally speaking, stronger people can do more things, comfortably, compared to less muscular ones. I'm betting that means that, in a day to day sense, they tend to do more things, and burn more calories, as a result . . . probably more than 4 calories difference per day.
Silly example: My neighbor's girlfriend, a woman around my age, came over the other day to ask for my help to right the full trash cart. She'd tipped it over, couldn't pick it up again. It turns out that I'm stronger, and as we picked up up kinda-together, it was obvious that it was me doing more of the lifting (she said so, so not just my ego). I asked her if, now that we had it upright, she was OK, or should I push it down the driveway. She started to try, struggled, so I took over and pushed it out by the road. Who burned more calories during that episode? Me. Why? Did more stuff, because I could. It was a tiny difference, but trivia adds up.5 -
Beautyofdreams wrote: »Please , no one post that mental health issues play no part in weight gain. That may be your experience but it is not mine. I went to therapy to resolve a binge eating disorder and since then am learning emotional regulation skills and have lost 77 pounds and still losing. Therapy has improved the quality of my life immensely.
Of course mental health issues can play a part in weight gain, and (IMO) commonly do! Therapy can be extremely helpful, probably even among many people who don't feel as if they need it. I don't understand why there's more stigma around therapy, in our common culture, than there is around (say) consulting a registered dietitian for advice within their professional expertise.
It's a myth, I think, that mental health issues are *universally* behind excess body weight, because there are other potential contributors/causes as well. (We've seen people post here sometimes claiming that excess weight is universally a mental health issue in some way. But I don't see you as saying that in your post - not at all.)2 -
Lemon water has turned up on another thread. Cue the eye rolls.7
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I heard some time ago that men lose weight quicker than women because men usually have more muscles and muscles help to burn more calories. just another myth? 🙂
In addition to what Ann said, men usually lose faster than women since on average they are bigger than women. The bigger you are, the faster you can lose.5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »paperpudding wrote: »those article are ridiculous.
At least the last one was arguing against calorie counting rather than CICO
and whilst I accept that calorie counting, as a method, is not for everyone - their reasons were absurd
and all 3 presented the false dichotomy that it is calorie counting vs nutritious eating - as if one somehow cannot do both or people calorie counting are just living on chips and cakes
I'd argue one of the great things about calorie counting is that it works with all styles of eating. Want to focus on nutrient-rich foods? It will work. Want to have cake sometimes? It also works. It's flexible and that's one reason why I'm such a fan.
Oh I agree.
But the articles all posted as though calorie counting automatically equated eating ONLY nutrient poor foods like cake and chips0 -
I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.5 -
springlering62 wrote: »Keto is the only way. Intermittent fasting is the only way. Drinking bulletproof coffee at 8:27am - and only 8:27am- while riding a Pygmy elephant in silk pajamas is the only way.
Crap! I tried to cheat and save a little money. Went with the cheap cotton pajamas. Hopefully I can get a refund on the elephant.2 -
richardgavel wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Keto is the only way. Intermittent fasting is the only way. Drinking bulletproof coffee at 8:27am - and only 8:27am- while riding a Pygmy elephant in silk pajamas is the only way.
Crap! I tried to cheat and save a little money. Went with the cheap cotton pajamas. Hopefully I can get a refund on the elephant.
The refund policy is quite liberal. It’s the return shipping that’s gonna be a *kitten*.2 -
springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
Hey, hey, hey now... this is totally doable... I might have to sacrifice 1 or 2 body parts along the way but I CAN TOTALLY lose 56 pounds in the next 36 days!!!
Before I start getting hate mail, I am totally joking here...
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Sometimes nutrition labels will list a food as 0 calories per serving, but truthfully, food companies are allowed to round down to 0 calories if the food item is actually something like 0.4 calories. Multiple servings can in fact accumulate calories- though the amount is negligible, this could be an issue for people who are trying to do a fast.
No it's not an issue.4 -
springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
I agree about unrealistic expectations, but I also think that lack of commitment plays a huge part in why people quit.1 -
springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
I agree about unrealistic expectations, but I also think that lack of commitment plays a huge part in why people quit.
I think that's true, but I also think it's worth being careful about how we express that and to be strict about how we define it. One myth about overweight people, so maybe not weight loss itself, is that they aren't capable of committing to *anything*, or they aren't disciplined about *anything.* We often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings. I even catch myself thinking this way sometimes, as an obese person who really knows better!
So sure, people quit trying to lose weight because they decide it's not something they want to prioritize. I've done that. But in many other areas of my life I've been a very committed and disciplined person. I'm still learning how to do it with this. Some of the skills and habits translate, but not all. And there's other stuff to work through that doesn't apply in other areas - probably part of why I've historically put this one off for so long!11 -
penguinmama87 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
I agree about unrealistic expectations, but I also think that lack of commitment plays a huge part in why people quit.
I think that's true, but I also think it's worth being careful about how we express that and to be strict about how we define it. One myth about overweight people, so maybe not weight loss itself, is that they aren't capable of committing to *anything*, or they aren't disciplined about *anything.* We often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings. I even catch myself thinking this way sometimes, as an obese person who really knows better!
So sure, people quit trying to lose weight because they decide it's not something they want to prioritize. I've done that. But in many other areas of my life I've been a very committed and disciplined person. I'm still learning how to do it with this. Some of the skills and habits translate, but not all. And there's other stuff to work through that doesn't apply in other areas - probably part of why I've historically put this one off for so long!
So well said.1 -
penguinmama87 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
I agree about unrealistic expectations, but I also think that lack of commitment plays a huge part in why people quit.
I think that's true, but I also think it's worth being careful about how we express that and to be strict about how we define it. One myth about overweight people, so maybe not weight loss itself, is that they aren't capable of committing to *anything*, or they aren't disciplined about *anything.* We often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings. I even catch myself thinking this way sometimes, as an obese person who really knows better!
So sure, people quit trying to lose weight because they decide it's not something they want to prioritize. I've done that. But in many other areas of my life I've been a very committed and disciplined person. I'm still learning how to do it with this. Some of the skills and habits translate, but not all. And there's other stuff to work through that doesn't apply in other areas - probably part of why I've historically put this one off for so long!
Yep, this.
The reason I got fat and stayed fat - obese even - was not that I could not commit to anything. It was that I spent a long time at the bottom of my own priority list. That mean I committed to just about everything BUT Myself and my own health/well being/fitness in many levels.
Not that I couldn't commit to anything or work toward anything. I was just the least important thing in my life.
That's a whole different sort of problem. But it isn't a lack of morals.9 -
penguinmama87 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
I agree about unrealistic expectations, but I also think that lack of commitment plays a huge part in why people quit.
I think that's true, but I also think it's worth being careful about how we express that and to be strict about how we define it. One myth about overweight people, so maybe not weight loss itself, is that they aren't capable of committing to *anything*, or they aren't disciplined about *anything.* We often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings. I even catch myself thinking this way sometimes, as an obese person who really knows better!
So sure, people quit trying to lose weight because they decide it's not something they want to prioritize. I've done that. But in many other areas of my life I've been a very committed and disciplined person. I'm still learning how to do it with this. Some of the skills and habits translate, but not all. And there's other stuff to work through that doesn't apply in other areas - probably part of why I've historically put this one off for so long!
@penguinmama87 Well said, however when I replied to a comment, I was talking about people who start the weight loss journey, and once they get to an obstacle (the pounds are not dropping fast enough, expectations are too high, exercising routine is harder than what they expected it to be, body aches after exercising, not having enough time to read labels or count the calories) quit. Not because their priorities shifts, like you said, but because they were discouraged by an obstacle. I did not say obese people quit because they can't commit to anything.
I think you are right in saying that some people often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings, and it is essential to understand that it's not always the case.
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wunderkindking wrote: »penguinmama87 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
I agree about unrealistic expectations, but I also think that lack of commitment plays a huge part in why people quit.
I think that's true, but I also think it's worth being careful about how we express that and to be strict about how we define it. One myth about overweight people, so maybe not weight loss itself, is that they aren't capable of committing to *anything*, or they aren't disciplined about *anything.* We often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings. I even catch myself thinking this way sometimes, as an obese person who really knows better!
So sure, people quit trying to lose weight because they decide it's not something they want to prioritize. I've done that. But in many other areas of my life I've been a very committed and disciplined person. I'm still learning how to do it with this. Some of the skills and habits translate, but not all. And there's other stuff to work through that doesn't apply in other areas - probably part of why I've historically put this one off for so long!
Yep, this.
The reason I got fat and stayed fat - obese even - was not that I could not commit to anything. It was that I spent a long time at the bottom of my own priority list. That mean I committed to just about everything BUT Myself and my own health/well being/fitness in many levels.
Not that I couldn't commit to anything or work toward anything. I was just the least important thing in my life.
That's a whole different sort of problem. But it isn't a lack of morals.
@wunderkindking What you said seems like it was not a failed commitment to lose weight; it is just that your priorities were different.0 -
"Body Confusion"4
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"You might be suffering from insulin resistance....which traps fat cells in your body. You need G_L_."
Ugh.2 -
penguinmama87 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »I saw a headline as I was checking out at the grocery store : LOSE 56 POUNDS BY MEMORIAL DAY!!!!!!
The magazine’s “date” was April 25th. Now correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s 56 pounds in 36 days.
And we wonder why people come here and quit when they don’t lose ten pounds their first week. People’s expectations are so skewed because of unscrupulous media, marketers , and social media.
I agree about unrealistic expectations, but I also think that lack of commitment plays a huge part in why people quit.
I think that's true, but I also think it's worth being careful about how we express that and to be strict about how we define it. One myth about overweight people, so maybe not weight loss itself, is that they aren't capable of committing to *anything*, or they aren't disciplined about *anything.* We often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings. I even catch myself thinking this way sometimes, as an obese person who really knows better!
So sure, people quit trying to lose weight because they decide it's not something they want to prioritize. I've done that. But in many other areas of my life I've been a very committed and disciplined person. I'm still learning how to do it with this. Some of the skills and habits translate, but not all. And there's other stuff to work through that doesn't apply in other areas - probably part of why I've historically put this one off for so long!
@penguinmama87 Well said, however when I replied to a comment, I was talking about people who start the weight loss journey, and once they get to an obstacle (the pounds are not dropping fast enough, expectations are too high, exercising routine is harder than what they expected it to be, body aches after exercising, not having enough time to read labels or count the calories) quit. Not because their priorities shifts, like you said, but because they were discouraged by an obstacle. I did not say obese people quit because they can't commit to anything.
I think you are right in saying that some people often assume that excess weight is a sign of multiple serious moral failings, and it is essential to understand that it's not always the case.
I think you're right, but the reason I said what I did was because "not being committed" is (in my experience, anyway) frequently a reason to dismiss a person's struggle, who might actually be more likely to succeed if provided with the right resources or support. Learned helplessness is a real phenomenon, but for a person who reaches an obstacle and doesn't know how to get around it, endlessly spinning their wheels isn't really more meritorious than saying, "Well, I'm going to do this other thing instead because I know something about how to do that." I think being open and realistic about what it's like to lose weight helps manage expectations appropriately. If you think dieting is always miserable and endless suffering, then yeah, I'd want to throw in the towel too (and I have, back when I thought that.) A lot of people can endure intense suffering for short spurts of time with a known end point. But if there's no end in sight, yeah, many of them will give up. Who would put themselves through that? It's a good thing it doesn't have to be like that with weight loss.3 -
cwolfman13 wrote: »"Body Confusion"
I dunno….I had jambalaya with nacho chips for lunch. My body is very confused.6 -
Don’t forget juice cleanses, green tea detoxes, and purging fasts.
Gotta start “fresh”.5 -
You must use a food scale to weigh all your food.
I'm here to tell you that I very rarely use one (Mostly for baking or if I'm curious). I lost 8 pounds slowly by some measuring, but diligent tracking. I was already in the healthy BMI range when I started. I've also lost another 8 pounds quickly going from a BMI of 22 to 20.8. I attribute this to an elimination diet that I've been on for health reasons and a lot of it is water weight, but not all as my clothes are fitting more loosely and may have to buy a smaller size. I've been eating a bit less than usual, but not to make up for this difference in weight loss.6 -
When people think the reason they lost weight is because they stopped eating meat. You didn't lose weight because you stopped eating meat. You lost weight because you're no longer eating too much of it. A steak can carry a hefty price in calories, but if you portion it correctly, you can absolutely fit it in your goals.5
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cwolfman13 wrote: »"Body Confusion"
"Muscle confusion" (P90X - which I actually benefitted from and is a pretty good workout program)
"Metabolic confusion" (Vince Sant - V-Shred -which I have not used; basically just a combination of carb-cycling, HIIT training, and supplements). Results in "financial confusion" for some....8 -
The need to eat less bread.
This came from my stepmother who saw no issue with the amount of porridge (oatmeal), pasta or cheese eaten, it was all the evil evil bread!4 -
Since I got a lot of disagrees on my "You must use a food scale to weigh all your food" (unsurprisingly), I"ll piggyback off of that:
The myth that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, whether that be using an app like MFP, doing keto, IF, intuitive eating, etc. Nope. Obviously we're all here on MFP because it works for us, is working, or believe it will work. Doesn't mean that one HAS to use it to lose weight, or even track calories, macros, etc. People can and do lose weight using Intuitive Eating...honestly wish I could be one of them. Just because it did/didn't work for you (or you don't think it would), doesn't mean it can't work for someone else.10 -
Speakeasy76 wrote: »Since I got a lot of disagrees on my "You must use a food scale to weigh all your food" (unsurprisingly), I"ll piggyback off of that:
The myth that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, whether that be using an app like MFP, doing keto, IF, intuitive eating, etc. Nope. Obviously we're all here on MFP because it works for us, is working, or believe it will work. Doesn't mean that one HAS to use it to lose weight, or even track calories, macros, etc. People can and do lose weight using Intuitive Eating...honestly wish I could be one of them. Just because it did/didn't work for you (or you don't think it would), doesn't mean it can't work for someone else.
Yes, that is true.
Whilst many of the myths here are clearly myths - so is the food scale must and sometimes it's sister Log everything to the minutest detail
Clearly counting calories and food weighing is integral to MFP method - but it isn't the only method or pathway to success, nor is using that method exactly the same way as others do.3 -
😮
From another thread:
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Speakeasy76 wrote: »Since I got a lot of disagrees on my "You must use a food scale to weigh all your food" (unsurprisingly), I"ll piggyback off of that:
The myth that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to weight loss, whether that be using an app like MFP, doing keto, IF, intuitive eating, etc. Nope. Obviously we're all here on MFP because it works for us, is working, or believe it will work. Doesn't mean that one HAS to use it to lose weight, or even track calories, macros, etc. People can and do lose weight using Intuitive Eating...honestly wish I could be one of them. Just because it did/didn't work for you (or you don't think it would), doesn't mean it can't work for someone else.
Totally agree with this, and didn't disagree, but looking back I suspect the disagrees weren't with saying a food scale is not required for all (which I think is broadly accepted by most at MFP), but the implication that the elimination diet made fat loss faster than a similar deficit. But I am not at all sure you meant that, I just think the prior post might have been interpreted to mean that.
Or maybe people were disagreeing with the notion that "one has to use a scale" is a myth, as it's rare to find someone who believes that IME.
You just never know why someone disagrees (and I do wish people would explain if it hasn't already been explained).3
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