HBO clip about Biology of Weight Loss

For those of you who have told me I am fat because I eat too much.

http://youtu.be/2i_cmltmQ6A
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Replies

  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    Watched it...bump for comments
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    Tagging so I can watch it later...
  • Azchange
    Azchange Posts: 110 Member
    going to watch after work
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
    bump
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    But if you are eating at what is deemed a calorie surplus for you, then of course you are going to regain. Your maintenance may not be as high as someone who hasn't had weight issues but again, figuring out maintenance and such can be done by watching your intake and exercise.

    And your statement is a bit confusing. Those who said you gained weight because you ate too much would still be right, though the video was more focused on regain..not the original gain which your statement infers.
  • DonPendergraft
    DonPendergraft Posts: 520 Member
    in
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    In.
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    errol.jpg
  • howekaren
    howekaren Posts: 159 Member
    It's some fascinating research. Thanks for posting.

    Obesity is so very complex. Yes, at it's heart it is "calories in vs. calories out". However, the contributing factors within our environment, within our brain, and within our psyche make it very difficult to achieve and maintain significant weight-loss. I say this from experience.

    However, I still intend to keep fighting towards a healthier weight and lifestyle.
  • apriljackss
    apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
    bump for later
  • DonPendergraft
    DonPendergraft Posts: 520 Member
    Well I watched it. For those who don't want to go through the hassle of watching it, basically they say that if you've lost a good deal of weight (10% of your body weight or more), there is a high likelihood that you will regain it. Your metabolism is lower and you have to eat less than a person who weighs the same as you but who has not lost a good deal of weight. You will have cravings and it's easy to put the weight back on. And it's permanent. So the key, as hard as it is, is to be extremely vigilant in watching your intake. You can't ever go back to eating any old thing you want in whatever quantity you want. Ever. So it takes a lot of drive discipline that has to last for the long haul.

    I'm not offering any opinions on this, just a recap of the message.
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    I agree with PikaKnight. This study has nothing really to do with how one got fat but how to help one maintain weight loss. I thought it was interesting because they explained the biological changes in an understandable way.

    I for one am horrified about the concept of maintenance when I get there because I've read about set point before and if the medical community comes up with something that helps that would be a hormone or drug I might actually take.
  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    It's harder for some to lose weight and/or keep weight off than it is for others.






    This is not news. Life is not fair.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    I watched it, and thought it was fascinating. I'd love to know more about the hormonal response and brain activity from weight loss, especially how it pertains to maintenance. The idea that someone that lost weight will never have a similar metabolism to someone of the same weight that was always that weight is pretty scary. For the woman in the video, to maintain, she had to eat 300 cals less than would be expected for someone of the same weight who had never been a higher weight. I find this may be particularly helpful for people trying to calculate their BMR, especially if your BMR is 20% less than should be expected after weight loss. So far, they said, they belive this "efficiency" to be permanent, but I really hope that is wrong. I hope at some point, the body recalibrates -- because to be fighting hunger or weight gain your entire life sounds absolutely awful.
  • Amestris
    Amestris Posts: 152 Member
    Tagging for later. I think I have seen this before. I wonder if the metabolic difference between a formerly overweight individual and a person who has never been overweight has anything to do with the number of fat cells....
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    For those of you who have told me I am fat because I eat too much.

    http://youtu.be/2i_cmltmQ6A
    Well, if you're gaining or maintaining at too high a weight, then it is because you eat too much for your body.

    Whether or not your TDEE is lower than someone else of the same weight, or whether or not you think this is fair or just, you are the one who needs to decide what you want to do about it. It's your choice, whether it is eating less to maintain a weight, or eating more and accepting the consequence of being fat.

    I didn't watch the video... did they say anything about the role of lean body mass in all of this? Or did they just say "people who lost weight" and ignore body composition? Because what usually happens when people lose a bunch of weight is they do low-cal and either cardio or no exericse, lose a bunch of muscle along with fat, and their body composition is worse than it was the last time they were at that weight. So it's not really surprising that people lower their TDEE by yo-yo dieting.
  • lovelayla
    lovelayla Posts: 123
    Tagging for later. I think I have seen this before. I wonder if the metabolic difference between a formerly overweight individual and a person who has never been overweight has anything to do with the number of fat cells....


    Interesting. I know that we don't lose fat cells as we lose weight, they just shrink(while patiently waiting to expand again).
  • amaysngrace
    amaysngrace Posts: 742 Member
    It's harder for some to lose weight and/or keep weight off than it is for others.






    This is not news. Life is not fair.

    Amen.
  • Amestris
    Amestris Posts: 152 Member
    Tagging for later. I think I have seen this before. I wonder if the metabolic difference between a formerly overweight individual and a person who has never been overweight has anything to do with the number of fat cells....


    Interesting. I know that we don't lose fat cells as we lose weight, they just shrink(while patiently waiting to expand again).

    I know that fat regulates hormone production perhaps the excess smaller fat cells produce a hormone that "encourages" individuals to re gain the weight they have lost in an effort to preserve themselves. Just my randoms thoughts. I may go dig out my college biology and physiology textbooks tonight.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Tagging for later. I think I have seen this before. I wonder if the metabolic difference between a formerly overweight individual and a person who has never been overweight has anything to do with the number of fat cells....


    Interesting. I know that we don't lose fat cells as we lose weight, they just shrink(while patiently waiting to expand again).

    I know that fat regulates hormone production perhaps the excess smaller fat cells produce a hormone that "encourages" individuals to re gain the weight they have lost in an effort to preserve themselves. Just my randoms thoughts. I may go dig out my college biology and physiology textbooks tonight.

    That is the basis of a lot of the hormonal idea. That your leptin levels are lower and that encourages quite a response in the rest of the body -- hunger, thyroid, certain brain activity. And, that is why it's so difficult for many to maintain as you're fighting your own body. Interesting stuff.
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    Obesity is so very complex. Yes, at it's heart it is "calories in vs. calories out". However, the contributing factors within our environment, within our brain, and within our psyche make it very difficult to achieve and maintain significant weight-loss. I say this from experience.

    I disagree. I say this from experience.

    Some people want it really, really badly. Some people don't want it at all. They want to talk about wanting it. Talk is cheap. Effort is expensive. I no longer expect expensive things from cheap people.
  • Amestris
    Amestris Posts: 152 Member
    Tagging for later. I think I have seen this before. I wonder if the metabolic difference between a formerly overweight individual and a person who has never been overweight has anything to do with the number of fat cells....


    Interesting. I know that we don't lose fat cells as we lose weight, they just shrink(while patiently waiting to expand again).

    I know that fat regulates hormone production perhaps the excess smaller fat cells produce a hormone that "encourages" individuals to re gain the weight they have lost in an effort to preserve themselves. Just my randoms thoughts. I may go dig out my college biology and physiology textbooks tonight.

    That is the basis of a lot of the hormonal idea. That your leptin levels are lower and that encourages quite a response in the rest of the body -- hunger, thyroid, certain brain activity. And, that is why it's so difficult for many to maintain as you're fighting your own body. Interesting stuff.

    It is interesting. I know we sometime want to imagine weight loss is the simple linear equation though I'm sure there are countless metabolic processes in play.
  • lindsey1979
    lindsey1979 Posts: 2,395 Member
    Obesity is so very complex. Yes, at it's heart it is "calories in vs. calories out". However, the contributing factors within our environment, within our brain, and within our psyche make it very difficult to achieve and maintain significant weight-loss. I say this from experience.

    I disagree. I say this from experience.

    Some people want it really, really badly. Some people don't want it at all. They want to talk about wanting it. Talk is cheap. Effort is expensive. I no longer expect expensive things from cheap people.

    You really think the only difference between everyone is desire? Really? Then anyone could be a doctor, right? Or anyone could be a star athlete...if they only wanted it enough? Some people have harder times with certain things and easier times with others....why do you think weight loss and/or maintenance would be different?
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    For those of you who have told me I am fat because I eat too much.

    http://youtu.be/2i_cmltmQ6A
    Well, if you're gaining or maintaining at too high a weight, then it is because you eat too much for your body.

    Whether or not your TDEE is lower than someone else of the same weight, or whether or not you think this is fair or just, you are the one who needs to decide what you want to do about it. It's your choice, whether it is eating less to maintain a weight, or eating more and accepting the consequence of being fat.

    I didn't watch the video... did they say anything about the role of lean body mass in all of this? Or did they just say "people who lost weight" and ignore body composition? Because what usually happens when people lose a bunch of weight is they do low-cal and either cardio or no exericse, lose a bunch of muscle along with fat, and their body composition is worse than it was the last time they were at that weight. So it's not really surprising that people lower their TDEE by yo-yo dieting.

    The research I've seen controls for lean mass. So, yes, TDEE is lower because the body is more efficient or something.

    I disagree with the cravings part though. The cravings go away once I achieve a normal body fat% (I've done this twice, once after surgery and once after pregnancy).

    It's not fair (stomps foot) but,eh, what am I supposed to do?
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Obesity is so very complex. Yes, at it's heart it is "calories in vs. calories out". However, the contributing factors within our environment, within our brain, and within our psyche make it very difficult to achieve and maintain significant weight-loss. I say this from experience.

    I disagree. I say this from experience.

    Some people want it really, really badly. Some people don't want it at all. They want to talk about wanting it. Talk is cheap. Effort is expensive. I no longer expect expensive things from cheap people.

    You really think the only difference between everyone is desire? Really? Then anyone could be a doctor, right? Or anyone could be a star athlete...if they only wanted it enough? Some people have harder times with certain things and easier times with others....why do you think weight loss and/or maintenance would be different?

    I actually agree with both of you.

    I've seen a lot more people talk than actually work. I think MOST PEOPLE could do a lot more if they got off their butts and formed consistent habits of practice instead of talking about how much they wished things were different.

    There are, however, strengths, challenges and limitations. Even if I'd started running in 4th grade, I'd still probably never have been an Olympic marathoner.
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Tagging for later. I think I have seen this before. I wonder if the metabolic difference between a formerly overweight individual and a person who has never been overweight has anything to do with the number of fat cells....


    Interesting. I know that we don't lose fat cells as we lose weight, they just shrink(while patiently waiting to expand again).

    I know that fat regulates hormone production perhaps the excess smaller fat cells produce a hormone that "encourages" individuals to re gain the weight they have lost in an effort to preserve themselves. Just my randoms thoughts. I may go dig out my college biology and physiology textbooks tonight.

    Actually the smaller fat cells are better at regulating a healthy weight.
  • lemur_lady
    lemur_lady Posts: 350 Member
    Bump so I can watch later
  • kristinegift
    kristinegift Posts: 2,406 Member
    bump
    Watching now, and this is fascinating. I've seen lots of clips from this documentary, and they're all great.
  • Gamer_2k4
    Gamer_2k4 Posts: 36 Member
    You really think the only difference between everyone is desire? Really? Then anyone could be a doctor, right? Or anyone could be a star athlete...if they only wanted it enough?

    Yeah, pretty much. Way to prove his point.
  • Amestris
    Amestris Posts: 152 Member
    Tagging for later. I think I have seen this before. I wonder if the metabolic difference between a formerly overweight individual and a person who has never been overweight has anything to do with the number of fat cells....


    Interesting. I know that we don't lose fat cells as we lose weight, they just shrink(while patiently waiting to expand again).

    I know that fat regulates hormone production perhaps the excess smaller fat cells produce a hormone that "encourages" individuals to re gain the weight they have lost in an effort to preserve themselves. Just my randoms thoughts. I may go dig out my college biology and physiology textbooks tonight.

    Actually the smaller fat cells are better at regulating a healthy weight.

    I was thinking of the shruken fat cells. As we gain weight we produced additional fat cells, when we lose weight these fat cells become smaller. The extra fat cells we produce as a result of weight gain may behave differently than normal "small" fat cells. If that makes any sense. I'm just postulating here.