results of 20year study reveal weight loss is unattainable

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Dilvish
Dilvish Posts: 398 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I should have remembered the link but there is a study that was just recently released stating that obesity is here to stay. a 20 year study proves that dieting at any level is not going to help you lose weight if you are overweight. The study goes on to state that only 5% of dieters are successful in losing weight and keeping it off.
The other 95% may lose the desired amount of weight but in every case they regain that weight and sometimes more over a period of 5-10 years.
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Replies

  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
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    its because people go back to their old habits once they drop the weight. they dont know enough about diet and exercise to keep the weight off

    there was like a 10 page thread about this this week and it just went in circles the entire time from people arguing about the plausibility of the fact that fat people will always be fat. long story short is they wont if they smarten up their habits
  • Necron33
    Necron33 Posts: 42
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    Yeah, weight loss is unattainable.. People like me who lose weight and keep it off clearly don't exist.
  • bluetuesday5
    bluetuesday5 Posts: 99 Member
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    All this study "proves" is that 95% of people are weak. Anyway, tip from me - lift weights, then if you do gain the weight back it will be in more favourable proportions
  • gypsy_spirit
    gypsy_spirit Posts: 2,107 Member
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    Well, I have read this before. Perhaps they need to do a study on the people that DO successfully keep the weight off long term. I choose to change my mindset about eating and exercise and thereby, have a different outcome than the masses.

    Never give up. Never give in. Never quit. :drinker:

    epic-win-photos-rugrat-win.gif
  • Hikr56
    Hikr56 Posts: 128 Member
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    " dieting at any level is not going to help you lose weight if you are overweight."

    I can certainly testify to that over the last 20 years of fad, yo-yo dieting.

    I think we at MFP KNOW diets indeed DON'T work, so I would have to agree with that statement and ultimately, the study. Having said that, they need to update their study to "lifestyle change". Big difference!
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    That's because most people don't diet in sustainable ways. They diet with too big a deficit and too restrictive a diet, they frequently don't exercise (which increases the risk of losing lean mass and slowing the metabolism in the process) and so they set themselves up for having a really hard time maintaining.

    Fact is that with the right approach and attitude, maintaining can be a lot easier, and is totally possible.

    It's really annoying that the scientists have concluded that health services etc should just give up, rather than have a radical overview about the effectiveness of the specific advice they're giving people for weight loss. How many doctors just stick people on 1200 cals/day diets? ... lots do. How many doctors advise people to lift weights to protect their lean mass while dieting? not many. ....... and most people don't even follow diets prescribed by their doctors, they do this cleanse or that fad.... there's so much misinformation out there it's no surprise that 95% of people fail to maintain long term... that doesn't mean it's impossible for people to lose weight and keep it off... it means the approaches that most people are taking to do that are flawed!!

    Seriously if scientists took that approach to any other field of science we'd never develop any technology because they'd just have given up the whole project on the grounds that their current approach wasn't working....
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    Yeah, weight loss is unattainable.. People like me who lose weight and keep it off clearly don't exist.

    The article does not state that weight loss is unobtainable. It does say however that most people regain the weight.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    Well, I have read this before. Perhaps they need to do a study on the people that DO successfully keep the weight off long term. I choose to change my mindset about eating and exercise and thereby, have a different outcome than the masses.

    Never give up. Never give in. Never quit. :drinker:

    ^^^ this is exactly what I mean.... with the right approach and attitude, it's totally possible. Most people don't use the right approach, not even close. Most people diet in ways that set themselves up to have an extremely tough time maintaining.
    epic-win-photos-rugrat-win.gif

    ^^^ that is one smart kid!!
  • Ambition00
    Ambition00 Posts: 37 Member
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    neandermagnon you took the words right out of my mouth...it's a lifestyle not a quick fix. I see people at my work on the medifast diet or whatever type of diet they are on and once they get bored or hungry and start eating their old ways they gain all the weight back and some. Or even those who go to the extreme when they start; exercise hardcore, eat extremely health without allowing for occasional indulgences end up back where they start once they realize they can't maintain the level of activity they are doing anymore and the healthy eating is boring for every single day of your life. In the world of weight loss occasional splurge is important, fun physical activities is key, strength building is a must, and avoiding low cal diet is critical. I don't wake up thinking oh man I wish I could eat this or the night before think I can't wait until tomorrow to eat that..or man I don't want to exercise today (I used to, but education is priceless and I have taught myself a lot over the past year). at 5 "2" 124.6lb I eat anywhere from 1400-2300 cals per day. It all depend on how hungry I am that day and if I have been sitting on my bum all day or have been moving around the majority of the day.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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  • DMadelineP
    DMadelineP Posts: 50 Member
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    I'm sorry, but you know this isn't General Diet and Weight Loss HELP, right?
    Not that I'm going to let it impact me in any way, but what was your purpose when posting this? What are you trying to achieve? First of all, it's one study you haven't even given us to look at. Second, it doesn't sound very accurate, because quite frankly, I know a lot of people who have lost weight and kept it off FOR GOOD.
    It's all in whether you want it enough, are willing to put the work in for it, and believe in yourself (oh and don;t make excuses)...
    You've given yet another silly excuse to people who don't want to lose weight and be fit enough. Congrats!
    If you believe it though, and you wanna lose weight- I'll tell you this. Don't ever let anyone put a bar in front of you and tell you you can't reach it. Don't let anyone make you think it's hopeless or impossible. YOU decide whether it's possible or not. The amount of work you put in decides whether it's probable.
    If you eat less food and burn more calories, you're going to lose weight... and If you continue that healthy lifestyle, the fat isn't magically going to jump on you. SO, take this study as a challenge, not discouragement... and prove that you're strong and that you can do it, people!
    It's not hard, it's just pure logic...what goes in, comes out;)
  • bryant28408
    bryant28408 Posts: 52 Member
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    That's because most people don't diet in sustainable ways. They diet with too big a deficit and too restrictive a diet, they frequently don't exercise (which increases the risk of losing lean mass and slowing the metabolism in the process) and so they set themselves up for having a really hard time maintaining.

    ^^^Exactly. Life style modification is critical to sustained change of any kind.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,775 Member
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    So basically, if you quit doing what you did to get where you are, you are going to go back to where you started? Well, duh!!:huh:
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
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    I read the thread on this the other day and was explaining it to my husband. I told him that while on MFP I learned that I have to eat less as I lose since I'm smaller and burn less, and that as I approach goal weight it's slow going and I was explaining why---according to the wisdom I've collected on here. Then I mentioned that the dietician that I went to 15 yrs ago never explained any of these things. He looked at me and said "of course, she didn't want you to really be successful, so she'd have you as a client again". I had a light bulb moment--that's the way it is. So,this time I'm aiming to be in the 5%. Want to join me? :happy:
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    I'm sorry, but you know this isn't General Diet and Weight Loss HELP, right?
    Not that I'm going to let it impact me in any way, but what was your purpose when posting this? What are you trying to achieve? First of all, it's one study you haven't even given us to look at. Second, it doesn't sound very accurate, because quite frankly, I know a lot of people who have lost weight and kept it off FOR GOOD.
    It's all in whether you want it enough, are willing to put the work in for it, and believe in yourself (oh and don;t make excuses)...
    You've given yet another silly excuse to people who don't want to lose weight and be fit enough. Congrats!
    If you believe it though, and you wanna lose weight- I'll tell you this. Don't ever let anyone put a bar in front of you and tell you you can't reach it. Don't let anyone make you think it's hopeless or impossible. YOU decide whether it's possible or not. The amount of work you put in decides whether it's probable.
    If you eat less food and burn more calories, you're going to lose weight... and If you continue that healthy lifestyle, the fat isn't magically going to jump on you. SO, take this study as a challenge, not discouragement... and prove that you're strong and that you can do it, people!
    It's not hard, it's just pure logic...what goes in, comes out;)

    Honestly, I feel like this almost gets posted as an excuse. (OP I'm not saying that's you, I'm just saying...) Like well if this study says it's unattainable, what's the point. Might as well give up now, because that's already what they want to do, but they don't want to blame themselves so they can now blame the study.

    I do not think posting something like this is at any way helpful on a diet site. Just my opinion.
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  • Cryptonomnomicon
    Cryptonomnomicon Posts: 848 Member
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    Studies have shown that 100% of people die!...

    ...guess we should all just give up. FEx5jcJ.gif

    I recommend researching how to achieve your goals instead of reasons to fail.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    Oh well I'll give up then. Pass the doughnuts ;-)
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    I'm sorry, but you know this isn't General Diet and Weight Loss HELP, right?
    Not that I'm going to let it impact me in any way, but what was your purpose when posting this? What are you trying to achieve? First of all, it's one study you haven't even given us to look at. Second, it doesn't sound very accurate, because quite frankly, I know a lot of people who have lost weight and kept it off FOR GOOD.
    It's all in whether you want it enough, are willing to put the work in for it, and believe in yourself (oh and don;t make excuses)...
    You've given yet another silly excuse to people who don't want to lose weight and be fit enough. Congrats!
    If you believe it though, and you wanna lose weight- I'll tell you this. Don't ever let anyone put a bar in front of you and tell you you can't reach it. Don't let anyone make you think it's hopeless or impossible. YOU decide whether it's possible or not. The amount of work you put in decides whether it's probable.
    If you eat less food and burn more calories, you're going to lose weight... and If you continue that healthy lifestyle, the fat isn't magically going to jump on you. SO, take this study as a challenge, not discouragement... and prove that you're strong and that you can do it, people!
    It's not hard, it's just pure logic...what goes in, comes out;)

    I think it's a really important discussion to be having.......... 95% of people who diet fail to keep the weight off long term... that statistic absolutely should make anyone who wants to lose fat sit up and take notice.... it absolutely should be discussed. We need to ask ourselves "what are they doing wrong?"....... we need to make sure we don't make the same mistakes. And the discussion so far IMO has been productive... several people who have been successfully maintaining have put their opinions forward about what enables them to keep maintaining

    in the interests of a productive discussion, here's my advice (I've maintained a healthy body fat percentage for 2 years now after being obese):
    1. lose weight slowly.
    2. look after your lean mass (i.e. do strength training, eat plenty of protein, make sure your deficit isn't too big).
    3. find ways to fit all the foods you want to eat into your calorie goal
    4. pay attention to getting all the nutrients your body needs.
    5. find ways of exercising and being physically active that you enjoy and will not find it hard to stick to.
    6. re-evaluate your definition of success... success is not about how many lbs a week you lose or how quickly you reach goal - success is staying at your goal weight forever.
    7 understand that whatever you do to get to goal weight you have to keep on doing to maintain it, so make sure that all the changes you make are ones you can stick to forever,
    8. weigh your food so you can be sure you're really eating the number of calories you think you are.
    9. when you hit maintenance, you are likely to have learned how much food to eat so may not need to track any more... that's fine. just weigh yourself monthly (same day of your cycle each time if you're female) to check that your weight is not slowly creeping up - if it is, just go back to your calories for 0.5lb/week weight loss and eat that many until you're back at goal.
    10. keep this up for life

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