What's the worst diet/fitness advice you've received?

irishgal44

Take this pill and your wiener gets bigger. Oh wait, you said exercise advice. I had a helpful souls at the gym tell me I was doing an exercise incorrectly. He then proceeded to do the exercise with TERRIBLE form.

LMAO about the pill!!! That's fitness...well...eventually it is..sort of...
I have been at the gym before and told I was doing something wrong too - although...I was actually doing it wrong. LOL

lucybp

The "zero diet" where you eat anything you want as long as it's under 500 calories. To this day, I have not overcome the urge to eat as such. Can I wear a zero? Yeah. Am I happy? No.

500!!!

laughingdani

Told by my grandmother "Just eat a bowl of oatmeal for every meal."
This was just recently. I have lost 67 lbs already. I think I will stick to what I am doing thanks. :laugh:

anubis609

I got several variations of the same one. Go on the "Slim Faster" diet, do "Jenny Crank", try the "2week" method. For those not in the illicit substance game, it's all tweaker talk for smoking crystal meth.

No lie. It was literal advice.

I don't know of a worse one than that. Haha.

anovasjo

An employee at the gym I go to said to drop my calories down to 800. I told her straight to her face she was insane for saying that.

Cardio,lifting weights, and eating enough calories is the way to go. I eat between 1200-1500 depending on my work outs.
I Work out 4-5 days doing both cardio (30mins-45mins) as well as the circuit or free weights and I drink lots of water

800!!!
speechless!

I would have gone straight away and told the employee's manager.

anovasjo

"Try a cleanse.

Take herbal supplements to lose weight."

I really think these are worthless. You starve yourself on a cleanseand basically loose water weight. I think the human body is efficient enough. Also, most herbal supplements really haven't been proven to help you lose weight. If they worked, don't you think doctor's would be prescribing them rather than giving people nutrition and fitness or surgery pamphlets?:-P

Shannon

This is absolutely the one that drives me completely insane.
Cleanse yourself of what, exactly? "Toxins"? What is the precise toxic compound? Where are the studies proving that your pill or cleansing mechanism is ridding me of this compound? Where are the studies proving this compound is actually "toxic" for me?

I think that any company that choses to market herbal supplements should be subject to the same kind of scientific rigour that regular medicines are.
You know, the ones that are tested to make sure they're not lethal and to determine what health effects they have on the body? They also WORK.
:explode:

scagneti

"Working out will make you hungrier so don't work out and then you'll eat less."

Actually working out has made me leaner (and I'd swear taller if I knew it wasn't possible!) and stronger than the waifs I see starving themselves.

And my favourite:

"If you're only going to lose a pound a week, what's the point??"

Well, in a year, I'll be 50 lbs lighter. You'll have gained and lost that 50 lbs three times with your insane plan(s).

Nics1009

I got several variations of the same one. Go on the "Slim Faster" diet, do "Jenny Crank", try the "2week" method. For those not in the illicit substance game, it's all tweaker talk for smoking crystal meth.

No lie. It was literal advice.

I don't know of a worse one than that. Haha.

What's sad is I've met people who admitted they started smoking crystal meth to lose weight. After seeing that I can totally believe people giving advice like that out. Sad but true.

scagneti

I got several variations of the same one. Go on the "Slim Faster" diet, do "Jenny Crank", try the "2week" method. For those not in the illicit substance game, it's all tweaker talk for smoking crystal meth.

No lie. It was literal advice.

I don't know of a worse one than that. Haha.

What's sad is I've met people who admitted they started smoking crystal meth to lose weight. After seeing that I can totally believe people giving advice like that out. Sad but true.

Crystal meth, eh?? So it works then?? :laugh:

Nics1009

I got several variations of the same one. Go on the "Slim Faster" diet, do "Jenny Crank", try the "2week" method. For those not in the illicit substance game, it's all tweaker talk for smoking crystal meth.

No lie. It was literal advice.

I don't know of a worse one than that. Haha.

What's sad is I've met people who admitted they started smoking crystal meth to lose weight. After seeing that I can totally believe people giving advice like that out. Sad but true.

Crystal meth, eh?? So it works then?? :laugh:

Sure if you don't mind losing your teeth, looks, overall health, and mind along with that weight!

binary_jester

Oh and if you don't log it, the calories don't count (actually that is what I tell people).

kjensen15

"Working out will make you hungrier so don't work out and then you'll eat less."

Actually working out has made me leaner (and I'd swear taller if I knew it wasn't possible!) and stronger than the waifs I see starving themselves.

Strengthening your core can help your posture which could make you appear taller!

SHBoss1673

Strengthening your core can help your posture which could make you appear taller!

wait, are you saying this is bad advice? It's not, it's actually true. Your core includes all the muscles in your lower back, when stronger they straighten your spine, giving you better posture, making you stand up straighter and look taller.

scagneti

"Working out will make you hungrier so don't work out and then you'll eat less."

Actually working out has made me leaner (and I'd swear taller if I knew it wasn't possible!) and stronger than the waifs I see starving themselves.

Strengthening your core can help your posture which could make you appear taller!

That's possible. My legs seem longer too -- I think just because they're a lot more shaplier than before. I think I walk a little taller now too because I know I look better :happy:

bayba792

I was told "you can eat what ever you want like a double double and french fries from in-n-out and as long as you work out you can eat anything!" If it was only that simple!

HawkeyeGuy

One word - Atkins.

It's a tie between:

Don't eat fruit, it has too much sugar

and

Avoid carbohydrates and eat super high protein.

:drinker:

anovasjo

One word - Atkins.

Here, here!

myofibril

Low weight and high reps for long, lean muscles. LOL!

Yep especially for women b/c women don't want to "bulk up"!

This one drives me crazy! To build muscle you have to challenge the muscles AND women aren't genetically made to get HUGE like men.

There's a quite plausible theory that this myth was orginated and then spread by bodybuilders who were on severe calorie restricted pre contest diets. Given that they were in a weaker state they couldn't lift as heavy as before. They erroneously explained they were using lighter weight and higher reps to cut rather than correlating dietary compliance to the lowering of body fat.

fromaquasar

You went for a run you can eat that massive fudge brownie and icecream (or whatever) as though exercise protects you from ANY calories.

Don't do weights you'll turn into one of those crazy body building women

ladyhawk00

Low weight and high reps for long, lean muscles. LOL!

Yep especially for women b/c women don't want to "bulk up"!

This one drives me crazy! To build muscle you have to challenge the muscles AND women aren't genetically made to get HUGE like men.

There's a quite plausible theory that this myth was orginated and then spread by bodybuilders who were on severe calorie restricted pre contest diets. Given that they were in a weaker state they couldn't lift as heavy as before. They erroneously explained they were using lighter weight and higher reps to cut rather than correlating dietary compliance to the lowering of body fat.

I saw something the other day (when J LaLanne died) that indicated this myth was started or continued in the early 1900s because athletes were told to NEVER lift weights, as that would make them "bulk up" and was thought to make them slower and have less flexibility. This was at a time when women were of course expected to be quite thin (think flappers) and were thus told to also NEVER lift weights or they would become bulky.

Sad how those things have a life of their own, no matter how much we try to kill them! :laugh:

scagneti

Strengthening your core can help your posture which could make you appear taller!

wait, are you saying this is bad advice? It's not, it's actually true. Your core includes all the muscles in your lower back, when stronger they straighten your spine, giving you better posture, making you stand up straighter and look taller.

No, that was the reply when I said that working out has made me leaner and feel taller (for people who say "why bother working out if you're just going to eat your exercise calories?") than just eating less and not working out. The core strength might be why I feel taller!

SHBoss1673

Strengthening your core can help your posture which could make you appear taller!

wait, are you saying this is bad advice? It's not, it's actually true. Your core includes all the muscles in your lower back, when stronger they straighten your spine, giving you better posture, making you stand up straighter and look taller.

No, that was the reply when I said that working out has made me leaner and feel taller (for people who say "why bother working out if you're just going to eat your exercise calories?") than just eating less and not working out. The core strength might be why I feel taller!

Ahh, I gotcha. Good stuff!

mommyskis

When I was pregnant - "You're eating for 2 so you can eat as much as you want." And then later I told myself this, "No reason to lose this baby weight, I'm just gonna have another kid in a few years anyway!" And that's why I ened up on MFP!

"You work out all the time so you can eat/drink whatever you want." Yep, if that was true I'd be like a size 4 or something:)

ammp

I heard a trainer once tell her class "You can't get fat if you don't eat"

anovasjo

I heard a trainer once tell her class "You can't get fat if you don't eat"

:sick:

brunettebetty

Geeze, such irresponsibility! :explode:

pyro13g

Low weight and high reps for long, lean muscles. LOL!

Yep especially for women b/c women don't want to "bulk up"!

This one drives me crazy! To build muscle you have to challenge the muscles AND women aren't genetically made to get HUGE like men.

There's a quite plausible theory that this myth was orginated and then spread by bodybuilders who were on severe calorie restricted pre contest diets. Given that they were in a weaker state they couldn't lift as heavy as before. They erroneously explained they were using lighter weight and higher reps to cut rather than correlating dietary compliance to the lowering of body fat.

I saw something the other day (when J LaLanne died) that indicated this myth was started or continued in the early 1900s because athletes were told to NEVER lift weights, as that would make them "bulk up" and was thought to make them slower and have less flexibility. This was at a time when women were of course expected to be quite thin (think flappers) and were thus told to also NEVER lift weights or they would become bulky.

Sad how those things have a life of their own, no matter how much we try to kill them! :laugh:

There is truth to bulking up reducing speed and flexibility. Flexibility can be maintained by, well, exercises to increase it like Yoga. Speed depends on speed of what? Running, swinging a bat or racket, etc. Bulking up also affects musicians negatively. Motor Learning Science is very interesting and provides scientific fact that sports drills and things like swinging a bat with a weight donut affect performance negatively. The only thing that improves a motor skill is practicing the skill exactly as it would be used in the sport.

ladyhawk00

Low weight and high reps for long, lean muscles. LOL!

Yep especially for women b/c women don't want to "bulk up"!

This one drives me crazy! To build muscle you have to challenge the muscles AND women aren't genetically made to get HUGE like men.

There's a quite plausible theory that this myth was orginated and then spread by bodybuilders who were on severe calorie restricted pre contest diets. Given that they were in a weaker state they couldn't lift as heavy as before. They erroneously explained they were using lighter weight and higher reps to cut rather than correlating dietary compliance to the lowering of body fat.

I saw something the other day (when J LaLanne died) that indicated this myth was started or continued in the early 1900s because athletes were told to NEVER lift weights, as that would make them "bulk up" and was thought to make them slower and have less flexibility. This was at a time when women were of course expected to be quite thin (think flappers) and were thus told to also NEVER lift weights or they would become bulky.

Sad how those things have a life of their own, no matter how much we try to kill them! :laugh:

There is truth to bulking up reducing speed and flexibility. Flexibility can be maintained by, well, exercises to increase it like Yoga. Speed depends on speed of what? Running, swinging a bat or racket, etc. Bulking up also affects musicians negatively. Motor Learning Science is very interesting and provides scientific fact that sports drills and things like swinging a bat with a weight donut affect performance negatively. The only thing that improves a motor skill is practicing the skill exactly as it would be used in the sport.

Of course, there is often an effect on speed and flexibility with higher muscle mass. But to turn that into athletes or women (or anyone else) should NEVER use weight training? I mean, clearly, most athletes, depending on sport, don't want to have the limitations that being muscle-bound will entail, or look like Arnie. But where does the idea come from that that is only logical end point of limited/modest lifting weights/weight training? Not exactly a reasoned conclusion.

LivingFree

An old hairdresser told me once I'd be prettier if I lost a few pounds and that I should do it they way she does, drink coffee and smoke. She sounded like Marg Simpson's sisters..... kinda looked like them too as I recall.
Seriously!!!!

Sweet13_Princess

"Try a cleanse.

Take herbal supplements to lose weight."

I really think these are worthless. You starve yourself on a cleanseand basically loose water weight. I think the human body is efficient enough. Also, most herbal supplements really haven't been proven to help you lose weight. If they worked, don't you think doctor's would be prescribing them rather than giving people nutrition and fitness or surgery pamphlets?:-P

Shannon

This is absolutely the one that drives me completely insane.
Cleanse yourself of what, exactly? "Toxins"? What is the precise toxic compound? Where are the studies proving that your pill or cleansing mechanism is ridding me of this compound? Where are the studies proving this compound is actually "toxic" for me?

I think that any company that choses to market herbal supplements should be subject to the same kind of scientific rigour that regular medicines are.
You know, the ones that are tested to make sure they're not lethal and to determine what health effects they have on the body? They also WORK.
:explode:

THANK YOU VERY MUCH! It should be illegal to market things that could actually harm us if we consume it. You can't do that with drugs, unless a doctor monitors you (or in some cases, it's illegal), so why should herbal supplements be any different? I think they should monitored just as much as the FDA monitors medications.

I don't buy into the cleans and toxins bit. If you're worried about toxins, go organic. Your body can cleanse itself.!:-P I think it's all a gimmick. Even if you DO lose, it's just water weight and it doesn't stay off.

Shannon