Dieting WTFs?

almostatgoalweight

What research do you need?

You eat at less than your TDEE and you lose weight - that is the basis of all weight loss isn't it?

Scientific research. Because I'm that type of guy.

ladyraven68

What research do you need?

You eat at less than your TDEE and you lose weight - that is the basis of all weight loss isn't it?

Scientific research. Because I'm that type of guy.

You have confused me.

You need scientific research that eating less calories than you use, will result in weight loss?

Um, can I ask how you are losing weight currently?

almostatgoalweight

You need scientific research that eating less calories than you use, will result in weight loss?

Um, can I ask how you are losing weight currently?

No, scientific research on the "eat more, lose more" theory.

BobbieLee1959

A lot of my friends are doing the cabbage soup diet. All you can eat cabbage soup *whoo hoo!* It's too bad though that so many people are looking for a quick and easy solution, and when it doesn't work they become severely discouraged and decide they can't lose weight.

I won't lie though, when they come out with a "Eat as much chocolate cake and cheesecake as you want" type of diet I'll probably jump on that band wagon!

Nothing wrong with indulging in cabbage soup, but even as much as I like it, I could never do only that for more than a day...how silly!

mcarter99

Eating more calories also hasn't been scientifically proven to improve weight loss. The opposite is what has been proven. Sure, you can LOSE WEIGHT at a slight deficit. You can't lose more weight at a slight deficit than you can at a higher deficit. 3500 calories = 1 lb.

Actually if you do experiments with people eating more (or less) in identical situations, there is some variation in how much people gain (or lose), even if they are the same weight. A good documentary on this effect is Why thin people are not fat. You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPsKpnu0-X4 go to 48 minutes and see what the difference in peoples bodies are due to eating double what they normally eat. Also go to 3:30 and see an overeating experiment where people in prison ate heaps, and then some stopped gaining weight.

The experiments seemed to show that some people will gain slower or gain muscle more easily, unexpectedly. I'm not sure that is applicable to 'across the board' dietary recommendations. For most of us, our intake directly dictates our losses.

PayneAS

Same could be said for raspberry ketones, huh? :laugh:

Raspberry ketones haven't been scientifically proven to work. There have actually been studies about it and all of the (legitimate) ones I've seen have shown that they don't work.

Eating more calories also hasn't been scientifically proven to improve weight loss. The opposite is what has been proven. Sure, you can LOSE WEIGHT at a slight deficit. You can't lose more weight at a slight deficit than you can at a higher deficit. 3500 calories = 1 lb.

People give up on "diets" because they are hard to maintain. Who can just eat grapefruit and cottage cheese for the rest of their lives, to use an example already in this thread. The people who advocate "eat more and weigh less" are more successful at their weight loss and more likely to sustain it because they don't deprive themselves and eat less than their TDEE. Yep, I can have McDonalds and still lose weight. Those people on the 1200 cal "diet" I bet aren't or if they are, they are overindulging and not losing weight. I was part of a weight loss competition and my team mates were all shocked (and probably slightly jealous) because here I was, eating out at least once a week, enjoying ice cream, chocolate milk, or whatever, while they were depriving themselves of red meats and only eating fish because the nutritionist told them to. 3500 calories = 1lb. If my TDEE is 3000 and I eat 2500 cal a day then I will lose 1 lb a week and be MUCH happier than the people eating 1200 calories. As well as the fact that I'm more likely to keep the weight off because when I reach my goal weight I won't be so miserable from depriving myself that I gorge and gain it all back. But hey, whatever will make you happy. I won't bash your methods if you won't bash mine.

Edit: Fixed some spelling.

ladyraven68

You need scientific research that eating less calories than you use, will result in weight loss?

Um, can I ask how you are losing weight currently?

No, scientific research on the "eat more, lose more" theory.

I think you've misunderstood it - has anyone ever said "eat more, lose more?"
or do you think they mean eating more than TDEE?
I'm not a member, but understand their logic, which is just that you don;t have to starve yourself to lose. It's still eating at a defict, but is aimed at people who were previously eating with large deficits that they were finding unsustainable.

Well there's more to it than than, but I can't see what science you need to understand that eating at a defict will help lose weight.

Anyway, back on track - As for Diet WTF's, mine has to be the 3 day diet with the Tuna, Cottage cheese, grapefruits etc.
the calories probably totalled 500 max, so the loss was absolutely nothing to do with the combination of foods, but all to do with super-restrictive calories.

mcarter99

I don't bash your methods. I agree, if you will be more patient and more content at a higher intake level, that is 100% what you should do.

What I bash is this. "HELP! I'm eating 1400 calories a day, doing Insanity, and haven't lost any weight in two weeks!!" Ten responses of: "You need to eat more!"

If they would phrase it as "Maybe you'd be less impatient if you ate more?" "Maybe you could lose weight just slower if you ate more?" "Maybe you could work out more if you ate more?" But no, it's nearly always phrased as though the person is hurting their weight loss and their metabolism by undereating, which isn't the case.

rhinowithonehorn

the protein and cantaloupe diet or something

Rhodium1976

Tomorrow on CNN:

"Feeding anorexics no longer works, they keep eating and losing more. What's the next step in treating anorexia nervosa ?"

"Hard gainers caught robbing pharmacies for insulin. Is it the new steroid ?

"Dieters caught doing lines of raspberry ketones. Will it replace crystal meth ?

"The keto dieters have found their insulin fairy, it was in their brain fog the whole time."

jdswaker

Got some friends selling the wraps. Charging $45 dollars for a 45 minute stomach moisturizer.

Anything to avoid watching what you eat and a 30 minute walk.

PayneAS

I don't bash your methods. I agree, if you will be more patient and more content at a higher intake level, that is 100% what you should do.

What I bash is this. "HELP! I'm eating 1400 calories a day, doing Insanity, and haven't lost any weight in two weeks!!" Ten responses of: "You need to eat more!"

If they would phrase it as "Maybe you'd be less impatient if you ate more?" "Maybe you could lose weight just slower if you ate more?" "Maybe you could work out more if you ate more?" But no, it's nearly always phrased as though the person is hurting their weight loss and their metabolism by undereating, which isn't the case.

I don't know if I believe the whole metabolism slowing/under feeding/whatever theory. I know about. I know what I've read about both sides of the argument. I just don't know, nor do I really care to research, whether or not it is true. What I do see a lot of are posts like that. Every day. People who are eating 800-1400 calories a day as well as participating in some very rigorous exercise programs (although I don't know how much effort they actually put into it) and their weight loss stalls. Now, I don't know if that is because of the underfeeding theory or if they are overestimating their exercise and underestimating their caloric intake or because of the slowed metabolism theory. What I don't see are posts every day about people who "eat more to weigh less" complaining that they are doing it and not losing weight. I do see them from time to time. And yes, it may not work for everyone. But I don't see it every day like I do the VLC followers. I was even once one of those people. If I ate 900 calories it was a miracle. I wasn't doing it on purpose, I just wasn't hungry. When my weight loss stalled after 3 weeks I started doing my research. I upped my calories first to 1200 but still wasn't seeing the results I wanted. Then up to 1500 and now I'm back to losing, on average, 1 lb a week which is what I want. Pretty sure my diary is open, you can see how "terrible" I eat and still manage to lose weight. Best of all, I'm not unhappy! If I want a McFlurry from McDonalds I can have one.

rettigkl

HCG drops - I actually had a relative suggest those to me. She has lost 60lbs taking those drops and eating next to nothing.

I told her no thanks, that I'd rather exercise and eat less and she said "Ohh, I hate exercise. Why would you want to get sweaty like that?" :noway:

Yeah, you go ahead and enjoy those 500 calories that you eat today. I'll be over here enjoying my food and running for miles :bigsmile:

Hahaha HCG drops! My relative tried them too. She lost weight but gained more of iback. The diet is so unreasonable: 500 calories in nothing. It's such a fluke. don't waste your money.

formersec

"Eating fruit causes weight gain."

brneydgrlie

To be honest, I've never seen more dieting WTF's than right here. "Not losing weight? Eat more!"

Well, that one works!

I simply cannot believe it. I asked for research articles on the concept in another thread and no one had any.

Keep in mind, that if a person is eating "clean", meaning a minimum of fried or processed foods, they really CAN eat more, quantity-wise, and lose weight. A lot of people do not change their portion sizes when they change their eating habits. This means they may be unintentionally eating way LESS calories than they need.

For example, I eat a hamburger for dinner, and my unhealthy habit is to have 2 cups of french fries with my burger. I decide next time that I want to eat "better", so instead of the fries, I substitute 2 cups of salad instead. We all know that 2 cups of salad has WAY LESS calories than the same amount of french fries.

The salad is a good substitute in and of itself. However, when you have someone doing that with every meal, and every snack, with no account taken as to:

1) if they are actually eating enough calories to properly function
2) if the food contains quality nutrition (vitamins, minerals, protein, fiber, etc.)
3) if they are using these low cal but also low quality foods in all their meals and snacks

it can become a problem. Then that person posts about how they have no energy, are tired all the time, are not losing weight, etc, and someone looks at their diary and says "Well, yeah, because you need to eat more!".

Bobby_Clerici

Opinionated, loud fat people who are experts on losing weight and giving advice....:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

taso42

soup diets
cleanses
low carb
"cardio, cardio, cardio!"
breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper
don't eat X hours before bed

kmuree

I think Sensa sounds pretty stupid.

Sprinkle some magic sweet or salty dust on your food (read: HEALTHY food) and EXERCISE,
and Sensa gets all the credit for the weight loss. :noway:

Why not save the money and .. gasp, learn some self-control (if I can do it, anyone can :laugh: ) eat well and keep active!

emnk5308

To be honest, I've never seen more dieting WTF's than right here. "Not losing weight? Eat more!"

I'd say the biggest "wtf's" are the people who bash some diets that actually work.
If you look through the forums, at least one person is bashing every diet that exists
or saying that every concept is a lie or myth. It happens all over on here.
Sure, some of them are bad or b.s, but there is quite a few that are true and work.
Just because you don't understand it, doesn't mean it's a lie.

100000000000000% agree

Diets aren't long term. It has to be a lifestyle change.

fteale

You need scientific research that eating less calories than you use, will result in weight loss?

Um, can I ask how you are losing weight currently?

No, scientific research on the "eat more, lose more" theory.

I think you've misunderstood it - has anyone ever said "eat more, lose more?"
or do you think they mean eating more than TDEE?
I'm not a member, but understand their logic, which is just that you don;t have to starve yourself to lose. It's still eating at a defict, but is aimed at people who were previously eating with large deficits that they were finding unsustainable.

Well there's more to it than than, but I can't see what science you need to understand that eating at a defict will help lose weight.

Anyway, back on track - As for Diet WTF's, mine has to be the 3 day diet with the Tuna, Cottage cheese, grapefruits etc.
the calories probably totalled 500 max, so the loss was absolutely nothing to do with the combination of foods, but all to do with super-restrictive calories.

Oh yes, I have seen plenty of people being told eat more to lose more. I am eating AT MAINTENANCE and have been told by more than one person on this forum that I should eat more to lose weight. Which is just wrong.