Fad vs facts?

MissSherryBobbins

Hi peeps.

Well, as stated in other posts, I am kind of new to the world of counting calories. I have tried dieting a few times but have just done my own thing, following a vague food pyramid and a bit of common sense. Exercise... i just use to do heaps of walking which worked really well for me, but four years ago i moved away from the city and i just don't have the time or need to walk everywhere anymore. So...

I have heard all these women at work go on about different things when they are trying to lose weight. I also hae a mum-in-law who can't let a minute go by without forcing her medical/health advice onto you. I have been taking everything with a grain of salt and sticking with common sense thus far, especially because i have had a number of friends with serious eating disorders, but i was wondering if you have any knowledge on the following:

1. I have been told these are effective weight loss foods/methods:
*No/Low carbs/high protein
* Dukan diet
* Soup diet
* Green tea
* Lemon in hot water in the morning speeds up your metabolism
* Almonds suppress your appetite
* Fruit has too much sugar and will hamper your weight loss efforts

2. Weight bearing exercise is good for weight loss and bone density

3. Cross trainer machines are much more effective than treadmill (if this is true, i am really confused, because 15 mins on a cross trainer set to level 8 is moderate to me, but 10 minutes of running almost kills me)

4. Zumba (heard mixed things about effectiveness)

Would love to know your thoughts

Cheers


Sherry Bobbins

LoraF83

Here's my opinion:

1. All fads. Almonds are a great, protien filled snack that may keep you fuller, longer than another snack of the same calorie count, but I don't think they actually "suppress" appetite. **Edit to say that fruit is full of nutrients and the sugar found in it is natural. I eat fruit every day, and I'm still losing weight. Some people find that they can't eat it, but for most, it doesn't affect weight loss.

2. Weight training is excellent for weight loss, body recomposition, and health. Not sure about bone density.

3. It's all about the work you put into it. You should strive to challenge your body.

4. Zumba is a fun workout that many women (and some men) really enjoy. If that's what gets them moving, that's great! Personally, it's not for me, but that doesn't mean no one should do it.


Just strive to eat mostly healthy food (with some indulgences so you don't feel deprived) with a moderate calorie deficit from your TDEE. Do some exercise that YOU enjoy and make sure to challenge yourself when what you are doing becomes easy (or easier). That's all it takes.

ZugTheMegasaurus

High impact exercise does indeed increase bone mineral density. I just took a quick look through Google Scholar to see if what I learned a few years back is still good science, and it looks like it's still supported by new studies. I was told to do it by my doctor a few years ago after being diagnosed with osteomalacia, in order to try to rebuild what I'd lost; I later learned the mechanism behind it in a college course, but it's eluding me right now.

As to the rest of it, it all seems to be fads. And it's not that they won't work, but rather that they're usually getting the effect just from consuming fewer calories and exercising more, so there's nothing magic or special about them.

sarahrbraun

I am not sure NO carb is possible...There are different levels of "low carb", and they DO work--especially if you have issues with insulin resistance like me.

eating too much fruit CAN hamper your weight loss. Although fruit is healthy, some fruits are high in sugar. Too much sugar, even if it is natural sugar, can cause issues.


The normal diet is like 250-350g of carbs daily. I ate that and struggled to lose 7 pounds in 3 months ( and exercised 90 minutes 3-4x a week). I reduced my carbs to under 100g net ( total carbs minus fiber) daily and lost 8 pounds the first month and 6 pounds the second month. I was also able to cut my workouts by 30% and still lose weight. I still eat "normal" food, I just don't eat a ton of the carby stuff. I even had a cheeseburger yesterday, but I took off the top bun to reduce the carbs.

MissStatement

1. I agree with the poster above. Almonds are a good snack but not because they have magical properties. Green tea has antioxidants and may have some appetite suppressant qualities, it's been shown to be an all around healthy drink to have, but again, it's not a panacea. I never heard of the dukan diet but from teh googles it seems highly similar to south beach. IMHO any diet that eliminates or restricts an entire group of macronutrients isn't effective for long term weight loss. As for fruit, too much of anything can be bad. I'd still eat at least a couple of pieces of fruit a day. It has vitamin c and other good things. I wouldn't skip it, just eat it in moderation.

2. Strength training has been shown to maintain or increase bone density in older populations.

3. Effective in terms of calories burned per minute of exercise? Not sure about that one.

4. Zumba can be great - As with any exercise, it's what you put into it.

Also, I love your user name

jg627

Anything that stresses your bone structure is going cause your body to increase your bone density and lifting heavy does a decent job at that. You can even punch bricks to strengthen your knuckles. There was supposedly an ancient greek boxer who was able to punch nails into wood. I'm not going to recommend that for weight loss, but it's an interesting fun fact.

mcarter99

All I'd keep out of that list is #2. And add this: 'weight loss is calories in vs. calories out'. If Zumba or almonds or green tea of lemon water help you create that imbalance, go for it. But know there's nothing magical to any of it.