"Calories have nothing to do with it" XD

mizzie1980

Oh criminy! I just have to share this with you all.

So, I have an acquaintance that I see a few times a month and have for the last year. In that time, I know she's been "watching" what she eats, but I haven't noticed any change in her. Whatever, to each their own. I typically don't offer advice unless asked. In the same time frame, I've lost 34 pounds.

A few days ago we were at the same place and she was reading food labels. She started making comments on the amount of carbs in things, so I asked if she was doing low-carb. She said not exactly, she used to do *weight watchers and doesn't anymore, but she learned the formula, taking into account the carbs and fat. I said "ah, I've heard it's a good program. I don't do that though, I count calories." She then launched into a tirade on how that won't get me anywhere because "calories have nothing to do with it!" :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

Seriously?

I really wasn't interested in hearing what she had to say after that and, honestly, I have a short fuse for people spreading false weight loss information, so I said "Well, I've lost 57 pounds by counting calories, so it must have SOMETHING to do with it." Yeah, she didn't really talk to me after that.


*Disclaimer: I have nothing against the weight watchers program. I don't know much about it, but from what I do it seems to work. I do understand that things that are lower in carbs and fat tend to also be lower in calories.

CoraGregoryCPA

Try to educate her without getting an attitude about it. If no one tells her, then she won't know. Be the bigger person and educate her.

North44

Yes I think she probably misunderstood the WW program. I did it very successfully in 2010 and am doing MFP now because its free! Yay!

Anyways, WW figures out calories indirectly thru fiber, fat, carbs, and protein and assigns a point value. So in the end, it's basically the same as MFP.

I love both programs!

cmriverside

Each person has to find their own way. It does no good to try to change others.

nkyjennifer

Yes I think she probably misunderstood the WW program. I did it very successfully in 2010 and am doing MFP now because its free! Yay!

Anyways, WW figures out calories indirectly thru fiber, fat, carbs, and protein and assigns a point value. So in the end, it's basically the same as MFP.

I love both programs!

Yeah, it does sound like she doesn't understand WW. The formula absolutely includes calories - (calories + 4 x fat grams - 10 x fiber grams) / 50

BarbieAS

Yes I think she probably misunderstood the WW program. I did it very successfully in 2010 and am doing MFP now because its free! Yay!

Anyways, WW figures out calories indirectly thru fiber, fat, carbs, and protein and assigns a point value. So in the end, it's basically the same as MFP.

I love both programs!

Yeah, it does sound like she doesn't understand WW. The formula absolutely includes calories - (calories + 4 x fat grams - 10 x fiber grams) / 50

That's the old formula. The new Points system (PointsPlus, I believe) is calculated using carbs, fiber, protein and fat.

But, yes, WW still absolutely does take into account calories. The Points values are loosely adjusted to allow a little more high protein and high fiber foods, but the Points food values vs. what the WW team came up with as each person's Points allowance is absolutely based on calories, even if that's not obvious to the user based on the way you enter your food.

caspergirl7

"Well, I've lost 57 pounds by counting calories, so it must have SOMETHING to do with it." Yeah, she didn't really talk to me after that.

HAHA LOVE THIS!!! She got served : P

mizzie1980

Sorry, I normally wouldn't have an "attitude" and have talked to many friends and acquaintances alike about how to lose weight in a healthy way, if they ask. This woman, though, is the type who never wants to hear that what she is doing, or what she thinks she should do, isn't the only way to do things. Reading through it again, it looks like I snapped at her, I didn't. It was more like:

Me, interestedly: "doing low carb?"
Her, matter-of-factually: "sorta, former WW, etc"
Me, understanding: "ah, I count calories"
Her, superior and condescending: "you won't lose that way, etc, etc"
Me, off-hand: "ah, well, it's working for me"

This is very shortened, of course, but that was the gist of the overall tone of it. I'm not trying to change her or dump on WW (as I said above), I just honestly found her idea that calories don't have anything to do with weight loss/gain amusing.

LorinaLynn

"It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." Mark Twain

She believes what she believes, even if it's wrong, and won't be convinced otherwise. :ohwell:

JJordon

Someone came up to me as I was eating last night at work, said they were on a timed diet. They claimed they if they consumed their daily calories in just 8 hours, they could eat ANYTHING* they wanted to and as much as they wanted to and this has to be before 8 pm. Allegedly, this forces the body to burn it all, no exercise, no macro checking needed...

It has been said, if you've taken the right drugs, you can use a vomit bag as a golf club. Doesn't make it a smart or right idea, though.

There are all sorts of super crazy, batcrap insane diets out there. I just stopped listening to them all.

Excuse me while I go back and lift that anchor in my file photo.

jojorocksforeva

Wow ofcourse its about the calories thats the only real scientific way to lose weight counting calories and making a deficant by doing so without being a deficant you cant lose weight you should tell her that lol!!! And congrats on your weightloss hun:)

nkyjennifer

Yes I think she probably misunderstood the WW program. I did it very successfully in 2010 and am doing MFP now because its free! Yay!

Anyways, WW figures out calories indirectly thru fiber, fat, carbs, and protein and assigns a point value. So in the end, it's basically the same as MFP.

I love both programs!

Yeah, it does sound like she doesn't understand WW. The formula absolutely includes calories - (calories + 4 x fat grams - 10 x fiber grams) / 50

That's the old formula. The new Points system (PointsPlus, I believe) is calculated using carbs, fiber, protein and fat.

But, yes, WW still absolutely does take into account calories. The Points values are loosely adjusted to allow a little more high protein and high fiber foods, but the Points food values vs. what the WW team came up with as each person's Points allowance is absolutely based on calories, even if that's not obvious to the user based on the way you enter your food.

Interesting! I'm glad they're focusing more on macros now. I had the formula from years ago (needed it to figure out the points in my own recipes). Tracking calories on MFP is easier for me. :-)

CoraGregoryCPA

That's awesome! You did your best. She may or may not learn someday. Keep up the good work, maybe she will realize it the more successful you become, but maybe she never will.

Sorry, I normally wouldn't have an "attitude" and have talked to many friends and acquaintances alike about how to lose weight in a healthy way, if they ask. This woman, though, is the type who never wants to hear that what she is doing, or what she thinks she should do, isn't the only way to do things. Reading through it again, it looks like I snapped at her, I didn't. It was more like:

Me, interestedly: "doing low carb?"
Her, matter-of-factually: "sorta, former WW, etc"
Me, understanding: "ah, I count calories"
Her, superior and condescending: "you won't lose that way, etc, etc"
Me, off-hand: "ah, well, it's working for me"

This is very shortened, of course, but that was the gist of the overall tone of it. I'm not trying to change her or dump on WW (as I said above), I just honestly found her idea that calories don't have anything to do with weight loss/gain amusing.