Do you correct people on weight loss myths?

I went for many years believing in fad diets and quick fixes. Then I found MFP and studied the forums and listened to what the successful people were doing.
Once I shifted my thoughts from gimicks to eating however I wanted while staying within my macros and exercising regularly, the weight dropped, my body changed, and I feel better about myself than ever.

Some things folks just have to figure out for themselves.

Depends on the person and the situation. My gym buddy used to buy into every gimmick out there and I didn't say much because they made her happy, at least temporarily and I figured she's an adult so if she wants to waste her money on shakes or whatnot, who am I to object even if it doesn't makes sense. However, i just couldn't control myself when she announced a year or so ago that she bought some Zaggora Hot Pants. Have you guys heard of these? They're supposed to be worn while exercising to help you burn more calories. I smirked and laughed and when she asked I told her it was time to be honest. I mean really...you won't spend money on good sneakers, eventhough you have PF issues, but you'll spend money on a gimmick? SMH... Thankfully she's smarted up quite a bit since then - but I still can't convince her to log her food. ~

Usually, people notice I've lost weight and then give me their crackpot advice, like the seamstress taking in my suit jacket who was going to start dropping pounds by ordering pork tenderloin sandwiches from a local burger joint and not eating the bread, or my friend who read "Wheat Belly" and claims she's losing weight because she's not eating all that evil bread, not because she was diagnosed as a diabetic recently and has had to adjust her diet and medications accordingly.

I don't bring up weight loss, but if someone else brings it up and says something false, yes, I correct them.

This! Just went through this Christmas Eve, my 2 sister-in-laws were both discussing how they keep bouncing between the same 5 lb weight loss, and that they were going to try the "wraps" and some new diet pill. I couldn't help myself and said you can just give me the money you will waste on those, and do this miracle diet: Weigh your food, and Get off your butt.

Yeah I can see that not going well, lol. I find that people don't really want to know what to do. Because at a certain point it is just common sense... I have an acquaintance that is willing to travel to another country next year to get lipo and tummy tuck rather than stop eating cake in the morning and chips and pizza. I know how that will end up already.

But whatever I hear, I just sit and listen. NO INPUT from me AT ALL

I used to but then I came to realise people don't believe the truth and only believe in a quick and easy option, and unfortunately to them I was the wrong one. So now, I rarely bother.

My best friend insists she gained a lot of weight while she was only eating one meal a day and not getting enough calories. When has a friend who puts her on fad juicing cleanses (you can't have grapefruit or other citrus fruits, OMG!!!) Who told her the common myth of the body storing any fat when you don't eat enough. I tried to explain to her she cant gain weight while in deficit, But she is convinced, because she lost on the juice cleanse. She is vegetarian, But doesn't eat much protein, mostly potatoes, pasta with lots of cream and cheese, and I can see how one meal a day could potentially put her over, especially if her body doesn't have the energy tomove as kmuch as she normally would. Also she drinks alcohol so there's that.

Now she's happy with her weight since when she gained she got boobs along with the other fat. Her new goal is to "firm up ". I am not even trying to explain to her that you can't firm up fat. Sigh.

Can you explain what you mean by you can't firm up fat please?

In case you're serious, fat is fat, it's soft, flabby tissue. You can't do anything to change that, other than lose it.

So would I have to eat at a calorie deficit until I have a flat stomach before I try and make it look leaner?

Now you're just trolling and setting up the bait to go on a lifting soapbox. I am a lifter but I can see this coming.

it really depends on the situation and the person. most of the time, people don't want to be corrected or to learn the truth. They prefer to carry on believing whatever snake oil salesman mythology they're currently got their heart set on, and can't seem to cognitively process the idea that someone might be correcting them to actually help them find a way to achieve their goals that actually stands a chance of working.

There are some situations where the person genuinely wants help and wants to listen to advice and opinions, and wants to try something that has a chance of working.

My best friend insists she gained a lot of weight while she was only eating one meal a day and not getting enough calories. When has a friend who puts her on fad juicing cleanses (you can't have grapefruit or other citrus fruits, OMG!!!) Who told her the common myth of the body storing any fat when you don't eat enough. I tried to explain to her she cant gain weight while in deficit, But she is convinced, because she lost on the juice cleanse. She is vegetarian, But doesn't eat much protein, mostly potatoes, pasta with lots of cream and cheese, and I can see how one meal a day could potentially put her over, especially if her body doesn't have the energy tomove as kmuch as she normally would. Also she drinks alcohol so there's that.

Now she's happy with her weight since when she gained she got boobs along with the other fat. Her new goal is to "firm up ". I am not even trying to explain to her that you can't firm up fat. Sigh.

Can you explain what you mean by you can't firm up fat please?

In case you're serious, fat is fat, it's soft, flabby tissue. You can't do anything to change that, other than lose it.

So would I have to eat at a calorie deficit until I have a flat stomach before I try and make it look leaner?

Now you're just trolling and setting up the bait to go on a lifting soapbox. I am a lifter but I can see this coming.

Yeah, I lift too, But even though she has her own gym, her "weightless equipment" (treadmill and elliptical) are broken. When I suggest lifting she is convinced she will get bulky although she can see how I'm only getting leaner.

Also, she doesn't want to lose weight/fat if you read my first post. She just wants her fat to be firm.

Also, "healthy" weight loss is just a myth.

Some people panick if they lose more than 1% of their body weight in any given week(2-3 pounds for example), but us humans can live for months on just water and salt tabs.

Sure you will lack vitamins if you just drink water and salt tabs, and it will be 'unhealthy', but crash diets are used all the time by actors and actresses for weight gain/weight loss.

If you have the scientific know-how I believe that even with crash diets, there are proper ways to crash diet and still not 'ruin' your metabolism and regain all that weight after.

Most of us with excess weight like to blame the weight gain on 'slow metabolism' or wacky 'hormonal' levels but realitistically that's an extremely small % of the population.

If you think you gain weight faster than your 'friends' who eat the same amount, they either diet or eat healthy compared to you when they are alone and/or they are generally more active.

I had a friend who I thought ate big all the time whenever we hung out at night ; turns out that he skips breakfast and lunch and eats a light dinner if he pigged out 4k calories the night before. It's def. not healthy but it works and he stays at his ideal body weight.

This just shows there's no right or wrong way to lose /maintain weight. It's all different based on our life style.

Some people that eat healthy have high blood pressures while some people that eat junk all the time have perfectly normal blood press. levels until death.

There are no myths in weight loss imo. Just diff. ways based on one's life style.

Also, "healthy" weight loss is just a myth.

Some people panick if they lose more than 1% of their body weight in any given week(2-3 pounds for example), but us humans can live for months on just water and salt tabs.

Sure you will lack vitamins if you just drink water and salt tabs, and it will be 'unhealthy', but crash diets are used all the time by actors and actresses for weight gain/weight loss.

If you have the scientific know-how I believe that even with crash diets, there are proper ways to crash diet and still not 'ruin' your metabolism and regain all that weight after.

Most of us with excess weight like to blame the weight gain on 'slow metabolism' or wacky 'hormonal' levels but realitistically that's an extremely small % of the population.

If you think you gain weight faster than your 'friends' who eat the same amount, they either diet or eat healthy compared to you when they are alone and/or they are generally more active.

I had a friend who I thought ate big all the time whenever we hung out at night ; turns out that he skips breakfast and lunch and eats a light dinner if he pigged out 4k calories the night before. It's def. not healthy but it works and he stays at his ideal body weight.

This just shows there's no right or wrong way to lose /maintain weight. It's all different based on our life style.

Some people that eat healthy have high blood pressures while some people that eat junk all the time have perfectly normal blood press. levels until death.

There are no myths in weight loss imo. Just diff. ways based on one's life style.

Healthy weight loss is just a myth, but there are no weight loss myths? Huh? There certainly is healthy and unhealthy weight loss, it depends on the ratio of fat/muscle loss. Does crash dieting work? Sure, in the short term. Does it drastically affect metabolism? It can. Does it drastically affect health and body composition? Yes. Using celebrities as a guide stick as to whether something is healthy or not is silly. Professional fighters dehydrate themselves to make weight for a fight, that doesn't mean it's a healthy way to lose weight. It's funny, because you said people without the scientific knowledge should just stay quiet, then you spout off this nonsense. Should've taken your own advice.

If I am around people who are discussing fad diets, etc., I generally don't chime in. I find that most people who believe in those approaches are not going to change their minds.

It's different if someone asks me how I have lost weight. I answer a very simple, short "I ate less than I burned". At that time most people just get a look of disbelief, and the subject gets changed. Some might go on to ask further questions, like "so you did a program like Medi-fast, right?". I just repeat what I said before, "no, I just ate less than I burned". Sometimes this goes on for a while with more questions. If I get the feeling the person is really interested in my approach, I will explain further about how I don't believe in fad diets, cleanses, etc, and about my exercise, but honestly this has only happened once where I felt the person was really wanting to learn. Everyone else just wants to hear about a quick fix.