Having to starve yourself to lose weight.

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vegankalequeen
vegankalequeen Posts: 22
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!

So, I don't know if its just me, or in the last couple of years severe low-calorie diets have become all the rage. I'm wondering why people suddenly now think that severe low calorie is the only way to lose weight?? And if we are all catching on to such low calorie diets, why are we getting fatter as a nation (usa)?

Sorry if this post has been done, I'm new here, so bear with me!

Thanks! :)
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Replies

  • caminoslo
    caminoslo Posts: 239 Member
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    Hello!

    So, I don't know if its just me, or in the last couple of years severe low-calorie diets have become all the rage. I'm wondering why people suddenly now think that severe low calorie is the only way to lose weight?? And if we are all catching on to such low calorie diets, why are we getting fatter as a nation (usa)?

    Sorry if this post has been done, I'm new here, so bear with me!

    Thanks! :)
    I am going to tell you my opion, I believe its a scam.... look up food pyramid scam
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Ignorance and false promises by those promoting the very low calorie diets. People just don't understand their bodies and believe all the hype that very low calorie is the only way to go. They believe all the nonsense about you can't lose weight if you're not miserable.
  • KatherineEO
    KatherineEO Posts: 13
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    I've seen a lot of girls do this lately. They think if they eat basically three meals consisting of salad and then workout for an hour or so they'll lose weight. They will but it'll become an unhealthy fixation. I'm not an expert at all but I try to eat 6 meals a day depending on how hard I work out. If I know I'm going to the gym for two hours to do cardio and weight train then I'm gonna make sure I've got enough fuel in my body to make it through the workout. I'm not sure why eating a super low calorie diet is popular but it can't be healthy.
  • fast_eddie_72
    fast_eddie_72 Posts: 719 Member
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    Marketing.

    People want to see results RIGHT NOW. It's why those juice cleanse things got popular. Yeah, you'll see the scale move. Just silly. But the promises of easy and quick results sell magazines or recruit viewers to TV shows (which translates to advertiser dollars). Anything that sounds easy or requiring no sacrifice will sell better than "eat less, exercise more". That sounds hard. They're all just ways of trying to put a more sellable face on that message.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    They want to lose fast. Want to lose ten pounds? Rather than eating at a reasonable deficit and losing the weight over months, they hope to eat almost nothing for two weeks and lose all that weight.
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
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    Nothing new. Just rebranding the same old things over and over again.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
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    I think it is marketing + a false belief that the more people are in control the better the rewards when in fact we just need to give nature a helping hand and let go a little.
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
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    The low calorie diet is all about losing weight fast. I have a friend doing MediFast (500 calories a day) and she's dropping weight, but it's just not sustainable. I think that's why we're getting fatter--because most people who try to lose weight go into it looking for a quick fix and then end up gaining it all back and then some, if that makes sense.
  • SapiensPisces
    SapiensPisces Posts: 992 Member
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    I think the problem is that we live in a world of instant gratification. The concept of being consistent over a long time period to accomplish something big isn't glamorized or appreciated as much.

    Take a look at shows like Biggest Loser where a contestant losing 8 lbs in a week can be considered a "failure" while contestants losing 15-25 lbs in a week are praised. Same goes for Extreme Weight Loss.
  • Iwantchange_22
    Iwantchange_22 Posts: 49 Member
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    People think extreme low calorie diets are good because they haven't been told the correct information and what it will do to there body. They want instant results and its very appealing when the adverts claim "Do this and you wont have to exercise. LOOSE 10 POUNDS IN 1 WEEK. GET YOUR SEXY BIKINI BODY NOW!!!"

    If only it was that easy.
  • RomaWT
    RomaWT Posts: 17 Member
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    You dont have to starve yourself to loose weight. You just have to eat right and at a healthy calorie deficit in order to loose weight the right way. Starving will work and the scale will move, but how will the person ever sustain that weight loss. The only way is to learn how to make the right changes in your diet that are sustainable even after you reach your goal weight.

    I too think it is a marketing/advertising scam.
  • eddiesmith1
    eddiesmith1 Posts: 1,550 Member
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    I think the problem is that we live in a world of instant gratification. The concept of being consistent over a long time period to accomplish something big isn't glamorized or appreciated as much.

    Take a look at shows like Biggest Loser where a contestant losing 8 lbs in a week can be considered a "failure" while contestants losing 15-25 lbs in a week are praised. Same goes for Extreme Weight Loss.

    ^^^ the real issue - in general society has become more and more about instant gratification and the need to have long term goals and challenges is ignored. - you see it in people failing at diets as pointed out - in general what people fail to realize is they took a hella long time to get to the weight they are at and to retrain themselves and get to the healthy weight it will take a long time as well
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Instant gratification...

    People don't understand weight loss...all they know is they want the scale number to be smaller...

    Not understanding that they VLCD mean losing fat and muscle and a lot of water and as soon as it's done so is the weight loss and bam...it comes back...
  • stefanieraya
    stefanieraya Posts: 110 Member
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    There is such a thing as nutritionally dense foods that are low in calories. As far as food consumption there is no one-size fits all. You have to find the mix of macro nutrients that work for you and support the goals you have.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    There is such a thing as nutritionally dense foods that are low in calories. As far as food consumption there is no one-size fits all. You have to find the mix of macro nutrients that work for you and support the goals you have.

    It doesn't matter how "nutritionally dense" the food is, if you are not getting in calories your body suffers...too few calories means you aren't fueling the machine that is your body.
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    I can totally relate. I have one big mac, some fries a sweet tea and a chocolate shake and then I can't eat for the rest of the day......By the time evening rolls around I am totally starving.
  • richardositosanchez
    richardositosanchez Posts: 260 Member
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    People do this because it's a fast way to lose weight, not realizing that it's unhealthy and not sustainable (are you going to do this for the rest of your life? and once the weight comes off you'll go back to the same eating habits and gain it all back). People want quick, easy, fast results and are not willing to put much long term effort into it.
  • COliver416
    COliver416 Posts: 87 Member
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    I've tried every diet out there and I've been as big as 345 pounds. If you're starving you're doing something wrong, it's as easy as that. The key in my opinion isn't so much calories, as it is nutrients. 60% of my calories are from steamed and sauteed vegetables throughout the week, switch it around and replace that with protein for the weekends and holidays. Now why, because, I can stuff whole grain sandwhich full of vegetables and a few slices of meat, eat it all day, and feel full. Have frozen vegetables ready in 5 minutes time and tasting oh so good, and filling myself up to the brim with all sorts of goodness. And I won't be hungry one bit. Sometimes, I'll have as low as 900 calories, and be perfect sated. Calorie wise I might not always hit my goal, but all the nutrients I eat work very well for me and keep my body not just healthy, but constantly increasing in strength.

    When I'm hungry I eat. When I see something tasty, I eat it. I don't worry cause I know that I keep myself full on nutrient dense foods, so overeating junk becomes difficult--taking a deliberate effort to do so...

    Being hungry isn't a natural state in my mind. I don't like. I don't ever want to be hungry. And I think people who do the whole starvation diet thing are just failing themselves. Find what makes you feel good on all fronts.
  • rrloos
    rrloos Posts: 32 Member
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    I agree with the thought that society has gotten very "instant gratification" oriented. I even have to struggle with that myself sometimes. I want it right now, or I will lose my motivation; however, I think (hope) I'm mature enough to know that the only way to do it right is to pay the dues and do the work and then it will finally stay off, because I will have invested the time and energy and have a stake in making sure I continue to do it right.

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