Having to starve yourself to lose weight.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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

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.

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.

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.

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.

^^ Not healthy