Skinny people who think they know better...

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Replies

  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Well, what do you "know" about weight loss and what kind of advice are you giving out?


    That's my question, as well. We've seen the "skinny" woman's advice, and it isn't "wrong."
  • atcross
    atcross Posts: 26 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
    Logging in for the turning point.... It's coming... any moment now.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.

    The great thing about beliefs is that they're just that: beliefs! If you are interested in researching it, there's plenty of resources (posted here and throughout the science world) letting you know that most everyone has very similar metabolisms. :flowerforyou:

    Of course, some people have disorders that affect these slightly (I'm one of them), but I find it curious that you knew that one person was eating 5,000 calories a day. Were you with them 24/7 and weighed all their food? Wow, can I hire you?!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Logging in for the turning point.... It's coming... any moment now.

    As I said...she said it was horrible advice to tell someone they should try to eat closer to their goal even if they are not hungry (someone who was full eating 35% under her TDEE).
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Logging in for the turning point.... It's coming... any moment now.

    As I said...she said it was horrible advice to tell someone they should try to eat closer to their goal even if they are not hungry (someone who was full eating 35% under her TDEE).

    There isn't anything particularly wrong with that. The human body has evolved specifically to handle wide variations in daily intake. Given the power of "refeeds", it is at least plausible that it actually prefers a large variation in daily intake.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    Just asking....

    Do you think shes never had a weight problem because she watches her diet and works out? I used to be a skinny gal until I wasnt, lol. Ate what I wanted and stayed thin. When I turned 28 things changed. Anyway, my point is, when I realized I had crossed over to the dark side I started to work out. I saw all the skinny girls really working out hardcore. I thought to mysef "why are they here, they are skinny". I came to realize they were skinny because they were working for it and always had.

    She's healthy and has healthy eating habits. That's why it bothered me actually... I don't think someone who has always had healthy eating and exercising habits is the best person to give her opinion about weight loss, when she probably has no idea what it's like to love calorie-heavy food, have binge issues etc.

    But apparently, because I've learned most of what I know from MFP, it's wrong too. Whatever...

    eta quote messup mine is below
    My 9 year old has healthy eating habits, always has. She also knows more about macros, calories and what it takes for her dad to go thru a bulk and then a cut. I pray that she never has a weight issue. Whatever way people get to the body they want, whether from hard work from the start of there life or hard work when they have decided to change, how can you fault them for it? Hard work now or later is it not the same hard work?
  • jkestens63
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
    Just asking....

    Do you think shes never had a weight problem because she watches her diet and works out? I used to be a skinny gal until I wasnt, lol. Ate what I wanted and stayed thin. When I turned 28 things changed. Anyway, my point is, when I realized I had crossed over to the dark side I started to work out. I saw all the skinny girls really working out hardcore. I thought to mysef "why are they here, they are skinny". I came to realize they were skinny because they were working for it and always had.

    Crossed to the dark side?????

    Oh SNAP!
    I think us big gals have been majorly insulted. Dark side generally implies evil, bad, satanic. I'm fat - not a bad person. And being fat, struggling with it all my life does not make me any more of an expert than the skinny person who never dieted. Knowledge of health & nutrition is not relative to a number on the scale.
  • Logging in for the turning point.... It's coming... any moment now.

    Waiting with you.
  • Just asking....

    Do you think shes never had a weight problem because she watches her diet and works out? I used to be a skinny gal until I wasnt, lol. Ate what I wanted and stayed thin. When I turned 28 things changed. Anyway, my point is, when I realized I had crossed over to the dark side I started to work out. I saw all the skinny girls really working out hardcore. I thought to mysef "why are they here, they are skinny". I came to realize they were skinny because they were working for it and always had.

    She's healthy and has healthy eating habits. That's why it bothered me actually... I don't think someone who has always had healthy eating and exercising habits is the best person to give her opinion about weight loss, when she probably has no idea what it's like to love calorie-heavy food, have binge issues etc.

    But apparently, because I've learned most of what I know from MFP, it's wrong too. Whatever...

    Yeah, why take advice on fitness and diet from an athlete. Sheesh! They have no idea.

    LOL. Wut?

    This makes no sense to me at all.

    Why take advice from an old fat football coach on how to win football games? Oh, because they know WTF they are talking about.

    Why do people go to trainers? I mean, they are already in great shape. They have no idea how much I struggle?

    Again, LOL. WUT?

    EXACTLY !!!!!!!!!!!!!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Logging in for the turning point.... It's coming... any moment now.

    As I said...she said it was horrible advice to tell someone they should try to eat closer to their goal even if they are not hungry (someone who was full eating 35% under her TDEE).

    There isn't anything particularly wrong with that. The human body has evolved specifically to handle wide variations in daily intake. Given the power of "refeeds", it is at least plausible that it actually prefers a large variation in daily intake.

    Eating 35% below your TDEE while losing weight isn't healthy at all... it was my point. That and you can't trust someone who's been used to eating 3500+ calories a day of calorie dense food to trust their hunger signals to know if their calorie count is accurate or not, when changing their diet completely... Down the road... yes. But not at the start. And I totally stand by what I said! (and they pulled the 'some people have slow metabolisms' stuff too so that was also annoying).

    I guess I should have specified this when I posted, although I was mostly venting... now people are going on a tangent that really wasn't the point of my post, lol!
  • hlcook
    hlcook Posts: 92 Member
    I don't think judging anyone's expert-ness by their weight is valid at all...

    You could BOTH be right because when it comes down to it, there are different ways to "lose weight" based on your goals!
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.


    As a child I very strongly believed I would hit puberty and gain mutant powers.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member


    Eating 35% below your TDEE while losing weight isn't healthy at all... it was my point. That and you can't trust someone who's been used to eating 3500+ calories a day of calorie dense food to trust their hunger signals to know if their calorie count is accurate or not, when changing their diet completely... Down the road... yes. But not at the start. And I totally stand by what I said! (and they pulled the 'some people have slow metabolisms' stuff too so that was also annoying).

    I guess I should have specified this when I posted, although I was mostly venting... now people are going on a tangent that really wasn't the point of my post, lol!


    In that case, I would tend to agree with your "friend" that that particular advice is incorrect. People do various forms of fasting protocols that routinely have them eating much less than TDEE-35% on any particular day. And they do so in controlled and healthy ways. Context is also important. For the severely obese, TDEE-35% for a while may very well be acceptable.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I don't think judging anyone's expert-ness by their weight is valid at all...

    You could BOTH be right because when it comes down to it, there are different ways to "lose weight" based on your goals!

    Starving yourself is never a good way to lose weight, whatever your goals are... unless of course you want to be skinny and wobbly, lol.
  • I'd rather take advice from someone who knows wtf they're talking about not based on their appearance. There is no right or wrong way to get healthy. Certain things work for certain people. If you can't agree, then agree to disagree. The end.
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.


    As a child I very strongly believed I would hit puberty and gain mutant powers.

    Is that not what puberty was? Turning into a mutant?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.


    As a child I very strongly believed I would hit puberty and gain mutant powers.

    Boobs are powerful. I'm not sure if they qualify as mutant, but powerful.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member


    Eating 35% below your TDEE while losing weight isn't healthy at all... it was my point. That and you can't trust someone who's been used to eating 3500+ calories a day of calorie dense food to trust their hunger signals to know if their calorie count is accurate or not, when changing their diet completely... Down the road... yes. But not at the start. And I totally stand by what I said! (and they pulled the 'some people have slow metabolisms' stuff too so that was also annoying).

    I guess I should have specified this when I posted, although I was mostly venting... now people are going on a tangent that really wasn't the point of my post, lol!


    In that case, I would tend to agree with your "friend" that that particular advice is incorrect. People do various forms of fasting protocols that routinely have them eating much less than TDEE-35% on any particular day. And they do so in controlled and healthy ways. Context is also important. For the severely obese, TDEE-35% for a while may very well be acceptable.

    One day. I wasn't talking about one day.
  • Hauntinglyfit
    Hauntinglyfit Posts: 5,537 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.

    That's not true. I used to believe that when i hit 20's i gained because my metabolism slowed down. Then i realized that I went from being very, very active to sitting on my butt all day and eating the same. Or more.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.


    As a child I very strongly believed I would hit puberty and gain mutant powers.

    Awesome.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Eating 35% below your TDEE while losing weight isn't healthy at all...

    As a blanket statement that is incorrect - having occasional, or even regular, days of eating TDEE-35% is perfectly fine. I do this regularly, as my body is much happier, healthier and stronger (not to mention sheds pounds better) when I go through cycles of larger than normal deficits mixed with cycles of higher intake. The PSMF folks take this to the nth degree, running cycles in the neighbourhood of TDEE-65% - I personally have not done that plan, but may do so in the future.

    Furthermore, a 35% deficit for someone obese is just fine, even if done regularly, over an extended period of time. The dieter just has to make sure base nutritional requirements are met.

    You're simply flat out wrong on this, and there is a ton of research backing it up.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.

    That's not true. I used to believe that when i hit 20's i gained because my metabolism slowed down. Then i realized that I went from being very, very active to sitting on my butt all day and eating the same. Or more.

    QFT.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.


    As a child I very strongly believed I would hit puberty and gain mutant powers.

    Boobs are powerful. I'm not sure if they qualify as mutant, but powerful.

    This is true. I've turned many a bad situation around with simply the power of my boobs. But Power Girl has an amazing rack and can fly so in the end I was still disappointed.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Eating 35% below your TDEE while losing weight isn't healthy at all...

    As a blanket statement that is incorrect - having occasional, or even regular, days of eating TDEE-35% is perfectly fine. I do this regularly, as my body is much happier, healthier and stronger (not to mention sheds pounds better) when I go through cycles of huge deficits mixed with cycles of higher intake. The PSMF folks take this to the nth degree, running cycles in the neighbourhood of TDEE-65% - I personally have not done that plan, but may do so in the future.

    Furthermore, a 35% deficit for someone obese is just fine, even if done regularly, over an extended period of time. The dieter just has to make sure base nutritional requirements are met.

    You're simply flat out wrong on this, and there is a ton of research backing it up.

    If it's a regular thing, it's fine for obese people... who don't mind losing a lot of muscle in the process.

    I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this. I'm definitely not flat out wrong.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day. On the flipside, the "skinny woman" mentioned by the OP may have a lifelong eating disorder and believe that the key to staying thin is limiting oneself to 500 cals/day.


    As a child I very strongly believed I would hit puberty and gain mutant powers.

    Awesome.

    It was actually kind of a depressing and deflating experience for me.
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    The PSMF folks take this to the nth degree, running cycles in the neighbourhood of TDEE-65% - I personally have not done that plan, but may do so in the future.


    Had to look up PSMF - sounds like what Lyle McDonald's "Rapid Fat Loss Diet" is based on. I haven't read that book in a while, so he may very well refer to PSMF in it.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    If it's a regular thing, it's fine for obese people... who don't mind losing a lot of muscle in the process.

    That statement is also misleading.
    I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this. I'm definitely not flat out wrong.

    You are wrong. Regurgitating random stuff you've read on a chat board is not the equivalent of gaining knowledge. I'm afraid your other internet opponent has you bested, based on what you have posted in this thread.

    Cheers.
  • I firmly believe that some people just get lucky with an amazing metabolism. I've known people personally who ate ~5000 cals a day, exercised little, and stayed skinny (although whether they are healthy is debatable). Meanwhile, here I am gaining weight on a meager 1500 cals/day. I've always wondered if these lucky people know they are gifted, or if they think overweight people must all be eating 15,000 cals/day.

    I was one of those people you described (skinny, no exercise, eating what they want) - and sure I was "skinny." Doesn't mean I was healthy. I got a physical in my mid 20s and was told I had a body fat % that put me in the "morbidly obese" category - and I was a size 6. One of the nurses made the snide remark that I might as well take up smoking while I was at it. Quite the shocker, let me tell you.

    And anyway - I hit my 30s and that "lucky" metabolism vanished. Pizzas started sticking to my butt like Velcro and the scale started making snide remarks too (or maybe that was just me, snarling at the extra 15 pounds on the scale). But have I EVER been technically overweight? No, and I don't claim to have ever had a weight problem. But a "fat" problem? You bet . Some of us "skinny" folks have had to work hard to clean up our own health problems. I may have been "skinny," but I wasn't blessed. Just saying! :flowerforyou:
  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    In to see if this turns into an interesting discussion, or a giant pile of fail.

    Should be fun either way.