Broscience FTW

We then got into the issue of "a calorie is not a calorie," and while I acknowledged that different foods have different nutrient densities, I insisted that, barring a medical condition that would prevent normal weight loss, a calorie deficit WILL result in weight loss because, ya know, thermodynamics. She said this was wrong, since almost everyone has "undiagnosed food allergies," which is causing inflammation that stops weight loss from happening.

You could always point to people who lost weight while reducing portions of "inflammatory" foods. Or those who lost weight simply by exercising more, while still eating the same non-paleo processed foods.

I wouldn't give up on her. She mentioned "studies", so she has SOME respect for science. Maybe tap into that by looking at the actual studies with her on PubMed.

Besides, most versions of "paleo" are pretty decent, and she implied that she eats healthy, so i wouldn't alienate her. She's our ally in the war on fat.

The person I know who makes these kind of arguments just says that they're doomed to gain it back because restricting calories never works and when they stop torturing themselves they'll regain.

Simply stated though, unless you have a medical conditions like PCOD or whatever it is, the laws of thermodynamics apply to you, you are not a special snowflake when it comes to weight loss...you may be a special snowflake in other areas of your life, but not here..

Even then the laws of thermodynamics apply. It's just a matter of what number of calories you need and hormones CAN affect that.

Either way, your body needs a certain number of calories for basic functioning and more for activity and if you are ingestnig fewer than you're expending, you will lose weight.

This.

The equation is always the same, the values for the variables are different for every single person, but the equation is ALWAYS the same!

Today I got into an argument with a friend about nutrition, which is a mistake because this particular friend is a big believer in broscience nonsense. She often touts myths without knowing much about science or nutrition.

So today she insisted that you can lose weight while on a surplus as long as you're eating paleo. She vehemently insisted that a calorie deficit is not the only way to lose weight; as long as you're eating "healthy food," you can eat as much as you want (even when it exceeds your daily caloric needs). She knows this because "they've done studies" and "each person is different."

We then got into the issue of "a calorie is not a calorie," and while I acknowledged that different foods have different nutrient densities, I insisted that, barring a medical condition that would prevent normal weight loss, a calorie deficit WILL result in weight loss because, ya know, thermodynamics. She said this was wrong, since almost everyone has "undiagnosed food allergies," which is causing inflammation that stops weight loss from happening.

Ah, isn't misinformation great?

My mother has the healthiest diet of anyone I know and she's been obese almost her entire life.

I generally just give up when it comes to people like that. It doesn't matter how much scientific evidence you throw at people, they refuse to believe it and they're not interested in any 'truths' that aren't their own.

I read a study recently that basically found that if you use science to prove psuedoscience wrong, the believer will cling to it even more tightly.

So it's hopeless, pretty much.

they should do a study on the 'rage quit cycle'

Today I got into an argument with a friend about nutrition, which is a mistake because this particular friend is a big believer in broscience nonsense. She often touts myths without knowing much about science or nutrition.

So today she insisted that you can lose weight while on a surplus as long as you're eating paleo. She vehemently insisted that a calorie deficit is not the only way to lose weight; as long as you're eating "healthy food," you can eat as much as you want (even when it exceeds your daily caloric needs). She knows this because "they've done studies" and "each person is different."

We then got into the issue of "a calorie is not a calorie," and while I acknowledged that different foods have different nutrient densities, I insisted that, barring a medical condition that would prevent normal weight loss, a calorie deficit WILL result in weight loss because, ya know, thermodynamics. She said this was wrong, since almost everyone has "undiagnosed food allergies," which is causing inflammation that stops weight loss from happening.

Ah, isn't misinformation great?

My mother has the healthiest diet of anyone I know and she's been obese almost her entire life.

Then she doesn't have a healthy diet. Part of health is moderation. Eating an apple a day is healthy, eating 30 is not.