Things I had to unlearn about losing weight

bpetrosky
bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
edited June 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
These are some of the things that were either bad information peddled by diet plan sellers (Atkins, South Beach, Tim Ferris, etc) or broscience that I had to unlearn to actually lose weight successfully. Unlearning these things has helped me approach eating and losing weight from a far better direction mentally.
  • Cut out all bad foods, eat only healthy things. (No, I can have a balanced diet that allows room for some treats)
  • Cut out carbs or fat or sugar. (No, carbs are good, and healthy fats are necessary. An appropriate level of all of them can be had if I work them into my calorie budget)
  • Don't eat anything after X o'clock, it'll go straight to fat. (No, eating so that I end up in a surplus made me fat)
  • Starvation mode will make me store fat. (No, but undereating too much will cause other problems)
  • Certain types of foods must be eaten in the morning or afternoon. (No, our bodies evolved to make the most of the food we eat when we get it)
  • You must eat 6x a day to boost metabolism. (No, eating frequency does not significantly change metabolism)
  • You must take certain powders or pills to boost metabolism [usually part of a diet plan]. (No, supplements are not effective to change metabolic rates)
  • You can eat unlimited amounts of certain healthy foods. (No, eating too much of anything will put on weight, but very calorie dense foods are much easier to overeat)
  • You must eat certain combinations of foods in certain orders to optimize thermogenic effects. (No, any such effects are too small to make enough of a difference)
  • You have to work out X minutes a day, or do certain routines to lose weight. (No, you don't have to exercise to lose weight, but it can help you get to a deficit and has other benefits)

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Replies

  • Fattygasted
    Fattygasted Posts: 22 Member
    Thanks for posting this!
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
    Good stuff!!
  • stephanieluvspb
    stephanieluvspb Posts: 997 Member
    Yup!! :D
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    errollm wrote: »
    This needs to be stickied/be a pop up add when you download the app/ put in every "health" magazine, blog and pintrest, put under childrens pillows, handed out to people on the street, and dropped from airplanes leafleting major cities!!!!

    Excellent post!!!

    Awww shucks!
  • aliciamariaq
    aliciamariaq Posts: 272 Member
    errollm wrote: »
    This needs to be stickied/be a pop up add when you download the app/ put in every "health" magazine, blog and pintrest, put under childrens pillows, handed out to people on the street, and dropped from airplanes leafleting major cities!!!!

    Excellent post!!!

    Agreed!
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,954 Member
    Great post! I usually approach threads like this expecting a bit of an eyeroll, but you're spot on!
  • CJsf1t
    CJsf1t Posts: 414 Member
    Awesome post! I agree! This should be stickied :)
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
    Great post
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Solid.

    tumblr_mjz3ndnuZe1s8nnulo1_500_zpsfbcc4bfd.gif
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    LOVED it. Spot on.
  • julielh72
    julielh72 Posts: 92 Member
    Awesome post.
  • ChiffonLaRue14
    ChiffonLaRue14 Posts: 40 Member
    Thank you so much for posting this. :) It makes me aghast as to why there are still so many weight-loss myths out there and that so many people still believe them.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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