Discouraged by weight loss study

Hey, I've un-fatted myself and then maintained for 30 years (and I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed). It's just grade-school math and a little self-control; nothing to it.

Articles like are irrelevant to _your_ life, so just focus on what you need to do and get it done. People on here will help you with the particulars.

It doesn't matter what any study says. It doesn't matter how many people fail. It doesn't matter how many people on MFP succeed or how many come back here over and over again.

What matters is what you want and how motivated you are to get there. There's no magic pill, no special fad diet, no "eat this to boost your metabolism" and no one to tell you that you can't be who you want to be.

Here's two more statistics for you:

100% of people who eat under their TDEE lose weight.

100% of people who eat at their TDEE maintain their weight.

I find these far more useful and relevant.

You would do much better by reading studies of the people who have been successful. Here is a good source (The National Weight Control Registry): http://www.nwcr.ws/ Emulate the habits of those who have been successful and you will also be successful. Some of those habits:

• 78% eat breakfast every day.
• 75% weigh themselves at least once a week.
• 62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
• 90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day.

Obviously, everyone is different but if it has worked for a large number of people, why not try it?

Lost a lot of weight years and years ago.
Maintained it for a bit more than 20 years and gained after becoming injured...so sedentary and keep eating the same as when i was very active.

Now almost lost everything again and i dont have a hard time at all. Also when i shift to maintenance i dont have to change anything but eating a bit more, because i just lose weight by eating less now as what i did before. So no pills/fad diets/low carb/keto etc etc. I just eat less and lost 101 pounds in 8.5 months.

So it is possible for sure, but you have to want it and put work for it. And indeed studies also show what @earlnabby says.

I will say, if simply reading a study makes you give up, you will probably struggle. I mean geeze, in the real world most things (and people) will work against you. Do you just give up on life? No, you actively decide to make changes for the better, and you DO IT.

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That study can only speak to the effectiveness of the behaviours of participants they tracked, and there's no indication of what those behaviours were. Odds are, at least some of them went on diets that were popular at the time data was tracked, or referred to popular knowledge about diet and weight loss within that time period - which is between 2004 and 2014.

I think conditions are slightly different today than they were in the earlier part of the study, certainly. For one thing, apps like MFP make it much, much easier to track calories than was the case in 2004. Like I can't believe how easy it is now. (I would be really interested to see research on the long-term use and impact of apps like this). Anyway, this is the kind of variable that was not addressed in the study.

Although fads still exist, obviously, and it's true that people will look for the kinds of things they want to see (so if they search for a soup diet or whatever, they'll find it), I imagine it is now slightly easier than it was in 2004 to find helpful and accurate information - or at least, people who know how to read the web somewhat critically may find it easier than they would have then to locate good information, because most sensible health/fitness info/articles tend to agree on the main points. (I admit this is probably not everyone, though.) But MFP, for example, comes up pretty regularly in popular articles about weight loss, and broader searches, as well. And there is loads of good info here.

And there is room for many more changes to the conditions people encounter - the public dialogue about weight loss is a factor; policy changes, preventative programs, delivery of particular services can make a difference, - I'm hopeful we go in directions that can support people's long-term success.

ANYWAY the point is I think we are in uncharted territory (research wise), with e.g. MFP. You can find or be pointed to everything you need to know to be successful. And, you're here! So it's up to you to see what you can do.

Dave_GettingFit wrote: »

Diets fail. Because people "go on" diets and then "come off" them when the weight is gone. They go back to the eating habits that caused them to gain weight in the first place and then wonder why they can't stay slim.

It's a lifestyle change. When you grasp that concept you will win.

Exactaly what happened to me in the past when I losted weight... and was a newbie to it .. I did not know of such thing as maintain .. i not know about TEE's and deficits either at the time .. only thing i knew was to eat less to lose weight .. i did'nt count calories to lose it.. after that i went back to eating normally as in mounds of food . i did'nt know i'd gain back the weight after losing it. I was losted and confused. i thought once it was gone it was gone .. silly me = P i was.. and all the weight i had losted pilled back on with 3 months
then I started to do lots of research on why that had happened and took it from there to fix that problem...

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bsctov wrote: »

For those that actually read my post instead of commenting on the topic alone, thanks for the replies. I didn't post the link because I'm new here and wasn't sure if linking stuff was allowed (frequently isn't on most forums).

blankiefinder wrote: »

I think instead of googling 'impossible weight loss', I'd rather google 'weight loss maintenance strategies'. Sometimes it's all in how you see things.

I see this as a lifestyle change not a diet.

Uh...I only suggested googling that because that's how you'd find the article in question without the link......but anyways....I'm still gonna try to lose weight, even though I'm now "scientifically proven" to fail lol.. you gotta wonder what they got out of publishing those results..it's almost as if they are just dying to say "your fat...and will remain fat forever..just accept it" but they can't because they have to be politically correct about it.

My point is that I wouldn't even read an article telling me it's impossible to maintain. And by putting that thought out there, you will discourage people from even trying, just like the smokers who say that quitting is too hard or impossible, therefore they won't try. Who knows what you can do, until you try. Is your glass half empty, or half full?

radicalchanges wrote: »

Generalizing a sample size that small is not generalizable to the larger population. Questions to ask yourself when you read a study summary conclusion. Sample size large (several hundred to thousand)? Representative of diversity in ethnicity, gender, age, educational preparation (does factor in), diversity of location (was it only in one city?) Diversity of occupations and income? Is the study reproducible (i.e. did they repeat the study and get same result)? Was everybody doing the same thing to lose weight or were there a variety of plans? Everyone is an individual. There are confounding variables in every study (things out of our control or unknown influencing factors) and if we draw conclusions on one study we are doing ourselves a great disservice. In short, bunk.

I think because of the sample size and data source that it's representative enough of a population of dieters and non-dieters in Britain between 2004 and 2014. But that still doesn't say anything about the effectiveness of any particular approach and it's limited to time- and place-specific conditions (eg culture, services, available tools)

Don't worry - it was a study of people who didn't use MFP to lose weight. The results could have been so different

Came here to post what williamwj2014 said but it's worth re-iterating. That was timely. He's got this nailed.

Ignore the media. Best thing you can do.

Media is funny/ridiculous and unfortunately it get's people off track.

One little piece of text that helped me understand was a book by Chris Aceto I picked up years ago. It's on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Need-Know-About-Loss/dp/0966916867

It teaches you how to eat. It's not just about losing fat. It teaches one what happens when you eat what you do. Myfitnesspal is great but what I do not agree with are the carb recommendations. @180, recommends 400. No. Run fine with 150-200. Offset calorie requirements with adequate quality protein and fats. The "low fat" trend has made folks fatter than ever. That's the carb/sugar thing.

On supplements, don't get suckered into it. A WPI as a meal replacement is good with resistance training but solid diet is key. Fat burners are bs. Supplement industry preys on those that don't know. Drink a cup of coffee before workout. Eat clean, keep moving and be proud of it. Payoff is huge.

Don't buy that genetic rebound crap. It's a myth. Personal decision to change it what it comes down to. Heck, got fat as fvck in my 30s making $$ and partying. I think 260 was it but carry weight well with my frame. 40's happen and realized I can't do it anymore. I'm shooting for 90 before I fall off this place.

Good luck to you OP.

ninerbuff wrote: »

The reason why they fail: they used a diet program to lose weight. They didn't ADAPT to a HABITUAL change of reduced calorie intake over a LIFETIME. Math still applies. CICO is still the reason for weight gain/loss/maintenance and most people who go on a crash or fad diet AREN'T willing to quit their desired eating lifestyle before the program. Same thing happens at bootcamps for the US services year in and out.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

YEP!