We need a generic "Results Not Typical" disclaimer

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257_Lag
257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I don't know how many times I've seen posts, usually under Success Stories where people have lost way too much way too quickly. We've probably all seen them and/or know someone who has done it. I have a close family member that dropped 100 in 6 months in an unhealthy manner a few years ago. (and then put it all back on +20 more in a year)

I don't care all that much for the individual because chances are very good if they are posting they know what they have done. My genuine concern if for all the newbies reading these posts with responses like "You inspire me!", You're awesome", "Can't wait to get there myself" etc. They are forming unrealistic and perhaps unhealthy expectations.

No way am I going to jump into a Success thread and rain on a guys parade. I've started to before (many times) and just can't go through with it.

Maybe I'm just being cynical, I don't know. I was thinking about a generic copy and paste response like "Congratulations on your loss OP! Readers please note that losses greater than 2 lbs per week long term are not typical and perhaps unhealthy"

Any thoughts on this?
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Replies

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    i think it best to leave it alone ......
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    edited March 2016
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    While I share the frustration (just about an hour ago I was on the success thread thinking those same thoughts), I have to agree that it is best to leave it alone.

    I say this because, in my personal experience, it won't make a difference and will only start an issue. If people are here to do some crazy crash diets, I don't think there is much that is going to sway them away from that thinking. It has taken me YEARS to begin understanding that losing weight too quickly or going on some kind of crash diet, just will never work.

    BUT

    I had to learn those lessons on my own through my own mistakes and choices. Someone telling me a few years ago that those ways of eating were unhealthy and wouldn't gain me long term success would have just been ignored. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on how you look at it), when it comes to making life long, healthy and sustainable changes, a person must figure out what works for their individual needs. Even if that means trying all the bad ways first.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    The diet industry set the unrealistic expectations. There are TONS of stories on here about people who have lost at a slow pace. Mine is one of those and I averaged 20 pounds per year. These stories are just as inspirational to many people. I think the comments about them being inspirational are more about how they are happy to see that weight loss is possible than they are about the speed of the loss. Making a disclaimer comment on someone else's success story is raining on their parade and going to look bitter.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited March 2016
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    usmcmp wrote: »
    The diet industry set the unrealistic expectations. There are TONS of stories on here about people who have lost at a slow pace. Mine is one of those and I averaged 20 pounds per year. These stories are just as inspirational to many people. I think the comments about them being inspirational are more about how they are happy to see that weight loss is possible than they are about the speed of the loss. Making a disclaimer comment on someone else's success story is raining on their parade and going to look bitter.

    I basically agree with you, but I don't think that's what the comments about them being inspiring mean. So often people are basically begging to know how the fast loss was achieved, and you see that whenever someone posts a really fast loss.

    I've just stopped thinking anything but time and experience will cure that kind of attitude.

    I also think it's unfortunate that people with little to lose will ask how long it will take to lose 10 lbs or whether it can be done in 2 weeks or some such and others who went from 400 to 200 (and may be big guys) jump on and say "absolutely realistic if you try!" or "I lost my first 20 lbs in one week!" as if it did not make a huge difference how much the person has to lose. But again, I've stopped being naive enough to think I can change this.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I'd agree with you on the fact that some on those boards have lost a lot, very quickly. I've even seen some mention their low calorie intake, or the restrictive diet they've done. I usually don't respond on those threads. I really don't think they need a disclaimer either. That was their choice, and I hope that people reading will peruse the forums enough to learn how to lose weight at a healthy pace for them. Regardless, people are going to do what they want to do. Even I, someone who has been at this awhile, after reading tons of material and knowing I should lose slowly-have opted to lose faster than I maybe should have at certain points in my weight loss. It's a learning experience.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    The diet industry set the unrealistic expectations. There are TONS of stories on here about people who have lost at a slow pace. Mine is one of those and I averaged 20 pounds per year. These stories are just as inspirational to many people. I think the comments about them being inspirational are more about how they are happy to see that weight loss is possible than they are about the speed of the loss. Making a disclaimer comment on someone else's success story is raining on their parade and going to look bitter.

    I basically agree with you, but I don't think that's what the comments about them being inspiring mean. So often people are basically begging to know how the fast loss was achieved, and you see that whenever someone posts a really fast loss.

    I've just stopped thinking anything but time and experience will cure that kind of attitude.

    I also think it's unfortunate that people with little to lose will ask how long it will take to lose 10 lbs or whether it can be done in 2 weeks or some such and others who went from 400 to 200 (and may be big guys) jump on and say "absolutely realistic if you try!" or "I lost my first 20 lbs in one week!" as if it did not make a huge difference how much the person has to lose. But again, I've stopped being naive enough to think I can change this.

    I know that many people are disappointed when I say my loss was slow and we do see people wanting fast loss over and over again. Sadly, even a disclaimer wouldn't deter those people who want to lose rapidly.
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
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    I think sometimes the biggest harm is that people feel discouraged because they cannot replicate the success story for themselves. This is one thing I can't stand about the TV show The Biggest Loser. The presumption that the greater the loss the better can be very demotivating to people who are losing a pound a week.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,949 Member
    edited March 2016
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    It's true what you say. I've never really thought about it before.

    All my thoughts around the success stories are more like - "when can I do mine? I never feel I'm a success" (to be clear I don't think I've failed). I've lost 15 to 25 lbs. But because I fluctuate in that 10 lb range, never really hit goal, and never feel like I've gotten to a point where I don't have to think about/work super hard to maintain my weight loss.. that I'm not actually DONE. When are we really done? If I'm at risk of yo yoing back up.. then I'm not really there.

    If I still feel that way in 10 years... even if I've maintained... am I really done? Or will I only have a success story once I'm dead and people can say "yup she maintained a healthy weight X number of years out of her life therefore she succeeded".

    I don't know where the finish line is is pretty much my issue.

    ANYHOW... (whoops I'm off topic)

    I agree with other posters that it is kind of a solo journey... you need to figure out what will work for you. And if you see a success story and it encourages a crash diet that you then agree to try... over... and over... and over... just have to have hope they will figure it out soon enough!

    And even though it is rare... a crash diet might work for someone. It's just not statistically going to happen.
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    I've never actually posted anything like that in someones Success post. I don't mean to shame, scold or belittle their success. It just worries me to see "newbies" pouring through these stories getting their hopes up for rapid loss. Nothing to be done I guess. My goal was 50 in the first year but I was thrilled with 40. Of course it's gotten a lot tougher since then :)
  • ashleyjongepier
    ashleyjongepier Posts: 130 Member
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    RobD520 wrote: »
    I think sometimes the biggest harm is that people feel discouraged because they cannot replicate the success story for themselves. This is one thing I can't stand about the TV show The Biggest Loser. The presumption that the greater the loss the better can be very demotivating to people who are losing a pound a week.

    I had lost 80 lbs (sw 305) in a six month time frame, then it slowed to five lbs a month (which is great once I learned about LBM and making a life style change.) I would feel horrible about myself and my loss when I would see people on instagram who had been the same weight as I but was now 100 or more down. I was very discouraged.

    Weight loss isn't a race although its marketed as one.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    I can understand why there should be a disclaimer. New people come here every day and when they see that big of a loss in such a short period, they will feel down when they, "only," lose 2 pounds in 1 month.
    I don't feel like a disclaimer would help much. Even with the disclaimer people will still be hard on themselves for not losing weight as fast as someone else.
    How about we only give attention to the posters that work hard for their slow weight loss instead of giving the crash diet people attention?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,436 Member
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    One thought: Perhaps an implication is that it could be useful to comment extra positively & specifically on success threads by people who've lost a good bit, and have done so at a safe rate?

    It doesn't rain on their parade (quite the reverse), and gives an opportunity to be very explicit about how much healthier it is to lose slowly, and why; and on the likelihood that they'll be able to keep the weight off better than those who go for crazy-fast extreme results.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    the problem (as most of us know) with crash/fad/fast diets is they dont work long term. the person doesn't learn how (much) to eat and how to maintain that lifestyle to help ensure the weight STAYS off.

    with less to lose now, its much slower going, but thats okay, and part of the process. i wish i still could maintain that 2 lb/ week loss but unless i want to starve myself (and ummm im NOT cause GIVE ME ALL THE FOOD!), it simply will not happen.

    and thats okay :)
  • EddieHaskell97
    EddieHaskell97 Posts: 2,227 Member
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    callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »
    i think it best to leave it alone ......

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  • Be_Lively
    Be_Lively Posts: 145 Member
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    Depending on their starting weight, rapid weight loss can be practical. But I do not think a disclaimer is necessary because MFP makes it clear when creating an account that losing 2 lb a week is the maximum. So they already know. You would just be stirring the pot.
  • wheelsjad
    wheelsjad Posts: 52 Member
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    I think it is different strokes for different folks...some people make it the main focus of their life and as a result lose a lot of weight quickly (Biggest Loser scenario) Other people want to improve, but they can't or won't make it a main focus , so they don't see the dramatic results. Life gets in the way for some, whether it be work, family, social life, whatever. Ultimately you get what you give.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
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    Just wondering, how do you know what is too fast for someone else? I love MFP, and how it has helped me become healthier, but this is exactly what I do not like about MFP. Judging others by what some may perceive to be the correct, or incorrect, way this should be done by anyone other than your self. People you don't know, and most people are not qualified to give advice, with not degree or expertise. All anyone can do, is comment about what did, or did not work for themselves and let others, with the help of their health care professionals, decide for themselves how to go about this.

    I lost 100# the first 7 months on MFP, and the success stories are what motivated me to keep going. By 1 year, I had lost 140#, by 20 months 160#. My doctor, and nutritionist were with me on this from day1. I have been on maintenance for over 2 years. Healthier than I have been in decades.

    The statistics say that over 80% of people that lose weight, no matter how they lose it, what diet they follow, gain all of the weight they lost back, sometimes they gain even more, within 5 years. You see evidence of this everyday through posts on MFP. My goal, since achieving maintenance, is to not gain the weight back, to make it past the 5 year mark. It is a long way off, but, so far, so good.

    We are all adults here and how we choose to achieve our goals is up to each of us and our health care professionals.
  • Be_Lively
    Be_Lively Posts: 145 Member
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    snowflake930 wrote: »
    Just wondering, how do you know what is too fast for someone else? I love MFP, and how it has helped me become healthier, but this is exactly what I do not like about MFP. Judging others by what some may perceive to be the correct, or incorrect, way this should be done by anyone other than your self. People you don't know, and most people are not qualified to give advice, with not degree or expertise. All anyone can do, is comment about what did, or did not work for themselves and let others, with the help of their health care professionals, decide for themselves how to go about this.

    I lost 100# the first 7 months on MFP, and the success stories are what motivated me to keep going. By 1 year, I had lost 140#, by 20 months 160#. My doctor, and nutritionist were with me on this from day1. I have been on maintenance for over 2 years. Healthier than I have been in decades.

    The statistics say that over 80% of people that lose weight, no matter how they lose it, what diet they follow, gain all of the weight they lost back, sometimes they gain even more, within 5 years. You see evidence of this everyday through posts on MFP. My goal, since achieving maintenance, is to not gain the weight back, to make it past the 5 year mark. It is a long way off, but, so far, so good.

    We are all adults here and how we choose to achieve our goals is up to each of us and our health care professionals.

    This was perfect.

    Congratulations on your weight loss!
  • Dvdgzz
    Dvdgzz Posts: 437 Member
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    Hmm, I really don't see the issue with someone who is morbidly obese losing more than 2 lbs. a week. The more fat you have the safer it is to lose at a more rapid pace. Slower is better but some people need to see constant progress and a faster climb out of their hole initially.

    Hopefully in that time, they will come to terms with the need to make it a lifestyle change.

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