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Why is Freelee popular?

troutlilly
troutlilly Posts: 44 Member
Seriously, based on the amount of research out there substantiating how the science works behind healthy nutrition and weight loss, how is this lady even popular?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZKDInabaPM

She gets kind of kooky around 3:19

1. She claims eating less than 2100 calories a day places the body into a "starvation mode." We know this isn't true because of adaptive thermogenesis. I read the article she cites from the WHO and they said for developing countries, 2100 calories is an initial planning figure for food rationing. I'm not sure applying that justification to industrialized countries such as the US or Australia is very appropriate.
2. Science has shown how diets with lower carb and higher fat are healthier than higher carb and lower fat diets. Yes, plant-based diets are healthier, but meat in itself isn't unhealthy. It's processed meats (high in fat and sodium, possibly other additives) that's unhealthy.
3. For people with underlying health issues, such as diabetes and insulin resistance, this kind of diet could be detrimental to health.

To me, this is incredible because the evidence has been out there for years. This article cites studies related to carb and fat intake: http://discovermagazine.com/2004/feb/science-diet

It was over 10 years ago, but even so people are refuting the evidence. The emperor is naked but convince enough people and he's wearing clothes.

I'm wondering, how is this lady and others like her getting so much traction? I'm witnessing a lot of anecdotal and testimonial "evidence" presented by people who are quick to link their experiences as hard scientific evidence. Over the last year or so I've had people try to sell me the same thing, telling me everything from avocados make you gain weight to bacon is evil. The minute someone tries telling me cooking food is bad, I'll have to eat my hat.
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Replies

  • BodyByBex
    BodyByBex Posts: 3,685 Member
    Because CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHAT DOCTORS DON'T TELL YOU!
    HOW CANCER IS CAUSED BY THESE 3 FOODS THAT YOU HAVE TO CUT OUT OF YOUR DIET!
    FITNESS TRAINERS HATE HER! SEE HOW SHE CAN EAT 5000 CALORIES, LOSE FAT AND GET RIPPED WITH THIS ONE EASY TRICK!

    Thank you @stevencloser!

    I really busted out laughing in my office. I SO needed that after the night I've had! :laugh:
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Nutters making noise get press.
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    Everyone likes a good train wreck.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    She's like so many others in that she's more of an entertainer. She's definitely a nut.
  • xXxWhitneyxXx
    xXxWhitneyxXx Posts: 119 Member
    edited April 2016
    I don't know but when you all figure it out let me know. I can not STAND Freelala ... she talks right out of her a** at least 99% of the time.
  • JShailen
    JShailen Posts: 184 Member
    It worries me that so many will actually follow her advice. That people would take nutritional advice from random youtube nuts makes me fear for the human race. :/
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    shes only popular among the gullible. I dont like her she wishes harm on those who dont eat like she does. shes rude and obnoxious. if I ate even half the fruit she did per day I wouldnt be hungry for anything else and therefore wouldnt get my nutrients and would be sick in no time Im sure. But Im not gullible like that. not many people can eat 5-6000 calories in mainly carbs and lose weight. no wonder so many people are now firing back at her because they are gaining weight or they are having other health issues.yet she claims it works for EVERYONE. he boyfriend is no better and 10x worse than she is.they both need psychiatric evaluations if you ask me.
  • seekingdaintiness
    seekingdaintiness Posts: 137 Member
    people like watching train wrecks
  • bclarke1990
    bclarke1990 Posts: 287 Member
    If a very thin, fit, attractive girl came up to your teenager daughter struggling with weight loss and said, "you can eat 6000 calories a day if you just eat tons of delicious fruit, pasta and carbs; just look at me!", you can probably see why people spending their time watching nutrition-themed videos on youtube may be attracted to her "message".

    It's a shame really; I think she means well with her vegan message, but she just uses her own anecdotal experience as a cyclist in sweltering Australia and parrots it to "ALL" people
  • seekingdaintiness
    seekingdaintiness Posts: 137 Member
    CrabNebula wrote: »
    Everyone likes a good train wreck.


    omg you beat me to it
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
    If a very thin, fit, attractive girl came up to your teenager daughter struggling with weight loss and said, "you can eat 6000 calories a day if you just eat tons of delicious fruit, pasta and carbs; just look at me!", you can probably see why people spending their time watching nutrition-themed videos on youtube may be attracted to her "message".

    It's a shame really; I think she means well with her vegan message, but she just uses her own anecdotal experience as a cyclist in sweltering Australia and parrots it to "ALL" people

    Grains are generally avoided in her brand of woo.
    Her and her boyfriend do love to claim and get people to claim that fruit can't cause weight gain. Which makes it interesting that eventually Durian took steroids and had to have gained weight, even if it was muscle.
    They also love to go around calling people fat to get attention. Sadly I think that seems to work.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited April 2016
    I also think it's that we like to get much for little, or when eating is concerned, conversely, we fantasize of eating lots of food and not gain weight. The prospect of maintaining weight eating 5000 calories probably sounds appealing to some, so much so that whether it's attainable or not, or even if eating only bananas really sounds like something one would like to do, becomes uinimportant.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Nixygirl wrote: »
    Gah, and what's worse she's an Aussie....how embarrassing for the rest of us Aussies. :/ My partner was a big fan of this chick's dieting advice, until he finally began to understand how a balanced diet and CICO is what works in the long term. It doesn't hurt that I've lost close to 63-lbs in two and a bit months doing just that, CICO!

    Yep, she's an embarrassment to our peoples :tired_face:
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
    Is she really popular? I'd never heard of her until MFP. She seems like more of a curiosity.