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What are your unpopular opinions about health / fitness?

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Replies

  • Lgcoulter33
    Lgcoulter33 Posts: 54 Member
    If it's so useless why did it work for 6 years? Two when I was originally losing the weight and 4 after I plateaued? Why even put what 1 cup per serving or 3/4 cup serving size if it's so inaccurate? I was a baker and chef, not for myself, where measurements must be precise. I've never had anything turn out any way but the way it's supposed to. Guess I should call my old college instructors at culinary school and tell them their ways of measuring are inaccurate.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    mathjulz wrote: »
    I don't recall how much of it was her PCOS, and how much was other medical issues she had, but my SIL was put on a diuretic by her doctor and lost 40-50 pounds of water weight. Looking at her, I couldn't tell the difference between her fat and her edema (she had plenty of fat and water). @Lgcoulter33 have you had this checked? It may account for some weight gain that is not the extra calories.

    I have also been astounded by how much off measuring via cups/spoons can be for solids, when I double checked with a food scale. A bit here, a bit there, and you could be eating a couple hundred more calories when you think. Then consider how you are tracking your exercise calories (or are you not eating those back?). While close is usually good enough, when one is dealing with a metabolic disorder that influences weight, every little bit can count.

    That said, I am going to reiterate that, if eating 1200 calories a day is working (it sounds like it is, you've lost 12 pounds already), then that's great, keep doing it. Especially if you are working with medical professionals - endocrinologist, dietician, GI, etc.

    I don't remember the poster even mentioning edema...so I wouldn't even add that to the mix.

  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    If it's so useless why did it work for 6 years? Two when I was originally losing the weight and 4 after I plateaued?

    Because the human body is not a static thing.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,481 Member
    JLG1986 wrote: »
    I don't think CICO tells the whole story...gasp...not a popular opinion on MFP.

    Why?
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,958 Member
    JLG1986 wrote: »
    I don't think CICO tells the whole story...gasp...not a popular opinion on MFP.

    Why?

    CICO is the story...
  • mathjulz
    mathjulz Posts: 5,514 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    mathjulz wrote: »
    I don't recall how much of it was her PCOS, and how much was other medical issues she had, but my SIL was put on a diuretic by her doctor and lost 40-50 pounds of water weight. Looking at her, I couldn't tell the difference between her fat and her edema (she had plenty of fat and water). @Lgcoulter33 have you had this checked? It may account for some weight gain that is not the extra calories.

    I have also been astounded by how much off measuring via cups/spoons can be for solids, when I double checked with a food scale. A bit here, a bit there, and you could be eating a couple hundred more calories when you think. Then consider how you are tracking your exercise calories (or are you not eating those back?). While close is usually good enough, when one is dealing with a metabolic disorder that influences weight, every little bit can count.

    That said, I am going to reiterate that, if eating 1200 calories a day is working (it sounds like it is, you've lost 12 pounds already), then that's great, keep doing it. Especially if you are working with medical professionals - endocrinologist, dietician, GI, etc.

    I don't remember the poster even mentioning edema...so I wouldn't even add that to the mix.

    She didn't.

    I brought it up as a possible explanation to some of the weight gain. Especially with PCOS and other hormonal issues, it may be something to ask her physician about if it hasn't been addressed already. Water weight is one way to gain more weight without eating all the excess calories (because it's water, not fat, but it's sometimes hard to tell).

    But if she doesn't have edema, or at least some water retention, then I would tend to agree that the tracking might not be 100% on for whatever reason.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,907 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    I never listened when people told me the dire statistics until I became one. I used to get mad at the suggestion, in fact. And remember that "20% success rate" includes anyone who kept off 10% of their weight loss. Heck, by that standard I won! But I don't consider gaining back 90% of what I lost success at all. I doubt many people would.

    I know this is a futile effort because people generally never think bad things could happen to them, but I just wish I personally had been more humble and less arrogant in the past. It stings to eat those words, it really does. I remember getting real mad at this one woman who said she regained because her child died. I feel so bad about that now- wish I could apologize to her. But I did not understand how it happens. Now I do, from watching all my WL friends and myself.

    Also there's nothing special about MFP. People have been calorie counting for decades, it's just that now there's an app. Weight Watchers is basically calorie counting and it has the same dismal long term success rate of anything.

    re: the bold section. What are you referring to when you "this is a futile effort"?

    Trying to tell people about what happens to most people who lose weight. Nobody wants to hear it. I get that.

    Why would they? It's the glass 3/4 empty point of view. Most would rather hear abut the 1/4 glass full.

    Totally agree. But I think it makes more rational sense to be realistic. Know that if you are going to be in that small minority it is going to be a challenge forever. Never get complacent. And even if you believe you can do it, know that things are going to change in your life and you might not know now how you will handle it. And mostly I wish people had more compassion for ourselves and others. I keep saying this, but the people who were losing weight when I did, ~10 years ago, we were the "heros" and "success stories." It doesn't insulate you. The "success stories" of today may find themselves in my shoes 10 years from now. Statistics say most will,

    This makes no sense. If a majority accept a defeatist attitude it is irrational to incorporate this attitude. This is a key and common failure in the application of statistics.

    Weight is simply an output of behavior.

    Right, and if there are life events that cause distress, food is not the solution.
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