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Which weight loss method is the most successful?
Replies
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80% lost weight over what timescale?
If a short timescale (weeks, a few months) then that sounds a really poor success rate, if long term (meaning years) then it's amazing, if not incredible (in the true meaning of that word).
My key to successfully losing weight and keeping it off was taking responsibility for how much I ate, what I ate and how much I moved and that would be my major reservation with a "coach approach". At some point you have to fly solo.
Other reservations would be someone telling me to eat particular foods or adopt a style of eating as they seem to tout low energy density foods. Unfortunately that would mean that I would have to exclude or massively restrict a hell of a lot of foods that I like and are good for me. Exclusions or restrictions for me have to be minimised for my long term success.
As with all dieting schemes it will suit some and not suit others and over the long term I wouldn't expect markedly different results to other schemes or methods.
The article says that almost 80% reported weight loss while using the app for a median of 264 days. So basically 80% of people lost weight while trying to lose weight within a year. Not nearly as impressive sounding.
Having said that, I think Noom sounds like a pretty decent service for people who have issues around food or a lack of focus in the short term. But it's not free, so how well it works in the long term really depends on if it sets people up with good habits that they can stick to long term, and I don't think Noom has been popular for long enough for that data to exist, if it ever will. You'd need 5 - 10 year statistics and Noom would have to keep in touch with folks long after they stop paying for the service. Most people I know whove used it said it helped them short term but the coaching became repetitive and the expense didn't seem worth keeping.
My short answer to the OP is to agree with all the other replies. Most methods will get you into a calorie deficit, and different ones will be best for different people. For me it was logging my food, eating what I like, and increasing my day to day activity level. Nothing marketable
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I think that noom figure is possibly a little misleading.
I did the noom free trial, but I hated it. I found the "coaching" condescending and annoying so cancelled before the trial was over. I certainly didn't lose any weight on it, but I bet I am not part of that statistic.
I don't argue that the information they give is helpful, but I didn't like how it was presented - I could get the same in here in a more matter-of-fact tone. For free.
I had a similar experience. In fact, I suspected my coach was a bot, that was exactly how personalized the advice seemed. The setup didn't ask anything incisive, which was something I expected based on the marketing. I'm sure I'm not included in that statistic either - I only lasted 3 days.4 -
Weight loss happens when you are at a caloric deficit.
I believe your debate topic is really: what method do people use to achieve the caloric deficit?
Every ‘diet’ out there achieves a caloric deficit. Often these are by eliminating a food type.
Noom is a little different because it looks at the psychology of why people are eating what they eat. But ultimately, has the same goal of caloric deficit.
What method is ‘best’?
—The one that works for you!6 -
You must develop a weight loss method that you can commit and live up to. It’s already been stated that you must be in a caloric deficit. Diet programs are only good if you can commit to them on a very long term basis, in most cases people are not willing to commit to the sacrifice required by them and abandon them before results can be seen. They lose it and gain it back again. Each person needs to develop an eating regimen that they can remain committed to in order to lose and maintain the loss. Generally it is a lifestyle change.5
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Always, the one where you eat less calories than you burn. You can package it and promote it any way you want, but, weight loss always comes down to eating less calories than your body burns.5
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senalay788 wrote: »
Speaking as 46+ years a vegetarian (and fairly knowledgeable about fully plant-based eating):
No. Way, way no. Experience based no.
It was easy to get fat, then obese, as a vegetarian, and stay that way for decades, even when I added a pretty aggressive athletic training regimen (yes, while staying obese, for over a decade doing it). There are fat and obese vegans. I routinely try to talk people here out of becoming vegetarian/vegan if their *only* motivation is weight loss (or health, for that matter). It's a blind alley, a tangent, a red herring, an unnecessary complication, a distraction from the core issue . . . .
There is no magical way of eating, for weight loss. And even if there were, it wouldn't be vegetarianism. NopeNopeNope.12 -
After all the years of training people, what I've found with people who succeeded well versus those that don't is.................................the person themself. If a person is truly committed to a weight loss program (regardless of what they choose) they will usually be successful AS LONG AS they continue that program even after losing weight. I've seen all the different programs over the and again they all have one common denominator..........calorie deficit. A person committed just has to find a program that THEY WANT TO DO and be in a calorie deficit.
The reality is only about 5% of people doing programs actually stay on them for life. The other 95% regain weight and then either repeat the program that actually failed them due to adherence, or search for the newest diet "touted" by gurus and exaggerated advertising.
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
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I dunno. I don't think I can help you much here. I keep thinking I've lost 15 lbs, but every time I look behind, I find it again...5
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senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »
Speaking as 46+ years a vegetarian (and fairly knowledgeable about fully plant-based eating):
No. Way, way no. Experience based no.
It was easy to get fat, then obese, as a vegetarian, and stay that way for decades, even when I added a pretty aggressive athletic training regimen (yes, while staying obese, for over a decade doing it). There are fat and obese vegans. I routinely try to talk people here out of becoming vegetarian/vegan if their *only* motivation is weight loss (or health, for that matter). It's a blind alley, a tangent, a red herring, an unnecessary complication, a distraction from the core issue . . . .
There is no magical way of eating, for weight loss. And even if there were, it wouldn't be vegetarianism. NopeNopeNope.
Tough crowd.
If not keto and not vegan then maybe......... paleo. Yes, paleo. Sorry for the confusion.
@senalay788
I think what Ann is getting at here is: for weight loss, it does not matter what you are eating; what matters is how many calories are you eating as compared to how many calories you are expending.
Caloric deficit = weight loss
Caloric surplus = weight gain
Neutral calories = maintain weight
All of these can happen regardless of whether you are doing keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian,etc.6 -
Seems obvious senalay788 is not being serious.9
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tgillies003 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »
Speaking as 46+ years a vegetarian (and fairly knowledgeable about fully plant-based eating):
No. Way, way no. Experience based no.
It was easy to get fat, then obese, as a vegetarian, and stay that way for decades, even when I added a pretty aggressive athletic training regimen (yes, while staying obese, for over a decade doing it). There are fat and obese vegans. I routinely try to talk people here out of becoming vegetarian/vegan if their *only* motivation is weight loss (or health, for that matter). It's a blind alley, a tangent, a red herring, an unnecessary complication, a distraction from the core issue . . . .
There is no magical way of eating, for weight loss. And even if there were, it wouldn't be vegetarianism. NopeNopeNope.
Tough crowd.
If not keto and not vegan then maybe......... paleo. Yes, paleo. Sorry for the confusion.
@senalay788
I think what Ann is getting at here is: for weight loss, it does not matter what you are eating; what matters is how many calories are you eating as compared to how many calories you are expending.
Caloric deficit = weight loss
Caloric surplus = weight gain
Neutral calories = maintain weight
All of these can happen regardless of whether you are doing keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian,etc.
I think the point is that senalay's trolling. 🙄 Which I'm not flagging, FTR, just in case someone else does.4 -
Does Noom pay NBC for advertisement? I always find it difficult to trust many sources because they often have a vested interest in a certain program being used.
The other day I was trying to find the best daily planner for hitting goals. I typed this in the search bar and got advertisements or articles which were actually advertisements. I still don't know which is the best... but someone got $75 from me for a 2021 planner.
So many people reach their goals in different ways. I know people who have lost quickly or with fad diets and have actually kept it off for years. I also know people who lost weight in a ways I respect that gained it all back.
I think that motivation/determination plays a key role-- and how people power through is going to be different for everyone. I find it easy to lose weight when I have been losing weight because I'm excited about what I am doing and can see the results.1 -
breefoshee wrote: »Does Noom pay NBC for advertisement? I always find it difficult to trust many sources because they often have a vested interest in a certain program being used.
The other day I was trying to find the best daily planner for hitting goals. I typed this in the search bar and got advertisements or articles which were actually advertisements. I still don't know which is the best... but someone got $75 from me for a 2021 planner.
So many people reach their goals in different ways. I know people who have lost quickly or with fad diets and have actually kept it off for years. I also know people who lost weight in a ways I respect that gained it all back.
I think that motivation/determination plays a key role-- and how people power through is going to be different for everyone. I find it easy to lose weight when I have been losing weight because I'm excited about what I am doing and can see the results.
Dunno. If motivation/determination were universally key, I'd still be obese (or be obese again), like I was for 3 decades or so, rather than being at a healthy weight 5+ years after losing. "Know thyself" is pretty important . . . personalization, to put it more prosaically - as you say, different people succeed in different ways.
I like this, lots, as a distillation:
If I were one of those annoying people who say "boom!" a lot, I'd say it here.8 -
senalay788 wrote: »tgillies003 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »senalay788 wrote: »
Speaking as 46+ years a vegetarian (and fairly knowledgeable about fully plant-based eating):
No. Way, way no. Experience based no.
It was easy to get fat, then obese, as a vegetarian, and stay that way for decades, even when I added a pretty aggressive athletic training regimen (yes, while staying obese, for over a decade doing it). There are fat and obese vegans. I routinely try to talk people here out of becoming vegetarian/vegan if their *only* motivation is weight loss (or health, for that matter). It's a blind alley, a tangent, a red herring, an unnecessary complication, a distraction from the core issue . . . .
There is no magical way of eating, for weight loss. And even if there were, it wouldn't be vegetarianism. NopeNopeNope.
Tough crowd.
If not keto and not vegan then maybe......... paleo. Yes, paleo. Sorry for the confusion.
@senalay788
I think what Ann is getting at here is: for weight loss, it does not matter what you are eating; what matters is how many calories are you eating as compared to how many calories you are expending.
Caloric deficit = weight loss
Caloric surplus = weight gain
Neutral calories = maintain weight
All of these can happen regardless of whether you are doing keto, paleo, vegan, vegetarian,etc.
I think the point is that senalay's trolling. 🙄 Which I'm not flagging, FTR, just in case someone else does.
Just having some fun here. Getting the regular posters ready for the January slew of questions from people looking for the magical way for weight loss.
🙄😒
Your penance is to answer a whole bunch of those January questions . . . and answer well. We'll be watching. 😉😆11 -
breefoshee wrote: »Does Noom pay NBC for advertisement? I always find it difficult to trust many sources because they often have a vested interest in a certain program being used.
The other day I was trying to find the best daily planner for hitting goals. I typed this in the search bar and got advertisements or articles which were actually advertisements. I still don't know which is the best... but someone got $75 from me for a 2021 planner.
So many people reach their goals in different ways. I know people who have lost quickly or with fad diets and have actually kept it off for years. I also know people who lost weight in a ways I respect that gained it all back.
I think that motivation/determination plays a key role-- and how people power through is going to be different for everyone. I find it easy to lose weight when I have been losing weight because I'm excited about what I am doing and can see the results.
Dunno. If motivation/determination were universally key, I'd still be obese (or be obese again), like I was for 3 decades or so, rather than being at a healthy weight 5+ years after losing. "Know thyself" is pretty important . . . personalization, to put it more prosaically - as you say, different people succeed in different ways.
I like this, lots, as a distillation:
If I were one of those annoying people who say "boom!" a lot, I'd say it here.
Maybe it is the way that motivation/determination are defined. Initially, I only typed "motivation" but on second thought added "determination". Because there is a reality where one simply determines to stick to something-- be it easy and most satisfying or not. I don't think that being determined has to really be white knuckling through something.
I do like to be motivated and excited about a plan, but that comes and goes. But I do find motivation to be a catalyst of sorts. When it is there, it propels me through.1 -
Eat Less
Move More
Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.
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I think it's not so much about what is the best method, it is what best works for people individually, what works for one person, may not suit another. Personally I've tried loads of things, Slimming World (they kept telling me I wasn't eating enough, but the amount they wanted me to was causing me to gain weight.. Weightwatchers, same thing happened as Slimming World. Dukan diet which didn't work for me because the food I had to eat was ending up very different form what my family ate and it got too expensive or ended up me having the same things days in a row. and even starving myself on 500kcals a day (that was fun and no it didn't work). Other than the starving myself one, the other plans have worked fine for other people.
I've always had problems with bread but up until last year, I could get away with having a bit every now and again. Long story short I ended up in hospital with sepsis after my intestines nearly perferated, I wasn't even eating bread, but I was eating things with flour/wheat in without realising, on the day I had to go to hospital due to sever pain, I'd had mushy peas (I didn't know they had flour in lol).
So I had to totally give up anything with wheat in and I started losing weight, so I decided then to start exercising more (walking, rowing machine etc) and I started counting calories with a view of, well if it works brilliant but if it doesn't fine I'm just going to do it anyway. So far, since before christmas (with a break christmas eve, day and new years eve and day) I've lost 41lb, and although I do try to fill half a plate with vegetables (other than potatoes I tend to put on weight with those) I eat what everyone else in my family eats, which means no extra spending and I also eat what I want and not worry about it as long as it's within my calorie allowance and I've had fruit/veg (I won't lie, I don't particulary like fruit and veg). What has really worked for me too, is buying a digital scale, rather than guestimating the measurments of what I was eating, which is what I did before.
However, just as other things haven't worked for me, what I do may not work for someone else and I think it's just about finding what works for you, things like Slimming World can work for some people because of the social aspect (I'm an anti-social sod and the thought of sitting around with people made me dread going to meetings, which didn't help matters).
I also think it's about mind-set too, I have found something that works for me and I don't feel like I'm depriving myself so it's just become my normal way of eating now. I do still have problems though which I know are psychological, I weigh myself every day which I know I shouldn't but I feel like I'll mess up if I don't, and if the scales go up or even stay the same, in my head its a disaster and I'm a total failure but before when I was doing the other diet plans that I didn't particularly enjoy, I'd totally give up and go off the rails if that happened but I don't now.
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I tried this diet once where I entered my activity level and weight, sex, age into an app. Then, I ate 1750 calories for 10 months, with additional calories given for whatever exercises I did. Worked amazing! 50 lbs in one year. I had already lost 30 by exercising, but had stalled.
I wish I could think of the name of it...
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