Weight Loss Plateau? Help!

natasor1 wrote: »

Specialists figured out that additional calories come from people own fat, bc of that people loseing weight

AnnPT77 wrote: »

msalicia07 wrote: »

AnnPT77 wrote: »

I think there's a crazy myth somewhat common among women of a non-current generation (i.e., women my age) that there's something extra feminine and virtuous about eating as little as possible, in pursuit of slimness. I do think it's possible to train your body to get by with less fuel, but I think that "getting by" is not ideal.

OTOH, I also think that some younger women don't realize how few calories some older, smaller, less active women truly require . . . especially but not exclusively if they have a history of extreme yo-yo dieting, coupled with the fairly common low-protein diet that also tended to be followed by some types of women in decades past. It's a fact that female athleticism is much more common in recent years, at least in the US: Many of my age peers went to K-12 schools where there were literally no organized competitive sports for young women. Gym classes mostly existed, but often fostered low aspirations. Those things have later implications.)

Any notion that any particular level of calorie need is . . . somehow more virtuous? . . . is misplaced, IMO; and that applies whether we're talking about lower needs or higher needs. (Please notice that I wrote "needs". Over-restricting, in context of an individual's actual needs, current weight, and goals, is generally a bad plan. What constitutes "over restriction" is very individual.)

I do think it's possible that OP is eating above maintenance, but the notion that extremes of abstemiousness are necessary or desirable . . . is weird, IMO. I think a person is most likely to thrive - be in the most robust health - eating the maximum number of calories possible, while still achieving sensible weight management goals.

This couldn’t be more true. Older women AND men see it as some attractive characteristic if women “eat like a bird”, as I’ve heard my father say. I’ve also heard older men comment more about the type of food women eat, along with portion size, than men my age or younger. I personally have never had my eating habits so openly discussed, at a table in front of everyone, more than when I sit with older people. No wonder why some people are closet eaters, so as not to be shamed for eating at all. Especially since the type of food and the amount in that sitting does not equate to eating more than you need to reach your goals, whatever that might be.

Sure, some men believe it, too.

Just an observation: You write this as if the person you were responding to (me), who was actually arguing *against* ultra-low calories and for calorie maximization . . . was not an actual older woman (or close enough, at age 65).

Believing myths is rarely something done by a whole demographic groups. Believing myths is done by individuals. Sure, some myths are more commonly believed in some demographic groups.

Possibly all the older people you know believe this particular myth. Trust me, that belief is not universal among older people.

P.S. If it were universal, how to reconcile it with the concurrent mythology about how granny tries to feed younger people all the things, all the time? Heck, even many decades back, my Aunt Margaret (herself obese) would bring out all the snacks and drinks and try to get me to eat aallllll of them, when I was a young woman. She also made these "highballs" in a tall glass, some kind of spirits with Coke or whatever, that had about 3 fingers of liquor, a few ice cubes, and a splash of Coke to fill, and would try to get me to drink multiples. Further, she consistently refused to let her doctor weigh her, because "it was none of his business". She was a treat! But I digress. Older people do that. 😉😆