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Fitness and diet myths that just won't go away

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Replies

  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 8,688 Member
    I might have been able to get the same results out of 3 years of squats and deadlifts as 30 years of cycling, but I've had so much fun. 🙂

    Ultimately, the best workout is the one you repeat, so it sure sounds like you've found your best. (But give me squats and deadlifts anyday, lol.)
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 8,688 Member
    I've felt that way the day after a chili night...
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,113 Member
    JustJenn68 wrote: »
    Don't get me started about detox or juice cleanses.

    Ooof…. Ya.

    My stepson’s baby mama.
    Always doing some kind of juice cleanse or detox.
    Simultaneously also at the ER on a regular basis for a banana bag. And making some cash on the side peddling (and often taking) many illicit substances.

    She is no longer in my life. And I do not miss that drama lama.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,899 Member
    sviers13 wrote: »
    I'm sure someone has already stated this one.

    My mother hammered it into my head since the age of ten.

    Thin = Healthy

    No matter what it takes for you to get/be/stay thin.

    A corollary to this is it doesn't really matter what you eat to lose weight/stay at a healthy weight, it's how much. I mean technically, yes, but how healthy is the "thin" person that eats mostly junk? I can almost guarantee a person that maybe is a bit overweight who eats mostly nutritious foods is healthier than the skinny fat person who eats junk.

    BYW, I think the whole HAES movement is also a myth, too.

    There's a tweet or Tumblr post or something floating around the intermajig about someone who was complimented on how "healthy" they looked because their stomach was flat while they were actively addicted to and regularly using heroin.

    I'm not deep in the HAES community but my understanding of "health at every size" is that the focus is more on taking care of and getting care for the body that you do actually have, rather than snarking/criticizing/punishing larger bodies basically just for existing, and not taking into account the history or needs or feelings of the actual human people inhabiting those bodies. My understanding was that the movement developed in response to the medical community at large basically dismissing complaints by fat people. Again, I'm not part of the community, but I've heard about it and this is what I've gleaned from, like, Instagram posts and the occasional blog.

    Yeah, I think the idea is that one can take steps to be healthier even if one isn't focused on weight loss, specifically including food choice and exercise.
  • Speakeasy76
    Speakeasy76 Posts: 961 Member
    sviers13 wrote: »
    I'm sure someone has already stated this one.

    My mother hammered it into my head since the age of ten.

    Thin = Healthy

    No matter what it takes for you to get/be/stay thin.

    A corollary to this is it doesn't really matter what you eat to lose weight/stay at a healthy weight, it's how much. I mean technically, yes, but how healthy is the "thin" person that eats mostly junk? I can almost guarantee a person that maybe is a bit overweight who eats mostly nutritious foods is healthier than the skinny fat person who eats junk.

    BYW, I think the whole HAES movement is also a myth, too.

    There's a tweet or Tumblr post or something floating around the intermajig about someone who was complimented on how "healthy" they looked because their stomach was flat while they were actively addicted to and regularly using heroin.

    I'm not deep in the HAES community but my understanding of "health at every size" is that the focus is more on taking care of and getting care for the body that you do actually have, rather than snarking/criticizing/punishing larger bodies basically just for existing, and not taking into account the history or needs or feelings of the actual human people inhabiting those bodies. My understanding was that the movement developed in response to the medical community at large basically dismissing complaints by fat people. Again, I'm not part of the community, but I've heard about it and this is what I've gleaned from, like, Instagram posts and the occasional blog.

    If that's the true mission, then I can get behind that and I think overall it seems like a good alternative to only focusing on weight as a measure of health. I personally think it's better to focus on making healthier food choices and getting more active as a way to achieve better health and weight loss. When I shifted my focus to that instead of getting to a certain size, it made it a lot easier. I still think that there are increased health risks with being obese, and to deny that is disingenuous. It seems like maybe what some are doing are using the movement to justify that you can still be morbidly obese and not have a greater risk for disease as long as you exercise and eat mostly nutrient-dense food (or think you do).
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,113 Member
    I heard a new one yesterday in an ad on YouTube for some fitness quack.

    This person was actually telling his viewers that they need to take hot baths daily in order to lose more weight. Because some kind of misunderstood science BS that he thought meant hot = burn lots of calories

    If this actually worked, I would never have gotten fat. I love my hot baths.
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,983 Member
    I heard a new one yesterday in an ad on YouTube for some fitness quack.

    This person was actually telling his viewers that they need to take hot baths daily in order to lose more weight. Because some kind of misunderstood science BS that he thought meant hot = burn lots of calories

    If this actually worked, I would never have gotten fat. I love my hot baths.

    Reminds me of people who occasionally ask if they should log their sauna time as exercise.
  • goal06082021
    goal06082021 Posts: 2,130 Member
    sviers13 wrote: »
    I'm sure someone has already stated this one.

    My mother hammered it into my head since the age of ten.

    Thin = Healthy

    No matter what it takes for you to get/be/stay thin.

    A corollary to this is it doesn't really matter what you eat to lose weight/stay at a healthy weight, it's how much. I mean technically, yes, but how healthy is the "thin" person that eats mostly junk? I can almost guarantee a person that maybe is a bit overweight who eats mostly nutritious foods is healthier than the skinny fat person who eats junk.

    BYW, I think the whole HAES movement is also a myth, too.

    There's a tweet or Tumblr post or something floating around the intermajig about someone who was complimented on how "healthy" they looked because their stomach was flat while they were actively addicted to and regularly using heroin.

    I'm not deep in the HAES community but my understanding of "health at every size" is that the focus is more on taking care of and getting care for the body that you do actually have, rather than snarking/criticizing/punishing larger bodies basically just for existing, and not taking into account the history or needs or feelings of the actual human people inhabiting those bodies. My understanding was that the movement developed in response to the medical community at large basically dismissing complaints by fat people. Again, I'm not part of the community, but I've heard about it and this is what I've gleaned from, like, Instagram posts and the occasional blog.

    If that's the true mission, then I can get behind that and I think overall it seems like a good alternative to only focusing on weight as a measure of health. I personally think it's better to focus on making healthier food choices and getting more active as a way to achieve better health and weight loss. When I shifted my focus to that instead of getting to a certain size, it made it a lot easier. I still think that there are increased health risks with being obese, and to deny that is disingenuous. It seems like maybe what some are doing are using the movement to justify that you can still be morbidly obese and not have a greater risk for disease as long as you exercise and eat mostly nutrient-dense food (or think you do).

    I think the point is more that you actually can't know how healthy a person is just by looking at them, and even if you could make a statistically-supported guess (based on anything, weight or otherwise), the more important thing is that it's not actually your business in any way.

    I don't know, I think a person's appearance can actually tell you a lot about their health, and I don't just mean their size (skin color, hair, the way the move, etc.). You're right that it is none of my business what someone chooses to with their body, but I am allowed to disagree with statements that obesity in and of itself doesn't increase risk of health complications.

    Sure, but again...you cannot know an individual's actual risk of anything just by looking at them. And if you do decide to speculate about a specific stranger's body, which is a weird thing to do but you're free to spend your time however you like I guess...keep it to yourself.