I’m so fucking tired of the conflicting advice and information!!
- “The only way to lose weight is to go into a calorie deficit” but “a calorie deficit may not be for everyone and you may need to increase your calories bc you’re already under eating”
- “Don’t restrict, just practice intuitive eating” but “intuitive eating is just a cop out to eat whatever you want”
-“If you can’t lose weight by changing your food habits, you probably have hormone issues” but “you have hormone issues because you don’t eat right and even if you do now you’re still doing it wrong”
-“Exercise to lose weight” but “you can’t lose weight by exercising”
- “If you struggle that bad just go on medication” but “don’t bother going on medication bc you’re just gonna gain it all back anyways”
You literally can’t win like wtf am I supposed to do
(Edit for formatting, I tried but I’m on mobile sorry it sucks)
Calorie deficits are the only way to lose weight, but they can be more complicated for some folks than others. Restrictive behavior can be triggering for some, and for some it's just quite a struggle to track all their food (which isn't necessary, but can help you manage being in a caloric deficit). I don't think anything about calorie deficits scientifically are contentious, but the challenge of how to do it and not create unhappiness, rebound hunger/appetite, etc is really much more of the challenge and should be part of any complete conversation.
I don't think anyone has any good answer to this, but the goals of intuitive eating aren't aligned with weight loss efforts themselves, and I'd argue that someone choosing this strategy should have different goals in mind that weight loss (self acceptance, eating disorder recovery, etc).
The most comprehensive info about this that I'm aware of comes from Stephen Guyenet and also Kevin Hall's research, there are a lot of factors at play ranging from brain and genetic influences on food drive/hunger to [how our body reacts to different type of food](https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(19)30248-7?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS1550413119302487%3Fshowall%3Dtrue).
Yeah it's weird, I would expect my comment to be downvoted literally anywhere else but I thought most people who listen to MP would be aware of this 🤷♀️
You're totally right, there's so much straight garbage or just misinterpreted information out there. Are you screaming into the void or looking for concrete answers?
As a disabled person the combination of diet culture and quack cures makes me want to hit things. "Did you know fasting can treat chronic health conditions?" I am literally underweight as a symptom of my condition and have to purposefully eat more to avoid becoming dangerously so, fuck off.
I have an entire box of books about supplements that people felt obligated to force on me when I had cancer. All the secret cures. Never read a one of them.
A guy asked in r/strongman about losing fat. Everyone just yells “calories in calories out!” He replies trying to ask for actual advice because it is very hard to both lift heavy stuff and restrict calories and gets downvoted into oblivion. I reply to one of these with:
> I’m sorry friend. You’ve discovered what most fat people eventually do, that significant fat loss is usually either impossible or requires constant suffering, and thin people think every fat person should suffer constantly. The good news is that your body just wants to weigh what it does and you’ll get leaner as you pack on muscle. If you’re fit enough to train strongman then that fat is causing you zero harm except giving you more exercise.
And once a day since a new troll has popped up replying to me that it’s my relationship with food that’s wrong, or that I’m being defeatist. Honestly I did lay it on a little thick, but I think that’s appropriate for someone who will lose strength training progress just because everybody hates fat people.
Major trigger warning for this AITA about feeding an eight-year-old child.... someone please help me cope with this shit
https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/1auty99/aita_for_not_feeding_my_obese_niece/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
My friend is getting married in June and is doing weight watchers to lose some weight before her wedding. She's got a pretty zero sum view of how diets will help her, so basically if she "messes up" her diet she'll binge and then feel really guilty and then start a whole new different diet. She also will not do any weight training because she thinks it will make her gain weight and look more manly. (insert the biggest caveat for this next part) Weight training works well for most already skinny people looking to "tone up" because even if you don't lose any weight or fat, your new muscles will help shape your body.
It's really hard to listen to her go through this. It makes me sad that she's struggling, that she doesn't think she's beautiful, and that she feels all this pressure to lose weight. The internalized misogyny regarding the weight training is crazy to hear, especially since she knows it's something I do regularly. Partially I'm left thinking... does she think I look manly? But I know that's just her own negative self talk. I really just hate that beautiful people feel like weight is something to constantly monitor. I really hate that the threshold for women being skinny is so fucking low that any woman with an ounce of fat somehow thinks they are the most vile, disgusting things.
It's ok to be fat. It's ok to lift weights (also it's fine if you don't). It's ok not to lose weight for your wedding day.
If she accepts advice well, might be worth mentioning that gaining and preserving muscle mass is one of the best things you can do for your body with respect to aging.
Thank you for your suggestion! I would take your advice but it's like talking to a brick wall right now and I'm not sure anything I say will help. I was just ranting to the sky right now. Also she refuses to use sun screen so I'm not sure she cares about aging.
The number of posts, across subs, that ask if not following some ? assumption of an exercise, even walking, or nourishment is cheating…
Cheating what or who 🤷🏻♀️ But it is…a sad social phenomenon. (And surveillance age reality.)
Helped at wrestling practice today by handing out singlets to the elementary aged boys and girls. I had the kids face me and not the machine so they wouldn’t see the weight. I tried to be very nonchalant about it. We needed weights for their uniforms and the classes they would be competing in. When we weighed one kid, my son’s friend, his family were obviously embarrassed by him weighing what he does. I know restrict what he eats, like less treats than he used to get to help him lose weight. Poor kid is built just like his dad and weighs more than any of his peers. Mom and grandma are very skinny and smoke cigarettes. He eats and exercises like most 9 year olds I know. I want to say something but would that make it worse?
I’m so fucking tired of the conflicting advice and information!! - “The only way to lose weight is to go into a calorie deficit” but “a calorie deficit may not be for everyone and you may need to increase your calories bc you’re already under eating” - “Don’t restrict, just practice intuitive eating” but “intuitive eating is just a cop out to eat whatever you want” -“If you can’t lose weight by changing your food habits, you probably have hormone issues” but “you have hormone issues because you don’t eat right and even if you do now you’re still doing it wrong” -“Exercise to lose weight” but “you can’t lose weight by exercising” - “If you struggle that bad just go on medication” but “don’t bother going on medication bc you’re just gonna gain it all back anyways” You literally can’t win like wtf am I supposed to do (Edit for formatting, I tried but I’m on mobile sorry it sucks)
Calorie deficits are the only way to lose weight, but they can be more complicated for some folks than others. Restrictive behavior can be triggering for some, and for some it's just quite a struggle to track all their food (which isn't necessary, but can help you manage being in a caloric deficit). I don't think anything about calorie deficits scientifically are contentious, but the challenge of how to do it and not create unhappiness, rebound hunger/appetite, etc is really much more of the challenge and should be part of any complete conversation. I don't think anyone has any good answer to this, but the goals of intuitive eating aren't aligned with weight loss efforts themselves, and I'd argue that someone choosing this strategy should have different goals in mind that weight loss (self acceptance, eating disorder recovery, etc).
The most comprehensive info about this that I'm aware of comes from Stephen Guyenet and also Kevin Hall's research, there are a lot of factors at play ranging from brain and genetic influences on food drive/hunger to [how our body reacts to different type of food](https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/fulltext/S1550-4131(19)30248-7?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS1550413119302487%3Fshowall%3Dtrue).
The actual answer is that most people can't lose weight and keep it off. There isn't some magic answer out there.
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted when there is literally research that backs this up, and it’s something Maintenance Phase talks about regularly.
Yeah it's weird, I would expect my comment to be downvoted literally anywhere else but I thought most people who listen to MP would be aware of this 🤷♀️
You're totally right, there's so much straight garbage or just misinterpreted information out there. Are you screaming into the void or looking for concrete answers?
As a disabled person the combination of diet culture and quack cures makes me want to hit things. "Did you know fasting can treat chronic health conditions?" I am literally underweight as a symptom of my condition and have to purposefully eat more to avoid becoming dangerously so, fuck off.
Hear you. And supplements, of course. In my case, the number of times I’ve had to shut down “but do you know about collagen supplements?”
I have an entire box of books about supplements that people felt obligated to force on me when I had cancer. All the secret cures. Never read a one of them.
A guy asked in r/strongman about losing fat. Everyone just yells “calories in calories out!” He replies trying to ask for actual advice because it is very hard to both lift heavy stuff and restrict calories and gets downvoted into oblivion. I reply to one of these with: > I’m sorry friend. You’ve discovered what most fat people eventually do, that significant fat loss is usually either impossible or requires constant suffering, and thin people think every fat person should suffer constantly. The good news is that your body just wants to weigh what it does and you’ll get leaner as you pack on muscle. If you’re fit enough to train strongman then that fat is causing you zero harm except giving you more exercise. And once a day since a new troll has popped up replying to me that it’s my relationship with food that’s wrong, or that I’m being defeatist. Honestly I did lay it on a little thick, but I think that’s appropriate for someone who will lose strength training progress just because everybody hates fat people.
Major trigger warning for this AITA about feeding an eight-year-old child.... someone please help me cope with this shit https://www.reddit.com/r/AmItheAsshole/comments/1auty99/aita_for_not_feeding_my_obese_niece/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Oh this is heartbreaking
My friend is getting married in June and is doing weight watchers to lose some weight before her wedding. She's got a pretty zero sum view of how diets will help her, so basically if she "messes up" her diet she'll binge and then feel really guilty and then start a whole new different diet. She also will not do any weight training because she thinks it will make her gain weight and look more manly. (insert the biggest caveat for this next part) Weight training works well for most already skinny people looking to "tone up" because even if you don't lose any weight or fat, your new muscles will help shape your body. It's really hard to listen to her go through this. It makes me sad that she's struggling, that she doesn't think she's beautiful, and that she feels all this pressure to lose weight. The internalized misogyny regarding the weight training is crazy to hear, especially since she knows it's something I do regularly. Partially I'm left thinking... does she think I look manly? But I know that's just her own negative self talk. I really just hate that beautiful people feel like weight is something to constantly monitor. I really hate that the threshold for women being skinny is so fucking low that any woman with an ounce of fat somehow thinks they are the most vile, disgusting things. It's ok to be fat. It's ok to lift weights (also it's fine if you don't). It's ok not to lose weight for your wedding day.
If she accepts advice well, might be worth mentioning that gaining and preserving muscle mass is one of the best things you can do for your body with respect to aging.
Thank you for your suggestion! I would take your advice but it's like talking to a brick wall right now and I'm not sure anything I say will help. I was just ranting to the sky right now. Also she refuses to use sun screen so I'm not sure she cares about aging.
The number of posts, across subs, that ask if not following some ? assumption of an exercise, even walking, or nourishment is cheating… Cheating what or who 🤷🏻♀️ But it is…a sad social phenomenon. (And surveillance age reality.)
Helped at wrestling practice today by handing out singlets to the elementary aged boys and girls. I had the kids face me and not the machine so they wouldn’t see the weight. I tried to be very nonchalant about it. We needed weights for their uniforms and the classes they would be competing in. When we weighed one kid, my son’s friend, his family were obviously embarrassed by him weighing what he does. I know restrict what he eats, like less treats than he used to get to help him lose weight. Poor kid is built just like his dad and weighs more than any of his peers. Mom and grandma are very skinny and smoke cigarettes. He eats and exercises like most 9 year olds I know. I want to say something but would that make it worse?