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Old 10-21-2010, 01:12 PM   #1  
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Default Weight loss myth pet peeves

**Disclaimer, this is not pointed at anyone in particular as it is my own pet peeve and people are free to disagree with me**

One of the things that I hear constantly is the "starvation mode" argument for eating more. I sometimes read posts on various web forums where people are genuinely worried that they are not eating enough and that is why they haven't lost weight. They even ask "should I force myself to eat when I'm not hungry?" etc.

Perhaps it is because this idea is ubiquitous that is bothers me so much. Also because this idea really often causes undo fear among people. What the concept of "starvation mode" means and how it is interpreted are vastly different things. People often genuinely believe that they aren't losing weight because they haven't ate enough, like consuming more calories will actually cause more weight loss. That is absolutely NOT the case. The less calories you take in, the more weight you will lose. ALWAYS.

All that the starvation mode means is that there is a point of diminishing returns. If you eat 2000 calories a day and you need 2500 calories a day for RMR, you will lose 1 pound a week. Since 3500 calories = 1 pound of fat, that will be how much you should have lost that week. However, if ate 1000 calories a day instead of 2000, you might not lose 2 pounds that week predicted by the calories deficit but only 1.8 pounds because your metabolism has slowed just a little bit because you didn't eat that many calories. However, you still lost weight because of the calorie deficit and you lost more weight than you would have if you ate 2000 calories.

There is a good reason to make sure you eat enough food. That is because when you are very hungry it might lead to a binge. However, there is no scientific basis for being in fear that your weight loss has stalled because you haven't eaten enough food.

***end rant**

Are there any weight loss pet peeves that you have?
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Old 10-21-2010, 01:21 PM   #2  
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Some of my pet peeves are things that I have actually replied to other posters, and have been debunked by my good friends here at 3FC.

Muscle does NOT weigh more than fat. A pound of muscle is just one pound, 16 ounces. It may take up less space on your body, but it's still one pound. And, it's RIDICULOUSLY hard to build pounds of muscle. When someone starts exercising, and their weight stays the same for a couple of weeks, it's probably just good old fashioned water weight.

Also, that carbs are your friends, and that eating your fill of "low fat" pastas and breads and rice will make you lose weight. Not if you live in my body, it won't. The whole idea that weight loss is "one size fits all" (please pardon my pun) just gets under my skin.

Wow, I feel better already!
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Old 10-21-2010, 01:32 PM   #3  
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Starvation mode is one of my big pet peeves, too. It's sort of ridiculous.

Also, it annoys me that every time diet comes in conversation, someone must go on a tangent about how "bad" carbs are for you. It's so narrow minded and I feel kind of sorry for those people who can be so easily convinced that an entire food group is not only unecessary, but evil! (And no, I'm not talking about anyone who follows a low carb diet or those wise enough to recognize good AND bad carbs. I'm referring to the women who truly believe that a piece of wheat bread is worse than a half pound block of cheddar cheese.)
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Old 10-21-2010, 01:47 PM   #4  
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Mine is the Amazing Shrinking Stomach.


I WISH I could shrink my stomach! (Well, without surgery and recovery I mean!)
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Old 10-21-2010, 01:55 PM   #5  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ThicknPretty View Post
Starvation mode is one of my big pet peeves, too. It's sort of ridiculous.
Ditto on this!
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Old 10-21-2010, 01:57 PM   #6  
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mine is the idea that some diet will work and some diet won't. It isn't the diet that is the problem. It's the application.

I remember a woman I worked with used to ask if this or that "worked" and would tell me which diet didn't "work". Finally I just said ANYTHING would work if you did it long enough. Just not eating french fries ever again would probably make you lose a couple pounds if you did it long enough
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Old 10-21-2010, 01:57 PM   #7  
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I hope it's ok for me to say this, but right now, my only pet peeve about weight loss is people who act like they know what's best for me! Ugh! Just because I'm overweight, that doesn't mean I don't know what to do. Ok, I feel better too. Thanks!
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Old 10-21-2010, 02:13 PM   #8  
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[None of these are directed at any particular post: They are pulled from my own overactive imagination & my misanthropy from reading too many consecutive posts.]

If my weight loss plateaus for a week, I must be in "starvation mode."

If my weight loss plateaus for two weeks, I've "put on a lot of muscle" & that must be what the scale is showing, rather than fat.

Water weight. What the heck is it, really? How is actual fat weight different from water weight, and how do we KNOW which one it is? I think it's water weight when we want to make someone feel better. Or make ourselves feel better. At least, that's how I use this distinction.

If I eat less, I will shrink my stomach so I don't need to eat as much as I used to.

If I exercise at least 15 minutes a day, I'd better get my butt to GNC & buy a case & a half of protein powder to fuel myself.

I can exercise fat away from particular spots of my body just by doing one tiny little exercise over & over again -- without affecting the fat on any other part of my body. (Yep. I have the secret. Got it from Suzanne Somers: I can reduce my thighs without losing from my boobs, solely by exercise.)

Wheat and dairy are the root of all evil in the world. To everyone. At all times. Free the cows, plow under all the wheat fields.

No one in the Western world has had a healthy diet since: (fill in the blank): 1) my grandmother's lifetime; 2) 150 years ago; 3) 6,000 years ago; 4) we've never had a healthy diet, but the Asians have had a great diet; 5) only native people have ever had a healthy diet; 6) one single American doctor [fill in any name here] (re)discovered the One True Secret that should inform America's diet forevermore.

Losing weight through weight loss surgery is really simple. They just cut you open, rearrange your insides, and voila, you're set. For life. You can eat anything, do anything you want. It's just another Modern Medical Marvel of Magic.

Last edited by saef; 10-21-2010 at 02:15 PM.
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Old 10-21-2010, 02:14 PM   #9  
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The "all you have to do is exercise more". And this is coming from a person who knows exercise has been a big positive factor in my weight loss. But I hear this over and over again from men who want their wives or girlfriends to continue to eat (with them) like they always have, but "work out as much as Cary" to get my body. Well boys, 6 hours per week of exercise isn't going to do it if she still shares pizza and beer with you and all the other eating traditions couples can fall into.

Whew, that feels good to get that out.
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Old 10-21-2010, 02:17 PM   #10  
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The other one is not so much a myth as a misunderstanding. The common terminology of "carbs" when I think people mean specific simple carbohydrate foods. Over and over I see people mentioning their low-carb eating plan then listing all the vegetables they eat.
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Old 10-21-2010, 02:29 PM   #11  
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You all have hit most of my favorites (especially starvation mode and muscle weighs more than fat, so the five pounds I gained this week with walking must be muscle), but let me add:

Eating an off-plan, high calorie, low nutrition meal will somehow "shock" your metabolism into weight loss.

"Organic" on the label means low calorie and healthy (i.e. organic, whole wheat chocolate chip cookies ).

Drinking lots of water is critical for fat loss.

The "fat burning zone".

My biggest pet peeve:

Once we reach goal, maintenance will be natural and intuitive. We'll be able to eat whatever we want, "in moderation". All of our eating issues will be cured. Anyone who continues to count calories, weigh and measure portions, plan menus in advance, exercise daily, and avoid certain trigger foods clearly is "obsessed" and has some kind of eating disorder.
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Old 10-21-2010, 02:51 PM   #12  
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LOL! You've all hit on some of mine already.

Also, spot reduction...nope, ain't gonna happen.

Women will bulk up with lifting...nope, ain't gonna happen.

You can and should lose 1-2 pounds a week. I REALLY wish people (by whom I mean doctors and the media) would say "4-8 pounds in a month". I don't know about you men, but many women do not lose regularly...at all.

Last edited by Eliana; 10-21-2010 at 02:52 PM.
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Old 10-21-2010, 02:57 PM   #13  
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I also hate when people say "oh you haven't lost weight you must be gaining muscle!" I'm like dude it's been 2 weeks, it's not muscle! lol.

I also hate when people tell me I don't eat enough carbs- I'm like um yes I do- I get them from veggies and some grains- if I go over a certain percentage in my day 2 things happen: 1- I feel sick and 2- I either gain- my body just isn't built to handle carbs and I've had to face that reality so stop bugging that I never bring a sandwich to lunch!
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Old 10-21-2010, 02:59 PM   #14  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Meg View Post

The "fat burning zone".
Oh, this one! And you're a PT right? I swear, I'm sorry, but when I was 235 pounds and my HR got up to 180 with a brisk walk, backing it down to a stroll to get my HR in the "fat burning zone" was going to get me NOWHERE fast!
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Old 10-21-2010, 03:17 PM   #15  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Meg View Post
Drinking lots of water is critical for fat loss.
OMG. HOW could I forget the water one. I HATE this. I just can NOT drink 64 oz of straight up water a day. I don't care what anyone says, I can't do it. Nor do I want to. Nor do I feel it is important FOR ME to do. Lol!
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