14 ms·

What I learned from reading over 100 weight loss studies

129 points by willsun 8y ago

viburnum 8y ago
I quit sugar five years ago, didn't diet, and was surprised when I lost of ton of weight. It never came back. I can't be the only one.
Oras 8y ago
From personal experience * with weight loss, diet is good for short terms but will not work in long terms. I have tried limiting calories, intermittent fasting, and keto. The only thing worked long term was loving exercise and setting challenges (cycling 20 miles a day, running 10k .. etc). Exercise will allow me to eat the food I like (within limits) and not caring if I will gain some weight as I will lose it potentially with exercise. * I lost 20% of my body weight in 8 months doing strictly 1500 calories a day for 8 months with moderate exercise then gained 10% of it back and since then I will lose/gain 5% every now and then.
dr_ick 8y ago
ALL DIETS WORK IN THE SHORT TERM... The problem is keeping it off. Please, please, please read the Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung: https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight-ebook/dp/B01C6D0LCK https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight... He provides all the science behind the current obesity epidemic, backed up with studies done on humans. Obesity is a hormonal problem... Insulin makes us fat. Current fads suggest eating ALL THE TIME. This puts people in a state of high insulin all day, everyday. This is bad. Intermittent fasting based around a common sense diet (limit sugars and starchy food to special occasions) will lower insulin levels, and cause the body to burn fat instead of insulin. The keys is not what to eat, but when to eat and how often... and drink Apple Cider Vinegar. :P
- bluecalm 8y ago
  You are probably downvoted because there isn't enough convincing evidence for insulin hypothesis. I like Jason Fung and I love the idea of fasting for health and weight-loss. I think though that advocates of both fasting and low-carb make a mistake getting too attached to insulin. They may die on this hill while being right all along but for different reasons. My understanding is that we don't know if it's insulin or something else that makes many people wanting to eat less once they are accustomed to regular fasting or low-carb diet. It would be better to focus on a proven fact that it does work for many people and trying to understand the mechanism instead of picking just one possible one (insulin) and staking everything on that being full explanation.
Fricken 8y ago
I had read somewhere that after about 45 minutes of cardio your body will start using it's fat stores, and continue burning fat for 6 to 8 hours afterwards. So when I found myself overweight I started doing long trail runs or bike rides, about 2 hours long, 3 times a week. Insomuch as I looked forward to doing the exercise, losing 3-5 pounds a week was nearly effortless. My appetite actually goes down during these periods because I'm burning my fat stores and my body isn't demanding that I replace those calories, and it's doing it for hours after I've stopped. I've had people tell me that getting exercise is not a good way to lose weight, but my experience tells me that if you're doing the right kind of exercise, then, yes it a good way. Maybe there's just no reasonable expectation that most people will do enough cardio at a high enough level to activate fat burning.
- skocznymroczny 8y ago
  What was your starting weight? Losing 3-5 pounds a week sounds like a lot, unless you were starting from a high weight to begin with. Also, most people trying to lose weight aren't fit enough to run/ride for 10 minutes long, let alone 2 hours.
  - Fricken 8y ago
    The first time I had 20 pounds to lose, from 195 down to 175. Last fall I lost 15 pounds using the same method. I've been active enough through most of my adult life that I can snap myself back into good fitness pretty fast presuming I haven't been on my ass for more than a few months, and it wasn't until my mid-30s or so that I would start to gain weight during sedentary phases if I wasn't being careful. Throughout my 20s my weight didn't change much at all. So my weight issues have been minor, and I dealt with them handily before they had a chance to become not-minor.
- krzat 8y ago
  Exercise is good, but you need to have your diet it check first. Otherwise you will explode as soon as something prevents you from training. It's also easier to not eat 1000 kcal that to burn 1000 kcal.
- 8y ago
newnewpdro 8y ago
Over a decade ago I DIY'd going from 225 to ~165 and have kept it off. The main success factor in my opinion was becoming single and staying single, as well as restructuring my life in general, especially how/who I socialize with. It's pretty easy to do what's right for you when you go solo. The process isn't really different than a drug addict trying to go clean and avoid relapse. It's all about the friends and environment, you have to change it all.
- james_s_tayler 8y ago
  Not gonna lie when I got married and had a kid and started a new job all at the same time my weight went up like almost 30kg.
  - newnewpdro 8y ago
    To be fair, it's entirely possible to enter a family, social, and employment situation that reinforces healthy choices. My point was more along the lines of the existing environment being largely responsible for the emergent property of being overweight/unhealthy. Unless you change the environment, it makes it very difficult to sustainably alter the emergent outputs, which is what we are. I found it easiest to simply replace and/or eliminate the major environmental problems rather than try modify them in-place. Nobody likes to be forced to live differently, and in my experience, the relationship's happiness was largely derived from the shared unhealthy activities. After enough time living the healthier life as an individual, access to the healthier environments improves. Healthy members of the opposite sex that have also figured it out become attracted to you, employers who secretly discriminate against unhealthy employees start making offers, same for friend circles. But it's a privileged lifestyle, so it's not the easy/likely default option open to all.
aabajian 8y ago
Amphetamines were popularly used to suppress appetite in the mid-20th century, but addiction and abuse proved disastrous. He glosses over amphetamines. They are highly effective at weight loss. So much so that ADHD patients have the stereotypical "Adderall skinniness" after 1-2 years of use. Addiction is a problem with stimulants, but psychiatrist routinely assess for addiction in the ADHD population. Why not prescribe Adderall for weight loss and similarly monitor those patients? Which is better? A BMI of 40+ or a BMI of 25 and taking a daily stimulant? The FDA agrees with the latter in at least one case. In 2015, the FDA approved the amphetamine lisdexamfetamine (brand name Vyvanse) for the treatment of binge-eating disorder.
- batiudrami 8y ago
  I have lost kilos post raves just from not being inclined to eat for days afterwards, but even just a dexie leaves me feeling scattered and non functional the day after. I assume you adjust to ongoing rather than occasional usage?
  - azeirah 8y ago
    I've been on a low dose of Ritalin for about half a year now, I experience very few side effects, but appetite inhibition is definitely a thing. Even after half a year, it has barely changed at all. I usually don't really feel hungry until I'm at the point where I get a bit lightheaded because I haven't eaten for too long. The most annoying part isn't even the inhibited hunger impulse, it's that even if I take that into account, and plan my meals accordingly, I don't really feel like eating much, and I'll eat like you would if you were daydreaming about a potential lover. The most effective solution I've seen so far is to not chain the doses like it's usually advised, ie, one pill every four hours, but to plan your meals and your pill timings such that you'll eat when the medication is wearing off. It's annoying, because of course this half-hour to hour period after medication wears off is very annoying, but it's the better alternative, especially if you take into account that Ritalin has a more stable and gentle impact if you take it on a full stomach. Taking Ritalin on an empty stomach is like drinking two double-espressos on an empty stomach after a bad night's sleep, right after you wake up. :c
- 8y ago
rdm_blackhole 8y ago
A couple of years ago I found myself weighing 250lbs. Basically morbidly obese. I decided to change that. I went through all the food I bought during the week and decided to do some culling. I removed anything with sugar and replaced it with Stevia. Removed the soft drinks, alcohol, and carbs. I follow this diet 6 days a week. One day a week, I indulge myself: a pizza or burrito or have a few beers. I also go to the gym 5 times a week. Run 5k in 25 minutes plus one hour of weight lifting. Nothing to intense mind you. I have lost nearly 80lbs with the last 24 months. The trick is to do it slow and steady. I always cringe when I read about the latest fad diet: Lose 5 lbs in one week or some crap like that! In the end, it takes time and will to achieve results but once you get into a routine, if very easy to keep going. During my holidays, I usually drink, smoke and eat whatever I want but as soon as I get back home, I go back to my routine. Some people think that this is boring but honestly, unless you are an athlete competing at a high level, you don't need to eat carbs every day. This is just my experience. Results may vary.
- Onewildgamer 8y ago
  Removing soft drinks and alcohol came easy, but removing carbs in a daily diet became extremely difficult for me and hence I plateaued. I am curious to know what you replaced it with?
  - rdm_blackhole 8y ago
    Sweet potatoes and broccoli. Lately, I have been eating a lot of cauliflower rice. It looks like rice but its cauliflower. Oh and if you find that your food is a bit boring for some reason, you can add some spicy sauce(without sugar) on your meal.
- sridca 8y ago
  Fasting is the ultimate weight loss tool. It also facilitates (muscle) growth and healing.
  - Jaruzel 8y ago
    It also can put a strain on your organs if you are not too healthy. Consult a Doctor before trying it.
seer 8y ago
There has been quite a lot of new, exciting and actually useful science in recent years about how to have a healthy body, but I think most people only look at calories. Some may look at fat/carbs. And some may also look into excercise as well. But in order to have a healthy body long term it seams you need to look into all of that, and sleep quality, and mindfullness/stress control. That may sound like a lot, but each piece helps you out a little to keep the other pieces in check. Having a full night of sleep keeps your impulses in check. Excercise helps you sleep, keep muscle mass and fat at desirable levels. Eating healthy makes sleep easier etc. And they reinforce each other. So keeping yourself in this healthy steady state is actually quite easy, as long as you take a holistic apriach and not over specialize in each area. This is a hunch of mine though I havent really found any studies that take all of those things into account, just the specific interactions between those things.
galvs 8y ago
It is very simple. There are 8000 calories in 1kg of fat. If you want to lose 10 kg you'll need to burn 80,000 calories through deficit, either through diet or exercise. Personally I find it easy to live on a strict diet and limiting alcohol intake to once every few weeks
- kranner 8y ago
  Everybody who's trying to lose weight knows it is about sustaining a calorie deficit. The problem is how.
  - galvs 8y ago
    Pick any number of options!
    - kranner 8y ago
      There goes that simplicity then. How do you pick one? How do you stay on it? How do you decide whether to switch, when to switch and what to switch to? How do you motivate yourself to try again once you've failed? And on it goes.
      - galvs 8y ago
        How do you pick any activity that encourages you to burn more calories than usual? I would expect that comes down to finding something you enjoy doing. Exercise and eating well is a way of life. If your life dictates you do neither, you will get fat. I don't really understand how its complicated. You just do it for the benefits. Personally I eat chicken and veg 5 days a week (with occasional carbs when I train), train for 3 days and climb once a week. I also mostly hit my 10k steps per day.
        kranner 8y ago
        I mean this respectfully. Think about it this way: If there's an obvious solution that so many people are having trouble implementing, what is more likely? 1. That all those people are stupid or have no willpower, or 2. that the obvious solution doesn't work for everyone?
randomacct3847 8y ago
Fasting works best for me
- qnsi 8y ago
  Do you mean intermitten fasting or longer than 24h? Did you consult your doktor before longer fast?
perfmode 8y ago
Thorough and thoughtful.
masonic 8y ago
If that stat that almost 25% lost 5+% of BW using a placebo is true, then the most cost-effective treatment is to give everyone placebos.
- willsun 8y ago
  This is a good point - I'll caveat this in the post. Most medication/placebo studies tend to involve a bit of coaching in addition to the medication, usually 1 session per month or less with instruction on diet and exercise. So the 25% result is essentially "coaching-lite + sugar pill", which may be considerably more expensive than a simple placebo. This result could be much weaker if it's just the placebo alone.
  - tracker1 8y ago
    Not only that, but tracking alone raises a lot of awareness and a tendency to be more "healthy" or compliant.
octamer 8y ago
Interesting review (that first graph in particular is definitely non-obvious to me), but under the diet section I think it understates the current body of research regarding low-carb/keto diets - some studies have begun to show energy expenditure[1] and insulin[2] benefits that uniquely exist with low-carb. I think we'll find out soon enough that a lower-carb approach, given the current American diet, does definitively perform better than other dieting approaches on average. [1] https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4583 https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4583 [2] http://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/718265/effect-low-carbohydrate-diet-appetite-blood-glucose-levels-insulin-resistance http://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/718265/effect-low-car...
- nonbel 8y ago
  First study: >"During the test phase, high, moderate, and low carbohydrate diets varied in carbohydrate (60%, 40%, and 20% of total energy, respectively[...]We randomly assigned participants who achieved the target weight loss to high, moderate, or low carbohydrate test diets for a 20 week test phase.)" Second study: >"14 days of a low-carbohydrate diet (21 g of carbohydrates per day)" So the first study went for 5 months but didn't include an actual low-carb diet: 100 g -> ~400 cal -> ~20% of 2k cal/day The second study only went for 2 weeks but did include a low carb diet: 21g -> ~84 cal -> ~4% of 2k cal/day Now someone just needs to combine these methods into one valid study.
- Retric 8y ago
  Those are both very short term studies. The only critical factor in weight loss is how much people weigh in the long term as in 5+ years. “20% of overweight individuals are successful at long-term weight loss when defined as losing at least 10% of initial body weight and maintaining the loss for at least 1 y.” Things get much worse in terms of 5+ year weight loss.
  - nightski 8y ago
    I'll just say that American culture in general makes it extremely difficult to stick to a healthy and disciplined lifestyle, no matter the specific diet. In keto communities I see people who have met lots of success but find it rough being bombarded by family, friends, and dining out options in general all going against their way of eating. It's getting better, with restaurants especially. But it's still a large hurdle to any diet and/or healthy lifestyle. I'm sure it's better in some areas of the country than others.
peteretep 8y ago
I feel like the studies of specialty diets bring misleading conclusions, because they always count calories for both sides. If you’re on a calorie controlled diet, then calories in calories out holds. But most speciality diets (I’m on something pretty similar to slow carb) are targeting adherence, a factor that’s removed if you’re only measuring calories in and calories out. Without white carbs I find it much much easier to reduce my calorific intake. To compare my diet with any other — if you’re enforcing the same number of calories — is kind of pointless, as I specifically don’t want to count calories, nor do I want to feel hungry.
- willsun 8y ago
  Most of the studies I looked at would "enforce" diets through direction, coaching, and meal plans, while a few provided meals to participants. Very few required daily calorie tracking. So while it is possible there is an adherence improvement for certain diets (e.g. low-carb has better satiety, better adherence, and therefore better weight loss), that improvement doesn't appear to be significant enough to regularly appear in research studies. Of course, one could make the methodological critique (e.g. "the studies aren't good enough yet to detect this"), but at least it seems to set a ceiling on the magnitude of a possible adherence improvement.
- sokoloff 8y ago
  Sometimes feeling hungry is ok and likely healthy. Always feeling hungry is brutal. For me, low carb works like magic and with limited aggravation once past the first week. The problem is, if I never learn to be (sometimes) hungry, it all comes apart when I go off the diet and back to living in the land of infinite crap carbs.
  - tracker1 8y ago
    The always hungry thing is generally why severe calorie deprevation doesn't work in the long run. Pretty much everyone gains it all and then some in a 5year term.
  - peteretep 8y ago
    Yah. I think the biggest thing for me has been learning that I feel two distinct types of hunger, and also getting more in touch with feeing full/hungry in a way that the rush I get from eating carbs seems to hide. Overeating without white carbs just feels uncomfortable and I rarely do it. The rush I get from pizza or fries (which I hadn’t identified until I stopped) masks that discomfort.
tracker1 8y ago
To me, it would seem that there's a couple things that aren't considered in most of these studies. A lot of them have a lot of controls in place for the starting size/weight range of the individuals. Given this, and the change in hormone (particularly insulin) response it's not always the same advice depending on how overweight you are, how much you are showing insulin resistance or elevated/deflated insulin response. I think that resting insulin levels should be part of annual exams for everyone. It's much easier to explain, hey you're heading towards diabetes clinically when people still feel relatively well and healthy. My own advice to younger people, and to those who aren't very overweight is to limit meals to 2-3 a day, don't snack between meals, and don't drink anything sweetened or containing calories during the day outside of meal time. Limit sugars to around 20-30g/day, and if having more, limit it to a single treat/dessert every other week. If you're more overweight, or "pre-diabetic", then I suggest reducing total carbs to 100g/day, and limiting to 1-2 meals a day. If you're obese/diabetic, omad (one meal a day) and ketogenic macros. If you're on higher doses of insulin, add a 3-7 day fast once a month. And a 48hr fast at least once a week. The worse off you are starting the harder it is... fortunately, you can work your way up the scale/advice above as you reach closer to an ideal weight. After you get used to not snacking and reducing sugar/sweetened things between meals, it gets easier. The first week or two can be grueling and if you're a social eater, it can be very hard too.
- _xerxes_ 8y ago
  Every annual physical and every work-related health exam I have had here in the US has included some kind of fasting glucose test.
  - tracker1 8y ago
    An A1C test will only show problems after you've gone through a cycle of your body resisting insulin and your pancreas being overworked (resting insulin 4-7x normal) and then your pancreas wears out (damaged beta cell production) and then your resting glucose rises. This process can take many years. A resting insulin test will show resting insulin rising years before an A1C test shows a problem.
bobcostas55 8y ago
You ever read about other people's experiences and it seems utterly alien to you? SSC had a post sort of on this theme[0]. I just don't understand how people can fail to lose 5% bf. Over 12 months, even! Just eat a bit less. 100kcal per day is enough to lose 5 kilos in 12 months, how hard can it be to eat 100kcal less than normally? It's literally one slice of cheese. I have regular cut periods where I lose more than 5% in a matter of weeks and it's the most trivial thing in the world. What are these people doing?!? [0] https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/03/17/what-universal-human-experiences-are-you-missing-without-realizing-it/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/03/17/what-universal-human-e...
- apsec112 8y ago
  As someone who has never smoked, never had more than a few drinks, and never done heroin, I find that it takes zero effort to not buy cigarettes, not buy drugs, and not drink to excess. What could be easier than not doing something, after all? I just have to sit here and play on my computer. And yet, obviously, many people find doing these things (or not doing them, rather) to be incredibly difficult. I can't just shrug that off, even if I lack any personal experience with it.
- tomhoward 8y ago
  > What are these people doing? Responding to their metabolic and emotional needs, which are complex beyond comprehension.
- alacombe 8y ago
  > I just don't understand how people can fail to lose 5% bf. Depends where you start, getting from 50% to 45% is a whole other story than getting from 10% to 5%.
- frandroid 8y ago
  Eating when they're hungry/thirsty/anxious/bored/depressed?
- taneq 8y ago
  > What are these people doing?!? Eating too much.
mirceal 8y ago
The weight loss is not really what matters. anybody can lose weight. with a little education you can do it. the problem is doing it in a sustainable way and to actually keep it off. the hardest part about weight loss is keeping it off. you have limited will power and unless you are willing to change the way you live your efforts are in vain. Sure it may make you feel good about yourself and your journey but it's doomed to fail. i'm going to repeat this: if you are not willing to adjust your lifestyle and consistently make the better choices when it comes to diet you will fail. also, weight loss in 90% kitchen, 10% gym. Do go to the gym, but if you are eating unhealthy it's not going to matter. LE: while we're on this subject. If there is one thing you can do today that will have a positive impact on you for the rest of your life is to stop eating sugar and refined carbs. If you only do one change to how you eat and you do this, in the long run, you'll be most successful than 95% of "dieters". Also keep in mind that this is a marathon, not a sprint.
- atom-morgan 8y ago
  > if you are not willing to adjust your lifestyle and consistently make the better choices when it comes to diet you will fail. This statement applies to anything in life you want to get better at.
  - mirceal 8y ago
    yes. people don’t normally see it as getting better at eating. it’s a problem they’re solving.
  - Fricken 8y ago
    If there's a pattern that I've noticed amongst the people in my life who struggle with their weight is that they all have an emotional relationship with food. They eat not to serve their metabolic needs but to serve their emotional needs. They say they are counting their calories, but they aren't being honest with themselves about it. They can't make clear headed diet decisions because their feelings are so wrapped up in the act of eating.
    - 8y ago
thepete2 8y ago
I feel like this article neglects the most important thing, which is sustainability. I've recently come across the idea of fasting for weight loss. Turns out most people can safely fast (eat nothing, only drink water that is) for many days, sometimes as long as 40 days if they are overweight. Switching to a diet of eating minimally processed food afterwards - which is what we're used to from an evolutionary standpoint - can apparently be quite sustainable. I'm young and thankfully don't have weight problems, but if I had I think I'd give it a shot.
- toastermoster 8y ago
  I remember seeing an article about a long term study of former participants of the show "The Biggest Loser." If I recall, almost all of them had gained the weight back and due to the extreme caloric restrictions they had placed on themselves during their time on the show the reduced their base metabolic rate significantly.
- sridca 8y ago
  You can still fast, like I do, despite being lean. 4-5 day water fast regenerates the immune system.
manicdee 8y ago
Is there any major weight loss system that looks at genetics? According to this article there are a few genes which will alter your success with either any excercise cersus only high intensity exercise, and low carb versus low fat being a better weight loss diet. https://rockstarresearch.com/these-5-genes-predict-what-kind-of-diet-and-exercise-is-best-for-your-body-2/ https://rockstarresearch.com/these-5-genes-predict-what-kind...
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
legohead 8y ago
I have a friend who I watched try a bunch of diet systems. Pills from amazon that she researched. Trying to not eat as much. Calorie counting. More expensive pills. Doing one of those "we send you all your meals" programs. Nothing worked or was even close. Maybe she'd lose 5 pounds and then immediately gain it back. Finally she went to a clinic. The Dr. gave her a prescription to phentermine and she had to show up every week for evaluation. It worked great, the pounds melted off her, and she has kept it off. She lost something like 35 lbs in a few months (from 160). It basically made her not want to eat, her daily calorie count was stupid low, but it never really affected her energy levels - she didn't have any health issues. The doctor said her body would get used to the drug in about 3 months and it would be less effective, and that was true. So you can't really stay on it continuously, I guess..
- krageon 8y ago
  I'm going to go out on a limb and say most people are probably aware that a substituted amphetamine will help you not eat.
- hvidgaard 8y ago
  That isn't addressing the underlying problem of eating too much. There was quite a study at Odense University Hospital where they enrolled women that had tried everything to lose weight. They was asked to meticulously write down everything single thing they ate. They they was admitted to the hospital and they was fed exactly what they had written for the past month. Every single woman lost a significant amount of weight. So if your friend have counted calorie counting without losing weight she didn't count correctly or truthfully.
  - bluecalm 8y ago
    Maybe it does. People eat too much because they have cravings, low pleasure response to food (so they need to more to feel the same as healthy people) and maybe low dopamine levels (that's my hypothesis based on my problems and some experiments). I think eating too much is a symptom of an underlying problem and drugs may help with it. This is also why I think regular exercise is very important for weightloss. Not because calories burnt but because neurotransmitters levels and their impact on mood and impulse control. >>So if your friend have counted calorie counting without losing weight she didn't count correctly or truthfully. She very likely knew she is eating too much. It's not rocket science and calorie counting won't help unless you are in very deep denial. The problem is controlling yourself and constant cravings you have to fight. It's just way more difficult for some people than others the same way some get easily addicted to drugs and some use them recreationally for years without problems or sign of addiction.
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a-saleh 8y ago
While we are discussing diets, anybody has a good replacement for snacks? Few years ago I realized I am really prone to stress-eating. If I am not stressed, I can go about my day, eating 2 big meals a day (and a small breakfast), and even slowly loose wight. But if I am under pressure I can eat another large meal worth of snacks. And I really don't like it, because then I am gaining weight really fast :-/ Anybody in similar situation? What helped you there?
- bobowzki 8y ago
  Snack on vegetables.
- hvidgaard 8y ago
  Snack on something like carrots, cucumber, and other vegetables that aren't sweet or fatty. You'll significantly cut down on the calories and gain some healthy food too. Just don't create dipping sauce or the like. Raw vegetables only.
- jules 8y ago
  Carrots, celery, cucumber, 0% fat cottage cheese.
- glastra 8y ago
  You could go with the route other users are suggesting and eat something that is filled with water and will probably leave your system undigested (e.g. fiber-filled vegetables). Or you could also try ingesting mud, for that matter. I suggest you give almonds, macadamia nuts and pork rinds a go.
- andygates 8y ago
  Fizzy water here. Got a sodastream, keep a couple of bottles in the fridge at all times.
nemasu 8y ago
Everyone has their own thing that works. Personally I calorie counted and lost 90lbs (250 to 160). I think the hardest part is keeping it off, especially if something is causing you to eat more than you should be in the first place or if you use it as a coping mechanism.
sl1ck731 8y ago
My anecdote: I lose weight very easily by CICO. Over the course of of a few months in college I ate a very strict diet of x calories. At the time it was something like 1100/day as a ~200lb 21 year old. Supposedly dangerous, but a lot of things are. Anyway, by keeping an excel sheet of the exact calories I ate every day, minus my calculated metabolic rate, I knew exactly what %/lb I lost per day/week. I kept such good track that by measuring my weight every day I was able to reverse calculate my metabolic rate by the daily weight loss (it was very close to online calculators so I wouldn't bother going out of your way to try it). The most important thing for me is seeing it as a game. Being able to see daily results even if they are fractions of pounds a day or week. Knowing exactly what I'm aiming for at the end of the week and how I'm getting there. The most difficult party is meticulously counting calories and ratios when making things. A kitchen scale is essential. Anyway I was 50 lbs lighter when I quit. It has come back over the course of 6 or 7 years but I'm a pig and I will just lose it again when the time comes.
- claudiawerner 8y ago
  I'm about 145lb 22 y/o, and also doing 1100 calories/day but usually in the form of one meal for dinner. How did you calculate the amount you should lose per day/week? I'm interested in filling such a spreadsheet myself.
  - sl1ck731 8y ago
    When I started I used a metabolic rate calculator. https://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/calories https://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/calories for example. The amount of calories lost per day = the metabolic rate from the calculator - the amount of calories you eat that day. The amount of pounds lost per day is: burned calories (above) / 3500 (number of calories in a pound of fat). After a couple months of measuring my weight daily and knowing exactly what my caloric intake was, I calculated my real average metabolic rate by doing the reverse. total calories lost in a period = lbs lost * 3500 calorie burn (metabolic rate) = total calories burned + total calories eaten The above is per period so I calculated the average values for the days in a month and used them. I didn't exercise much so the basal metabolic rate was fairly close to my real burn.
benj111 8y ago
They seem to have focussed on Diets but neglected diet. As in rather than going on a Diet, adopting a different diet, a new habit if you will. A Diet is a New Years resolution, a diet is for life. The article says 75% of Americans are overweight. Therefore 25% aren't. What are they doing right? I doubt they're all having liposuction.
sonnyblarney 8y ago
The problem with this meta analysis is that it doesn't really account for the motivational factor related to money and other things. Moreover, that people with more weight to lose might likely opt for the more major programs. When your doctor says "You now have diabetes, and you're going to die young unless you get your weight under control" ... well, that might motivated people. As opposed to someone who just wants to lose 10 lbs and is otherwise fairly healthy.
- willsun 8y ago
  I think this is a fair point, and the final section of the post attempts to address this. For what it's worth, most studies do not selectively draw from a highly-motivated cohort - participants are rarely the most severely obese, and they also usually aren't people who are actively looking for clinical trials or free weight loss programs. Money is also controlled for, since the interventions are almost always offered for free, and any time or work involved with the study will be compensated as well. From my perspective, if anything, the motivational factor may actually be _too_ well-controlled in many of these studies, so the observed result does not translate properly to real-world settings.
alanfranzoni 8y ago
As somebody who went from 240 to 180 lbs (I'm about 6 5" tall btw) and stayed there for long, the hard thing to cope with is homecooking. Once i had kids I had no more time for cooking, and hurried pasta/pizza dishes just drive me fat.
Flenser 8y ago
What I'd like to know is if there are any studies into whether the frequency with which a person weighs themself can have an effect on weight loss? The theory being the quicker feedback would lead to quicker results by motivating more change and making it easier for the person to stay motivated and correlate changes in lifestyle with weight loss.
- willsun 8y ago
  Yup - there are several studies [1][2] that have looked into this, and regular weighing (e.g. daily) looks like it has a small but significant effect that helps with weight loss. [1] https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa061883 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa061883 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788086/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788086/
  - Flenser 8y ago
    Thank you! (It also looks like it helps with keeping the weight off once it's lost.)
whyShortLogins 8y ago
Under Medications he writes “Unfortunately, none of the drugs have generics yet, so they cost between $200-300 per month.” ...and they are not too effective. ...and amphetamine is illegal and addicting So: read more studies and discover DNP. A molecule that once was. Safer than many meds (of course unless you are an idiot and overdose). More effective than anything on Earth. But one that will never come back because guess what, it can’t be patented. So happy research if interested. Just keep in mind there is plenty of misinformation (even on Wikipedia) that doesn’t have any ground in scientific trials.

129 points by willsun 8y ago

I quit sugar five years ago, didn't diet, and was surprised when I lost of ton of weight. It never came back. I can't be the only one.

Oras 8y ago

From personal experience * with weight loss, diet is good for short terms but will not work in long terms. I have tried limiting calories, intermittent fasting, and keto. The only thing worked long term was loving exercise and setting challenges (cycling 20 miles a day, running 10k .. etc). Exercise will allow me to eat the food I like (within limits) and not caring if I will gain some weight as I will lose it potentially with exercise. * I lost 20% of my body weight in 8 months doing strictly 1500 calories a day for 8 months with moderate exercise then gained 10% of it back and since then I will lose/gain 5% every now and then.

dr_ick 8y ago

ALL DIETS WORK IN THE SHORT TERM... The problem is keeping it off. Please, please, please read the Obesity Code by Dr. Jason Fung: https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight-ebook/dp/B01C6D0LCK https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight... He provides all the science behind the current obesity epidemic, backed up with studies done on humans. Obesity is a hormonal problem... Insulin makes us fat. Current fads suggest eating ALL THE TIME. This puts people in a state of high insulin all day, everyday. This is bad. Intermittent fasting based around a common sense diet (limit sugars and starchy food to special occasions) will lower insulin levels, and cause the body to burn fat instead of insulin. The keys is not what to eat, but when to eat and how often... and drink Apple Cider Vinegar. :P

bluecalm 8y ago
You are probably downvoted because there isn't enough convincing evidence for insulin hypothesis. I like Jason Fung and I love the idea of fasting for health and weight-loss. I think though that advocates of both fasting and low-carb make a mistake getting too attached to insulin. They may die on this hill while being right all along but for different reasons. My understanding is that we don't know if it's insulin or something else that makes many people wanting to eat less once they are accustomed to regular fasting or low-carb diet. It would be better to focus on a proven fact that it does work for many people and trying to understand the mechanism instead of picking just one possible one (insulin) and staking everything on that being full explanation.

Fricken 8y ago

I had read somewhere that after about 45 minutes of cardio your body will start using it's fat stores, and continue burning fat for 6 to 8 hours afterwards. So when I found myself overweight I started doing long trail runs or bike rides, about 2 hours long, 3 times a week. Insomuch as I looked forward to doing the exercise, losing 3-5 pounds a week was nearly effortless. My appetite actually goes down during these periods because I'm burning my fat stores and my body isn't demanding that I replace those calories, and it's doing it for hours after I've stopped. I've had people tell me that getting exercise is not a good way to lose weight, but my experience tells me that if you're doing the right kind of exercise, then, yes it a good way. Maybe there's just no reasonable expectation that most people will do enough cardio at a high enough level to activate fat burning.

skocznymroczny 8y ago
What was your starting weight? Losing 3-5 pounds a week sounds like a lot, unless you were starting from a high weight to begin with. Also, most people trying to lose weight aren't fit enough to run/ride for 10 minutes long, let alone 2 hours.
- Fricken 8y ago
  The first time I had 20 pounds to lose, from 195 down to 175. Last fall I lost 15 pounds using the same method. I've been active enough through most of my adult life that I can snap myself back into good fitness pretty fast presuming I haven't been on my ass for more than a few months, and it wasn't until my mid-30s or so that I would start to gain weight during sedentary phases if I wasn't being careful. Throughout my 20s my weight didn't change much at all. So my weight issues have been minor, and I dealt with them handily before they had a chance to become not-minor.
krzat 8y ago
Exercise is good, but you need to have your diet it check first. Otherwise you will explode as soon as something prevents you from training. It's also easier to not eat 1000 kcal that to burn 1000 kcal.
8y ago

newnewpdro 8y ago

Over a decade ago I DIY'd going from 225 to ~165 and have kept it off. The main success factor in my opinion was becoming single and staying single, as well as restructuring my life in general, especially how/who I socialize with. It's pretty easy to do what's right for you when you go solo. The process isn't really different than a drug addict trying to go clean and avoid relapse. It's all about the friends and environment, you have to change it all.

james_s_tayler 8y ago
Not gonna lie when I got married and had a kid and started a new job all at the same time my weight went up like almost 30kg.
- newnewpdro 8y ago
  To be fair, it's entirely possible to enter a family, social, and employment situation that reinforces healthy choices. My point was more along the lines of the existing environment being largely responsible for the emergent property of being overweight/unhealthy. Unless you change the environment, it makes it very difficult to sustainably alter the emergent outputs, which is what we are. I found it easiest to simply replace and/or eliminate the major environmental problems rather than try modify them in-place. Nobody likes to be forced to live differently, and in my experience, the relationship's happiness was largely derived from the shared unhealthy activities. After enough time living the healthier life as an individual, access to the healthier environments improves. Healthy members of the opposite sex that have also figured it out become attracted to you, employers who secretly discriminate against unhealthy employees start making offers, same for friend circles. But it's a privileged lifestyle, so it's not the easy/likely default option open to all.

aabajian 8y ago

Amphetamines were popularly used to suppress appetite in the mid-20th century, but addiction and abuse proved disastrous. He glosses over amphetamines. They are highly effective at weight loss. So much so that ADHD patients have the stereotypical "Adderall skinniness" after 1-2 years of use. Addiction is a problem with stimulants, but psychiatrist routinely assess for addiction in the ADHD population. Why not prescribe Adderall for weight loss and similarly monitor those patients? Which is better? A BMI of 40+ or a BMI of 25 and taking a daily stimulant? The FDA agrees with the latter in at least one case. In 2015, the FDA approved the amphetamine lisdexamfetamine (brand name Vyvanse) for the treatment of binge-eating disorder.

batiudrami 8y ago
I have lost kilos post raves just from not being inclined to eat for days afterwards, but even just a dexie leaves me feeling scattered and non functional the day after. I assume you adjust to ongoing rather than occasional usage?
- azeirah 8y ago
  I've been on a low dose of Ritalin for about half a year now, I experience very few side effects, but appetite inhibition is definitely a thing. Even after half a year, it has barely changed at all. I usually don't really feel hungry until I'm at the point where I get a bit lightheaded because I haven't eaten for too long. The most annoying part isn't even the inhibited hunger impulse, it's that even if I take that into account, and plan my meals accordingly, I don't really feel like eating much, and I'll eat like you would if you were daydreaming about a potential lover. The most effective solution I've seen so far is to not chain the doses like it's usually advised, ie, one pill every four hours, but to plan your meals and your pill timings such that you'll eat when the medication is wearing off. It's annoying, because of course this half-hour to hour period after medication wears off is very annoying, but it's the better alternative, especially if you take into account that Ritalin has a more stable and gentle impact if you take it on a full stomach. Taking Ritalin on an empty stomach is like drinking two double-espressos on an empty stomach after a bad night's sleep, right after you wake up. :c
8y ago

rdm_blackhole 8y ago

A couple of years ago I found myself weighing 250lbs. Basically morbidly obese. I decided to change that. I went through all the food I bought during the week and decided to do some culling. I removed anything with sugar and replaced it with Stevia. Removed the soft drinks, alcohol, and carbs. I follow this diet 6 days a week. One day a week, I indulge myself: a pizza or burrito or have a few beers. I also go to the gym 5 times a week. Run 5k in 25 minutes plus one hour of weight lifting. Nothing to intense mind you. I have lost nearly 80lbs with the last 24 months. The trick is to do it slow and steady. I always cringe when I read about the latest fad diet: Lose 5 lbs in one week or some crap like that! In the end, it takes time and will to achieve results but once you get into a routine, if very easy to keep going. During my holidays, I usually drink, smoke and eat whatever I want but as soon as I get back home, I go back to my routine. Some people think that this is boring but honestly, unless you are an athlete competing at a high level, you don't need to eat carbs every day. This is just my experience. Results may vary.

Onewildgamer 8y ago
Removing soft drinks and alcohol came easy, but removing carbs in a daily diet became extremely difficult for me and hence I plateaued. I am curious to know what you replaced it with?
- rdm_blackhole 8y ago
  Sweet potatoes and broccoli. Lately, I have been eating a lot of cauliflower rice. It looks like rice but its cauliflower. Oh and if you find that your food is a bit boring for some reason, you can add some spicy sauce(without sugar) on your meal.
sridca 8y ago
Fasting is the ultimate weight loss tool. It also facilitates (muscle) growth and healing.
- Jaruzel 8y ago
  It also can put a strain on your organs if you are not too healthy. Consult a Doctor before trying it.

seer 8y ago

There has been quite a lot of new, exciting and actually useful science in recent years about how to have a healthy body, but I think most people only look at calories. Some may look at fat/carbs. And some may also look into excercise as well. But in order to have a healthy body long term it seams you need to look into all of that, and sleep quality, and mindfullness/stress control. That may sound like a lot, but each piece helps you out a little to keep the other pieces in check. Having a full night of sleep keeps your impulses in check. Excercise helps you sleep, keep muscle mass and fat at desirable levels. Eating healthy makes sleep easier etc. And they reinforce each other. So keeping yourself in this healthy steady state is actually quite easy, as long as you take a holistic apriach and not over specialize in each area. This is a hunch of mine though I havent really found any studies that take all of those things into account, just the specific interactions between those things.

galvs 8y ago

It is very simple. There are 8000 calories in 1kg of fat. If you want to lose 10 kg you'll need to burn 80,000 calories through deficit, either through diet or exercise. Personally I find it easy to live on a strict diet and limiting alcohol intake to once every few weeks

kranner 8y ago
Everybody who's trying to lose weight knows it is about sustaining a calorie deficit. The problem is how.
- galvs 8y ago
  Pick any number of options!
  - kranner 8y ago
    There goes that simplicity then. How do you pick one? How do you stay on it? How do you decide whether to switch, when to switch and what to switch to? How do you motivate yourself to try again once you've failed? And on it goes.
    - galvs 8y ago
      How do you pick any activity that encourages you to burn more calories than usual? I would expect that comes down to finding something you enjoy doing. Exercise and eating well is a way of life. If your life dictates you do neither, you will get fat. I don't really understand how its complicated. You just do it for the benefits. Personally I eat chicken and veg 5 days a week (with occasional carbs when I train), train for 3 days and climb once a week. I also mostly hit my 10k steps per day.
      - kranner 8y ago
        I mean this respectfully. Think about it this way: If there's an obvious solution that so many people are having trouble implementing, what is more likely? 1. That all those people are stupid or have no willpower, or 2. that the obvious solution doesn't work for everyone?

randomacct3847 8y ago

Fasting works best for me

qnsi 8y ago
Do you mean intermitten fasting or longer than 24h? Did you consult your doktor before longer fast?

perfmode 8y ago

Thorough and thoughtful.

masonic 8y ago

If that stat that almost 25% lost 5+% of BW using a placebo is true, then the most cost-effective treatment is to give everyone placebos.

willsun 8y ago
This is a good point - I'll caveat this in the post. Most medication/placebo studies tend to involve a bit of coaching in addition to the medication, usually 1 session per month or less with instruction on diet and exercise. So the 25% result is essentially "coaching-lite + sugar pill", which may be considerably more expensive than a simple placebo. This result could be much weaker if it's just the placebo alone.
- tracker1 8y ago
  Not only that, but tracking alone raises a lot of awareness and a tendency to be more "healthy" or compliant.

octamer 8y ago

Interesting review (that first graph in particular is definitely non-obvious to me), but under the diet section I think it understates the current body of research regarding low-carb/keto diets - some studies have begun to show energy expenditure[1] and insulin[2] benefits that uniquely exist with low-carb. I think we'll find out soon enough that a lower-carb approach, given the current American diet, does definitively perform better than other dieting approaches on average. [1] https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4583 https://www.bmj.com/content/363/bmj.k4583 [2] http://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/718265/effect-low-carbohydrate-diet-appetite-blood-glucose-levels-insulin-resistance http://annals.org/aim/article-abstract/718265/effect-low-car...

nonbel 8y ago
First study: >"During the test phase, high, moderate, and low carbohydrate diets varied in carbohydrate (60%, 40%, and 20% of total energy, respectively[...]We randomly assigned participants who achieved the target weight loss to high, moderate, or low carbohydrate test diets for a 20 week test phase.)" Second study: >"14 days of a low-carbohydrate diet (21 g of carbohydrates per day)" So the first study went for 5 months but didn't include an actual low-carb diet: 100 g -> ~400 cal -> ~20% of 2k cal/day The second study only went for 2 weeks but did include a low carb diet: 21g -> ~84 cal -> ~4% of 2k cal/day Now someone just needs to combine these methods into one valid study.
Retric 8y ago
Those are both very short term studies. The only critical factor in weight loss is how much people weigh in the long term as in 5+ years. “20% of overweight individuals are successful at long-term weight loss when defined as losing at least 10% of initial body weight and maintaining the loss for at least 1 y.” Things get much worse in terms of 5+ year weight loss.
- nightski 8y ago
  I'll just say that American culture in general makes it extremely difficult to stick to a healthy and disciplined lifestyle, no matter the specific diet. In keto communities I see people who have met lots of success but find it rough being bombarded by family, friends, and dining out options in general all going against their way of eating. It's getting better, with restaurants especially. But it's still a large hurdle to any diet and/or healthy lifestyle. I'm sure it's better in some areas of the country than others.

peteretep 8y ago

I feel like the studies of specialty diets bring misleading conclusions, because they always count calories for both sides. If you’re on a calorie controlled diet, then calories in calories out holds. But most speciality diets (I’m on something pretty similar to slow carb) are targeting adherence, a factor that’s removed if you’re only measuring calories in and calories out. Without white carbs I find it much much easier to reduce my calorific intake. To compare my diet with any other — if you’re enforcing the same number of calories — is kind of pointless, as I specifically don’t want to count calories, nor do I want to feel hungry.

willsun 8y ago
Most of the studies I looked at would "enforce" diets through direction, coaching, and meal plans, while a few provided meals to participants. Very few required daily calorie tracking. So while it is possible there is an adherence improvement for certain diets (e.g. low-carb has better satiety, better adherence, and therefore better weight loss), that improvement doesn't appear to be significant enough to regularly appear in research studies. Of course, one could make the methodological critique (e.g. "the studies aren't good enough yet to detect this"), but at least it seems to set a ceiling on the magnitude of a possible adherence improvement.
sokoloff 8y ago
Sometimes feeling hungry is ok and likely healthy. Always feeling hungry is brutal. For me, low carb works like magic and with limited aggravation once past the first week. The problem is, if I never learn to be (sometimes) hungry, it all comes apart when I go off the diet and back to living in the land of infinite crap carbs.
- tracker1 8y ago
  The always hungry thing is generally why severe calorie deprevation doesn't work in the long run. Pretty much everyone gains it all and then some in a 5year term.
- peteretep 8y ago
  Yah. I think the biggest thing for me has been learning that I feel two distinct types of hunger, and also getting more in touch with feeing full/hungry in a way that the rush I get from eating carbs seems to hide. Overeating without white carbs just feels uncomfortable and I rarely do it. The rush I get from pizza or fries (which I hadn’t identified until I stopped) masks that discomfort.

tracker1 8y ago

To me, it would seem that there's a couple things that aren't considered in most of these studies. A lot of them have a lot of controls in place for the starting size/weight range of the individuals. Given this, and the change in hormone (particularly insulin) response it's not always the same advice depending on how overweight you are, how much you are showing insulin resistance or elevated/deflated insulin response. I think that resting insulin levels should be part of annual exams for everyone. It's much easier to explain, hey you're heading towards diabetes clinically when people still feel relatively well and healthy. My own advice to younger people, and to those who aren't very overweight is to limit meals to 2-3 a day, don't snack between meals, and don't drink anything sweetened or containing calories during the day outside of meal time. Limit sugars to around 20-30g/day, and if having more, limit it to a single treat/dessert every other week. If you're more overweight, or "pre-diabetic", then I suggest reducing total carbs to 100g/day, and limiting to 1-2 meals a day. If you're obese/diabetic, omad (one meal a day) and ketogenic macros. If you're on higher doses of insulin, add a 3-7 day fast once a month. And a 48hr fast at least once a week. The worse off you are starting the harder it is... fortunately, you can work your way up the scale/advice above as you reach closer to an ideal weight. After you get used to not snacking and reducing sugar/sweetened things between meals, it gets easier. The first week or two can be grueling and if you're a social eater, it can be very hard too.

_xerxes_ 8y ago
Every annual physical and every work-related health exam I have had here in the US has included some kind of fasting glucose test.
- tracker1 8y ago
  An A1C test will only show problems after you've gone through a cycle of your body resisting insulin and your pancreas being overworked (resting insulin 4-7x normal) and then your pancreas wears out (damaged beta cell production) and then your resting glucose rises. This process can take many years. A resting insulin test will show resting insulin rising years before an A1C test shows a problem.

bobcostas55 8y ago

You ever read about other people's experiences and it seems utterly alien to you? SSC had a post sort of on this theme[0]. I just don't understand how people can fail to lose 5% bf. Over 12 months, even! Just eat a bit less. 100kcal per day is enough to lose 5 kilos in 12 months, how hard can it be to eat 100kcal less than normally? It's literally one slice of cheese. I have regular cut periods where I lose more than 5% in a matter of weeks and it's the most trivial thing in the world. What are these people doing?!? [0] https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/03/17/what-universal-human-experiences-are-you-missing-without-realizing-it/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/03/17/what-universal-human-e...

apsec112 8y ago
As someone who has never smoked, never had more than a few drinks, and never done heroin, I find that it takes zero effort to not buy cigarettes, not buy drugs, and not drink to excess. What could be easier than not doing something, after all? I just have to sit here and play on my computer. And yet, obviously, many people find doing these things (or not doing them, rather) to be incredibly difficult. I can't just shrug that off, even if I lack any personal experience with it.
tomhoward 8y ago
> What are these people doing? Responding to their metabolic and emotional needs, which are complex beyond comprehension.
alacombe 8y ago
> I just don't understand how people can fail to lose 5% bf. Depends where you start, getting from 50% to 45% is a whole other story than getting from 10% to 5%.
frandroid 8y ago
Eating when they're hungry/thirsty/anxious/bored/depressed?
taneq 8y ago
> What are these people doing?!? Eating too much.

mirceal 8y ago

The weight loss is not really what matters. anybody can lose weight. with a little education you can do it. the problem is doing it in a sustainable way and to actually keep it off. the hardest part about weight loss is keeping it off. you have limited will power and unless you are willing to change the way you live your efforts are in vain. Sure it may make you feel good about yourself and your journey but it's doomed to fail. i'm going to repeat this: if you are not willing to adjust your lifestyle and consistently make the better choices when it comes to diet you will fail. also, weight loss in 90% kitchen, 10% gym. Do go to the gym, but if you are eating unhealthy it's not going to matter. LE: while we're on this subject. If there is one thing you can do today that will have a positive impact on you for the rest of your life is to stop eating sugar and refined carbs. If you only do one change to how you eat and you do this, in the long run, you'll be most successful than 95% of "dieters". Also keep in mind that this is a marathon, not a sprint.

atom-morgan 8y ago
> if you are not willing to adjust your lifestyle and consistently make the better choices when it comes to diet you will fail. This statement applies to anything in life you want to get better at.
- mirceal 8y ago
  yes. people don’t normally see it as getting better at eating. it’s a problem they’re solving.
- Fricken 8y ago
  If there's a pattern that I've noticed amongst the people in my life who struggle with their weight is that they all have an emotional relationship with food. They eat not to serve their metabolic needs but to serve their emotional needs. They say they are counting their calories, but they aren't being honest with themselves about it. They can't make clear headed diet decisions because their feelings are so wrapped up in the act of eating.
  - 8y ago

thepete2 8y ago

I feel like this article neglects the most important thing, which is sustainability. I've recently come across the idea of fasting for weight loss. Turns out most people can safely fast (eat nothing, only drink water that is) for many days, sometimes as long as 40 days if they are overweight. Switching to a diet of eating minimally processed food afterwards - which is what we're used to from an evolutionary standpoint - can apparently be quite sustainable. I'm young and thankfully don't have weight problems, but if I had I think I'd give it a shot.

toastermoster 8y ago
I remember seeing an article about a long term study of former participants of the show "The Biggest Loser." If I recall, almost all of them had gained the weight back and due to the extreme caloric restrictions they had placed on themselves during their time on the show the reduced their base metabolic rate significantly.
sridca 8y ago
You can still fast, like I do, despite being lean. 4-5 day water fast regenerates the immune system.

manicdee 8y ago

Is there any major weight loss system that looks at genetics? According to this article there are a few genes which will alter your success with either any excercise cersus only high intensity exercise, and low carb versus low fat being a better weight loss diet. https://rockstarresearch.com/these-5-genes-predict-what-kind-of-diet-and-exercise-is-best-for-your-body-2/ https://rockstarresearch.com/these-5-genes-predict-what-kind...

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

legohead 8y ago

I have a friend who I watched try a bunch of diet systems. Pills from amazon that she researched. Trying to not eat as much. Calorie counting. More expensive pills. Doing one of those "we send you all your meals" programs. Nothing worked or was even close. Maybe she'd lose 5 pounds and then immediately gain it back. Finally she went to a clinic. The Dr. gave her a prescription to phentermine and she had to show up every week for evaluation. It worked great, the pounds melted off her, and she has kept it off. She lost something like 35 lbs in a few months (from 160). It basically made her not want to eat, her daily calorie count was stupid low, but it never really affected her energy levels - she didn't have any health issues. The doctor said her body would get used to the drug in about 3 months and it would be less effective, and that was true. So you can't really stay on it continuously, I guess..

krageon 8y ago
I'm going to go out on a limb and say most people are probably aware that a substituted amphetamine will help you not eat.
hvidgaard 8y ago
That isn't addressing the underlying problem of eating too much. There was quite a study at Odense University Hospital where they enrolled women that had tried everything to lose weight. They was asked to meticulously write down everything single thing they ate. They they was admitted to the hospital and they was fed exactly what they had written for the past month. Every single woman lost a significant amount of weight. So if your friend have counted calorie counting without losing weight she didn't count correctly or truthfully.
- bluecalm 8y ago
  Maybe it does. People eat too much because they have cravings, low pleasure response to food (so they need to more to feel the same as healthy people) and maybe low dopamine levels (that's my hypothesis based on my problems and some experiments). I think eating too much is a symptom of an underlying problem and drugs may help with it. This is also why I think regular exercise is very important for weightloss. Not because calories burnt but because neurotransmitters levels and their impact on mood and impulse control. >>So if your friend have counted calorie counting without losing weight she didn't count correctly or truthfully. She very likely knew she is eating too much. It's not rocket science and calorie counting won't help unless you are in very deep denial. The problem is controlling yourself and constant cravings you have to fight. It's just way more difficult for some people than others the same way some get easily addicted to drugs and some use them recreationally for years without problems or sign of addiction.

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a-saleh 8y ago

While we are discussing diets, anybody has a good replacement for snacks? Few years ago I realized I am really prone to stress-eating. If I am not stressed, I can go about my day, eating 2 big meals a day (and a small breakfast), and even slowly loose wight. But if I am under pressure I can eat another large meal worth of snacks. And I really don't like it, because then I am gaining weight really fast :-/ Anybody in similar situation? What helped you there?

bobowzki 8y ago
Snack on vegetables.
hvidgaard 8y ago
Snack on something like carrots, cucumber, and other vegetables that aren't sweet or fatty. You'll significantly cut down on the calories and gain some healthy food too. Just don't create dipping sauce or the like. Raw vegetables only.
jules 8y ago
Carrots, celery, cucumber, 0% fat cottage cheese.
glastra 8y ago
You could go with the route other users are suggesting and eat something that is filled with water and will probably leave your system undigested (e.g. fiber-filled vegetables). Or you could also try ingesting mud, for that matter. I suggest you give almonds, macadamia nuts and pork rinds a go.
andygates 8y ago
Fizzy water here. Got a sodastream, keep a couple of bottles in the fridge at all times.

nemasu 8y ago

Everyone has their own thing that works. Personally I calorie counted and lost 90lbs (250 to 160). I think the hardest part is keeping it off, especially if something is causing you to eat more than you should be in the first place or if you use it as a coping mechanism.

sl1ck731 8y ago

My anecdote: I lose weight very easily by CICO. Over the course of of a few months in college I ate a very strict diet of x calories. At the time it was something like 1100/day as a ~200lb 21 year old. Supposedly dangerous, but a lot of things are. Anyway, by keeping an excel sheet of the exact calories I ate every day, minus my calculated metabolic rate, I knew exactly what %/lb I lost per day/week. I kept such good track that by measuring my weight every day I was able to reverse calculate my metabolic rate by the daily weight loss (it was very close to online calculators so I wouldn't bother going out of your way to try it). The most important thing for me is seeing it as a game. Being able to see daily results even if they are fractions of pounds a day or week. Knowing exactly what I'm aiming for at the end of the week and how I'm getting there. The most difficult party is meticulously counting calories and ratios when making things. A kitchen scale is essential. Anyway I was 50 lbs lighter when I quit. It has come back over the course of 6 or 7 years but I'm a pig and I will just lose it again when the time comes.

claudiawerner 8y ago
I'm about 145lb 22 y/o, and also doing 1100 calories/day but usually in the form of one meal for dinner. How did you calculate the amount you should lose per day/week? I'm interested in filling such a spreadsheet myself.
- sl1ck731 8y ago
  When I started I used a metabolic rate calculator. https://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/calories https://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/calories for example. The amount of calories lost per day = the metabolic rate from the calculator - the amount of calories you eat that day. The amount of pounds lost per day is: burned calories (above) / 3500 (number of calories in a pound of fat). After a couple months of measuring my weight daily and knowing exactly what my caloric intake was, I calculated my real average metabolic rate by doing the reverse. total calories lost in a period = lbs lost * 3500 calorie burn (metabolic rate) = total calories burned + total calories eaten The above is per period so I calculated the average values for the days in a month and used them. I didn't exercise much so the basal metabolic rate was fairly close to my real burn.

benj111 8y ago

They seem to have focussed on Diets but neglected diet. As in rather than going on a Diet, adopting a different diet, a new habit if you will. A Diet is a New Years resolution, a diet is for life. The article says 75% of Americans are overweight. Therefore 25% aren't. What are they doing right? I doubt they're all having liposuction.

sonnyblarney 8y ago

The problem with this meta analysis is that it doesn't really account for the motivational factor related to money and other things. Moreover, that people with more weight to lose might likely opt for the more major programs. When your doctor says "You now have diabetes, and you're going to die young unless you get your weight under control" ... well, that might motivated people. As opposed to someone who just wants to lose 10 lbs and is otherwise fairly healthy.

willsun 8y ago
I think this is a fair point, and the final section of the post attempts to address this. For what it's worth, most studies do not selectively draw from a highly-motivated cohort - participants are rarely the most severely obese, and they also usually aren't people who are actively looking for clinical trials or free weight loss programs. Money is also controlled for, since the interventions are almost always offered for free, and any time or work involved with the study will be compensated as well. From my perspective, if anything, the motivational factor may actually be _too_ well-controlled in many of these studies, so the observed result does not translate properly to real-world settings.

alanfranzoni 8y ago

As somebody who went from 240 to 180 lbs (I'm about 6 5" tall btw) and stayed there for long, the hard thing to cope with is homecooking. Once i had kids I had no more time for cooking, and hurried pasta/pizza dishes just drive me fat.

Flenser 8y ago

What I'd like to know is if there are any studies into whether the frequency with which a person weighs themself can have an effect on weight loss? The theory being the quicker feedback would lead to quicker results by motivating more change and making it easier for the person to stay motivated and correlate changes in lifestyle with weight loss.

willsun 8y ago
Yup - there are several studies [1][2] that have looked into this, and regular weighing (e.g. daily) looks like it has a small but significant effect that helps with weight loss. [1] https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa061883 https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa061883 [2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788086/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3788086/
- Flenser 8y ago
  Thank you! (It also looks like it helps with keeping the weight off once it's lost.)

whyShortLogins 8y ago

Under Medications he writes “Unfortunately, none of the drugs have generics yet, so they cost between $200-300 per month.” ...and they are not too effective. ...and amphetamine is illegal and addicting So: read more studies and discover DNP. A molecule that once was. Safer than many meds (of course unless you are an idiot and overdose). More effective than anything on Earth. But one that will never come back because guess what, it can’t be patented. So happy research if interested. Just keep in mind there is plenty of misinformation (even on Wikipedia) that doesn’t have any ground in scientific trials.