# I found the secret to losing weight! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 19, 2021, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153 "2021-08-19T14:09:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![PozhanPop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pozhanpop/32/8022_2.png) [@PozhanPop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PozhanPop)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/41 "2021-08-21T16:21:23Z")
I guess he had none. That makes me wonder what pure vegetarians eat for protein. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/42 "2021-08-21T16:34:59Z")
> [@PozhanPop](#): > > I guess he had none. > That makes me wonder what pure vegetarians eat for protein. - Legumes/grains is a classic combination. Peanut butter sandwich, rice and beans, bean burrito, etc. Animal source but not meat would include eggs, milk and milk products. > **[Vegan Protein Sources | No Meat Athlete](https://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegetarian-protein/)** > > A list of the best high-protein vegan protein foods, complete with protein contents and amino acid profile. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/43 "2021-08-21T19:22:41Z")
Tanning beds! Sunbathing at the beach without sunscreen! Genetics! ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/44 "2021-08-22T03:19:32Z")
[quote=“QuickSilver, post:8, topic:949153, full:true”] > [@DaveRaver](#): > > Calorie reduction is only part of it. It’s actually ALL of it. > [@Jackmannii](#): > > The key is what I once heard a crabby ER doc tell a morbidly obese woman: > > “You need to eat less.” I recently posted two articles that did a fairly deep dive into the whole weight loss issue; they provided intriguing evidence that weight loss is, in fact, not as simple as “eat less.” ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/45 "2021-08-22T03:52:07Z")
Does anybody have any credible info about eating too little and its effect on weight loss? I’m trying to lose around 60 lbs. I was on Weight Watchers for a couple years and lost a bunch more (I have about 60 to go) and then the pandemic happened and I kinda fell off the wagon and gained around 15 of it back. I went back to strict Weight Watchers in May as well as exercising daily (30 minute walk every day plus various other exercise during the week). But the weight wasn’t coming off. I’d lose a little then gain it back. Overall, I’m down about 5-6 lbs since May, which is pretty pathetic when WW claims 1-2 lbs a week (average) is a healthy rate of loss. When I mentioned this to some other folks who were trying to lose (not WW folks) they said I was eating too little, and my body would go into “starvation mode” and hold onto calories. Sheesh, it seems like you can’t win. You eat too much, you gain. You eat too little, you stay at the same weight. I was happily eating around 1200 calories a day (give or take a couple hundred) and not feeling hungry. But it’s frustrating to think that I’m eating a pretty decent calorie deficit and not losing. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/46 "2021-08-22T04:19:09Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Sheesh, it seems like you can’t win. You eat too much, you gain. You eat too little, you stay at the same weight. I was happily eating around 1200 calories a day (give or take a couple hundred) and not feeling hungry. But it’s frustrating to think that I’m eating a pretty decent calorie deficit and not losing. Were you religious about your calorie counts? Until I actually kept accurate track with every single bite accounted for, I thought I was eating far less than I really was. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/47 "2021-08-22T04:20:59Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Were you religious about your calorie counts? Until I actually kept accurate track with every single bite accounted for, I thought I was eating far less than I really was. I was/am. I’m not someone who requires a lot of variety in my meals (I usually eat the same breakfast and lunch every day, and cycle between a few different dinners) so it’s easy to track. I have a food scale and keep track of portions. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/48 "2021-08-22T04:22:25Z")
Man, that’s tough. That’s a big calorie deficit. ---
**Author:** ![Enjoy\_Slurm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enjoy_slurm/32/3937_2.png) [@Enjoy\_Slurm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enjoy_Slurm)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/49 "2021-08-22T06:06:41Z")
> [@DaveRaver](#): > > I’ve been losing 2 pounds a week by avoiding non-olive oils. I simply don’t buy any product that contains any oil in the ingredients aside from olive (or coconut) oil. > > Also, I don’t buy any package of food that contains more than 1,000 calories total (multiply calories per serving X servings in package). Well there’s no non-olive oil in ice cream or pizza. So my diet plan is still solid. Ok, well, pizza from the pizzeria doesn’t come in packages so no worries there. And just buy smaller containers of ice cream, just more of them, so I can still get in my usual half-gallon a night. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/50 "2021-08-22T06:43:28Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > But it’s frustrating to think that I’m eating a pretty decent calorie deficit and not losing. This is the theory of intermittent fasting: you cut out 1/7th or 2/7ths of your intake, without decreasing your base metabolic rate. There is also a theory about climate: people in cold climates seem to last longer, and being cold boosts your base metabolic rate, and maybe it’s related. Personally, I find ‘trying to be cold’ just as difficult as ‘trying to eat less’. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/51 "2021-08-22T12:12:32Z")
> [@Bootb](#): > > I recently posted two articles that did a fairly deep dive into the whole weight loss issue; they provided intriguing evidence that weight loss is, in fact, not as simple as “eat less.” Well? Are you going to make us do work to find them?.. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/52 "2021-08-22T12:48:20Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > Sheesh, it seems like you can’t win. You eat too much, you gain. You eat too little, you stay at the same weight. I was happily eating around 1200 calories a day (give or take a couple hundred) and not feeling hungry. But it’s frustrating to think that I’m eating a pretty decent calorie deficit and not losing. The key to breaking that plateau is a significant gain in muscle mass. Walking is good but weight training and HIIT is better. If you can work out with intensity 3-4 times a week for 45 minutes per session, you will begin to gain muscle mass and raise your resting metabolic rate. If you don’t have access to a gym, some dumbbells and resistance bands can suffice. There are tons of great exercise video to help you get a great workout in your own home. I’m a fan of the Athlean-X guy who has a series for people who just have a mat and a floor. But there are many others to choose from. But if that kind of exercise routine is not your thing, consider changing your 30 minute walks to high intensity sprint/walk sessions. Spring as hard as you can for a minute, then walk to recover. Repeat 5-10 times per walking session. Interval training will make a difference and will lead you to challenging yourself more as your fitness level improves. Before your walk consider 10x10 pushups. That’s 10 pushups every minute. When you’re done, you’ll have done 100 push-ups (!). You may not on your first try, but if you keep that up, you’ll reach 100 in no time. It’s an excellent warm-up exercise that you can do anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/53 "2021-08-22T15:00:30Z")
The OP hasn’t found _the_ secret to losing weight, but he may have found _a_ secret to losing weight that works for him. If so, good for him! Sometimes people find a change they can make that works for them. For other people, that same change might not have the same results, or it might not be something that person is willing or able to stick with. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/54 "2021-08-22T16:02:08Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Before your walk consider 10x10 pushups. That’s 10 pushups every minute. When you’re done, you’ll have done 100 push-ups (!). You may not on your first try, but if you keep that up, you’ll reach 100 in no time. It’s an excellent warm-up exercise that you can do anywhere. Haha! You definitely overestimate my fitness level! 🙂 The sprint thing sounds like a good idea to try, and the weights (I have access to a gym, and some weights and resistance bands at home). But I can barely do _one_ pushup, let alone 100! I suppose I could do wall pushups. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/55 "2021-08-22T18:06:22Z")
> [@Infovore](#): > > But I can barely do _one_ pushup, let alone 100! I suppose I could do wall pushups. Everybody has to start somewhere. Just do your best. Being consistent and pushing yourself is the key. You’ll amaze yourself how much you can progress in just one short month. And at the end of the month you’ll find that you’ve developed a new good habit. BONUS! Also, it occurred to me that with a steady state of 1200 calories, you’re almost certainly a woman. That makes it harder for sure. Us dudes can usually put on muscle mass much faster no matter how far we let ourselves go. So yeah, you’ll have a longer road ahead, unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![DaveRaver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/daveraver/32/1078_2.png) [@DaveRaver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveRaver)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2021, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/56 "2021-08-22T19:20:35Z")
> [@Enjoy\_Slurm](#): > > Well there’s no non-olive oil in ice cream or pizza. So my diet plan is still solid. Actually, most pizza dough is made with non-olive oil. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/57 "2021-08-23T14:26:38Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > > [@QuickSilver](#): > > > > So what you’re saying is: If it wasn’t for your horse… > > I owe a lot to my horse. I’m sorry to hear about your stable. I hope your horse is o.k. We had a fire at my boarding barn last year. Fortunately no one and no animals were hurt. But it was still scary. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/58 "2021-08-23T14:30:37Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > I’m sorry to hear about your stable. I hope your horse is o.k. We had a fire at my boarding barn last year. Fortunately no one and no animals were hurt. But it was still scary. Yeah, animals all were gotten out safely. We lost everything else though. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2021, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/59 "2021-08-23T23:40:08Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > We lost everything else though. Not to laugh, but, that’s why you owe so much… ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2021, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153/60 "2021-08-24T19:32:42Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > Not to laugh, but, that’s why you owe so much… Too soon! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-found-the-secret-to-losing-weight/949153.md?page=4)