# January's big fat weight loss thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 3, 2012, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256 "2012-01-03T13:55:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/81 "2012-01-05T05:35:29Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I just checked out MyFitnessPal on my iPod Touch and online and I like them both pretty well. I was using MyPlate (from [Livestrong.com](http://Livestrong.com)) before and this seems nicer - at least they have good and free smartphone app (I can’t speak for **anu-la1979** and the Android!) > > I wonder how long I’ll be able to keep up my Fitocracy account along with this one. At Fitocracy I can brag about how much I lift weights. At least with MyFitnessPal it is really easy to copy food and exercise. That seems to be its selling point. > > Thanks for the recommendation, **tdn**. > > For those of you doing Weight Watchers, here’s an [interesting article from this month’s Wired](http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/12/ff_weightwatchers/) magazine about the latest incarnation of PointsPlus. I have no idea what you are talking about. I use it on iPhone. ---
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/82 "2012-01-05T07:08:34Z")
I’d like to join this thread, too. Found out today that, thru no fault of my own, I’ve lost two pounds so there’s hope I can do it again. A few years ago I lost 70 lbs on a diabetic diet. Took me around a year or so. A dietician made out a diet for me which included indulgences (which made it feasible to stick with.) I tell people that basically it was a South Beach diet but I doubled the protein. (Had to. Some nights I walked the floor too hungry to sleep. _Everything_ eventually breaks down into sugar but protein seems to take the longest so it made me feel full for the longest amount of time.) I have already started thinking about taking walks around the neighborhood. Exercise, and from the sidewalk I can snoop in other people’s garages if they’ve left the door up. One thing I learned in my previous journey is that crash/starvation diets do just the opposite of the desired result. The body “grabs” any morsel and turns it into fat, believing that it needs to try to survive a famine. Looking forward to seeing what happens. i don’t count calories; if I can pull up/fasten/and not bust out of whatever I’m trying to wear I figure I’m getting there. And like a lot of other people here, I don’t overeat. Sh\*%#t just happened. Now I’m going to try to turn it around. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/83 "2012-01-05T08:06:46Z")
By the way - anyone who wants to add me on MFP, my id is luvbwfc. ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/84 "2012-01-05T10:49:26Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Thanks! I will definitely switch out the grapes for grape tomatoes (love them!). I’ll check out your link too. > > The issue is that I avoid grains and foods with preservatives in them. So, the whole grain chips, mayo and ranch dip are out. I suppose I could figure out how to make my own mayo, and I have made a mayo-type dressing before (with egg yolks, coconut and olive oil and lemon), so maybe I’ll whip some up this weekend. I am also avoiding milk products right now because I’ve had a break out of eczema, and it seems to be related to dairy in my case. I LOVE cheese and milk, but have to take a break from it once in a while. Have you tried making crackers from almond flour, parmesand cheese, and oil? They are easy to make, and satisfy that need for crackers or chips. Spice them up any way you want, and, if you need a dip or spread, a little guacamole is delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/85 "2012-01-05T12:36:11Z")
I started dieting earlier this week after being told of a family wedding in April. I need to fit into my suit- right? I am sick of plums and celery and all that shit already. I bought a 6 pack. One won’t hurt surely. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/86 "2012-01-05T16:05:41Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > I have no idea what you are talking about. I use it on iPhone. Sorry sorry. Was posting from my iPod and I was talking about a post above yours made by **neuroman**. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/87 "2012-01-05T17:35:35Z")
> [@Tapiotar](#): > > Have you tried making crackers from almond flour, parmesand cheese, and oil? They are easy to make, and satisfy that need for crackers or chips. Spice them up any way you want, and, if you need a dip or spread, a little guacamole is delicious. No! But that sounds awesome! Is the recipie easy to find online? ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/88 "2012-01-05T17:48:15Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > No! But that sounds awesome! Is the recipie easy to find online? EmAnJ, I read this blog sometimes even though I’m neither Paleo nor Cross-Fitting (just like to check out different approaches): [http://www.lifeasaplate.com/](http://www.lifeasaplate.com/) You can skip the mommyblogging if you like but she’s someone who seems to have been obese for a while, tried WW (had success but didn’t feel it was sustainable) and has switched to Crossfit and a Paleo lifestyle. She looks good! Anyway, she posts Paleo-friendly non-Gluten recipes all the time because her husband and kids have Celiac, I think. Might be helpful for recipes and ideas. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/89 "2012-01-05T17:53:19Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > This is not directly addressing what you said, but that’s true in an odd way. The calories that you burn during exercise won’t help you lose much weight. But the calories that you burn during rest will. It’s just that a well-exercised person will burn those rest calories faster than a sedentary person. And a good mix of aerobic and strength will get you the best results for that. Which raises another point. “Exercising a lot” won’t necessarily help you lose much weight if it’s not done intelligently and effectively. It’s easy to get hung up on number of workout hours, for example, without giving proper attention to such matters as cardio intensity and proper lifting form. This is not just hypothetical. In times past, I’ve mentioned that there are people who regularly attend the cardio classes at my gym, and yet who use very slow, small movements or who chat with their neighbors for extended periods. It should come as no surprise that they make very little progress. I also mentioned this one fellow who complained that he runs and runs and runs, yet can’t seem to lose any weight. I got to observe his “running” during one cardio class though, and it was pretty much a very slow jog. Such measures can certainly help, but you can’t count on them to produce a lot of results. Again, I’m not saying that people who struggle with losing weight _aren’t_ working hard enough. There could be any number of problems – glandular disorders, medication side-effects, underestimated caloric intake, or some misconceptions about healthy eating habits. All I’m saying is that if people are exercising a lot and still can’t shed the pounds, then it might be worthwhile to take a second look at their workout regimens. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/90 "2012-01-05T18:01:52Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > With regards to using exercise to lose weight, it is really important to make sure you are exercising at a level where you are sweating and breathing hard. You want to be working hard enough that your body is using your fat as energy. At low-levels of exertion, your body does not tap into your fat stores. > > … > > All exercise is good, but it’s important to be realistic about how the exercise you are doing applies to your weight loss goals. There are many benefits to walking for a few miles, although the effect to your weight may be small. To get a big effect to your weight loss, make sure your exercise is at a level where you are burning fat stores during the activity. YES! ABSOLUTELY! This ties in to what I said previously about workout intensity, and how this is perhaps more important than just “exercising a lot.” At my gym, we’ve got people who pour plenty of gusto into their cardio workouts. We also have people who attend the classes, but who pretty much sleepwalk through the classes. Now, some of them may have genuinely disability issues, and we should take that into account. I’d wager that a good number are simply reluctant to work very hard, perhaps because they’re not used to such physical and mental demands. They may be trying, but they probably won’t get the results that they need. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/91 "2012-01-05T18:11:01Z")
And to counter that, in a world where some obscene percentage of North Americans are obese, I encourage people to do _anything_ that gets them moving, rather than sitting on the couch watching tv. If all you can do and keep it up is go for a walk, then go for a walk and enjoy it, and don’t feel bad at all about not being a hardbody at the gym. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/92 "2012-01-05T18:30:09Z")
There’s nothing “counter” about that, **Cat Whisperer**. As I said earlier, such measures can certainly help. That is, they’re better than nothing. If you don’t notice any results though, then it is quite likely that your workouts aren’t burning enough calories to make a noticeable difference. It’s not a question of not being a “hardbody.” Most of the people in my cardio classes who’ve made progress are by no means the hardbody type. They are willing to work for results, though. For the people who don’t work hard – well, even low-intensity exercise _can_ be helpful. (I say “can” because an overly sedate workout can lull people into a false sense of security. People can say, “Oh, I work out for hours and I don’t see any results. What’s the point?” or “I can afford to eat that cheeseburger now.”) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/93 "2012-01-05T18:31:11Z")
If you saw me running you might think I wasn’t doing much either (yes, you can probably walk faster - I run about a 16 minute mile) but going at that pace allows me to finish my workout. It’s the right pace for me. I’m sure I’ll get faster one day, but right now it’s correct (fast enough that I can’t sing, slow enough that I could talk if need be.) ETA - and I was doing so well, except today we went looking at wedding caterers and one of them ran to his restaurant next door to bring us a plate of the meatloaf they just started serving (my fiance loves meatloaf and we want that as a dinner option) and OH MY GOD it was good. I ate half of it and called it 7 points. ETAA - speaking of which, I could just spit - I talked my fiance into WW because it would be easier if we were both counting the same thing - he gets **44 points** a day. I get 26! Men! ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/94 "2012-01-05T18:39:37Z")
I encourage everyone to get up and moving too. It sucks though when you’re my size and everything and everyone around you says “just walking a little bit will make the pounds drop away if you are morbidly obese!” and it doesn’t happen ☹ Still not giving up tho. I have proper form in the weight room as noted by the trainer who set me up and the gym rats who keep me going, and I’m at a steady 140-150 bpm on the elliptical for 30 mins. I’m doing it! I’m with **Zsofia** - I’m going at the best pace I can. Although I am pretty sure that no one - NO ONE - is thinking that the super fat chick is going too slow. I’m under the impression that everyone is glad to see me moving at all. I wish my body was as glad to be moving as those folks are seeing me move. But I do get a kick out of the people sitting in the lounge area of the gym after their “workout” talking on the phone. I always wonder if they count those minutes as minutes “in the gym” for the week 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/95 "2012-01-05T18:40:37Z")
> [@anu-la1979](#): > > EmAnJ, I read this blog sometimes even though I’m neither Paleo nor Cross-Fitting (just like to check out different approaches): [http://www.lifeasaplate.com/](http://www.lifeasaplate.com/) > > You can skip the mommyblogging if you like but she’s someone who seems to have been obese for a while, tried WW (had success but didn’t feel it was sustainable) and has switched to Crossfit and a Paleo lifestyle. She looks good! Anyway, she posts Paleo-friendly non-Gluten recipes all the time because her husband and kids have Celiac, I think. > > Might be helpful for recipes and ideas. Thanks! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/96 "2012-01-05T18:54:34Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I encourage everyone to get up and moving too. It sucks though when you’re my size and everything and everyone around you says “just walking a little bit will make the pounds drop away if you are morbidly obese!” and it doesn’t happen ☹ Yeah, that’s definitely not good. There’s a balance. One doesn’t have to work out like a hardbody or an elite athlete, but one shouldn’t think that a little bit of walking will do the trick either. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/97 "2012-01-05T19:00:20Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > If you saw me running you might think I wasn’t doing much either (yes, you can probably walk faster - I run about a 16 minute mile) but going at that pace allows me to finish my workout. It’s the right pace for me. I’m sure I’ll get faster one day, but right now it’s correct (fast enough that I can’t sing, slow enough that I could talk if need be.) That wouldn’t surprise me one bit. Personally, I don’t claim that someone must work out like a mad man in order to get results. Rather, the reality is that low-intensity exercise will produce results eventually, albeit slowly – or sometimes not at all, if people give themselves license to overindulge or if they lack of results cause them to give up. Moderate exercise will produce steady, moderate results and so forth. Your running would perhaps qualify as a moderate workout, if I had to guess. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/98 "2012-01-05T19:09:02Z")
I see the point you’re making, **JThunder** ; I think we’re coming at it from two different ends. I’m aiming at people who do _nothing_, and don’t do anything because they think it’s all or nothing - that they have to join a gym and have intense workouts to get any benefit from exercise. I don’t think there are many doctors in North America who would discourage overweight people from getting off the couch and going for a walk after dinner. A regular walk after dinner can turn into longer walks after dinner, and maybe some hikes, or getting back into cycling or jogging or racquetball. I’m not sure why people are so quick to discount walking as a form of exercise - it’s easy, free, and available to most people, and can be done at a variety of paces and exertion levels. I’m also aiming at lifestyle changes that people can do for the rest of their lives, not a crash diet and six-month gym blitz that they stop after a little while because it’s expensive, hard, and doesn’t fit into their lifestyle. If you think walking can’t be a workout, come for a three hour walk with me someday, with the last half hour walking back up the hill I live on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/99 "2012-01-05T19:18:03Z")
You’re absolutely right. Personally, I won’t disparage walking or other low-intensity exercise. We just shouldn’t think that it will produce dramatic results, nor should we be surprised if it looks like one’s weight loss efforts get stalled on such a program – especially if they’re not coupled with proper dietary habits and good exercise form. We should also recognize that on an extreme end, an overly effortless workout can be worth next to nothing. (Conversely, overly strenuous workouts can be harmful in the long run. I’d wager that this problem is decidedly less common, though.) Of course, your three-hour walking sessions are an exception. That’s a case of low intensity but high effort. That makes you considerably different from the people at my gym who attend the cardio classes while chatting about or otherwise lollygagging throughout the hour. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256/100 "2012-01-05T19:22:13Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I’m also aiming at lifestyle changes that people can do for the rest of their lives, not a crash diet and six-month gym blitz that they stop after a little while because it’s expensive, hard, and doesn’t fit into their lifestyle. If you think walking can’t be a workout, come for a three hour walk with me someday, with the last half hour walking back up the hill I live on. 🙂 My best friend is notorious for deciding that he needs to do everything extreme when he starts working out and then crashes hard. I think he’s really setting himself up for mega failure as he gets older and his yo-yo stops bouncing back. What’s nice about the “just walk” is that it does work for anyone of any size. It’s so good for your joints, your mood, even your Vitamin D. Heck I still do it every day on top of my major workout at the gym because I know how much it benefits _my dog_. I’m really excited that I got to love going to the gym and pushing myself over the last year and a half, despite not losing weight. Because by now it is a total important part of my lifestyle. I told myself that with no family (husband, kids), not very many friends that can hang out and no hobbies I literally have nothing to do after work. I would be a serious jerk if I took all of that “nothing to do” time and didn’t spend it moving around. There was just no excuse for me not to go to the gym. Now that being at the gym is part of my lifestyle I can “tack on” the calorie counting bit and focus on that. I don’t know how I could have just stepped into this sort of workout and stepped into this sort of calorie counting all at once! So yeah…moving is indeed good, no matter what your size or age or the intensity of how it’s done. The important thing is keeping it up! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/januarys-big-fat-weight-loss-thread/608256.md?page=6)