# Weight Loss.... **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 19, 2001, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637 "2001-09-19T18:16:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/21 "2001-09-20T17:02:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Markxxx \* > **One thing I have learned is when you get older your metabolism slows down and you simply don’t need as much food as you did.** Not true. You may slow down (less exercise) as you age but aging \*per se \* does not cause the slow down. ---
**Author:** ![gwar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/96bed5/32.png) [@gwar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwar)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/22 "2001-09-20T18:01:39Z")
I hate doing cardio, but it seems like the only thing that keeps the weight off. To make it less dull, I do a variety of things. Sometimes I run, sometimes I play basketball, sometimes rollerblade, sometimes do stairs, and sometimes circuit-train. I try to do something new each day. This way, I don’t get bored, and as long as I do something every day, I stay in shape. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2001, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/23 "2001-09-20T23:29:40Z")
Let me modify my last post. As you age you will lose muscle unless you do weight training. Muscle is metabolically active: the more muscle the higher your metabolism. So most people’s metabolisms do slow down as they age, but it’s not the age but the loss of muscle and lack of exercise. Keep with aerobics and do weight training and your metabolism won’t slow down as you age. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2001, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/24 "2001-09-21T15:24:12Z")
Chekmate, you should see a doc too. Get some info from them. They need to check why you aren’t losing weight, it could be a glandular thing. You ever get a physical? ---
**Author:** ![G.Nome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c89c15/32.png) [@G.Nome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.Nome)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/25 "2001-09-22T14:31:47Z")
I think it’s likely to be impatience more than glandular trouble. Weightloss really does take a lot longer than all the “diet schools” claim. Overweight people just need to keep the faith that they will lose in the end. My weightloss is rapidly accelerating at the moment. It’s like I finally reached some kind of tipping point and my perservance has paid off. I forgot to say: On my diet I still have one fast food meal once a week. You have to keep your spirits up. It’s essential. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/26 "2001-09-22T15:11:10Z")
Weight loss is written about here a lot. I don’t really have any thing new to add other than if you want to look thinner, hang around with friends who are fatter than you 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lao\_Tzu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Lao\_Tzu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lao_Tzu)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2001, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/27 "2001-09-22T18:49:23Z")
I totally agree with those who said building muscle will burn fat. I read that adding an extra 5 pounds of muscle burns about a pound of fat. A tip for eating less - eat a salad first. It not only provides fiber and vites, but it fills you up. Remember, it takes about 15 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it is full. In that time you can down an entire cafeteria cart. Btw, “salad” in America means a few pieces of lettuce and a couple cucumber slices. Both are basically water and not much else. Choose REAL veggies - carrots, brocolli, green beans, kale, etc. If you do, you earn the right to pour on a little dressing. … “The first requisite for success is the ability to apply your physical and mental energies to one problem incessantly without growing weary.” – Thomas A. Edison ---
**Author:** ![G.Nome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c89c15/32.png) [@G.Nome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G.Nome)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/28 "2001-09-23T03:44:27Z")
I once asked a question (in a thread called Diet Cake) about why pasta is considered by nutritionists to be healthy and diet-worthy when it contains exactly the same ingredients as bread, waffles, bagels, biscuits, muffins and pancakes (just to name a few). It was silly of me, I know. The answer is rather obvious. Pasta is the “dieter’s” friend. It slides right back up. No mess, no fuss. You’ll never end up like Mama Cass with pasta. ---
**Author:** ![cw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@cw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cw)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/29 "2001-09-23T03:48:03Z")
I lost 25 lbs. in the past 2 months by moving out of my mom’s house and not having 5 serving size meals anymore. I was always like “God mom how can I eat 4 pounds of spagetti?”. I think that calorie intake is the major factor in weight gain/loss. ---
**Author:** ![cw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71c47a/32.png) [@cw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cw)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/30 "2001-09-23T03:54:11Z")
I also had to add this, a friend of mine is 5’7" and she weighs 100 lbs. She is often accused of being anorexic, although she eats more than I do. I have seen the girl put away a whole bag of chips by herself, being a guy, I have never done that. I don’t see what the deal is with her, and she is always hungery. I guess she just has a superhuman metabolism, she eats fettucini alfredo and pizza all the time and is still skinny as a rail. (dont mock her and say she is puking her food behind my back, I know her very well and she hates being skinny) ---
**Author:** ![Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c67d28/32.png) [@Weird\_AL\_Einstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weird_AL_Einstein)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/31 "2001-09-23T05:53:20Z")
Well, i guess I should put in my two cents. I lost 50 pounds over 8 months or so on a low fat diet (most importantly I stopped eating at McDonalds :D), combined with jogging and weight training, the former fairly consistant, the latter fairly sporadic. I also lost 6 or 8 inches on my waist. I stopped because I hit a wall, and couldn’t lose any more weight, or so it seemed. I then gradually gained it all back, and then some. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![hightechburrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f6c823/32.png) [@hightechburrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hightechburrito)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2001, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637/32 "2001-09-23T07:41:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chekmate \* > \*\*…I do play hockey. Rollerhockey in the Summer. Ice Hockey in the winter. Anyway, my next question is, what sorta excersizes can I do that aren’t running, but have a similar effect of weight loss and cardiovascular building? \*\* How does hockey sound? Another important thing is probably that you enjoy what you do for exercise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weight-loss/82637.md?page=1)