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Weight loss myths: busted

Susie Burrell

by Susie Burrell

19 Feb 05:35am

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Filed under: Diet, Health, Nutrition, Weight Loss

70 comments

Set clear goals. Slow and steady is the best way to approach weight loss. Burn more calories via sex and breastfeeding is the best way to protect against obesity later in life. These are just some of the health based recommendations frequently given by weight loss experts as many seek the elusive goal of weight loss.

Maybe I'm just not ready to lose weight? Photo: Herald Sun

A controversial response to some of these commonly held beliefs was recently published in one of the most powerful medical journals in the world, The New England Journal of Medicine which for the first time has scientifically questioned some of these commonly preached weight loss rules, finding that some may not hold much truth at all.

In real life terms, the good news is that this means certain limitations to weight loss as so often preached by weight loss experts may not be a barrier to success at all.

Small changes in energy expenditure and calorie intake will result in long term weight changes.
Cut out a couple of hundred calories, or walk for an extra 30 minutes a day and over several weeks, months or even years you will lose one half to a kilogram of weight each week – true? No, while we are often given the calculations for losing a kilogram or more of fat tissue, as you do start to reduce calories changes to metabolic rate mean that weight loss is not continuous, and hence why weight loss involves an ongoing series of changes to calorie intake and exercise type and intensity to see continual weight loss over a period of time.

Weight loss goals must be realistic
In order to establish and commit to a sustainable weight loss regime, we have always been told that your weight loss goals should be realistic – no, there is no evidence for this. In fact, there are a number of studies which actually show that human beings do better when it comes to goal attainment when they set ambitious goals. Sure, at some point we need to be realistic and not be expected to do something humanly impossible such as losing 50kg in 6 weeks, but pushing the boundaries and going hard with your weight loss plans may not be such a bad idea after all.

Rapid weight loss is associated with poorer long term weight loss outcomes
One of the most commonly cited recommendations when it comes to weight loss is that it is much better to lose weight slowly and keep it off than to engage in programs which encourage quick weight loss which is often regained quickly. Perhaps in some circumstances, but the truth is that there is no evidence to show that losing weight quickly means that you will regain it. In fact, there is evidence to show that those who lose reasonable amounts of weight quickly are more likely to reach their long term weight loss goals and lose more weight in total than those who lose weight more slowly.

You must be ready to lose weight to be successful.
Again, even though it makes sense, when it comes to looking at the evidence there are no studies which conclusively show that those who are “more ready” do any better than those who are not “as ready” – put simply, when you are ready you are ready – there does not appear to be much in between.

Physical education helps to prevent obesity
One of the frequently proposed strategies to help prevent and manage childhood obesity is to suggest they participate in more activity to school and yet two major studies have shown that school based programs that promoted more activity did not have any significant impact on the weight status of children participating in them.

Breastfeeding is protective against obesity
While breastfeeding infants has numerous benefits for the child and mother alike, being protective against obesity does not appear to be one of them. Despite much emotion surrounding the role of breastfeeding in promoting a healthy weight in children long term, there is no conductive evidence to show that breastfed babies have a lower BMI than bottle fed babies.

Sex burns a lot of calories
Now, we would like this one to be true, but unless you are spending several hours pumping it out, the calorie burn is likely to be minimal. In fact, with the average sexual encounter being just 6 minutes long, you are likely to burn more calories trying to get the sex than you actually burn doing it – but then, there are always exceptions.

Snacking contributes to weight gain
Some people need or like to snack, others maybe not but when it comes to weight control, there is no association between snacking and weight status, it appears to be completely determined by an individual’s regulatory processes around their own food intake and weight.

You need to eat less to lose weight
Initially, sure you may need to eat fewer calories but as the muscle becomes more efficient at burning energy, there will be times when you may need to eat more to continue to lose weight, even if it goes against every weight loss belief that you have.

You need to eat low carbohydrates after 2pm to maximize fat loss
Sure, reducing the carbohydrate content of the diet helps to reduce calorie intake and supports weight loss, for many this will mean simply going lighter at night rather than ditching the carboyhdrates completely. In fact, lowering the carboyhdrates too much can actually reduce metabolic rate long term and make weight loss even harder.

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    • Zack says:

      05:29am | 19/02/13

      Weight loss and keeping it off is easy. Eat well and exercise; the problem is people tend to give excuses why they are having that Big MAc or can’t go for that walk. The fit and healthy are fit and healthy for a reason.

      Reply

    • Ray says:

      07:56am | 19/02/13

      “Weight loss and keeping it off is easy. “

      I believed that to be true for most of the first 55 years of my life.

      My weight was fairly stable for all of my adult life.  I would gain about 8 to 10 pounds in winter due to football training and gradually loose it in summer.

      Shortly after my 55th birthday all that changed!!!  Ten years on from then and I am now aware that it takes more than a simple formula to loose weight (formula = Eat LESS - move MORE).

      Thanks to personal experience I no longer believe that the only reason that some people are overweight (fat) is that they are lazy.

    • Borderer says:

      08:55am | 19/02/13

      Agree with you there Ray, I work in an office all day and unless I put in time exercising and make sure I eat properly the kilos creep up.
      By doing this I also feel I have more energy to do things too, less time collapsed and exhausted.
      I might add that I do eat the unhealthy stuff on weekends only (though not every meal), after all life without some enjoyment is no life at all.

    • GROBP says:

      09:33am | 19/02/13

      True Zack.

      @Ray. You need to do weights. Muscles use energy. That’s why generally women struggle with weight and young men don’t.

      @Borderer….Just keep moving. Fidget, get up and walk, wiggle you’re legs and do two minutes of weights or body resistance (push ups and stuff) a day and you WILL lose weight. No exceptions, no excuses.

      I’m no fitness industry dude, but I’ve been fit my whole life and it’s worth the ridiculously little effort it takes.

    • Katie says:

      09:48am | 19/02/13

      I wish it were that easy. I’ve been dumpy my entire life and that’s despite being on the swim team and school and not eating particularly badly. As in, take out rarely, home cooked healthy meals through my childhood and not overdoing it on the snacks.

      Yet here I am, still overweight. And it’s just become worse having an office job. I bring my lunch from home (usually soup), I go for a walk during my lunch break, and run and cycle on my days off.

      And I’m still fat.

      Unfortunately, “weight loss and keeping it off is easy’ isn’t for everyone. I know the only way I can lose weight, and that’s essentially going hungry and intensive skipping/sit ups/push ups every. night. Do I have the energy to do that after a 10 hour work day?

      Not really.

      I’m not asking for sympathy or anything, just stating that weight loss isn’t always easy.

    • GROBP says:

      10:08am | 19/02/13

      Hey Katie

      I truly reckon you can lose more weight by doing weights (or body resistance) on the biggest muscles such as legs and back. Sit ups do nothing and they suck. Stairs are great….Do a set of stairs that’s say 30 steps…walk up fast (run) meander down and do it another 5 times EVERY second day…It takes a few minutes….Build up, don’t do it so your legs are sore the next day….DO IT…..

      Forget what you look like, There’s many guys/gals that find what you describe as hot. In my opinion, it’s health that should be everyone’s focus.

    • Smidgeling says:

      10:33am | 19/02/13

      Katie (and the rest of the riff raff)- you consume more than your body burns. Simple biology and physics means you could not possibly be overweight without there being a calorie surplus that caused it. Fat doesn’t form from thin air (pardon the unintentional pun).

      I’m not going to front- we are not all created equal. Sure, it might be *harder* for you to stay at a healthy weight, but it’s not impossible. I know it’s damn near impossible for me to gain noticable muscle mass, but I do what it takes.

    • GROBP says:

      11:01am | 19/02/13

      @Smidgeling

      I agree with you entirely, it’s energy in, energy out.

      I also think there are people that cannot simply lose weight. We are westerners with great foods and gadgets to do most of our work It’s a huge effort they cannot or want to sustain. Far better to find a compromise that keeps them healthy long term instead of this yoyo BS so many people find themselves doing.

    • Rocket Surgeon says:

      03:39pm | 19/02/13

      Smidgeling started to touch on something that rarely gets mentioned in these articles. There are 3 distinct body types and these will greatly effect weight gain and loss. Look up Endomorph, Ectomorph and Mesomorph. Work out what you are and then go from there. Unfortunately if you’re an endomorph you’ll be working much harder.

    • Don says:

      05:37am | 19/02/13

      As you get older, weight and strength training should become more of a part of your regime. High repetition, long cardio sessions become more and more difficult as the years go by, especially if you are nursing some old sporting injuries.

      Reply

    • GROBP says:

      09:39am | 19/02/13

      Exactly Don.

      Muscles use energy. That’s why generally women struggle with weight and young men don’t. I think from memory men lose 2% muscle a year after 35 years old…..That adds up bloody fast if you’re inactive.

      Older guys need to do weights. Nothing silly. Just 3 sets of 12 repetitions on three different exercises EVERY DAY. Change muscle group every day. Never the same muscles two days in a row, build up weight slowly, don’t struggle keep controlled.

      This stuffs really simple, I cannot comprehend the confusion and difficulty that’s so so so so common.

    • acotrel says:

      05:53am | 19/02/13

      In addition the myth about high blood cholesterol being due to diet should be busted.  The association between high cholesterol, heart disease,and stroke with workplace bullying, stress,adrenalin and the fight and flight syndrome should also be investigated. A cohort study of people in highly stressed occupations who died of arteriosclerosis effects , might demonstrate the huge toll that stress takes on dedicated workers.

      Reply

    • Mr Sam says:

      09:24am | 19/02/13

      ‘Stress’ is the excuse of the weak.

    • Dr R Jones says:

      10:22am | 19/02/13

      acotrel I’m 70 years old and retired. I have a family history of stroke, heart attacks and other vascular disease and diabtes. I have never had a health issue, I am on no medication, my blood pressure is perfect. I have been a emergency department doctor for 40 years - shift work, poor sleep and stress (I screw up people die or left permanently damaged and I get sued). I have never ever used my stressful lifestyle as an excuse to eat junk, drink excessively, use drugs, smoke, not exercise (I jog or swim 6 days a week). I have a great marriage (married for 42 years) and have done a great job with my 3 children with whom I have a fantastic relationship. The reason is because I put my family and health above all excuses. It isn’t easy and some days that Big Mac looks good but at the end of the day I ask myself is it worth it? Eat well and don’t let stress control you and you will be fine. I hope this message finds you well.

    • Rose says:

      10:24am | 19/02/13

      Diet AND stress are both contributing factors.It would be absolutely irresponsible to call the effects of diet a myth just so you can push your own personal barrow. Stress has been researched quite significantly and there is huge amounts of data and understanding about its impact.

    • Mr Sam says:

      10:50am | 19/02/13

      Rose there is vast amount of research on psychology factors on young people and crime. So what? We give all young crims a free pass because of the stats? If you give in to stress that reflects on you as an individual. If you can’t control what goes into your mouth and how you move your body that is a failure on your part. There are many healthy people out there with stressful jobs why not use that as a bench mark?

    • Mik says:

      02:27pm | 19/02/13

      @ Dr Jones, love it. What a pity we don’t have your cortisol levels for all those years. As stressful as your life was, I have no doubt you remained in control in a very balanced way.Interested in your mindtalk.

      Competence, self confidence, purpose and good balanced nutrition are definite winners. Many of us, for starters, don’t realize just how little we do need to eat and what good nutritional balance is.

    • Zack says:

      03:00pm | 19/02/13

      I agree with Dr Jones and Mr Sam, the constant excuses is what makes weight loss a challenge. Fast food, sleep-ins, cough potatoing are all the easy way outs when stress kicks in, unfortunately when you end up in a hospital bed it is too late to undo the damage. Stress only wins if you allow it.

    • Steve says:

      06:29am | 19/02/13

      Interesting and confirms some personal beliefs. Challengers a few too.

      Thanks.

      Reply

    • Fiddler says:

      06:43am | 19/02/13

      wow, six minutes!!!!!! They must have made that up, thirty seconds is more realistic.

      But seriously, virtually nothing in there about exercise. Diet is only one part of it, vigorous exercise that makes you uncomfortable causes numerous hormonal changes that bring on weight loss.

      Or failing that, get some T3. For research purposes of course wink

      Reply

    • Tator says:

      08:03am | 19/02/13

      Fiddler,
      you forgot the 4 minutes and 30 seconds it takes for them to take their clothes off.

    • Fiddler says:

      08:10am | 19/02/13

      still only makes five minutes though!!

    • Ohcomeon says:

      08:16am | 19/02/13

      Diet is much more important than exercise in losing weight, even though exercise is crucial to long term health.

      Its a lot quicker and easier to not eat 5 tim tams, than it is to do the 30 minutes of jogging required to burn it off. Most people simply have no idea how many calories is in the food they eat.

    • Ohcomeon says:

      08:33am | 19/02/13

      Sorry, that would be 75 minutes of constant jogging to burn off just 5 tim tams.

      Much easier to not put it in your pie hole to start with smile

    • Fiddler says:

      08:50am | 19/02/13

      @Ohcomeon - your comment seems to subscribe to diet being calories in/calories out.

      It might take you 30 minutes of jogging to “burn off” the calories from 5 tim tams but the metabolic changes you will get from jogging for 30 minutes (although anything under 11km/hr doesn’t count) will make a massive difference far beyond those mere calories.

      Or are you suggesting (and this isn’t a shot at you, but at the calories in/calories out school of thought) that if you jogged for 30 minutes a day and added five tim tams to your diet that you would receive no change in bodyweight?

    • ohcomeon says:

      11:44am | 19/02/13

      Fiddler,

      after losing 26kg last year, I can guarantee that losing weight is very simply calories in, calories out. At least for me.

      I track my calories going in, and my calorie expenditure. It pretty much evens out, unless theres been excessive carb/alcohol intake which screws my metabolism. If I run a 1000 calorie deficit a day, do 3 lots of decent exercise then I will pretty much consistently lose a kg a week.

    • John says:

      12:11pm | 19/02/13

      ohcomeon,

      I used to count calories, but your really making it more complex and less precise and limiting protein and fats, it’s better to just monitor carb’s and sugars. I still remember hitting 7% body fat and
      I literally getting ripped, this was only done by monitoring the carb intake. I had the carb intake at 60grams (which is like 4 slices of bread), but it’s not really a good idea, as it can make you dizzy.

    • Fiddler says:

      01:43pm | 19/02/13

      @Ohcomeon,

      I’m not saying it doesn’t work, I am saying there is far more to it and it is a very narrow way of viewing it.

      I eat whatever I want and because of the punishing physical regime I put myself through can do it, although if you counted the calories from the exercise they wouldn’t account for even 1/4 of my daily intake. The exercise changes your body and the way it handles the calories, but it has to be really hard exercise to do so. Walking doesn’t cut it.

    • gof says:

      07:12am | 19/02/13

      Yes, we know all this, but can you offer advice to the leader of the opposition on how to shrink his big head!

      Reply

    • Eskimo says:

      07:28am | 19/02/13

      Read ‘You are your own gym.’ It’s a simple philosophy: Watch your diet and create a small calorie deficit, do some body weight interval training to build muscle, the additional muscle burns more calories. The workouts can be done at home and are between 14 & 36 minutes, 4 or 5 days a week. So there is no ‘I haven’t got time’ excuse.

      Reply

    • Kev says:

      09:26am | 19/02/13

      The “I’ve got no time excuse” is exactly that, an excuse. If someone doesn’t want to make the changes required to lose weight then they’ll find any excuse not to do it.

    • John says:

      08:52am | 19/02/13

      The problem is the western diet, too much sugar, bread, flour, white rice, eating too much pasta. This is what makes people fat.

      Secret to loss weight is lower you carb/sugar intake for a few days , then to double the carb intake for 1 day, then go again lower carbs again. Add 5km walks with a coffee everyday, the walk, coffee and low insulin levels caused by the low carbs will trigger fat oxidation, then drink about 2 liters of water per day to make fat oxidation work at it’s highest efficiency.

      You also want to maintain decent about of protein, normal amount of fat. This not about calories, it’s all about counting carbs, don’t worry about the protein or the fat.

      Reply

    • Mr Sam says:

      09:31am | 19/02/13

      You know John your comment shows that if you make an effort to eat well and exercise the weight problem shouldn’t be an issue. Drinking water is great advice and coffee/walking is spot on. Sad to see people end up with heart attacks and strokes because they don’t have the discipline to exercise and eat well while giving excuses like lack of time or stress or too busy at work. It is all about making an effort. We all work and are all under stress but doing what you suggest isn’t hard if you have what it takes to make your health a priority. That wis what seperates the winners from the losers in life.

    • Ridge says:

      10:06am | 19/02/13

      Yes, the western diet is a problem.  But that’s the middle part of the puzzle - the real cause is western standards on body size which allows people to get fat in the first place.

    • Ridge says:

      10:22am | 19/02/13

      Edit:  I can’t believe I missed your last para. 

      What’s a ‘decent amount’ of protein and a ‘normal amount’ of fat?

      John’s post is a particularly nasty one, because it sounds very scientific with words like insulin and fat oxidation.  Don’t believe the blanket carb-phobic BS.

    • John says:

      11:18am | 19/02/13

      You know what, I really can’t give you a figure, but fat and protein is really not a trigger for fat-loss, it maintain sanity and muscle. I guess a 30g of protein and 15ml of olive olive with dinner mixed with 100grames of carbs.

      Breakfast should consist of carbs with a little protein, if you like. But I never eat protein in morning, as i have no time.

    • Flutz says:

      08:57am | 19/02/13

      Fact is different things work for different people

      Reply

    • Ridge says:

      09:53am | 19/02/13

      Funny thing, only unsuccessful people say that.

      Time and time again.

    • Kev says:

      10:20am | 19/02/13

      Ridge - They’re probably the same people who will claim that they are big boned or have a genetic predisposition that makes it harder to lose weight.

    • Nick says:

      04:16pm | 19/02/13

      What is it about internet blogs that attracts snarky people desperate to deny the bleeding obvious?  Different things work for different people, and different things work for the same person at different phases of their life describes my experience to perfection.  Sometimes it’s exercise more, sometimes eat less, sometimes eat differently, sometimes a bit of both.  Whatever works given the life constraints and mindset of the time…makes sense to me.

    • John says:

      09:03am | 19/02/13

      The human body burns about 100 calories doing nothing, and burns about 400 calories walking.

      Reply

    • Andrew Davies says:

      09:17am | 19/02/13

      I set myself a daily maximum of 7000 Kilojoules and lost 10 kilograms in 2 months. Didn’t doanything except counted daily KJ intake, no exercise whatsoever. Natvia was a big help though, it meant I could have 6 cups of tea a day for only 360 KJ’s.And Pepsi Next for a treat with it’s 30% less sugar.Those two alone have basically saved me all the extra KJ’s from sugar

      Reply

    • patsy says:

      09:41am | 19/02/13

      I think sex would burn off calories as it is aerobic & cardio exercise (moving and heavy breathing) and also weight and also resistance exercise for the person doing the most work.

      Snacking will cause weight gain, to put on weight you have to eat every 4 hours.

      I’m trying to gain weight and seeing a nutitionalist at a bodybuilding shop today. I weigh 41kg. Sure they’re going to try and sell me expensive shit but, the advice is for free. I go to NUTTAB 2010 Searchable Databse to get all the info of what’s in every food. So far I think animal products have protien and plant product have carbs.

      My reaserch tells me I’m not to do cardio or aerobics (so my daughter -in-law is getting ,my roller stepper) but to do weight and resistance training and up my carbs to build lean muscle and not just get a fat belly.

      Reply

    • Ridge says:

      09:43am | 19/02/13

      “You need to eat less to lose weight”

      This is absolutely true, for all people.  What I believe you’re getting at is the concept of ‘refeeding’ - gorging on carbs 1 to 2 days per week (still, as part of an average net reduction in calories).  This helps both physically and mentally, but it’s not essential.  And it’s definitely not as simple as saying ‘eating more to continue losing weight’.  Further, it’s a practice which would very likely be unnecessary for the majority population.

      “You need to eat low carbohydrates after 2pm to maximize fat loss”

      It’s better to work by calories than carbs.  And instead of a random number on the clock, it’s best to eat the bulk of your calories around breakfast and exercise time.

      Reply

    • Phillb says:

      09:45am | 19/02/13

      Fact there is no one cure that works for everybody in normal everyday situation.  Those fitness freaks that think there is are out of their minds.
      No, that is not an excuse.  I am sure people can lose weight, but it takes different ways for different people and different lifestyles.  There is no one size fits all solution.

      Reply

    • Ridge says:

      09:57am | 19/02/13

      Bingo, Phillb.

      The best approach to weightloss is a sustainable one.  There’s different ways of working it into different lives and preferences.

      Personally, I hate doing cardio, so I adjust other diet and exercise facets to compensate.

    • TheRealDave says:

      10:08am | 19/02/13

      6 minutes….WTF!?!?!?!

      Who’s the stallion screwing up the time curve for the rest of us??

      I say we find him and bash him…..

      Reply

    • Fiddler says:

      10:25am | 19/02/13

      That would be me haha.

      Guess I’ll be getting a dress rehearsal at my zompoc plans now

    • Kev says:

      10:18am | 19/02/13

      Diet has more of an impact on weight loss than exercise alone. I’ve lost 3 kilos in about 3 weeks and it’s not through anything drastic. I’ve cut out soft drinks, juices and other junk food and instead of having it every day or every second day, they’ve become occasional foods. Being too drastic and pedantically counting calories or avoiding certain foods after a certain time of day is unrealistic and you’re probably not going to be able to sustain it.

      Reply

    • Phillb says:

      10:46am | 19/02/13

      I dropped 9kg from cutting down on bread.  I try to only have it once a day now so if I have toast for breakfast I have something other then a sandwich for lunch. I am not religious about it but I try and ti has worked.

    • TheRealDave says:

      12:06pm | 19/02/13

      I’m 3 weeks into my new fitness and diet regime. I am down, as of this morning , 10.5Kgs.

      What have I done??

      Ok, blanket ‘No Carbs after lunchtime’ rule. I figure, if I am going to be weak and indulge in a sammich or a subway…or some rice or pasta - I’ll do it in the AM so it doesn’t sit in my lazy gut all night and become fat. Carbs are harder to breakdown, slow your metabolism and all that scientific guff we don’t pay much attention to.

      Secondly, I got rid of Sugar - entirely. And for me thats a BIG deal. I normally have, conservatively estiamting here, 7-11 cups of coffee per day with 2 sugars per coffee. I am now drinkign green tea, no milk, no sugar. It takes a bit of getting used to…...but its ok…

      Protein, lots of. Either Chicken Breasts, Lean Steaks, some Pork steaks, eggs, a little bit of cheese and to the side I’ll steam some veges. Sometimes I will doa double lot and cook up some rice/past but put it into a container and eat it for breakfast - so I don’t break my no carbs after lunch rule.

      I also go to the gym now….3 times a week. Bit of cardio to get the heart rate up then I lift heavy things…and put them down, then pick them up again…over and over for about an hour. No plan….just sets of 3x10 of various machines, free weights etc

      Starting to bring more cardio into it. Need to get to 35 minutes of cardio and then get into the weights. Also plan on going for a ride on the bike or just going for a walk on my ‘off’ days.

      See how we go…....I could kill for a bloody pack of tim tams though…..or a Quarter Pounder….mmmmmm…...

    • Smidgeling says:

      10:41am | 19/02/13

      There are free calculators that tell you how much you needtoeat to lose, maintain and gain weight.

      There are free listsof calories in pretty much any food imaginable.

      There are free instructionals on exercise regimes and friendly people like myself at the gym willing to help you for free.

      All that stands between you and the healthy version of you is excuses. The question is, do you want to be healthy or, take no responsibility and just blame all your weight related issues on bad luck?

      Reply

    • Smidgeling says:

      11:46am | 19/02/13

      Oh god the typos…

      I should proof read.

    • Shane Snellgrove says:

      10:46am | 19/02/13

      Dieting and fads….been there…done that !

      Reply

    • willie says:

      11:34am | 19/02/13

      Weight loss really is as simple as energy in energy out. Everything else is secondary.
      The problem is writers like Ms Burrell need something to write about so instead of focusing on the basics, which are boring, they write about the more complex marginal stuff. This is great for people who already know the basics but it confuses people who don’t.  This confusion then gives people the idea that weight loss is come complex formulae which they use as an excuse for their own failure.

      Reply

    • Tim from Canberra says:

      11:56am | 19/02/13

      I find it interesting that no one has yet mentioned thermic cost.
      Thermic cost is the cost in energy it takes to chew, swallow and digest food and make it ready for your body to use.
      For example, you have 100 kj each of fat, protein and carbohydrate.
      The fat has a thermic cost of between 3-5%. This means it will take between 3 and 5 kj to make the fat usable by your body. A net gain of 95-97 kj.
      Carbohydrates have a cost of 10-15%. Between 10 and 15 kj to make the carbohydrates usable. A net gain of 85-90 kj.
      Protein has a cost of around 25%. Around 25 kj to make the protein usable. A net gain of around 75 kj.
      Please note, a diet very high in protein will make your breath smell bad. Really bad.
      Now go forth and be confused.

      Reply

    • Robinoz says:

      01:19pm | 19/02/13

      I’m visiting Vietnam at present where I am surrounded with millions of women with lovely lean, shapely bodies and as many men who are much leaner than the average Australian male. After having numerous meals with them, I now now what we (Westerners) have been doing wrong. The Vietnamese eat like sparrows, they eat good quality food and a good variety. There’s no shortage of food here, but nobody has access to MacDonalds or some of the high calorie, large serve foods that we have. I now know what I have to do to eat more healthier when I return home. We eat far too much, much more than we need and that is why obesity is through the roof

      Reply

    • Ridge says:

      02:10pm | 19/02/13

      Close, very close to the mark.  You did nail it, stating that we eat far too much, and did well to compare with countries that eat much less.

      But minus points for blaming McDonald’s.  I haven’t been to Vietnam, but I’ve been to Thailand, China and a few others around there, where there’s plenty of western food available.  Still no fat people, because they know when to stop eating.

      How do they know?  Societal shame. 

      ‘Beautiful at any size’ is not even a concept there.

    • Daylight Robbery says:

      02:10pm | 19/02/13

      People should never weigh themselves. Muscle weighs about 3 times more than fat so when the scales go up people become disillusioned.

      Look at your body and its shape. 

      Processed white sugar & processed white flour require no effort on the bodies behalf to digest.  Therefore they store on the body easy.
      You cannot eat a lot of sugar on its own, like 5 days calories in a sitting without feeling full.

      If you cut out ‘all’ fats your body will grab carbs.  Good fats are the go.

      Coconut or palm oil stores fat around the internal organs.

      If you want to lose weight you have to cut out more so you burn a lot more than you are eating. If you want to lose weight faster then you have to take a radical stance which is harder.

      You don’t need a lot of time if you can sprint.  If your terribly overweight it wont take much to get your heart rate above 100 beats per minute. You need to get your heart rate up if you want to lose weight.

      You can sprint for 5 minutes to get results. Ride a bike fast enough to peak out your heart.

      Women naturally store 17% more fat than men for childbearing purposes.
      Women commonly store weight around the hips for this reason.  A good exercise for women is in the pool with fins on for resistance. Low impact.

      Essentially depending on what processed foods you eat effects your body shape.

      For the amount of exercise we get in the modern era we eat way too many sugar & carbs.

      In many cases we don’t even use energy to prepare our food anymore.
      We definitely don’t hunt our food anymore which requires that 100+ beats per minute to catch the food. fight or flight.

      Reply

    • Ridge says:

      02:29pm | 19/02/13

      “People should never weigh themselves. Muscle weighs about 3 times more than fat so when the scales go up people become disillusioned.” 

      Scales aren’t perfect, but they don’t lie.  Use that in conjunction with waistline measurements.

      Your friends, family and bruised ego are much more likely to lie.  Also, your average person is so unlikely to have enough muscle to make a significant difference, it’s barely relevant.

      “Processed white sugar & processed white flour require no effort on the bodies behalf to digest.  Therefore they store on the body easy.
      You cannot eat a lot of sugar on its own, like 5 days calories in a sitting without feeling full.”

      Are you a food racist?  But seriously, digestion effort has practically no relevance compared with energy provided by the food.  1g carbs from table sugar vs 1g carbs from weetbix is of no relevance outside of extremes.

      “If you cut out ‘all’ fats your body will grab carbs.  Good fats are the go.

      Coconut or palm oil stores fat around the internal organs. “

      It’s virtually impossible to survive if you don’t eat any fat.  And if you eat no carbs or fat.. wait, what are you saying?  What is a ‘good’ fat and why?

      “If you want to lose weight you have to cut out more so you burn a lot more than you are eating. If you want to lose weight faster then you have to take a radical stance which is harder.”

      Agreed.

      “You need to get your heart rate up if you want to lose weight. “

      It’s good to do, but not necessary.

      “A good exercise for women is in the pool with fins on for resistance. Low impact.”

      Why would women need low-impact exercise but men don’t? 

      “Essentially depending on what processed foods you eat effects your body shape.”

      Some highly processed food is fine, what about protein powder?

      “For the amount of exercise we get in the modern era we eat way too many sugar & carbs. “

      Again, on the carb-phobic bandwagon.  No.

      “In many cases we don’t even use energy to prepare our food anymore.
      We definitely don’t hunt our food anymore which requires that 100+ beats per minute to catch the food. fight or flight. “

      No real relevance to weight management, when others who don’t catch their food seem to manage.

    • encee says:

      02:55pm | 19/02/13

      Losing weight is not always easy. Different methods work for different people. I tried no carbs, low carbs, shakes, you name it. Now I follow the Weight Watchers plan and it’s working - thankfully! I allowed myself to gain 15 kilos and am only a few kilos away from losing it all.

      I bet we all know somebody who is so skinny, eats like a pig and doesn’t gain a gram. I know a few of these people. One of them is desperately trying to gain weight and has enlisted the help of a dietician to do so.

      If we accept some people can’t gain weight, or at least can’t gain weight easily, why is it so hard to accept that some people can’t lose, or really struggle to lose?

      Reply

    • Zack says:

      03:03pm | 19/02/13

      Well done encee, trying your best is all that matters. Weight loss is different people and making the effort to find what works for you is the important factor.

    • Ridge says:

      03:25pm | 19/02/13

      lol, of course Weight Watchers is working for you.  It’s based on calorie maintenance, and they do the thinking for you.

    • matt says:

      03:49pm | 19/02/13

      Your comment that
      “You need to eat less to lose weight”
      is a myth honestly needs some sort of refence.

      If you’re not losing weight, as stated in the other myth you busted accurately, you need to reduce calories further.

      While there may be slight evidence that eating more increases the metabolism and that eating less slows it down, The changes in metabolism are always LESS THAN THE CALORIE VALUE OF THE FOOD

      That is, if you increase your intake by 200 calories, your metabolism may only speed up by 100 calories, creating a calorie surplus, and therefore weight gain.

      If you’re going to make a myth busting article, you cant just go and spread more myths.

      Reply

    • Ags says:

      05:34pm | 19/02/13

      I asked my doctor about weight loss, as I am a bit overweight, and he said “There were no fat people in concentration camps”, end of story, and he’s correct, though cruel. No food, no weight gain.

    • StanleyG says:

      04:28pm | 19/02/13

      Any diet that is associated with Hollywood,models,a Current Affair, Today Tonight,trashy magazines or doesnt have as its core good nutrition,eating in moderation and exercise should be completely ignored.lt’‘s not brain surgery.

      Reply

    • Terry says:

      05:24pm | 19/02/13

      Can all those self-appointed experts banging in about ‘eating less calories and carbs’ PLEASE READ & UNDERSTAND the last two paragraphs that debunk those tired old misconceptions. Everybody is different, and simply starving yourself does NOT work in the long run, so please stop bleating on about it.

      Reply

    • ol matey says:

      06:20pm | 19/02/13

      “Eat more for less weight” - biggest myth propagated by the supplement industry, bent on convincing us that we NEED their whey, bars, etc, every 2-3 hours to “fuel the metabolic fire”. What rubbish.

      Reply

    • yesilift says:

      06:27pm | 19/02/13

      I agree that losing weight isn’t easy after about age 40 but it’s not rocket science either.  Women - take up weight training - and it you keep at it, you’ll start to burn fat like you wont believe.  Then it’s time to focus on shape and fat percentage rather than weight. Clean, consistent diet is also essential.  I wonder if people just want things to be easy - a gentle stroll for 30 mins a night wont help much. I train 5-6 days now, 45 mins weights and 35 min interval cardio session and eat well all the time with occasional treats - if I can get from a size 18 to an 8 in 18 months at age 43 working in an office and never even being into sport or fitness before, anyone can do it!  Accept that it’s gonna take work and get started.

      Reply

    • InternationCuisineasadietchoice says:

      06:31pm | 19/02/13

      Different strokes work for different folks. I think the type of carbs you consume also makes a huge difference, complex carbohydrates from say kidney beans and lentils are far more beneficial than carbohydrates you consume from pasta dishes.  Also eating food high in dietary fibre is also going to be beneficial.

      Saying that, I would love to experiment for a year eating each month food from a different culture. That is the authentic version of their food - not the Westernised version as I believe there would be a significant difference (Ie Indian food in Restaurants taste vastly different, fattier and sweeter than the delicious food my friend who is from Delhi makes)  That would be really interesting to me.

      Reply
 
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