What ever happened to good 'ole fashion diet and Exercise?

**Linds33** · 09-02-2010, 10:43 AM

In my short 27 years on this planet I have seen my fair share of interesting fad diets and quick cures for weight loss, but it seems like they are getting stranger aand stranger and a lot more dangerous/silly.

I have had a few co-workers do odd diets where they fasted on monday, drank protein on tuesday, ate veggies on wednesday and then started to add in regular foods for the rest of the week. That to me made no sense however after about 2 weeks they caved and started to eat "normal" again.

Now I have some corworkers that are doing the HCG Human chorionic gonadotropin) "diet". They basically get HCG injections from their doctor (which i believe costs about $2000) and are on a 500 calorie a day diet. Now these aren't people who need to loose a ton of weight and some of them really don't need to loose any weight! (and even then i wouldn't condone this). These are both males and females and their medical doctors are actually advising them to do this!!!

What ever happened to eating less and moving more? Why is it that people are turning to diet and programs such as this instead of going to the gym a few times a week and limiting what they eat within reason (ie: eating enough to create a deficit, but not a 500 calorie a day diet).

**fitlover** · 09-02-2010, 10:52 AM

I agree completely.

People just like to over-complicate and over-think things. In reality, nothing has really changed...we haven't evolved, suddenly needing some magical solution to all our problems. It's always been the same. Eat well, train hard, have patience, get results.

And I won't even get into details about people and their neurotic eating habits. "Oh noez, I ate a cookie and now I'm going to gain 10395930923479 lbs!"

**Simpy** · 09-02-2010, 11:36 AM

We're a nation who values instant gratification.

**medjen** · 09-02-2010, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Linds33

What ever happened to eating less and moving more? Why is it that people are turning to diet and programs such as this instead of going to the gym a few times a week and limiting what they eat within reason (ie: eating enough to create a deficit, but not a 500 calorie a day diet).

Not flashy, sexy, fast or new. Thus no one is interested.

**fitlover** · 09-02-2010, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by medjen

Not flashy, sexy, fast or new. Thus no one is interested.

Hey, I've seen some brand new barbells that were sexy, new, flashy....

**medjen** · 09-02-2010, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by fitlover

Hey, I've seen some brand new barbells that were sexy, new, flashy....

Yeah, but they weren't gimmicky or promising flat abs in 5 minutes, eh?

And I get where you're coming from. When our new barbell got delivered last month, I grinned like a maniac. So. Pretty. If barbells can be pretty.

**MrsBieszad** · 09-02-2010, 01:08 PM

I totally agree with you, OP! I've had the same number of years as you, and seen and tried many quirky diets. It seems like we are all ready and willing to believe in magic/miracle/secret/new things when it comes to weight loss. We want the results without the work-- and make hucksters like that "doctor" rich with our gullibility.

Three cheers for bodybuilding and proper nutrition!

**euco09** · 09-02-2010, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by MrsBieszad

I totally agree with you, OP! I've had the same number of years as you, and seen and tried many quirky diets. It seems like we are all ready and willing to believe in magic/miracle/secret/new things when it comes to weight loss. We want the results without the work-- and make hucksters like that "doctor" rich with our gullibility.

Three cheers for bodybuilding and proper nutrition!

Same. At the moment there is a guy at my work drinking diet tea from some temple in China and he says it made his aunty lose 20kg!

**1972girl** · 09-02-2010, 03:25 PM

I think that alot of people think that if it was made by science,man or in a lab it must be better and a good thing to do. Its every were now, people are doing less and less and creating "things" that do it for them and leaving behind a very important part of being human. Sorry if this sounds odd, I just think as a society we are handicapping ourselves with all this "stuff".

**RebeccaG** · 09-02-2010, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Linds33

Now I have some corworkers that are doing the HCG Human chorionic gonadotropin) "diet". They basically get HCG injections from their doctor (which i believe costs about $2000) and are on a 500 calorie a day diet.

Because there are 'doctors' who endorse ^this^ kind of garbage.

And, like Simpy said, we want it now and without effort.

**Enneagram1** · 09-03-2010, 12:12 AM

I'm almost a dietitian (2 more months of study) and HEAPS of people come up to me all the time and ask me what the "secret" is to weight loss. I literally tell them:

"eat less, move more"

They are usually unimpressed. If they push for more answers I tell them that the first step is to become aware of their eating habits. I ask them to log everything they eat for 3 days and tally up the energy and whatnot. That's when I get the "Oh but that's too much trouble, I don't have time to do that, isn't there something else I can do"

Obviously if they were a client, I'd work with them properly. But for the multiple people that just approach me for the 'secret', they walk away unimpressed.

On a side note - a had a girl ask me once how she could lose 10kg within a week of two. I suggested that she cut her leg off

**MrsBieszad** · 09-03-2010, 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by Enneagram1

On a side note - a had a girl ask me once how she could lose 10kg within a week of two. I suggested that she cut her leg off

Lol-- So funny! :-)

**danibel** · 09-03-2010, 05:20 AM

Originally Posted by Linds33

In my short 27 years on this planet I have seen my fair share of interesting fad diets and quick cures for weight loss, but it seems like they are getting stranger aand stranger and a lot more dangerous/silly.

I have had a few co-workers do odd diets where they fasted on monday, drank protein on tuesday, ate veggies on wednesday and then started to add in regular foods for the rest of the week. That to me made no sense however after about 2 weeks they caved and started to eat "normal" again.

Now I have some corworkers that are doing the HCG Human chorionic gonadotropin) "diet". They basically get HCG injections from their doctor (which i believe costs about $2000) and are on a 500 calorie a day diet. Now these aren't people who need to loose a ton of weight and some of them really don't need to loose any weight! (and even then i wouldn't condone this). These are both males and females and their medical doctors are actually advising them to do this!!!

What ever happened to eating less and moving more? Why is it that people are turning to diet and programs such as this instead of going to the gym a few times a week and limiting what they eat within reason (ie: eating enough to create a deficit, but not a 500 calorie a day diet).

I'm willing to cut these folks a little slack. Almost everyone wants to change her body in some way, but most of the time, she might not know how to get there.

For a long time, I, too, thought I was eating less and moving more. But all I was doing was a little bit of cardio a few times a week and eating "healthier." I ended up putting on 15 lbs. I was completely baffled and disheartened; I really thought I was following the spirit of that basic truism.

I did a little research and had a few epiphanies. That was my solution. But I can sympathize with those who prefer to have others do the research FOR them and present them with a set of easy steps to follow, which is almost always one of these (often expensive) fad diets.

I guess the suggestion to "eat less and move more" isn't always as intuitive as it seems. Or maybe I'm just that dumb. =\

/coolstorybro

**Suzanne813** · 09-03-2010, 05:37 AM

Originally Posted by Enneagram1

I'm almost a dietitian (2 more months of study) and HEAPS of people come up to me all the time and ask me what the "secret" is to weight loss. I literally tell them:

"eat less, move more"

They are usually unimpressed. If they push for more answers I tell them that the first step is to become aware of their eating habits. I ask them to log everything they eat for 3 days and tally up the energy and whatnot. That's when I get the "Oh but that's too much trouble, I don't have time to do that, isn't there something else I can do"

Obviously if they were a client, I'd work with them properly. But for the multiple people that just approach me for the 'secret', they walk away unimpressed.

On a side note - a had a girl ask me once how she could lose 10kg within a week of two. I suggested that she cut her leg off

I experience the same reactions. When people ask me how I lost so much weight and I tell them healthy eating and exercise, they always respond with a disappointed "Oh..."

Everyone wants a quick fix with the least amount of effort.

**squeaks77** · 09-03-2010, 08:46 AM

Yeah, everyone here at work is doing this "Biggest Loser" type of competition. One girl, who seems genuinely interested in what I have to say, is depending on flax seed to lose the weight. She adds flaxseed to unsweetened grapefruit juice. She drinks about 5 cups of the juice a day with about a cup of ground flax divided among the 5 cups. I watch her drink it and she's gagging the whole time. She can't understand why she's not losing when she's doing this horribly nasty thing that's guaranteed to make her lose the weight. I pointed out that although juice and flax is "healthy" it's adding a ton of extra calories to her day. She is eating normally, the juice and flax is on top of the rest of her meals. She's actually taking in more cals now than before her "diet". She insists that the fiber in the flax and the metabolism boost grapefruit juice gives her will help her to lose weight anyways, even if the cals are more.

Moral of the story: people will do ANYTHING to avoid watching what they eat and exercising.

I told everyone that if they want to win, come to me and I'll help you make a plan. They all claimed that I would make them do things they didn't want to do and they'd do it their own way. LOL! Yet, these are the same girls that say "I wish I could be skinny like you and eat and workout like you do".

**sbilyeu75** · 09-03-2010, 10:57 AM

I post on myfitnesspal as well, and there's a whole slew of folk advocating this. It just seems crazy to me. Of course, the only long-term medication I take is a pre-natal vitamin (for just in case). The HCG folks get real defensive too if you question them about it.

**Ameinseto** · 09-03-2010, 11:58 AM

Originally Posted by squeaks77

Yeah, everyone here at work is doing this "Biggest Loser" type of competition. One girl, who seems genuinely interested in what I have to say, is depending on flax seed to lose the weight. She adds flaxseed to unsweetened grapefruit juice. She drinks about 5 cups of the juice a day with about a cup of ground flax divided among the 5 cups. I watch her drink it and she's gagging the whole time. She can't understand why she's not losing when she's doing this horribly nasty thing that's guaranteed to make her lose the weight. I pointed out that although juice and flax is "healthy" it's adding a ton of extra calories to her day. She is eating normally, the juice and flax is on top of the rest of her meals. She's actually taking in more cals now than before her "diet". She insists that the fiber in the flax and the metabolism boost grapefruit juice gives her will help her to lose weight anyways, even if the cals are more.

Moral of the story: people will do ANYTHING to avoid watching what they eat and exercising.

I told everyone that if they want to win, come to me and I'll help you make a plan. They all claimed that I would make them do things they didn't want to do and they'd do it their own way. LOL! Yet, these are the same girls that say "I wish I could be skinny like you and eat and workout like you do".

Don't you just love things like this? What is it with people assuming that they can add or subtract one thing from their diet and leave everything else the same? There is no magic to this. It's a science for a reason. It blows my mind how many people will listen to the advice of some 'doctor' in a book or on TV who tells them to buy his magical fairy dust protein bars to lose weight. They end up gaining and wondering why, but if they had looked at the back of the package and noticed that those bars each contained two servings of 300 calories and a measly 8g of protein, they might know better.

I was talking to one of my family members the other day who is trying to lose weight and she told me that all she was having for dinner was sauteed vegetables on a baked potato. What?! Now, my family is southern, and the majority of them eat like it. I asked her why she wasn't eating any sort of protein to speak of with her meal, and this is what she told me:

"Maegan, you're never supposed to eat meat with potatoes."

"And why is that?" I asked.

"Because you should only eat meat with vegetables. I saw a doctor on TV that said if you eat meat with potatoes it will take days for you to digest it, but if you eat meat with vegetables, the vegetables will help it digest in just a few hours."

I would like to tell you she was kidding, but she wasn't. Sigh. Sometimes you just have to let it go.

**amberly** · 09-03-2010, 12:30 PM

Everyone I know who has been on that HCG diet have not completed it and gained the weight back immediately after. I think like 10 people at my work have tried it and a few of my moms friends. My mom also went in to do it ...she's 5 foot tall 100 lbs.. and she used to have a severe eating disorder and they still were gonna let her do it.. Its ridiculous and I can't imagine it benefits your body in any way.

Either way, people just want a quick fix with little to no work involved. Thats just the society we live in. Congrats to those of us who actually want to work towards our goals and reap the benefits that come with a healthy lifestyle.

**Ameinseto** · 09-03-2010, 12:40 PM

You know, I actually feel a little bit bad blaming the people who are playing into this. Yes, they need to get some motivation and stop looking for a quick fix, but think about how many diet promises you come in contact with on a daily basis. I think the bigger problem here is the group of 'experts' and 'doctors' who are condoning this crap.