Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community - View Single Post - Obesity research confirms long-term weight loss almost impossible

bubbsy · 06-06-2014, 09:47 AM

i don't actually understand what the article is saying. how did they come to this conclusion?

Did they track a group of people who were considered obese , put them on a diet/exercise regiment that resulted in short term weight loss, and then, have the individuals tested every year for X years to see how the short term weight loss held up?
OR
Did they track a group of people who were considered obese , put them on a diet/exercise regiment that resulted in short term weight loss, and then, monitor these folks and differentiate them based on what % of those folks a) didn't maintain the diet/exercise changes in their lifestyle, b) did continue the diet/exercise regiment, and then report on how many folks in column a and b were able to keep off the weight?

Other than the folks where genetics play a large role in their inability to lose weight, i always assumed that if one were to monitor their nutrition (not just the calorie #, but the good vs bad food intakes) and start a regular exercise program, they would get healthier and lose weight. As long as they continued this, the results might plateau due to their body eventually adjusting. I suppose their results could also reverse if factors like age/stress increase without increasing their physical exertion levels. But i just can't imagine that people in column 'b' of my above example can't remain in shape if they continued with the healthy eating and exercise as part of their continued lifestyle.

So, the only way i can interpret what i feel is a relatively poorly written article, is that people who are able to lose weight have a tough time keeping the lifestyle changes constant over 1, 2, 5 year period, and hence, the weight loss itself is short lived. I can live with this conclusion, as it is a fact of life, it is flat out hard to do. But i refuse to believe that if you were to make the lifestyle changes constant, that the weightloss could not be continued/maintained (barring some degree of plateu/reversing due to body adjusting/aging/stress increases in life).

06-06-2014, 09:47 AM	#53
bubbsy Franchise Player Join Date: Aug 2008 Exp:	i don't actually understand what the article is saying. how did they come to this conclusion? Did they track a group of people who were considered obese , put them on a diet/exercise regiment that resulted in short term weight loss, and then, have the individuals tested every year for X years to see how the short term weight loss held up? OR Did they track a group of people who were considered obese , put them on a diet/exercise regiment that resulted in short term weight loss, and then, monitor these folks and differentiate them based on what % of those folks a) didn't maintain the diet/exercise changes in their lifestyle, b) did continue the diet/exercise regiment, and then report on how many folks in column a and b were able to keep off the weight? Other than the folks where genetics play a large role in their inability to lose weight, i always assumed that if one were to monitor their nutrition (not just the calorie #, but the good vs bad food intakes) and start a regular exercise program, they would get healthier and lose weight. As long as they continued this, the results might plateau due to their body eventually adjusting. I suppose their results could also reverse if factors like age/stress increase without increasing their physical exertion levels. But i just can't imagine that people in column 'b' of my above example can't remain in shape if they continued with the healthy eating and exercise as part of their continued lifestyle. So, the only way i can interpret what i feel is a relatively poorly written article, is that people who are able to lose weight have a tough time keeping the lifestyle changes constant over 1, 2, 5 year period, and hence, the weight loss itself is short lived. I can live with this conclusion, as it is a fact of life, it is flat out hard to do. But i refuse to believe that if you were to make the lifestyle changes constant, that the weightloss could not be continued/maintained (barring some degree of plateu/reversing due to body adjusting/aging/stress increases in life). Last edited by bubbsy; 06-06-2014 at 09:50 AM.