Why are so many people completely unaware of the fundamentals of weight gain/loss?

Question

I mean, there are so many stupid diet books and products people buy, so many stupid questions asked on here about losing weight, it's just frustrating.

The simple principle is net calorie intake. Take in more calories than you burn, you gain weight. Burn more calories than you eat, you lose weight. Exercise more to burn more calories. Eat less to take in less calories.

Simple formula:

C - E = N

Where C is your calorie intake, E is your calorie consumption, and N is your net calorie level at the end of the day. Obviously, if E is bigger than C, N will be positive, meaning you have excess calories for that day. And if E is bigger than C, N will be negative, meaning that you will have a calorie deficiency for that day. End up with a positive N, those calories will mostly be stored as fat in your body. End up with a negative N, your body takes calories stored in your body (mostly fat) for energy.

I'm just at a loss as to why this simple concept eludes so many people.

Yeah...that is simplified but it's a concept people do not know. Of course if you eat all 2000 calories right before bed, you're going to weigh more and have more fat than someone who eats 6 meals spaced throughout the day of 400 calories each.

BTW, I think the glycemic index is completely overrated. It's all theoretical. Different people's insulin and glycemic responses are different. And eating certain carbs with certain fats and proteins can greatly vary a certain carbs' glycemic effect. Same thing with different cooking methods of carbs - the glycemic value varies. It's not practical at all, and a more common sense approach to carb intake would be a much more valuable tool.

Answer 1

OMG, thank you for posting this question!!!! I totally agree! It's all common sense! Even young children know that if you eat too much, you get fat and that if you don't eat a lot, you'll be thin. It's not a hard concept! You don't need a special diet, supplements, etc. You don't even need to cut out a certain food group like carbs. It's all about eating healthy- a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and monounsaturated fats.

When I answer people's diet questions, I feel like a broken record repeating myself constantly to just eat healthy, cut calories and portion sizes, and exercise. Then I'm also sick of this entire low carb craze! It's amazing how people believe anything the media tells them.

By the way, I just read all your answers to people's nutrition questions and I'm almost impressed that you have all good answers and I haven't found any misinformation like a lot of people on here will post. So great job! I gave you thumbs up on the ones I read. :)

Yes to evan_cs- you are wrong...the small intestine is very efficient in absorbing nutrients. It can absorb 98% of the nutrients in foods we eat, so that means you can almost guarantee it took in all the calories and didn't cr@p them out. What you poop out is fiber (your body doesn't have enzymes to digest fiber) and excess waste.

Answer 2

You are right - the "simple" answer is caloric intake. Except that it isn't complete. Ever heard of the "glycemic index"? What time of day is best to eat? Where to eat? WHAT to eat? HOW to eat? People that are the most successful at losing weight are under the care of a physician, because the physicians can keep track of the latest science of all the little details of what you seem to think is simple.

Glycemic index diets, by the way, are more successful. The glycemic index is a measure of how fast or how slow a food is digested - the stuff that digests slowly releases fewer calories because it takes longer to digest it. Your basic concept is correct, but it isn't as simple as ONLY that.

Answer 3

This concept is not correct at all. I can prove it.

Can anyone tell that if my intake calories is eg, 1000k and by body consume 500k so another 500k left inside my body, right Now you tell me how much weight I supposed to gain. NO BODY CAN SAY IT. Because it is a wrong concept. the food that you eat, your body doesnt consume the whole food. as a form of bowel, 50% of the calories goes out of the body (may be I am wrong about this %)

The weight gain and lose actually depends on how your body's MUSCLE CELL+ FAT cell + BONE cell + Water deposite increases or decreases.

Definitely if you eat less food, the number of these cells becomes less. but rememebr no matter you eat or not, some cells generates and some cells dies, its a continuous process.

Answer 4

Because there are so many more factors that affect how much you weigh than what youv said above, calorie consumption and exercise.

Answer 5

take a leisurely walk in the park for 51 minutes

Answer 6

odds are you re eating too fast try holding a conversation while having a meal so you re not gulping down more than you need to feel full

Answer 7

Yup - you're 100% correct. It's incredibly simple, and it works for me every time.

Answer 8

hover just above your chair in a squat position for 15 seconds every hour

Answer 9

i agree with you 100%. People ask me questions about loosing weight, and i tell them this everytime. They never seem to be able to do it. I watch overweight people, who claim to "want to loose weight and be on a diet" i watch them order foot long subs. why not get a 6 inch? i see them get burger and fries, scarf down plates of breakfast food, etc. and CLAIM to want to loose weight and wonder why its not happening. one word "DUH"

Answer 10

while on vacation also don t forget your diet and exercise plans