MetaFilter posts tagged with weightloss and diet

Diet Trend Smackdown--and no winners?

mecran01 — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 10:32:19 -0800

"People lose weight if they lower calories, but it does not matter how." According to recently published study in the New England Journal of Medicine, "For people who are trying to lose weight, it does not matter if they are counting carbohydrates, protein or fat. All that matters is that they are counting something." “The effect of any particular diet group is minuscule, but the effect of individual behavior is humongous,” Dr. Sacks said. “We had some people losing 50 pounds and some people gaining five pounds. That’s what we don’t have a clue about. I think in the future, researchers should focus less on the actual diet but on finding what is really the biggest governor of success in these individuals.” [full study here] As a big (no pun intended) fan of the work done by Gary Taubes, I find these results distressing. Fortunately for my wavering dietary faith, Taubes responds to the study.

"...Then I have half a banana (50)"

Acheman — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 05:08:08 -0800

Via Amazon, you can read the first few chapters[PDF] of Carol Lay's new graphic novel-cum-diet book The Big Skinny. Blogger and fellow cartoonist Ampersand/Barry Deutsch doesn't object to the weight loss she documents, he just isn't convinced that it's actually all that healthy. See Junkfood Science for more discussion of the 'Obesity Paradox' (for more articles, scroll a great way down the right-hand sidebar).

That donut I drank was delicious.

jbickers — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 07:29:19 -0800

How many calories did you drink last night? Alcohol intake, rendered in food equivalents. More on alcohol and weight loss. Dammit.

The Anorexia Debate: Biology v Culture

peacay — Sun, 05 Jun 2005 09:52:28 -0800

A recent study of 60 people with anorexia suggests that a biological mechanism may be a causative factor. It was found that there was a reduction in blood flow to a specific area in one of the temporal lobes in those with the eating disorder. The author of the study believes that sociocultural factors have been over emphasized. Not all agree. By way of contrast, another research group has just published findings which purport to show that "even small amounts of exposure to thin bodies can have a short-term negative effect on body image." And adult anorexia rates are said to be rising.
There's associated debate too, regarding the contributing role played by therapy that seeks to personify eating disorders. Flourishing underground online communities derive some thinspiration by referring to their 'lifestyle choices' as 'Ana' (for anorexia) and 'Mia' (for bulimia). Argentina is responding to the body image controversy by enacting a size law. previous mefi threads [via + via ]

NutritionData.com

callmejay — Wed, 19 Jan 2005 10:57:17 -0800

NutritionData.com is a free and very useful website for detailed nutrition information, including the in-vogue Glycemic Index; their own Fullness Factor, a measure of how filling foods are per calorie; and others. Their Better Choices Diet makes use of the Fullness Factor to make consuming less energy than you use easier to do without going hungry. Previously mentioned in response to this AskMe question.

The magic pill

Juicylicious — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 13:26:34 -0800

Want to lose weight, but don't want to exercise? How about quitting smoking? And, what about those other little nasty addictions? Well Rimonabant is the magic pill for you. It's so great that it can even cure your Doritos craving, commonly known as the munchies. It works by blocking the endocannabinoids/cannibas receptors in your brain. This latest and greatest cure-all even has it's own blog.