Doctor Fact-Checks POPULAR Weight Loss Tips

Aug 18, 2023

Doctor Fact-Checks POPULAR Weight Loss Tips

There sure are a LOT of weight management tips across the internet, and after my research it appears finding the facts from trustworthy sources is harder than it seems. Heck, I’m a doctor and had trouble verifying a lot of this stuff, so how is someone without a medical degree supposed to find accurate and safe info? Today I’m taking a look at some popular weight loss tips around the internet to tell you what’s real and and what’s not.

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-Doctor Mike Varshavski

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** The information in this video is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained in this video is for general information purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional **

Content

0.117 -> - "Turn down the lights

1.017 -> "and turn up some music while you eat.

3.037 -> "These environmental distractions

4.597 -> "will take your attention away from the food."

6.5 -> Turn your house into a rave while you eat,

8.87 -> get a giant bear chasing you around

10.93 -> so that you don't have enough time

12.02 -> to put the food in your mouth.

12.88 -> What kind of advice is that?

14.25 -> For those of you who are

15.23 -> looking to be at a healthier weight,

16.9 -> the internet has no shortage

18.77 -> of weight loss advice.

20.49 -> Well, in this video,

21.323 -> I'm gonna take some of that advice,

23.63 -> and put it through a lie detector.

25.52 -> And find out what's true, what's not,

29.154 -> Let's get started.

30.571 -> "Drink black coffee.

32.461 -> "This will boost your metabolism."

34.294 -> Well, look, caffeine is a stimulant.

36.624 -> So it could potentially boost your metabolism.

38.564 -> But why I like this statement

40.404 -> is because black coffee means

42.324 -> that it doesn't have excess calories

44.324 -> from sugar, milk, creamer.

46.224 -> All of that.

47.057 -> In addition, black coffee will technically

49.504 -> keep your fast going.

51.114 -> So if you're a fan of intermittent fasting,

52.914 -> you still gonna be getting a lot of those same benefits

55.204 -> with having a little stimulation onboard.

57.081 -> "Hang a mirror in front of your dining table.

59.251 -> "Studies show watching yourself

60.951 -> "reduces the amount of food you consume."

63.464 -> No, if you want to hang a mirror

65.364 -> in front of your dining table because of decor,

67.424 -> please, go right ahead.

69.014 -> If you're doing it so you hate yourself

71.054 -> while you're eating, no.

73.728 -> (speaking foreign language)

75.341 -> "Use smaller plates and bowls to serve your own food.

78.571 -> "This is an optical trick

79.931 -> "that will give you a full sensation

81.681 -> "from seeing a clean plate."

83.284 -> I like this tip.

84.274 -> I think it's a fairly benign tip.

85.834 -> Really, one of the biggest problems

87.046 -> in the eating habits of my patients

89.184 -> who are obese or overweight

91.304 -> is that they eat really big portions,

92.964 -> and they don't even realize it.

94.004 -> So by having a smaller plate,

95.184 -> you're already helping yourself

96.544 -> to figure out a healthy portion size.

98.304 -> But also when you see it

100.254 -> and you eat the entire plate,

101.694 -> there is a psychological concept

103.654 -> to how you absorb those calories.

105.554 -> It really does take effect.

106.631 -> "Participate in intermittent fasting,

108.921 -> "though it may also reduce muscle mass."

111.434 -> This is controversial.

112.454 -> For some, like myself,

114.004 -> intermittent fasting works great

115.974 -> because you're eating in a very specific window,

118.784 -> meaning that you're not eating for 16 hours of the day

121.564 -> and you're only eating in a time-restricted

123.584 -> eight hour feeding pattern,

124.964 -> you're gonna eat less calories.

126.394 -> That's just the nature of eating in a smaller window.

129.244 -> That being said,

130.077 -> some people actually get a disordered relationship

133.254 -> with their eating habits

134.254 -> when they do this type of fasting.

135.774 -> So it's certainly not for everyone,

137.464 -> but it is an option.

138.334 -> And we've actually seen some favorable health effects

141.254 -> outside of just the weight loss.

142.994 -> That includes hormonal changes,

144.674 -> favorable hormonal changes,

146.134 -> increased clarity.

147.254 -> Also there's a genuine benefit

149.164 -> to not having to eat for 16 hours of the day.

152.204 -> Kind of gives you an advantage

153.354 -> for you to be able to focus, exercise,

156.044 -> perhaps do a little mindfulness session.

158.214 -> Which can go a long way to calming you down

164.62 -> "with whey protein powder."

166.163 -> This one I am hesitant to recommend to a lot of folks.

170.033 -> I'm not a huge fan of getting

172.503 -> my protein needs from supplements.

174.453 -> When you eat a protein rich meal,

176.583 -> it usually comes with some fat.

178.363 -> Perhaps some carbohydrates,

179.763 -> depending on the source of the protein.

181.393 -> And when you're getting whey protein powder,

183.263 -> you're really isolating the protein

184.673 -> and getting just that.

185.703 -> I feel like you can find nutrient rich protein sources

188.793 -> like tuna, like salmon.

190.613 -> And in addition to the protein,

192.133 -> you're also gonna get a lot of other nutrients

194.103 -> that aren't found a whey protein,

195.453 -> like omega-3 fatty acids.

196.92 -> "Chew more slowly.

198.17 -> "Your brain can take time to signal

199.85 -> "to your stomach that you're full,

201.44 -> "so being patient with how quickly you eat

203.12 -> "can allow your brain time to cut off

205.09 -> "before you overeat."

206.313 -> I would change this advice just a little bit.

208.663 -> I would say chew thoroughly,

210.243 -> 'cause if you slow down your chewing,

212.093 -> that might be a little bit awkward.

213.773 -> But if you choose thoroughly,

215.503 -> you could actually give yourself the time

217.287 -> to signal to your body that you're fuller,

219.443 -> that you're getting the nourishment that you need.

221.018 -> 'Cause it's really about eating

223.063 -> to the point where you're satiated,

225.243 -> not to the point where you feel so full

227.313 -> that you hate yourself.

228.343 -> Let's be honest,

229.176 -> we've all been there.

230.009 -> But that's not an ideal place to be

231.693 -> if you're trying to maintain a healthy weight.

233.2 -> "Spoil food you don't want or need to eat.

236.27 -> "If you've got leftovers that are calling your name,

238.62 -> "find a way to ruin the food

240.13 -> "such as dousing it in milk

241.46 -> "or pouring in a ton of salt."

243.343 -> What?

244.176 -> Not only will this create

246.153 -> a very disordered eating pattern

248.483 -> where you're destroying food instead of

250.352 -> creating a healthy relationship with it,

252.703 -> but you're also getting rid of food that someone can eat.

255.753 -> People in America are hungry,

257.683 -> especially during COVID-19.

259.433 -> This is a true problem

260.663 -> and it's even a bigger problem around the world.

262.703 -> I don't know where this advice came from,

264.143 -> but two thumbs down for me.

265.5 -> "Drink green tea.

266.64 -> "It's loaded with powerful antioxidants called catechins,

270.03 -> "which are believed to work synergistically

271.73 -> "with caffeine to enhance fat burning."

274.693 -> I am one of the the biggest green tea fans out there.

277.743 -> It's important to know that it has caffeine in it.

279.843 -> So, ideally, not a great drink

281.513 -> to drink at the end of it the day.

282.643 -> But for lunch, for breakfast,

284.763 -> green tea is a great option.

286.173 -> Not only does it have catechins,

287.433 -> it has polyphenols in it.

289.143 -> L-theanine, which sort of balances out

291.889 -> the boost that you get from the caffeine stimulant,

294.266 -> but also gives you that calming effect on your mind.

297.073 -> Now, whether or not green tea

298.363 -> will actually boost weight loss,

299.863 -> it's not gonna be a magical effect that you see here.

302.893 -> In fact, I've seen a lot of companies

304.393 -> try and do something shady like,

305.865 -> "Our supplements have green tea extract

307.93 -> "and that's what helps you burn fat."

310.313 -> Don't go that far.

311.16 -> "Interval training.

311.993 -> "Short bursts of intense exercise

313.74 -> "followed by longer stretches of mild exercise."

316.553 -> This is my favorite.

317.963 -> HIIT, HIIT, HIIT, HIIT exercise.

321.763 -> That's high-intensity interval training.

323.703 -> You go all out for 30 seconds or a minute.

326.053 -> And then for a minute, three minutes, five minutes,

329.093 -> you do really mild light-intensity activity.

331.903 -> One, it promotes weight loss.

333.533 -> Two, it promotes muscle building.

335.503 -> Three, it also improves heart rate variability.

338.503 -> When you start exercising really quickly

340.303 -> and you go full on intensity,

341.403 -> your heart rate should go up to compensate.

343.123 -> But then when you do light-intensity exercise,

345.293 -> your heart rate should be able to settle back down.

347.333 -> As you do this more and more,

348.823 -> your heart's ability to calm down

350.663 -> in that period of light-intensity will improve.

352.843 -> And what we've actually seen in scientific research

355.193 -> is improved survival in individuals

357.459 -> who are having heart attacks

359.323 -> if they had good heart rate variability.

361.233 -> It's a true survival benefit.

362.7 -> "Get used to and accept the feeling of being hungry.

365.63 -> "You can't lose weight without enduring hunger.

367.97 -> "So recognizing and normalizing that feeling is important."

370.943 -> Not true, you can lose weight

373.293 -> without necessarily ever feeling hungry and suffering.

377.093 -> Intuitive eating is something that many of my patients

379.612 -> have done and done quite well, actually.

382.473 -> You only eat to the point where you're no longer hungry.

385.173 -> Where you feel satiated,

386.293 -> but not overly full.

387.533 -> That way, you're not overeating calories.

390.143 -> You're not having these tremendous

391.823 -> portions of unhealthy foods,

393.854 -> and you don't have to sit and starve yourself.

396.36 -> "Lift weights instead of just doing cardio.

399.45 -> "Not only does this cause you to lose fat,

401.64 -> "but you also build muscle to replace it."

404.103 -> Over simplified advice,

405.803 -> but overall decent concept.

407.553 -> I'll explain.

408.386 -> When I recommend an exercise routine for my patients,

411.303 -> I rarely say just cardio or just weight training.

414.543 -> It's usually a combination of the both.

416.063 -> Reason being is they have different benefits

418.353 -> and those benefits really paint

420.243 -> a complete picture of good or optimal health.

422.673 -> For example, going for a run.

424.413 -> Really good for your heart.

425.883 -> Helps heart rate variability,

427.213 -> especially if you're doing

428.213 -> high-intensity interval training.

429.653 -> But when you're lifting weights,

430.843 -> you're not only burning fat

432.343 -> and using calories while you're exercising,

434.723 -> you're also doing that when you recover.

436.923 -> Later that day,

437.803 -> the following day,

438.923 -> because it takes energy to rebuild that muscle

441.463 -> and to rebuild it even stronger or bigger

444.183 -> if you're lifting heavy enough

445.893 -> and consistently enough.

446.9 -> "Snack often, this will prevent metabolic slow down

449.77 -> "where your metabolism stops

451.16 -> "if there is nothing there to digest.

452.74 -> "While snacking, your metabolism is forced to stay engaged."

456.363 -> This one has been pretty much debunked by modern science.

459.943 -> While for some individuals,

461.583 -> as long as they monitor their caloric intake

463.873 -> and they're not eating poor quality foods,

466.183 -> grazing, snacking like that

467.963 -> could be a potential option.

469.703 -> But it is not a mandatory way for success.

472.653 -> There's plenty of people that can eat

474.123 -> two meals a day, three meals a day

476.063 -> and do just as good a job

477.249 -> as those who eat smaller

479.163 -> frequent meals throughout the day.

480.593 -> This is an individual decision

482.503 -> based on your goals, your lifestyle,

484.703 -> and really what your preferences are.

486.793 -> This should not be a painful process.

488.82 -> "Drinking water 30 minutes before a meal

491.2 -> "will help your body burn calories faster

493.42 -> "and therefore lose weight."

494.753 -> Losing weight isn't as simple as drinking some water,

497.013 -> but water is a really important nutrient for your body.

499.833 -> And there's several benefits to staying well hydrated.

502.473 -> When you drink water,

503.306 -> you stretch out your stomach.

504.223 -> Therefore, you're less likely

505.223 -> to consume a really large meal.

507.083 -> Second, there is a water-induced thermogenesis process.

510.713 -> that has some evidence and truth behind it

512.633 -> where by drinking 70 degree water,

515.253 -> you actually have to heat it up

516.803 -> to your normal body temperature

518.313 -> and that burn some calories.

519.663 -> Not a huge deal,

520.753 -> but definitely worth noting.

521.903 -> It helps remove waste of your body.

523.863 -> So it decreases bloating

525.143 -> and it gets that whole system going.

527.203 -> It also keeps you hydrated and performing well

529.823 -> during your exercises.

531.053 -> When you have a good exercise session,

532.503 -> you're more likely to burn more calories.

534.25 -> "Begin meal prepping.

535.49 -> "Plan out all of your meals for the week

537.28 -> "and spend a few hours

538.31 -> "cooking them, storing them

539.43 -> "in resealable containers ahead of time.

541.5 -> "This will allow you to eat a prepped meal

543.21 -> "instead of ordering take out

544.61 -> "when you're too tired to cook something fresh."

546.743 -> I love this piece of advice.

548.673 -> I've tried to do this in the past,

550.523 -> but I realize I'm a terrible cook.

551.773 -> So I'm working on it.

552.893 -> But the reason why I enjoy this is because

554.833 -> A, you get to control what kind of foods you're eating.

557.773 -> What kind of oils you're cooking with.

559.443 -> When you have that layer of control,

560.853 -> you're gonna make better decisions.

562.233 -> Second, when you're tired,

564.203 -> and you're coming home

565.063 -> and you don't have the energy to make something,

566.833 -> you're probably gonna order out.

568.193 -> And when you're ordering out,

569.163 -> you're gonna say,

569.996 -> "Well, since I'm ordering out,

570.829 -> "I want to enjoy it."

571.662 -> And you're gonna get something that's less than ideal.

573.313 -> So yes, plan your meals out ahead of time.

575.129 -> You'll save money, eat healthier

577.143 -> and potentially even learn a new skill,

578.973 -> which I need to do.

579.806 -> "While exercise can certainly aid in weight loss,

582.52 -> "diet accounts for the vast majority

584.35 -> "of the equation behind losing weight.

586.1 -> "And it's quite possible to lose weight

587.89 -> "without adjusting your workout routine at all."

590.183 -> I always want my patients to exercise

593.163 -> and it's not solely because

594.833 -> I know they're gonna expend more energy,

596.623 -> therefore lose some weight.

597.803 -> It is because it is healthy

599.523 -> in all aspects of life.

601.183 -> It's gonna help somewhat with

602.463 -> weight loss, your mood,

603.973 -> your aches and pains.

605.513 -> Your confidence level,

606.813 -> which will play a role in

608.163 -> your anxiety or depressive symptoms.

610.143 -> That being said,

610.976 -> if you really are interested in

613.053 -> lowering your weight to healthy level,

615.113 -> to a weight that's ideal for

616.623 -> your height and your lifestyle,

618.443 -> diet is the number one thing you should focus on.

621.063 -> That being said,

621.953 -> sleep, exercise, your mental health.

624.61 -> All of those things need to be taken into account.

627.093 -> Calories in and calories out

628.643 -> could make sense from a scientific perspective.

630.973 -> It's not really great from a practical perspective,

635.825 -> of my Real Nutrition videos.

637.715 -> Or you want to have a good laugh,

640.817 -> As always, stay happy and healthy.

643.037 -> Which video are you clicking on?

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q42n27oCOUM