Though I've read about the high failure rates of dieters, my anecdotal observations refute this.

I know more people who have lost weight and kept it off, then who have yo-yoed or failed to lose weight. Though those who lost weight tended to be closer to a normal weight to begin with, and had at some time put on extra weight; while those who were heavier from the onset, seemed never to be able lose weight.

I simply don't believe that our increasingly heavier population is incapable of slimming down. There are more variables than just diet. If the person is heavy and rarely exercises, then exercise should be added to the equation. I'd also wonder if there are other factors, such as stress, that make it difficult to lose weight.

A recent article indicated that stress increases the ability to add abdominal fat. And the greater stress of lo status may be part of the reason why social status is one of the best indicators of good/bad health.

Question:

Did the people you knew who lost weight keep it off for a long period? Was the weight gain short-term, so that the dieter returned to a more normal weight, for him or her?

I can't speak for the population as a whole, but my brief experience with antidepressants added 25 pounds for an approximate 20% gain in total weight. I later found out that my experience is not uncommon - though my doctor didn't think it was a problem. That 25 pounds has been far harder to lose than the 35 pounds I gained with my first pregnancy and the 40 pounds I gained with the second - even though I was 39 when I had my second child (age does affect metabolism).

I know antidepressants are an important tool for many people - but my experience was very negative. At the risk of sounding like Tom Cruise, I can only wonder how many modern health problems are exacerbated by the increasing use of these drugs.

Yes, everyone I know that lost weight (including myself) kept it off. The amount of time the weight had been on varied, but most had the weight for at least a year, and probably as long as 5-10 years. My parents both lost weight--20-30 pounds--over age 50. Many family members have lost weight through diet and exercise. It isn't like I know a lot of people who lost a hundred pounds and kept it off, but in the range of 10-40 pounds, I know a number of people who have lost weight and it has stayed off. Most made lifestyle changes as well: regular exercise, healthier diet. No one I know eats heavy meat the way they used to when I was a kid. It's mostly fish and chicken, and non-sauced veggies.

By default the people who sign up for these diet studies are people who can't deal with overweight on their own. The people who are successful at losing and maintaining the weight loss aren't going to sign up for studies - obviously! So you've got a selected group of subjects with a history of failure. Meanwhile, as a Registered Dietitian, trust me - people lie about what they eat. They lie all the time, to themselves, to doctors, to RDs, to their friends. And in addition to lying, they simply don't remember, or they discount portion sizes and amounts. "Well, I only ate the crumbs, so that doesn't count". In general, overweight people eat too much and they don't exercise. And the heavier they are, the more likely they won't be exercising, because it's difficult or embarassing or whatever. So the problem only gets worse. If you doubt me, just stop at any restaurant along the Interstate Highway system and watch what people are eating. Keeping in mind - these people are spending the day sitting in a car, traveling. Does that 50 year old woman who clearly weighs 250 lbs really need 3 giant pancakes, scrambled eggs and 3 sausage patties?

I agree that exercise is key. I know when I gain weight it's almost entirely due to lack of exercise. I lose the motivation and keep eating at the same rate and quickly (within a few months) gain 15-25lbs. I just have to keep myself movtivated.

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noisette:

I can't speak for the population as a whole, but my brief experience with antidepressants added 25 pounds for an approximate 20% gain in total weight. I later found out that my experience is not uncommon - though my doctor didn't think it was a problem. That 25 pounds has been far harder to lose than the 35 pounds I gained with my first pregnancy and the 40 pounds I gained with the second - even though I was 39 when I had my second child (age does affect metabolism).

I know antidepressants are an important tool for many people - but my experience was very negative. At the risk of sounding like Tom Cruise, I can only wonder how many modern health problems are exacerbated by the increasing use of these drugs.

My oldest daughter went on antidepressants because of severe clinical depression with suicidal tendencies. It was scary. They worked for her. (Along with very critical therapy.) She is medication free and functioning just fine today. But, I'm not sure she'd be alive without them.

In addition, she lost about 35 lbs when she went on them, though she wasn't trying to diet (we had enough issues to deal with just then.) She maintains a normal weight today.

Asside from ancidotal evidence, now that most antidepressants are not recommended for teens, the teen suicide rate is up sharply everywhere.

Yes, for some people antidepressants don't work. For the majority of people with clinical depression they are a miracle. The real problem is our lack of psychiatric care. When a patient is put on these medicines, they should probably be monitored by trained psycharitrists in an in-patient setting until its certain the drug is doing what its supposed to. Antidepressants casually prescribed by a family practice doctor or internists are probably a very bad idea. Brain drugs are serious business.

>>Does that 50 year old woman who clearly weighs 250 lbs really need 3 giant pancakes, scrambled eggs and 3 sausage patties?

Do YOU need to be a moralizing skinny-assed bitch?

Guess the answer to BOTH of those questions is "No, but that's just the way things are."