Opinion: Exactly Why “Eat Less + Move More” Is Unhelpful Advice

You hear it all the time! All we need to do to manage our weight and finally be “healthy” is to just eat less and move more.

Easy enough, right?

Except that everyone who actively struggles with weight management (with efforts usually fuelled by the weight- and appearance-obsessed diet culture omnipresent in today’s society, but that’s a topic for another day), who’s tried to eat less and move more, hasn’t been able to reach the goal they wanted.

Is that because the person attempting it is a complete loser? Incapable? Stupid?

Absolutely not. It’s really because “eat less and move more” is just not helpful for most people.

Why do people take the advice, then? Listen, the reality is that weight and BMI are very poor indicators of someone’s health and wellbeing. You cannot tell someone’s health status by their appearance, AND someone’s health status does not determine their worth as a human being or a member of society. Nobody’s morally inferior or superior (or shouldn’t be, at least), because of their health status anyway.

BUT, moralizing language and fear mongering are very effective marketing tactics used in diet culture (often by people in leadership positions with a bunch of Instagram followers and a book deal) to get you to sign up to the program, which is usually rigid, hyper-restrictive, and definitely not sustainable. Will it work long term? Who cares! As long as they got your money, they don’t feel the need to provide actual individualized guidance or evidence-based knowledge on the topic.

Here’s why this advice isn’t helpful:

1. It’s not specific enough

   Another term I like to use for it is “intellectually lazy”. It doesn’t take into account your starting point, and doesn’t offer an individualized solution. What does eating less mean for me specifically? How much less? Do I have to cut everything out at all costs? Do I have to train every single day if I am currently sedentary?

   Alternatively, evaluate your starting point in a realistic way, and set specific (or S.M.A.R.T) goals that will move the needle forward slowly but consistently.
   

2. It doesn’t take into account that “eating less” can come with many secondary effects

   People love talking about being in a calorie deficit without actually considering ways that our body reacts to being in a calorie deficit. “Eat less and move more” does not provide us with an understanding of these effects, or tools on how to respond to them in a healthy way. Here are just a handful of examples of how our body reacts to being in a calorie deficit:
   - Increases hunger hormones (ghrelin) and suppresses our fullness hormone (leptin) > increased cravings, heightened hunger signals

   - Remarkably lower energy levels (how am I supposed to move more efficiently if I have NO energy!?)
   - Difficult concentrating
   - Emotional dysregulation (hangry, anyone?)
   - Increased risk of losing control around food at the end of a “good” day (with a side of food guilt)
   - Increased risk of developing an eating disorder or a disordered relationship with food
   
   The bigger the deficit, the more intensely you are likely to experience these. Does it happen to every single human ever? No. But it’s very helpful to be followed by a licensed healthcare practitioner for monitoring.

   Alternatively, monitor how your body reacts to being in a calorie deficit, and inform yourself on tools you could apply to understand and make it less difficult to live with.

3. It can lead to making drastic changes that don’t last (hello, weight-cycling)

   Weight-cycling refers to the significant “up and down” in weight that a person experience, often as a result of dieting. The trend observed is that the “end-weight” is higher than the starting weight, in part because it can affect your resting metabolism. Funny enough, just the phenomenon of weight-cycling itself can increase our risk of developing certain chronic illnesses.

   If you’re interested in reading more about it, see examples in the citations below.
   

4. It doesn’t take into account a person’s needs and reality

   We do not all have the same 24 hours in a day. Someone who is single, childfree and who works in a gym does not have access to the resources that a parent of 2 who has to commute 1 hour to work everyday does.

   Alternatively, set goals that take into account your reality and schedule. Identify what your needs, values and priorities are (be as specific as you can), and set goals that are in line with those. Work with a practitioner who offers solutions that make sense to you.

5. It gives the idea that body composition change is simple

   Everyone has body autonomy. You’re allowed to do whatever it is you want to your body, whether you seek advice about it or not. Whatever path you choose, changing your body composition takes time, not to mention consistent effort! “Just eat less and move more” does not provide you with tools for motivation or consistency (self-compassion, shame resilience, seeking long-term gratification, etc.), and over-simplifies the process way too much.

   We have the impression that weight-loss or muscle gain is a weeks-to-months game, but is in reality a months-to-years game. It’s more helpful to have tools to keep you going instead of giving up because you haven’t lost weight after one week.

   Alternatively, set reasonable expectations for your goals (including timeline), and work with a professional (therapist, Registered Dietitian), to help you sharpen tools that’ll help you stay consistent (self-compassion, shame resilience, seeking long-term gratification, etc.)

Final thoughts

These are just a handful of reasons why I think “eat less and move more” isn’t helpful, and for some, can even be hurtful or dangerous. Though I’ve offered some alternatives, they might sound as simplified as the initial “just eat less and move more” advice. The truth is, it is impossible to offer specific, individualized and values-aligned advice over a blog post, though they are concepts worth going over with a professional. This is a good reminder to not take everything you read on the internet for cash, as a lot of it might not apply to you.

Hope this helped!

Maria Tanielian, RD/Dt.P
Registered Dietitian/Nutritionniste
ODNQ # 7223, CDBC # 2815, SDA # 949

Some interesting studies worth reading with an open mind:

• Lee DH, Keum N, Rezende LFM, Tabung FK, Hong S, Giovannucci EL. Association between weight cycling and risk of kidney cancer: a prospective cohort study and meta-analysis of observational studies. Cancer Causes Control. 2021 Sep;32(9):1029-1038. doi: 10.1007/s10552-021-01455-9. Epub 2021 Jun 5. PMID: 34089471.

• Zou H, Yin P, Liu L, Duan W, Li P, Yang Y, Li W, Zong Q, Yu X. Association between weight cycling and risk of developing diabetes in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Diabetes Investig. 2021 Apr;12(4):625-632. doi: 10.1111/jdi.13380. Epub 2020 Aug 28. PMID: 32745374; PMCID: PMC8015818.

• Thillainadesan S, Madsen S, James DE, Hocking SL. The impact of weight cycling on health outcomes in animal models: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Obes Rev. 2022 May;23(5):e13416. doi: 10.1111/obr.13416. Epub 2022 Jan 25. PMID: 35075766.