Why do people go on strict diets to make themselves live longer?

[MrHT]

This has always bugged me for a long time. People restrict themselves of junk food & fast food just because they want to eat healthy and live a longer life. But think about it. Wouldn't it be better to live a shorter life and enjoy it rather than live a longer, miserable life? Now, I'm not saying to order 10 donuts at Dunkin' Donuts and gobble them all up, but once in a while, enjoy yourself!! Some people restrict themselves and starve themselves all their lives just to add more years to their life. But what good are those extra years of living if you're just miserable??

[Monterey Jack]

To quote John Lithgow on Third Rock From The Sun, when told that quitting smoking will add ten years to your life, "Yes, but they're off the end of your life, and those years are crappy!"

[Will.]

I'm a vegetarian and I don't eat junk food, but it's not to live longer. It's to make myself feel happy and healthy now

[Leonidas King]

It's not a strict diet but a healthy lifestyle eating habit.

I eat healthy all the time but thats not to say I dont like enjoying a pizza or donut once in a while.

[Al_The_Strange]

Originally Posted by MrHT

This has always bugged me for a long time. People restrict themselves of junk food & fast food just because they want to eat healthy and live a longer life. But think about it. Wouldn't it be better to live a shorter life and enjoy it rather than live a longer, miserable life? Now, I'm not saying to order 10 donuts at Dunkin' Donuts and gobble them all up, but once in a while, enjoy yourself!! Some people restrict themselves and starve themselves all their lives just to add more years to their life. But what good are those extra years of living if you're just miserable??

Speak for yourself, bub. I don't think I'm comfortable with the idea that my own body could kill me at some random point. Heart disease runs in my family, so if eating healthy can stave off the inevitable heart attack, why not?

On top of that, who says my old age will be miserable? Chances are I'll retire and live like a king and finally find time to write and publish some books, what's not to love? I'd rather spend those years being lean and active. Nothing saddens me more than to see old folks who are sedentary, I want to be the opposite of that. And I see old folks here and there who are still strong and active, my own grandmother is one of them.

That being said, I don't think my diet is restrictive enough. I downed a whole tub of ice cream on the weekend, so who says I don't splurge? Nah, I do want to be healthy though, it is gratifying and makes me feel better.

[Moviefan2k4]

One of my favorite mottos...

Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and die anyway.

[WhySoBlu?]

Originally Posted by Moviefan2k4

One of my favorite mottos...

Eat healthy, exercise regularly, and die anyway.

Rather simplistic and meaningless for a motto, no? I mean, you could literally put any action that a person can do in front of those two commas and the saying would mean the exact same thing: everybody dies. The problem is, that's not a terribly insightful observation.

For instance, what if your poor eating habits and lack of exercise lead to diabetes, which leads to you losing a foot or leg? Or a stroke or heart attack that ends up crippling you and leaving you bed-ridden and/or incapable of caring for yourself?

I won't go into it here, since I've posted plenty on this topic in the other weight loss thread (why we need two is beyond me,) but there's more to life than living one of two extremes - you don't only have two choices: be on a super strict diet and hardcore exercise regime or be an obese glutton who lives a sedentary lifestyle. There's plenty of middle ground there, but acknowledging that makes it harder to justify your choices than if you only had the option of those two extremes.

[WhySoBlu?]

Originally Posted by MrHT

This has always bugged me for a long time. People restrict themselves of junk food & fast food just because they want to eat healthy and live a longer life.

Many - if not most of the - people who try to eat healthy and exercise do so to look and feel better, not necessarily to live a longer life. A lot of it is vanity, but being in shape feels a hell of a lot better than being overweight and weak.

There was really no need for a second thread. There's no reason you couldn't have posted your questions in this thread.

[dancerslegs]

Healthy diets are aces!!

Here's something I posted about my diet on my Facebook:

I am pescatarian. A lot of people don't seem to know what that means when I say that, so I will elaborate here:

Basically, it means that I can eat anything at all that I want. The only restriction being that my meat consumption is limited to creatures who breathe water (a.k.a., seafood). This includes, but is not limited to, various types of scaled fish (wild-caught only, if available)--salmon, mahi, tilapia, catfish, bass, grouper, trout, red snapper, lionfish, etc.; crustaceans--lobster, crab, crawfish, shrimp, clams, mussels, conch, etc.; and assorted "miscellany"--squid, octopus, sea cucumber, etc..

I went pescatarian on April 8th, 2015, along with my bestie, have seen various improvements in the state of our health (such as clearer skin) since then, and have no plans to ever reintroduce meat into our regular diets.

Once a month only, we select on day on which we "debauch" on meats, but experience has taught us to now try to limit the debauch to just pepperoni or maybe bison--our systems no longer seem particularly friendly to other meats!

Additionally, we both endeavor to stick to healthier choices in the selection of other foods we eat--mostly fresh fruits and veggies (frequently organic and non-GMO), some starches, less grains, a fair amount of nuts and legumes.

High sugar, sodium, and preservative-rich foods are all but completely eliminated--we have both given up sodas, ice cream, confections, frozen processed foods, salty snacks, and such, except on the rare occasion. Condiments of all varieties--assorted dressings, sauces, dips, etc.--are kept to a bare minimum.

Although we are both very conscientious of the widespread mistreatment of farm animals in the West, we continue to consume certain animal products, such as eggs, cheese, butter, etc.. However, in these things, we go for more humanitarian and nutritious options these days, such as eggs from free-range chickens.

The upshot of following such a diet is that we both experience greater energy, strength, mental-clarity, lower blood-pressure, and smoother digestion than we ever have in our lives. We are committed non-meat eating, healthy dieting peeps for life!

[knight17]

Like the saying goes " It's not the years in your life but rather the life in your years"

What that means is mileage. There is a limit to what your body can take and even for a organ that can heal itself (liver), it needs time to do so.

Eventually this mileage will catch up to you which is why it's best to take care of your body.

While it may seem like some eat nothing but junk food and still end up doing alright it's best to think of them as the exception rather than the norm.

Like several others have mentioned it helps live life to the fullest.

It's quality over quantity. Do you want to live for 75 but lead a miserable life by not taking care of your body or do you want to live for 75 but still be able to do chores until the last couple of days at the very least.

I would very much like the second option. While I am not on a diet, I do keep a check on what I consume and exercise. From a personal point of view, although I am getting older, I feel young.

[blurayfriend]

There's actually something to it. I'm currently trying to get super lean for summer and running every day/every other day. When I eat whatever I want I look the same, when I cut out the Eskimo Pies it's shocking how much less weight I retain or put on, so there's actually something to it. If you eat just an extra piece of cake a day, you literally will not ever get to look like a superhero and your cholesterol will rise so that's why some abstain, just that one extra item in your diet makes a ton of difference for me personally. When I don't care is when I indulge, but there's a point to restricting yourself is what I'm saying, it's not an empty gesture.

[Abby is Q]

Originally Posted by dancerslegs

The upshot of following such a diet is that we both experience greater energy, strength, mental-clarity, lower blood-pressure, and smoother digestion than we ever have in our lives. We are committed non-meat eating, healthy dieting peeps for life!

Yes, yes, and yes. I've cut out red meat completely, but I'm going to stick to poultry for more rare occasions (like once every couple weeks or if there is nothing else on the menu [I'm out of the house a lot lately, so I don't get to cook as much]). One of the worst feelings is trying to get through the day feeling bloated and backed up. Rarely a problem anymore and I feel more energetic and lively.

I do have an issue with pastries and dairy and should probably cut those from my diet, but I work in a coffee shop, so those are really, really difficult to cut. Maybe in the future, as I'm still in the midst of cutting poultry out.

[segagamer12]

I was determined to lose weight a few summers ago but I wasn't willing to give up the soda or the junk food. I ended up losing 25 pounds that summer just exercising but I still drank 3-4 code red mountain dews a day and ate pizza at least three times a week. You can eat whatever you want if you are willing to work hard burning it off. Now you are still going to destroy your organs in the process and there is only so much abuse the body can take.

Last summer I did the opposite. I ate healthy, I didn't exercise nearly as much because I just didn't have the time or energy, and I gave up soda entirely replaced with unsweatened tea and water for two whole months. All that time I barely lost 2 pounds. So I would take eat what you want and work it off over starve yourself and be miserable. Working out feels better at the end of the day then not working out anyways.

Or you could be healthy and eat a balanced diet and exercise enough to feel good and still gobble down potato chips on the weekend. The point is live your life how you want don't let people tell you how to live it, but don't be discouraged if others live a different life style than you so what let them.

[WhySoBlu?]

I'm seriously considering becoming pesca-pescatarian - that's where I would only eat fish that have only eaten other fish. /stolen joke from Silicon Valley

But seriously, I can't imagine a more boring, joyless, and less-satisfying existence than one where the only meat I could eat was fish. I shudder at the very thought...

[42041]

Originally Posted by MrHT

People restrict themselves of junk food & fast food just because they want to eat healthy and live a longer life. But think about it. Wouldn't it be better to live a shorter life and enjoy it rather than live a longer, miserable life?

If fast food and junk food are the enjoyable parts of your life, I think you've got bigger problems than health

[SixSpeedSamurai]

Originally Posted by segagamer12

I was determined to lose weight a few summers ago but I wasn't willing to give up the soda or the junk food. I ended up losing 25 pounds that summer just exercising but I still drank 3-4 code red mountain dews a day and ate pizza at least three times a week. You can eat whatever you want if you are willing to work hard burning it off. Now you are still going to destroy your organs in the process and there is only so much abuse the body can take.

Last summer I did the opposite. I ate healthy, I didn't exercise nearly as much because I just didn't have the time or energy, and I gave up soda entirely replaced with unsweatened tea and water for two whole months. All that time I barely lost 2 pounds. So I would take eat what you want and work it off over starve yourself and be miserable. Working out feels better at the end of the day then not working out anyways.

Or you could be healthy and eat a balanced diet and exercise enough to feel good and still gobble down potato chips on the weekend. The point is live your life how you want don't let people tell you how to live it, but don't be discouraged if others live a different life style than you so what let them.

You must be under 40 hahaha. When I was in college, I trimmed down a ton. After that as long as I worked out, I could eat and drink whatever the hell I wanted and was fine.

Not the case anymore, especially at 41. I already have quit drinking 12 years ago because of a rare liver disease, and my wife has cut out most processed foods at home. They'll pry pizza from my cold dead hands.

[dancerslegs]

Originally Posted by WhySoBlu?

I'm seriously considering becoming pesca-pescatarian - that's where I would only eat fish that have only eaten other fish. /stolen joke from Silicon Valley

But seriously, I can't imagine a more boring, joyless, and less-satisfying existence than one where the only meat I could eat was fish. I shudder at the very thought...

Naw, my diet is FAR more exciting since going pescatarian!

Admittedly, it helps that my bestie/housemate is a master chef and is always cooking up something super awesome for us. I freaking love her Seafood Tacos Villa Rica, Creole crab cakes, salmon burgers, seafood chowder, sheepshead in black bean sauce, smoked salmon Eggs Benedict, crab & pesto pizza, Crawfish O'Connor, drunken shrimp & scallop skewers, she crab soup, snow crab ravioli, fried calamari, conch & kimchi salad, nova lox on toast, seafood stew, Seafood Tacos Fra Diavlo, cioppino, bourbon-glaze trout, tuna jerky, giant coconut prawns, seafood bouillabaisse, and, and...

[dancerslegs]

Originally Posted by Abby is Q

Yes, yes, and yes. I've cut out red meat completely, but I'm going to stick to poultry for more rare occasions (like once every couple weeks or if there is nothing else on the menu [I'm out of the house a lot lately, so I don't get to cook as much]). One of the worst feelings is trying to get through the day feeling bloated and backed up. Rarely a problem anymore and I feel more energetic and lively.

I do have an issue with pastries and dairy and should probably cut those from my diet, but I work in a coffee shop, so those are really, really difficult to cut. Maybe in the future, as I'm still in the midst of cutting poultry out.

No lie, I used to experience horrible acne, which even expensive meds prescribed by my dermatologist was futile against. However, when I went pescatarian, my acne cleared up in three weeks and has been gone since. (On the extremely rare occasion on which I have since "debauched" on certain red meats, such as a beef burger or pork ribs, I suffer a breakout.)

As for pastries, I am lucky that I never developed a taste for doughnuts. The appeal escapes me. Then again, heaven knows I scarfed more than my share of cookies, cake and ice cream growing up! No more, haha!

[MrHT]

Originally Posted by Abby is Q

Yes, yes, and yes. I've cut out red meat completely, but I'm going to stick to poultry for more rare occasions (like once every couple weeks or if there is nothing else on the menu [I'm out of the house a lot lately, so I don't get to cook as much]).

I never understood why people think red meat is bad for you. It's insanely high in protein. It's actually very good for you.

[WhySoBlu?]

Originally Posted by dancerslegs

Naw, my diet is FAR more exciting since going pescatarian!

Except that you could eat any of the things you're eating now without "going pescatarian," so that really has nothing to do with it, other than you may have been forced - out of necessity - to try different dishes.

The reality is, you eliminate a ton of options when you cut out all meat besides fish, and there's no way you don't realize that - and what's exciting about that?

Originally Posted by dancerslegs

Admittedly, it helps that my bestie/housemate is a master chef and is always cooking up something super awesome for us. I freaking love her Seafood Tacos Villa Rica, Creole crab cakes, salmon burgers, seafood chowder, sheepshead in black bean sauce, smoked salmon Eggs Benedict, crab & pesto pizza, Crawfish O'Connor, drunken shrimp & scallop skewers, she crab soup, snow crab ravioli, fried calamari, conch & kimchi salad, nova lox on toast, seafood stew, Seafood Tacos Fra Diavlo, cioppino, bourbon-glaze trout, tuna jerky, giant coconut prawns, seafood bouillabaisse, and, and...

Bacon with biscuits and sausage gravy. I win.