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

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by pmil

* No such a thing as junk food. Some foods are simply more nutritious than others. The junk food term was made up by ignoramuses and food snobs. These are the same people that would extol French "fine"cuisine while putting down a person having a slice of pizza, and yet the former is likely much more fattier.

* You can eat whatever food you want and stay thin by simply controlling your caloric intake, and that comes down to controlling your portion sizes. That is how lifelong thin people, like myself, remain thin.

* Don't look to fat people for weight losing advice. Do look to lifelong thin people for weight losing advice. That is logical.

* Getting all your required nutrients doesn't have to come from just foods. Supplements can also address what is lacking.

* The reasonable and healthy diet would include enough foods with both types of fiber and would also include moderate amounts of foods we all enjoy. A good supplement can take of the rest.

* People are fat because they simply consume more calories than their bodies need. It's that simple. People are lacking required nutrients because they are not getting enough from their food and because they are not supplementing to get the rest. It's actually extremely difficult and for all practical purposes impossible to get all your required nutrients from your diet alone. To do so would require an extrmely restricted and rigid diet. So again, supplement where needed.

* Now go enjoy some so-called junk food.

This is a simplistic and completely ignorant piece of advice. If you have been thin your entire life then I hazard a guess that genetics plays a large part in that. There are a complex sets of factors at play when it comes to weight loss/gain issues and each individual is different. Anybody who wants to lose weight or get healthy needs to consult with a professional such as a doctor or a dietitian (not a nutritionist) in order to arrive at a dietary programme and an exercise regime that works for them. And yes, there is such a thing as junk food. Eating it in moderation is fine for some, but certain foods like a meal from McDonald's are full of empty calories which do not provide the proper fuel for certain body types such as those with a lot of muscle mass which have to then be supplemented with more food.

[CM Matty]

Originally Posted by baheidstu

This is a simplistic and completely ignorant piece of advice. If you have been thin your entire life then I hazard a guess that genetics plays a large part in that. There are a complex sets of factors at play when it comes to weight loss/gain issues and each individual is different. Anybody who wants to lose weight or get healthy needs to consult with a professional such as a doctor or a dietitian (not a nutritionist) in order to arrive at a dietary programme and an exercise regime that works for them. And yes, there is such a thing as junk food. Eating it in moderation is fine for some, but certain foods like a meal from McDonald's are full of empty calories which do not provide the proper fuel for certain body types such as those with a lot of muscle mass which have to then be supplemented with more food.

It's simplistic, but not ignorant (and not incorrect). There are no bad foods, just bad habits.

[Will.]

Originally Posted by CM Matty

It's simplistic, but not ignorant (and not incorrect). There are no bad foods, just bad habits.

There are bad foods. I mean, I guess a deep-fried doughnut in moderation probably won't do any lasting damage if sampled once a year, in the same way a bump of crystal meth probably wouldn't. But neither of them have any benefit. They're unhealthy.

[baheidstu]

Originally Posted by CM Matty

It's simplistic, but not ignorant (and not incorrect). There are no bad foods, just bad habits.

And a slogan does not equate insight. If I ate nothing but chocolate bars all day long, would that be a bad habit? If yes, what makes it a bad habit? Because it's a bad food.

Anything in moderation is fine, but as I iterated earlier, different bodies react differently and no single piece of pat "eat less, exercise more" advice is going to apply to everyone. We all know skinny people who eat like horses and obese people who diet like crazy and never lose a pound, sometimes people are genetically pre-disposed to be how they are.

[Evil_Eric]

No one is a snowflake

If you are expending more energy than you are consuming then you are in a calorie deficit and you will burn fat and lose weight.

If you are consuming more energy than you are expending then you are in a calorie surplus and you will gain weight.

Fat is not burned because of "healthy eating" or exercise. Fat is burned because of a calorie deficit. Energy In v. Energy Out. If you're eating more energy (calories) than your body needs to operate, then you're going to put on fat - regardless of whether those calories came from lettuce and kale or cupcakes and cookies. In other words, if you're eating "healthy" and working out constantly...you still will not lose weight unless you're in a calorie deficit

Most people go on a "diet" and don't lose weight because they are not properly tracking the amount of calories they are consuming, it's very easy to underestimate the amount of food you are eating and also easy to overestimate how many calories you burn from exercising.

Now I'm just talking about straight up losing pounds, if you are wanting to preserve some muscle then you definitely want to eat healthier foods and make sure you are getting an adequate amount of proteins, fats, and carbs.

[knight17]

Diet alone won't help you lose weight. This might work initially but then your brain thinks that you are probably stuck on a desert etc and goes into starvation mode (Your Brain is smarter than you think ).

A healthy diet needs to be complemented with exercise so that you can increase your resting metabolism as well as muscle mass (depending on the type of exercise done).

Sometimes people also mistake thirst for hunger so drinking a good amount of water (around 6-8 glasses per day) will also help keep you from consuming far more than you ought to (water is also required for metabolism).

Don't try to go cold turkey and quit all junk food or food that you crave for, but take that in moderation.

More than anything you need to enjoy what you do else it will be hard to commit to it in the long run.

[Evil_Eric]

Originally Posted by knight17

Diet alone won't help you lose weight. This might work initially but then your brain thinks that you are probably stuck on a desert etc and goes into starvation mode (Your Brain is smarter than you think ).

A healthy diet needs to be complemented with exercise so that you can increase your resting metabolism as well as muscle mass (depending on the type of exercise done).

Sometimes people also mistake thirst for hunger so drinking a good amount of water (around 6-8 glasses per day) will also help keep you from consuming far more than you ought to (water is also required for metabolism).

Don't try to go cold turkey and quit all junk food or food that you crave for, but take that in moderation.

More than anything you need to enjoy what you do else it will be hard to commit to it in the long run.

Good post, people that try to give up everything all at once normally don't stick with it too long. Losing weight is not a punishment or a job, it is a lifestyle. I lost over 30 lbs and I ate pizza, burgers, and drank beer.....lots of beer

Also, water is maybe one of the most important factors when losing weight, drink lots of it!

What is important is finding out what your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is, then trying to eat about 500 cals under maintenance. Your body won't go into starvation mode, as long as you are in a healthy deficit. But I do agree, that exercise will help with preserving muscle and will add to your calorie deficit, just don't "eat back" those workout cals.

But back to the OP, I don't workout to "add a few years to my life" I do it because I feel so much better and am overall happier when I am eating healthier and working out.

[knight17]

Originally Posted by Evil_Eric

Good post, people that try to give up everything all at once normally don't stick with it too long. Losing weight is not a punishment or a job, it is a lifestyle. I lost over 30 lbs and I ate pizza, burgers, and drank beer.....lots of beer

Also, water is maybe one of the most important factors when losing weight, drink lots of it!

What is important is finding out what your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is, then trying to eat about 500 cals under maintenance. Your body won't go into starvation mode, as long as you are in a healthy deficit. But I do agree, that exercise will help with preserving muscle and will add to your calorie deficit, just don't "eat back" those workout cals.

But back to the OP, I don't workout to "add a few years to my life" I do it because I feel so much better and am overall happier when I am eating healthier and working out.

The keyword there is healthy deficit meaning gradually decreasing calories over time but what most people do is shock the system, for instance going from around 2500 calories to around 1000 in next to no time.

Like you have mentioned, taking care of your body (not going overboard by the way and having a good balance) does result in the individual feeling much healthier and more energetic. I remember losing just a tad bit and noticed I can walk at around one and a half times my earlier speed without feeling tired at the end of the journey.

Drinking milk at the end of the day will also help (this works only for full cream milk as the body does not easily digest any of the other variants) control the amount of fat being stored in your fat cells.

One last thing to remember is that just because you look thin doesn't necessarily mean you are healthy. fat can be stored around layers of your organs and still not show up as a whole. The trick is to be healthy not thin for the sake of it.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Evil_Eric

Good post, people that try to give up everything all at once normally don't stick with it too long. Losing weight is not a punishment or a job, it is a lifestyle. I lost over 30 lbs and I ate pizza, burgers, and drank beer.....lots of beer

Also, water is maybe one of the most important factors when losing weight, drink lots of it!

What is important is finding out what your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) is, then trying to eat about 500 cals under maintenance. Your body won't go into starvation mode, as long as you are in a healthy deficit. But I do agree, that exercise will help with preserving muscle and will add to your calorie deficit, just don't "eat back" those workout cals.

But back to the OP, I don't workout to "add a few years to my life" I do it because I feel so much better and am overall happier when I am eating healthier and working out.

So many people underestimate how much your diet and overall lifestyle impact your wellbeing. I just FEEL so much better than I did before now that I'm going to the gym 5 times a week and eating a more well-balanced diet. Combine that with no more soda and I feel so much better and younger, it's going to extend my life most likely.

[HeavyHitter]

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??

Let me ask you this. Would you really be "enjoying" life living on junk food while not living as long? Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, other diseases, feeling less good along the way is enjoying life? Those things to me would be misery and suffering. Reality dictates you do certain things. So, I rather live to be 80 or 90 healthy/high quality of life (like my father to 94) along the way versus living on crap and being sick living to 60. My brother is an example. He's 53 and has eaten, drank, and smoked anything he's wanted his entire life. He's now dealing with obesity, low energy, high blood pressure, COPD, breathing issues, sleep apnea high cholesterol, diabetes, dizziness, foot numbness using your philosophy. Ask him if it was all worth it.

I enjoying working out, staying in shape, eating a whole food diet, and taking care of myself the best I can. Sure, I'll eat ice cream a few days a month but lifestyle matters and I think a lot of people regret it later on when these diseases come on. Easy to say when you're young and healthy, but things eventually catch up to you unless you have remarkable genetics like that .001% who can smoke or stay obese until he is 100.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by HeavyHitter

Let me ask you this. Would you really be "enjoying" life living on junk food while not living as long? Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, other diseases, feeling less good along the way is enjoying life? Those things to me would be misery and suffering. Reality dictates you do certain things. So, I rather live to be 80 or 90 healthy/high quality of life (like my father to 94) along the way versus living on crap and being sick living to 60. My brother is an example. He's 53 and has eaten, drank, and smoked anything he's wanted his entire life. He's now dealing with obesity, low energy, high blood pressure, COPD, breathing issues, sleep apnea high cholesterol, diabetes, dizziness, foot numbness using your philosophy. Ask him if it was all worth it.

I enjoying working out, staying in shape, eating a whole food diet, and taking care of myself the best I can. Sure, I'll eat ice cream a few days a month but lifestyle matters and I think a lot of people regret it later on when these diseases come on. Easy to say when you're young and healthy, but things eventually catch up to you unless you have remarkable genetics like that .001% who can smoke or stay obese until he is 100.

It really bothers me how many people choose to treat their bodies like trash and then complain when they feel like crap. You get ONE body for your entire life, people should treat it like the treasure it is. Do whatever it takes to keep your body in the best possible shape. I feel amazing since I changed my eating and drinking habits and started working out 5 days a week. Can only imagine how I'd feel if I had started when I was a teenager or if I had started when I was diagnosed with diabetes in 2011. About to leave to workout, I do know starting school again will make it harder to work out, might actually have to start working out at the university from time to time.

[Michael1989]

I find the more nutrient dense your diet is, the easier it is to stick to it. It can get expensive at times but it's worth it

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by Michael1989

I find the more nutrient dense your diet is, the easier it is to stick to it. It can get expensive at times but it's worth it

Yeah it's counter-intuitive that the terrible foods are cheap and the healthy foods are more expensive but I think it'll be worth it after my stomach tightens up. Betting I'm also weeks away from looking less like a "before weightlifting" picture.

I think that the planning for scientific and eating in moderation is an effective way. However, it requires perseverance

[DamageINC]

I was about 300 lbs (5'11) when i was 36. (now 38) I was diagnosed as a type II diabetic, hypertension and cholesterol that was through the roof. My triglycerides were 755, which is incredibly high. I couldn't do anything physical without huffing and puffing, getting dizzy and genuinely wondering how long it was before i fell over.

After i was diagnosed, i said enough is enough and, literally overnight, changed my diet and learned everything i could about nutrition and diabetes. I refused meds and all the $1200 a pop experts the Dr. wanted to refer me to.

A year later, i had lost 150 lbs. My A1C went from 7.8 to 5.4 within three months. The lowest its been is 4.4 and i've maintained a sub 5 for nearly two years. Tri's dropped to 160 after three months and are now well under 100. My Cholesterol is very good, hypertension gone. I can now do many things with family/friends. I can now go hiking (live in Oregon, so a lot of outdoor stuff) camping, kayaking etc. without feeling like I'm going to die.

I also have a ton more energy throughout the day and feel 1000x better (obviously) Eating , cooking, preparing, shopping for food, etc. was a big passion for me. I loved it (still do) But, as much as i miss eating many types of food, and as i get sometimes because i can't eat something, i wouldn't trade that (not even close) for the health i now possess.

There are also a lot of ways to make very tasty meals with healthy foods and vegetables. And i can still eat some good stuff, such as smoked whole chicken , fish, etc.

Living a good , active life is far better than eating yourself to a sedentary lifestyle and eventual death or health complications. You don't just sacrifice years of actually being alive, you often also sacrifice quality of life when you are alive. That , to me, would be true misery. I've lived both sides, and the place I'm at now is a LOT happier.

[Hannah Faulkner]

Don’t confuse healthy diet with eating less. Many researches have proven processed food to be the root cause of majority of modern day heath issues...

[MorrisJay]

i don't follow any diets, I prefer balance my food and reduce sugar intake

[Todd Tomorrow]

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??

I'm sure get a lot more joy from being healthy and in shape at the age of 53 by watching what I eat and by exercising, than the self hatred and inevitable long term health problems I'd have if I'd became obese from gobbling junk food. You don't just drop dead a decade early from eating crap, eventually you can develop health problems which seriously reduce your quality of life for decades. Think of your life as a happy one in the long term, not as eating crap while you are young. Also, if you are sensible most of the time, you can still indulge occasionally without risking your health. It just should be a once-a-week treat rather than an every-day thing.

[Ray Jackson]

I subscribe to the 80/20 rule.

I eat very clean, nutritious food about 80% of the time.

And the other 20%, I eat whatever the hell I want.

...I simply don't have it in me to eliminate the 20% part.

[MorrisJay]

i just try to balance my nutrition