Daily Health Principles: Don't Buy Stuff That's Bad For You \ stacker news ~HealthAndFitness

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Daily Health Principles: Don't Buy Stuff That's Bad For You

758 sats \ 31 comments \ @Undisciplined 18 Jan HealthAndFitness

Since I don't follow a particular regiment throughout the day, I need some guiding principles to stay on track. Previously, I wrote about Hormesis, which let's me be more comfortable being uncomfortable.

My primary weakness, when it comes to ~HealthAndFitness, is snacking. Honestly, "snacking" is putting it mildly. If there are unprotected baked goods in the house, I'm going to eat them until either they're gone or I'm too sick to continue.

The point where I am able to exercise some self-control is at the point of purchase. I have no problem (usually) keeping junk food out of my cart.

I will buy the ingredients to make baked goods, when my wife asks me to, though. However, being limited to homemade baked goods that other people make for me is a pretty good constraint. Plus, her cooking is healthier, tastier, and less expensive than prepackaged snacks.

I'm curious if this works for anyone else. Or, do you weirdos have self control when there are tasty treats in your vicinity?

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134 sats \ 4 replies \ @SimpleStacker 22h

This reminds me hyperbolic discounting and dual self models of self control. Your long-run self is committing your short-run self to not snack by not buying snacks when the long-run self is still in control.

30 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 22h

30 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 21h

That was exactly right, though.

There's also some bad faith sunk cost thinking that I engage in. The junk food I've already purchased, I treat as though it's free, because I have no intention of replacing it (that's the bad faith part).

53 sats \ 1 reply \ @SimpleStacker 21h

With regard to my kids' leftovers, I know it would be better for myself (and not negative for the world) if I just threw it away. But I lie to myself and tell myself it's wasteful, to justify me eating it.

30 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 21h

Yeah, that's another place I engage in some bad faith reasoning about the leftovers crowding out some costly future consumption.

104 sats \ 2 replies \ @freetx 23h

Or, do you weirdos have self control when there are tasty treats in your vicinity?

I've been doing intermittent fasting for last 4 years. I only eat once per day (dinner). It has so simplified my life that I never plan to go back to eating throughout the day.

The best thing about IF is that you can eat whatever you want during your 2-3 hour window. Want snack food? ice cream? double-meat burger and vanilla milkshake? You can eat all that as a single meal if you want....

Over the last 4 years I'm down from about 180 to 155lbs (which incidentally was how much I weighed in high-school).

The biggest misconception people have is "I would be hungry all the time". I think you will be for the first 3-4 weeks, but your body adjust quicker than you think. For me only the first week was a challenge. Related people will apologize for eating lunch in front of me...the truth is I have no desire for, food outside my 2-3hr eating window.

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 23h

This is a great point. I do well with delaying when I start eating, even if there are snacks around. However, I have trouble cutting myself off in the evening.

You're right, though, fasting does help with this quite a bit.

43 sats \ 0 replies \ @freetx 22h

I got interested in IF because through a work connection I met a medical researcher who explained his research to us over dinner.

He took 2 groups of mice and fed them, to the gram, the exact same meals. However one group was fed at a fixed time (once per day), the other group was fed random amounts at random intervals throughout the day.....the group on fixed eating schedule weighed 30% less than other group, even though they ate the same exact number of calories.

His theory was fascinating. Basically circadian-rhythm. By eating random amounts at random times our cells get confused. The energy uptake and waste disposal systems inside the cells wind up trying to perform both functions simultaneously....basically he thinks this leads to systemic inflammation as your cells are never completely eliminating waste...

36 sats \ 0 replies \ @Carresan 15h

What it works for me is not buying sweets or junk food. Once I purchase them , I am lost...

23 sats \ 3 replies \ @Signal312 15h

That sounds kinda similar to what I used to do, before I went carnivore. I had some rules I followed, and one of them was no junk food (defined as purchased junk food) whatsoever. I still made some homemade treats.

I think you really have to divide foods, into acceptable, and not acceptable. If you're wishy washy on it (for instance - the Cheetos are okay because what the heck, I'll just have a few), then most people are doomed to failure.

Moderation in food consumption, for most human beings, just does not work. That's why it's promoted so much - precisely because it DOESN'T work. And people continue to buy the trash.

Now that I'm carnivore, my rules are different, of course. And I don't have any interest in any of the junk foods.

0 sats \ 2 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 15h

That's why it's promoted so much - precisely because it DOESN'T work.

Man, that's deep and dark.

22 sats \ 1 reply \ @Signal312 11h

Ha ha. I was actually going to write up a little more to explain, but then had to rush.

Anyway, to explain my thoughts a little more...nutrition "authorities" can NOT say: "you should completely, 100% avoid all processed food, sugary drinks, junk food, etc." They can't say that because they're bought and paid for by the large processed food corporations.

And yet they also can't say, "sure, gorge on processed food, sugary drinks, junk food, etc.". That's so OBVIOUSLY wrong that people would lose all trust in them.

So they settle on the "eat junk food in moderation, treat yourself occasionally". Which seems like the truth (because there are some people who are able to do this and stay slender).

But then it's also a lie, because the majority of people are NOT able to do this, and stay slender. So the advice they give is terrible and unworkable for the majority of people, and yet ALSO allows the blame to be placed on those people. Because, being normal human beings, they are not able to be "moderate" in their consumption of addictive substances.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 9h

Even if we set aside the corruption of being bought off by those industries, the incentives are so perfectly aligned here.

They make a reasonable sounding recommendation, that would probably work if it were followed, but that likely won't be followed. The patients blame themselves for not following the instructions and the doctors don't lose their patients to good health.

34 sats \ 0 replies \ @User21000000 17h

I have been going hard on my current diet two big meals a day no snacks.

Has been good but I have a strong why to not touch the lollies , chocolates etc where when I was just cruising without a why and goal I would be hooking into all the good gear especially after dinner.

So I guess my point is if you have a strong enough why for not eating the stuff you should be able to just not eat it.

I wouldn’t want it all removed from home if others can eat it without major negative issues.

I also don’t want to be the parent that doesn’t let my kids have nothing nice. I just say openly that that stuff isn’t good for them

31 sats \ 0 replies \ @denlillaapan 22h

nah. If they're around they get eaten one way or another: body wants it, the addiction is pretty good at getting its drug.

If not around, problem solved. Even at my most peckish, I'll settle for water or tea with honey.

39 sats \ 2 replies \ @grayruby 23h

Yes out of sight out of mind works wonders.

We have a long running joke in the house. Whenever my wife buys sweets or junk I will say that’s a double negative (wasted money and bad for us). So she will reply then it is a positive. And I will say plus not times.

40 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 23h

It's tough, because I also don't want us to be "those parents" who don't let their kid enjoy treats.

One of our annoyances is how much junk food my parents dole out, because that makes it even harder to feel ok about indulging ourselves.

23 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby 23h

Fortunately my son was never really into sweets or salty snacks but he is a sucker for fast food.

My daughter is the opposite. She isn’t really into fast food (unless it is pizza) but loves a sweet treat.

I think the goal should be developing good habits in the kids so they have a mindset of eating healthy taking care of themselves and eating the bad stuff in moderation.

34 sats \ 4 replies \ @realBitcoinDog 23h

Bread makes you fat?

10 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 23h

That's not the type of baked good I have a problem with, but, yes, it does.

Carbs are the only "nutrient" that serve no useful role in ~HealthAndFitness, as long as you aren't literally starving.

30 sats \ 2 replies \ @realBitcoinDog 23h

Where is like ANY diet that encourages carbs?! Like where is it??

10 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 23h

There is actually the Slow Carb diet, which has a lot going for it. It doesn't recommend bread though.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @realBitcoinDog 20h

Oh yea I did that to great success! The only carbs allowed were beans lentils and legumes. Loved it. Yes, there was gas

38 sats \ 2 replies \ @Satosora 18 Jan

Lately I was of the mindset that I would lose it later. But I had to size up on the waist of my jeans. It was time too get disciplined and fast for a while. My body needs to learn how to burn its fat stores.

20 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 18 Jan

It's great to do those sorts of resets every so often.

35 sats \ 0 replies \ @Satosora 18 Jan

It helps the body a lot. Just like how everyone resets their phone every so often, the body needs it, too. I wish I could push my fast longer, but Monday is my only day off this week. So it will be the day I eat and suffer the side effects.

30 sats \ 4 replies \ @Aardvark 18 Jan

I make a grocery list and eat what's on it. When I'm losing weight I need to stay very regimented because the wheels come off this bus extremely easily. I've gotten better at eating at maintenance calories, but I still tend to gain weight when I'm not tracking because I have almost no will power around food.

You may look at a bag of chocolates as a treat, I look at it like a challenge.

21 sats \ 3 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 18 Jan

I might have looked at that bag as a challenge when I was younger. Now, it's just sort of "Crap, I'm going to eat all of that."

29 sats \ 2 replies \ @Aardvark 18 Jan

I don't even bother feeling bad about it, I've embraced that I'm a 43 year old that will gleefully eat like an unsupervised child on Halloween.

29 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 18 Jan

My daughter actually has very little interest in eating her Halloween candy, but loves acquiring it. That's not the best combo for me.

23 sats \ 0 replies \ @Aardvark 18 Jan

Oh man, yea, that candy would go right in my belly.