Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#671

Post by justanother » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:19 PM UTC

Not sure how weird it is, but a lot of people tend to let their job keep their butt in a chair for too long. I suggest going into your company's calendaring system (Google or MSFT or whatever) and carving out 30,45, or even 60 minutes. If you're on Google Calendar, call it 'busy' so anyone nosy enough to look at it will think you're meeting with some high-brass and they don't have permission to see details. As far as what to do with the time, doesn't matter as long as your posterior gets out of the chair. Walk, hug your family, or just enjoy the sounds of the outdoors and get sun on your face. I like to do something to get my heart goin for all that time, but frankly there's no need to be fancy. Your idea about oxygen concentration is worth a shot, remember that recirculated indoor air generally has enough CO2 to impact cerebral performance negatively, so going outside will definitely get you some free O2 in addition to making you a lil bit smarter.

And for the love of Elvis, don't feel guilty or think of it as time theft. This is your health we're talkin about.

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#672

Post by gwbas1c » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:19 PM UTC

unfocussed_mike wrote: post #606

Things that are easier if you live alone: Just don't buy rich foods over which you have no willpower. Don't go down those aisles in the supermarket. Don't keep biscuits (by which I mean cookies) and snacks in the house at all. Don't buy "meal deal" lunches that give you a discounted fizzy drink and snack. It's all very well people telling others that they need to develop willpower over knowing when they've had enough…

OMG: When my wife started buying snacks for our kids it was game over for me.

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#673

Post by graeme » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:20 PM UTC

I’ve found a fairly simple method works well for me:

* Cook your own meals. Focus on good oils (butter, coconut oil, olive oil) and high satiety ingredients. My go to is rice, steamed vegetables, and meat

* Lift some weights. I do a HIIT type workout each morning. Pushups, chinups, dips, squats. Just with some basic home equipment, most of it bodyweight. 3x a week barbells is also a good alternative

* Walk a lot. I walk about 10,000 steps a day, and jog up a hill on my run at some point

* Prioritize sleep. This both improves health and also gives you the mental relaxation to take good choices

None of that is exciting but as a package it should work for most people

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#674

Post by gwbas1c » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:20 PM UTC

Try to find a time in your daily routine to take a walk. I used to take a 20 minute walk at lunchtime, but then that morphed into walking my daughter to the playground after dinner.

Now that I have three kids, it's a lot harder. I try to walk the younger kids to daycare when the weather and schedule permit it; otherwise, I take a walk after the bus picks up my older daughter.

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#675

Post by escapedmoose » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:21 PM UTC

unfocussed_mike wrote: post #596

StevePerkins wrote: post #513

Lift weights two or three times per week, and walk just barely enough to avoid being completely sedentary. Nothing crazy, I'm talking about using the weight machines at a gym, and walking just ~8k steps per day with a pedometer watch to gamify it. I'm a naturally obese person, and I've read a thousand of these threads over the years. Nearly every comment is either: * Telling you to "hack your body", with keto or what…

> 2. It... takes... so... LITTLE! Even just not using your car to do journeys of less than a couple of miles. I don't exercise at all, really. I just walk everywhere, to do my shopping, and for fun. I don't run or jog or lift weights. I cook food from fresh as much as I can, avoid too much meat, and I don't have a car. I have a healthy weight and a small (usually) waistline. Like a lot of us I do occasionally still h…

I unintentionally moved to a place where I only have to use my car on very rare occasions, and I also cannot recommend it highly enough. I’ve never had weight problems, but I’ve noticed a massive positive change in my overall mood and energy levels, and in feelings of connection to my community. :D

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#676

Post by neuroma » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:22 PM UTC

Briefly,

100% oxygen is probably unhealthy, and also a fire risk. Unless OP meant targeting 100% oxygen saturation? High inspired O2 fractions have been associated with worse outcomes in conditions like stroke and myocardial infarction, although this may be a specific sub case where hypoperfusion injury creates oxidative stress.

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#677

Post by RobertRoberts » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:22 PM UTC

Weird tip, there is no shortcuts. Everything that is a shortcut will fail you after you have lost weight and you gain it back again.

Target weight management more than weight loss. I watch my weight every day now, and as soon as I feel heavier, and the scale confirms it, I know that my previous week or so is the culprit.

Therefore, if my actions caused my weight gain, they will fight against all shortcuts, and they will win.

Fight against your own bad habits, may sound weird to many people. (also, I lost all my weight doing intermittent fasting, which helps with many things not just weight loss)

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#678

Post by avereveard » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:23 PM UTC

> passive weight loss

I'm not suggesting this is good for you, because steroids have a ton of negatives, however steroids will increase lean mass and consequentely metabolic rate at rest, inducing weight loss even if you do not exercise.

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#679

Post by unfocussed_mike » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:23 PM UTC

Kiro wrote: post #632

unfocussed_mike wrote: post #596

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 2. It... takes... so... LITTLE! Even just not using your car to do journeys of less than a couple of miles. I don't exercise at all, really. I just walk everywhere, to do my shopping, and for fun. I don't run or jog or lift weights. I cook food from fresh as much as I can, avoid too much meat, and I don't have a car. I have a healthy weight and a small (usually) waistline. Like a lot of us I do occasionally still h…

I presume you're American because my society already works like this. The only people I know who use their car on a daily basis live or work very isolated and far from civilization.

As an addendum to what I wrote, I think a lot of societies (especially the few healthier western countries) who count themselves lucky to have avoided the cultural underpinnings that led to American-style obesity have not yet begun to comprehend what widespread on-demand food delivery will do to their national health.

Re: Ask HN: Any weird tips for weight loss?

#680

Post by femiagbabiaka » Thu, Mar 10, 2022, 2:25 PM UTC

Any weird tips will only work temporarily. You'll rebound (which is a very bad shock to all systems including endocrine and will increase your cortisol levels) and might harm yourself in the process of doing so. Much better to walk 10k steps a day and eat in moderation.