Being fat is a trap • Hacker News Board

Re: Being fat is a trap

#41

Post by maztaim » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:14 PM UTC

waynenilsen wrote: post #17

maztaim wrote: post #12

For me, quitting tobacco was simple, don’t use. Quitting alcohol was simple. Don’t drink. I cannot simply abstain from eating. I can relate to the struggles and feelings from this article.

It can be this simple if you eat a controlled diet. Say Soylent or similar only for 3 months. Compliance is very easy to detect at least

Truth, but I also argue that I am not addressing the underlying emotional traps that I attempted to escape using tobacco and alcohol. Those same mental/emotional traps just shifted/intensified with my eating. Perhaps it is that simple, but I also feel it’s important to address the root factors, which I haven’t, admittedly.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#42

Post by rckt » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:14 PM UTC

The article is basically describing one's addiction to anything. It can be any habit at all. So whether it's a fat trap or any other trap the way out is always the same - willpower. And it comes from the sincere desire for something.

I spent overall around 5 years quitting smoking. It was extremely hard, for the most part because of the mental trap. Physically I got rid of the addiction in a couple of weeks. And physical exercises were the thing that helped me. I still do my routine, because it became the substitute for my smoking habit. But in a healthy way.

And from my experience this is how everything works, regarding the quality of life that you have control over.

And I agree that judging and shaming is not helpful. You need to clear your mind and concentrate on the better future you want rather than reflecting on bad things that you have in your present or past.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#43

Post by flkiwi » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:15 PM UTC

atrus wrote: post #25

flkiwi wrote: post #18

Ok, but there's also an environmental (and one completely reasonable mental) factor: I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) most of the year and there are few public outdoor spaces generally thanks to rampant overdevelopment, I hate gyms and toxic gym culture, I have a quaint bungalow that doesn't have space for equipment, I work an intense job that keeps me focused for hours at a time,…

> Put another way, there are plenty of situations where all the mental fortitude, discipline, self-honesty, commitment to change, and persistence won't be enough in the face of it simply being difficult to find time, space, or money to be healthy. If that was true, then literally everyone would be fat in your area. You can learn to cook, you have room for bodyweight exercises. You don't need equipment to feel really…

That's quite a leap. Some people enjoy gyms. Some people run at 3am. Some people have bigger houses. And yet, our area has much higher obesity rates than average.

It also doesn't address the larger point that _it doesn't have to be this hard_.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#44

Post by timcobb » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:15 PM UTC

> but you have the choice to step out of the fat trap.

People should also talk about the volition trap. I'm 40 and it feels like I've had more than a life's worth of people talking about how "you can do it if you just try!"

> ... advertising signs that con / you into thinking you can do what's never been done / meantime life goes on all around you

The sheer scope of the obesity pandemic should make it clear that we are not the problem, that our volitions are not the problem. Certainly so many people can't be too weak to regulate one of the most basic facets of existence? How did we come all this way as a species if we are so fundamentally flawed at basic metabolic regulation? Certainly so many people shouldn't have to try so hard? Sure, some people succeed, but in world where the overwhelming majority are failing, maybe "trying harder" is just akin to insanity?

Re: Being fat is a trap

#45

Post by xnx » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:15 PM UTC

flkiwi wrote: post #18

Ok, but there's also an environmental (and one completely reasonable mental) factor: I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) most of the year and there are few public outdoor spaces generally thanks to rampant overdevelopment, I hate gyms and toxic gym culture, I have a quaint bungalow that doesn't have space for equipment, I work an intense job that keeps me focused for hours at a time,…

You're absolutely right. Almost everything in the US is (intentionally or not) working to make and keep people fat. The most effective steps are those that make better choices easier by default. I have very weak impulse control for junk foods in the house, but much better control in the grocery store, so I try my best to keep high-calorie and low-satiation foods out of the house.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#46

Post by chneu » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:16 PM UTC

paulcole wrote: post #33

flkiwi wrote: post #18

Ok, but there's also an environmental (and one completely reasonable mental) factor: I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) most of the year and there are few public outdoor spaces generally thanks to rampant overdevelopment, I hate gyms and toxic gym culture, I have a quaint bungalow that doesn't have space for equipment, I work an intense job that keeps me focused for hours at a time,…

Isn’t it just a more fun way to go through life to believe that you do have enough mental fortitude, discipline, self-honesty, commitment to change, and persistence to be healthy? I just don’t get the appeal of throwing my hands up and going, “Yep, somebody needs to care more about me than I care about me.”

Americans, and lots of folks, love excuse culture and the "victim" mindset(life happens to them, they dont have agency). It's really easy to blame someone or something else than to just be honest with themself. It's always so and so's fault, or the corporations, or the government, or the climate, or you just had a big bad day, or something.

It's rarely "This is really hard and I doubt I have it in me right now" or some other honest answer.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#47

Post by andrew_lettuce » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:16 PM UTC

flkiwi wrote: post #18

Ok, but there's also an environmental (and one completely reasonable mental) factor: I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) most of the year and there are few public outdoor spaces generally thanks to rampant overdevelopment, I hate gyms and toxic gym culture, I have a quaint bungalow that doesn't have space for equipment, I work an intense job that keeps me focused for hours at a time,…

I don't disagree with you, but also don't think (based on what you described) that you're a great example of the environmental components. Compared to say someone who hasn't known non fat as a norm for generations and doesn't have a grocery store for miles you actually recognize the issue and problems. It sounds like you have a lot of tools and resources to overcome systemic aspects but prioritize other things. There's no doubt you brought up relevant components, but individual and environmental in your case don't seem at all mutually exclusive.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#48

Post by mrgoldenbrown » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:16 PM UTC

atrus wrote: post #25

flkiwi wrote: post #18

Ok, but there's also an environmental (and one completely reasonable mental) factor: I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) most of the year and there are few public outdoor spaces generally thanks to rampant overdevelopment, I hate gyms and toxic gym culture, I have a quaint bungalow that doesn't have space for equipment, I work an intense job that keeps me focused for hours at a time,…

> Put another way, there are plenty of situations where all the mental fortitude, discipline, self-honesty, commitment to change, and persistence won't be enough in the face of it simply being difficult to find time, space, or money to be healthy. If that was true, then literally everyone would be fat in your area. You can learn to cook, you have room for bodyweight exercises. You don't need equipment to feel really…

That's not how statistics work. Plenty of environmental factors significantly raise risks without "literally everyone" being impacted. Working in a smoky casino is bad for your lungs but not every casino worker has lung cancer.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#49

Post by mytailorisrich » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:16 PM UTC

bravesoul2 wrote: post #11

Trasmatta wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. The emotional is the part of addictions that many people miss, and one of the primary reasons it can be so hard to break out of them. Addictions are almost always fulfilling some emotional need, or covering up some emotional pain, and if you remove the addiction without addressing the underlying issue, you almost certainly will either relapse or replace it with something else. It's not about willpower.

This plus abundance of bad food. It's easier to stay thin if your diet is what we evolved to eat. That norm would take most people incredible will power to stick to with all the high carb food. Harder than not drinking.

Make a shopping list, stick to that, ignore and don't buy from the "bad aisles". If you have nothing "bad" at home and in your fridge you can't eat badly, and personally I have found that it is much easier not to buy than not to eat what you already have.

Re: Being fat is a trap

#50

Post by SonOfLilit » Fri, Jun 06, 2025, 1:16 PM UTC

atrus wrote: post #25

flkiwi wrote: post #18

Ok, but there's also an environmental (and one completely reasonable mental) factor: I live in a place where it is unpleasantly hot (upper 90s and humid) most of the year and there are few public outdoor spaces generally thanks to rampant overdevelopment, I hate gyms and toxic gym culture, I have a quaint bungalow that doesn't have space for equipment, I work an intense job that keeps me focused for hours at a time,…

> Put another way, there are plenty of situations where all the mental fortitude, discipline, self-honesty, commitment to change, and persistence won't be enough in the face of it simply being difficult to find time, space, or money to be healthy. If that was true, then literally everyone would be fat in your area. You can learn to cook, you have room for bodyweight exercises. You don't need equipment to feel really…

This is wrong. People have different genes. Some people would weigh 200kg with my eating and exercise habits, I weigh 79.

GP, try climbing or martial arts - indoor air conditioned activities that have much less toxic culture and are much more mentally engaging.