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Life is immeasurably more enjoyable as a fit, healthy person. Even if it had zero impact on longevity, it's an obvious win.

kawfey 8y ago
It's hard to explain that to an unfit person who would argue it's immeasurably more enjoyable to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Sometimes only after they develop heart disease or diabetes, or other obesity-related health complications do they realize maybe it wasn't such a good idea to never exercise and frequently supersize.
- newnewpdro 8y ago
  It's always hard to convince an addict of practicing anything vs. their addiction. This is an entirely different issue in my opinion. Explaining it is easy, these folks generally understand, it simply doesn't matter because they're hooked. This situation is pervasive, it's no different than people being addicted to activities unnecessarily burning fossil fuels, despite their rational understanding of how it's slowly ruining their habitat.
mattlondon 8y ago
Any data on that? I am not convinced that it is "immeasurably" so. Being fit is not going to change some of the most unpleasant things in a lot of people's lives. A commute is still a commute. A bereavement is still a bereavement. A boring job is still a boring job. Debts are still debts etc etc. Being fit is not going to change any of those, so I am not sure how life gets immeasurably more enjoyable if you are as fit as an Olympian but your partner just died and you've got to go work in the Amazon Fulfilment center 90 minutes bus ride away to pay for your medical/student debts and still just about have enough left over to pay for basic food and heating. But hey I can run 100m in under 10 seconds so wow my life is immeasurably better as a result!</sarcasm>
- newnewpdro 8y ago
  > Being fit is not going to change some of the most unpleasant things in a lot of people's lives. A commute is still a commute. A bereavement is still a bereavement. A boring job is still a boring job. Debts are still debts etc etc. It changes your baseline level of comfort and happiness, every single one of these things is less unpleasant than it would be otherwise. Speaking from experience as a formerly obese person, now capable of hundreds of pushups and running numerous miles in my 40s. It seems every moment of every day is better this way, except perhaps the sometimes annoying unwanted attention from the opposite sex.
- lurker_primo 8y ago
  > Being fit is not going to change some of the most unpleasant things in a lot of people's lives. A commute is still a commute. A bereavement is still a bereavement. A boring job is still a boring job. Debts are still debts etc etc. I was almost obese (BMI: 29.8). I'm on my path to being at a normal weight (BMI: 25.5). I would say it is immeasurably better. I can walk up stairs without losing my breath. My knees don't creak. Random aches and pains are gone. I'm generally healthier (less common cold etc). I can participate in many activities such as sports without tiring myself and taking a couple of days to recover. I can go on longer hikes and see many things which were quite impossible before. I much more comfortable at all times now. All the negative things add up in a person's mind. A commute + shitty health is worse than just a commute. If I'm working in a fulfillment center, I'm not uncomfortable while exerting physical effort.
paulcole 8y ago
Agreed. As a person who is unhealthy (chronic illness), my anecdote is that life is essentially unenjoyable, unbearable, and pointless when not healthy.

kawfey 8y ago

It's hard to explain that to an unfit person who would argue it's immeasurably more enjoyable to eat whatever you want, whenever you want. Sometimes only after they develop heart disease or diabetes, or other obesity-related health complications do they realize maybe it wasn't such a good idea to never exercise and frequently supersize.

newnewpdro 8y ago
It's always hard to convince an addict of practicing anything vs. their addiction. This is an entirely different issue in my opinion. Explaining it is easy, these folks generally understand, it simply doesn't matter because they're hooked. This situation is pervasive, it's no different than people being addicted to activities unnecessarily burning fossil fuels, despite their rational understanding of how it's slowly ruining their habitat.

mattlondon 8y ago

Any data on that? I am not convinced that it is "immeasurably" so. Being fit is not going to change some of the most unpleasant things in a lot of people's lives. A commute is still a commute. A bereavement is still a bereavement. A boring job is still a boring job. Debts are still debts etc etc. Being fit is not going to change any of those, so I am not sure how life gets immeasurably more enjoyable if you are as fit as an Olympian but your partner just died and you've got to go work in the Amazon Fulfilment center 90 minutes bus ride away to pay for your medical/student debts and still just about have enough left over to pay for basic food and heating. But hey I can run 100m in under 10 seconds so wow my life is immeasurably better as a result!</sarcasm>

newnewpdro 8y ago
> Being fit is not going to change some of the most unpleasant things in a lot of people's lives. A commute is still a commute. A bereavement is still a bereavement. A boring job is still a boring job. Debts are still debts etc etc. It changes your baseline level of comfort and happiness, every single one of these things is less unpleasant than it would be otherwise. Speaking from experience as a formerly obese person, now capable of hundreds of pushups and running numerous miles in my 40s. It seems every moment of every day is better this way, except perhaps the sometimes annoying unwanted attention from the opposite sex.
lurker_primo 8y ago
> Being fit is not going to change some of the most unpleasant things in a lot of people's lives. A commute is still a commute. A bereavement is still a bereavement. A boring job is still a boring job. Debts are still debts etc etc. I was almost obese (BMI: 29.8). I'm on my path to being at a normal weight (BMI: 25.5). I would say it is immeasurably better. I can walk up stairs without losing my breath. My knees don't creak. Random aches and pains are gone. I'm generally healthier (less common cold etc). I can participate in many activities such as sports without tiring myself and taking a couple of days to recover. I can go on longer hikes and see many things which were quite impossible before. I much more comfortable at all times now. All the negative things add up in a person's mind. A commute + shitty health is worse than just a commute. If I'm working in a fulfillment center, I'm not uncomfortable while exerting physical effort.

paulcole 8y ago

Agreed. As a person who is unhealthy (chronic illness), my anecdote is that life is essentially unenjoyable, unbearable, and pointless when not healthy.