4 ms·

You know, I never really understood this point until I myself faced addiction. I've never had any issues with eating too much or drinking too much but once I d

You know, I never really understood this point until I myself faced addiction. I've never had any issues with eating too much or drinking too much but once I discovered weed I was smoking every day for years and on days that I said I wouldn't I found it somehow happening as if there's another person living in my brain who's only purpose in life is to get high. I realized that I was less in control than I thought I was. It's funny because everybody says, "Weed is completely non addictive!!" I managed to quit, but it was quite hard to do. It really took a major major shift in thinking and a lot of psychological withdrawals. I imagine this is what it's like for people who over eat, and I sympathize.

bluecalm 12y ago
Also with drugs you have an option to go cold turkey which is what works for many addicts (well, often with some pharmacological help in first stages). With food you don't really have that option which makes it more difficult. That is why one obvious approach to try is to go cold turkey on some foods which are causing the addiction. I mean we certainly need a lot more research on that but it seems the reason people do well on low-carb high fat or high protein is that they eliminate what caused the addiction for them. If that's the case then any research which controls for amount of calories is missing the point of what is actually helpful to people as it already assumes the final goal (having people eating less). It is still interesting question if calorie is in fact a calorie but this question isn't in my mind the important one when it comes to solving obesity problem. More interesting is discovering what behaviors (including both restricting certain foods as well as life style habits like many meals vs few meals, eating breakfast or not etc. etc.) help people to actually stick to calorie deficit while feeling reasonably well during the process.

bluecalm 12y ago

Also with drugs you have an option to go cold turkey which is what works for many addicts (well, often with some pharmacological help in first stages). With food you don't really have that option which makes it more difficult. That is why one obvious approach to try is to go cold turkey on some foods which are causing the addiction. I mean we certainly need a lot more research on that but it seems the reason people do well on low-carb high fat or high protein is that they eliminate what caused the addiction for them. If that's the case then any research which controls for amount of calories is missing the point of what is actually helpful to people as it already assumes the final goal (having people eating less). It is still interesting question if calorie is in fact a calorie but this question isn't in my mind the important one when it comes to solving obesity problem. More interesting is discovering what behaviors (including both restricting certain foods as well as life style habits like many meals vs few meals, eating breakfast or not etc. etc.) help people to actually stick to calorie deficit while feeling reasonably well during the process.