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Comment by SamoyedFurFluff | Hacker News Reader

I don’t actually think temperance and logic like this moves the needle significantly for obese people. When you’re obese you need to lose 50, 70, 100+ lbs, not 10. You’re looking at fundamentally changing relationship with food at multiple levels to the point where it’s unrecognizable. I don’t think small changes in habit like this are in the same ballpark as what obese people need to become a normal weight, in the same way that I don’t think taking the stairs instead of the elevator is in the same ballpark as someone who wants to become a professional athlete.

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> When you’re obese you need to lose 50, 70, 100+ lbs, not 10.

You have to lose 10 at some point. The way you're putting it, it looks like losing weight would be some kind of drastic sprint with a finish line. I don't think it can happen that way. You have to lose weight and continuing changing your habit to lose 10 more, and the others 10 after, until it stabilises at healthy weight, then you start your healthy life, but it's not a finish line, the effort continues by fighting unhealthy habit for the rest of your life.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that the same tricks will work for everyone. I've never been chronically obese so I wouldn't know what goes on in someone's mind at that point.

However I do know that it moved the needle significantly in _my_ life by changing my relationship with food so it's valuable to me. Losing the extra ~10 to 20 lbs of weight people gain in adulthood is something that people do struggle with even if it's not as dramatic as someone fighting obesity.

I've seen a handful people close to me go from 100lb+ overweight to a more comfortable 10 to 20 (or 50). And I think what GP described is a fundamental change to the relationship with food: You're (consciously at first) changing the definition of what needs to be consumed vs what is being consumed without need. They've all from what I've observed gone through this change.

They said that when you're really big, the first 10 lbs is the easiest to lose, and can come from taking stairs and changing snack habits. It's the last 10 lbs that requires the diligent workouts and very strict diets.

Taking the stairs is a lot more attainable though.

But is unlikely to make a difference.

All the small things add up. You'd be surprised how effective they can be when combined

Indeed, walking punches way over expectations for keeping weight off. You have to do a good hour of a walk, but an hour walking is probably better than a rushed workout of similar time.

I lost 40kg walking one hour a day over the last 3 years. Some people don't recognise me.

Don't get yourself into a state where you need to lose 40kg. If you do, and lose the weight, you will have excess skin.

I like my new healthy self but actions have consequences.

Kudos on the progress! Curious what got you to start walking for that long?

I think one hour a day of walk is not even a bare minimum if you don't do any other exercises or physical work

I think you'd be surprised. A solid hour of walking goes a long way.

Covid. I read the data, fat equals higher risk. While I am not afraid of death, neither do I want to speed it up.

Good on you! Something I preach to my children is that success comes from showing up every day to do a little and not from a sudden burst of a lot. Well done.

I turn 50 this year and have committed to doing 50,000 pushups before 2024. It sounds like a lot, but after the first month, doing 200-300 a day isn't really that difficult (when broken up into smaller sets). Honestly, it's a LOT more of a mental challenge than a physical challenge.

It's all about showing up every day.

> but an hour walking is probably better than a rushed workout of similar time.

How so?

I honestly don't know how/why. https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/why-walking-most-under... is one of the first search results in "benefits of walking vs gym" and there is no shortage there.

It could be as simple as you are less likely to indulge in a treat after a walk?

Climbing up a flight of stairs burns less than 2 calories. An Oreo has 53 calories. You do the maths.

Climbing up the stairs directly burns 2 calories, and not eating the Oreo because you're climbing the stairs avoids 53.

Sounds about right to me. Even if it does require living in one of those places where it is not customary to store your Oreos on staircases.

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