[paulpauper]

The low success rates of diets suggest very hard to establish new habits

[s1artibartfast]

Many things are hard, but that does not mean they should not be done.

[Robotbeat]

Problem with diets is that your body responds to this new habit by panicking, thinking you’re going through a famine and reduces metabolism to compensate for reduced caloric intake while increasing hunger. It’s like if you’re he body responded to brushing your teeth every day by making you obsess over caramel corn. Most habit changes don’t have this “body actively fighting you with increasing ferocity” effect that caloric restriction does.

[s1artibartfast]

Good diets are simply a healthy human diet, which should not send your body into panic after an adjustment period.

This is similar to exercise. You body goes through a period of panic and resistance.

This is why consistency is important for both diet and exercise, so you dont have to struggle and battle to rebuild the habit.

[Robotbeat]

But what if your “good diet” DOES send your body into a panic? That is, physiologically, what occurs with many obese people when they lose weight, REGARDLESS OF WHICH DIET THEY PICK.

[s1artibartfast]

Keywords were "after adjustment period". Your body will Panic if you quit smoking, alcohol, or many hard drugs. That doesn't mean it's a bad idea to do so.

Your body will also panic if you start working out vigorously, confront hard but necessary situations, or many other aspects of human life.

If a prescription help someone make a productive transition, that's great. My point is simply that I'm cautious of potentially lifelong crutches to avoid making difficult changes, and there's value in cultivating the ability to maintain your personal homeostasis if you can

[Robotbeat]

Again, with the idea it’s just a willpower thing to overcome some hurdle. The “panic period” is permanent for many obese people. There’s literally no end to fighting your body once you’ve lost substantial weight, it’s ALWAYS trying to lower metabolism and increase hunger to compensate. It’s not a few months and then you’re good, it’s forever. This is why a treatment like this is so necessary.

[pessimizer]

If there are easy alternatives with the same outcomes, hard things absolutely should not be done (unless you're practicing for an emergency situation where the easy thing is not available.)

[s1artibartfast]

Even in a utilitarian framework, there is more to consider besides outcomes, such as costs.

Examples of costs could be be the reoccurring monetary cost for the rest of your life, and being dependent on the supply of medicine to maintain your health.

Additionally, there are personal advantages to being an individual that is capable of doing and regularly practices "hard things".