[stantaylor]

> Meanwhile, most people don't sleep well, dont drink enough water, overindulge in alcohol, don't get enough excercise, and don't get much sunlight.

A couple I know in their mid-60s were both diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. They were both sedentary, overweight and ate horribly. They embarked on an ambitious diet and exercise plan, have both lost a lot of weight and are both no longer diabetic. It truly is fantastic, and I'm happy for them.

One of them is convinced that people just don't know that they can beat type 2 diabetes; she wants to publish a book about what they've done. I keep trying to tell her it's not a lack of information, but a lack of will for most people, that she and her husband are very much outliers in that regard. Her publishing their method won't change things for hardly anyone.

I'm 59 years old and have been a moderate athlete my whole life; I keep my weight decent (not as low as I'd like but well under official obesity levels), eat pretty well, get enough sleep. I am having a medical procedure done tomorrow (that's completely unrelated to anything here), and the nurse who did intake for the hospital was shocked that I don't take any prescription medications. I call that a win.

[CE02]

I completely agree, but to add to this I also think it's an issue with information overload. Popular culture and pop science is all about quick fixes and crazy complicated "30 day transitions". It causes people to think that there are 3 types of people:

1) People who are naturally fit without effort. 2) People who have crazy gnarly diets and regiments. 3) Everyone else.

This causes them to give up as it seems like far too steep of a climb. It's incredibly sad because the basics of "eat a little less, a little cleaner, and go for a walk" would kickstart a revolutionary change in most people. If you're maintaining weight on 3500 calories, it doesn't take a ton of work to start losing a bit of weight, even if its at a slow rate. People just see the first step as insurmountable.

Not to mention the millions of fashion models and actors who take steroids then say they have a perfectly attainable physique and it was all hard work. Alas, that is a disucssion for another post.

P.S. Hope the procedure goes well!

[TheHumanist]

Learned Helplessness everywhere you look. It's why, here in the US, we won't rise up like the French as our own government also looks to raose our retirement age. Not sure how you correct this across such large demographics?

[penguinvondoom]

I don't think it's a lack of will. It is more an environment that is overwhelming most peoples capacity of will, as well as simply just material circumstances that make all those changes even more difficult, or impossible. Inbetween working long times, low wages, unavailability of healthy food in a lot of places, car-centred culture, you will need absolutely crazy amounts of will power. The solutions to these problems are not individual, but systemic.

[gymbeaux]

It seems like that “lack of motivation” applies to many other medical conditions as well, and people like me who actually want to and have and will commit to the “hard fix” are confused about just how “incurable” something is, and whether something like surgery really is necessary.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome for example can typically be cured with either months of exercise and stretching, and being cognizant of one’s posture throughout the day, OR a relatively simple and quick and minimally-invasive surgery. I get why most people opt for the surgery and probably even lie to themselves by saying surgery is the only pragmatic option.

[scruple]

I've had orthopedic's tell me I needed an epidural steroid injection without even bothering with an MRI (same guy told me to, "Take it easy on the PT." despite the fact that PT and a systematic return to exercise is what got me pain free).

So I'm personally just as likely to blame the so-called specialists here. They can't bill insurance when people start taking their health into their own hands.

[gymbeaux]

I've had orthopedics (a total of 3) tell me I had Carpal Tunnel Syndrome when it was actually Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Preaching To The Choir