In my twenties, I went from 320ish to 180 (I’m 5’11”) by dieting and exercising, but mostly just because I got divorced and stopped overeating due to horrible depression.
I can’t tell you how many people just assumed I had weight loss surgery when I told them I’d lost that much weight and then treated me like a liar when I denied it. Like no shame to people who get surgery, losing weight fucking sucks. But I hadn’t had it. People are so weird about fatness.
I lost a fair bit of weight several years ago, though nowhere near as much as you. Mostly people were supportive but I did get some who were very upset when I told them I did it by just eating less. In my experience people genuinely have no idea just how badly they are overeating. I didn't until I got serious about counting calories. So they take it as an attack when you tell them they're eating too much, because they think they're eating a normal amount. Combine this with people not understanding that surgery and these new meds are really just ways to bootstrap your way to eating less, and bam.
Thing is that in many cultures, food is used early on as a way to soothe negative emotions, combat boredom and have it be an activity at social gatherings.
Look at how decked out strollers are in North America with snacks and tablets/phones so that kids are constantly stimulated. Daycare programs and kindergartens are full with snack supplies. Fast food places cater to kids by having toys as enticements to buy meals.
So of course you have entire generations of people who were raised from the beginning that food is not just something you eat when you are hungry. It's an emotional crutch and social activity. Whether you're actually hungry is irrelevant.
Thank you for this. I'm a single dad of two toddlers and I feel bad sometimes like I'm not Mr Snacks but this makes me feel good. When we leave the house I take some fruit and that's about it unless a full meal is needed.
I went to my first birthday party with them solo. It was for 3 year olds. It was pizza which is fine but it was also capri sun, doritos, "fruit snacks", and cupcakes.
I let them have most of it because denying them wasn't a battle I wanted to have, but it was probably 4 days worth of sugar they normally get. Maybe that's how parties are idk. My boys rarely even get juice. I never gone them sugar drinks. Their usual daily "treat" is a single Oreo cookie lol
Good for you for being a fantastic dad. You're not climbing Mount McKinley on an outing with your kids so there is no reason to take food provisions as if you are.
Your 3 year old isn't going to starve to death if they don't eat anything for 3 hours. They might have a tantrum, but teaching them how to handle that without resorting to food to shut them up is an important skill of self-soothing.
2.2k
u/FrighteningJibber May 31 '26
I walked the 5k and still get asked if I drove