Would you trade 3-5 years of your life to reach your weight goals

And never have to worry about your weight and calories ever again ,

My life is entirely to precious to trade up for not worrying about weight or cals. I dont consider this something to be painful watching what I eat and I certainly wouldnt give up time on this earth being with my family just so I wouldnt have to worry about what im shoveling into my mouth=)

This is an absurd question, because the whole point of losing weight is to live longer and be healthier.

Don't look now, but there're some goats crossing your bridge....

 

With the amount of worrying some people do, it probably does reduce their life! I would if I were living a really poor quality life and having lots of trouble calorie counting.

IN A HEARTBEAT!

I would happily trade 3-5 years of  my life to get my weight where I'd like it to be and keep it there for the remainder. The amount of time you live is irrelevant but the quality of the time you live is what matters. It's a quality of life question to me.

I'll take quality over quantity everytime.

It's like I'd rather have two happy years with someone I love than twenty years with someone I don't like. Easy choice really.

Yeah, I probably would. Especially since most women live longer than the men they marry, which means I could possibly have 5, 10, or even more years of living alone at the end of my life and being decrepit and ill or whatever. If I could take a few years off that but live a much more happy and carefree life, I would absolutely do it.

I agree with Angie - my life is entirely too precious to trade it for "worry free" eating.  And I also like dinarly's post - isn't the reason why most people want to lose weight is to live a longer, better quality life?  Besides, keeping track of what I eat and being educated about making healthy choices and lifestyle changes really isn't all that much of a burden in the first place.

I understand the arguments about quality vs. quality, but really, the quality of your life has, in the end, little to do with how much you weigh, at least IMO.  I would much rather have the extra 5 years to be with family and witness my boys make their way in the world.  I picture myself, at that point in my life, and about to expire 5 years early and saying goodbye to those beautiful boys, but I lived my life at a "perfect" weight - it wouldn't be much of a consolation.

Original Post by santonacci:

I agree with Angie - my life is entirely too precious to trade it for "worry free" eating. And I also like dinarly's post - isn't the reason why most people want to lose weight is to live a longer, better quality life? Besides, keeping track of what I eat and being educated about making healthy choices and lifestyle changes really isn't all that much of a burden in the first place.

I understand the arguments about quality vs. quality, but really, the quality of your life has, in the end, little to do with how much you weigh, at least IMO. I would much rather have the extra 5 years to be with family and witness my boys make their way in the world. I picture myself, at that point in my life, and about to expire 5 years early and saying goodbye to those beautiful boys, but I lived my life at a "perfect" weight - it wouldn't be much of a consolation.

 yes I wouldnt want my parents to take of years of their life just to be thin even if their weight may be shortening their life span anyway,

Have to disagree about the quailty of life not being related to weight at least based on my experience. My life at 406 pounds wasn't worth living I say that with absolute conviction. Getting some weight off had pretty much everything to do with getting to the point it is now at 320 now and starting to be worth living. Each to their own.

I guess it depends.

1) How much life expectancy do I lose being at my current weight vs my ideal weight.

2) How much life time do I need to give up in maintaining my ideal weight should I achieve it by my own means.

If 1+2 >= 3-5 years then it's an easy yes, if not, then it becomes a quality of life debate at that point. 

Of COURSE I would. If I was my goal weight instead of my current weight, I'd probably gain a good 10-15 years on my life, if not more.  My current weight is putting strain on my heart and my thyroid, and I am at risk for diabetes.  I can't do activities I want to because of my weight, and ones that I've always enjoyed are being diminished by my weight as well (a day at the beach isn't as fun when you're worrying about people laughing or being disgusted at your weight).  So would I trade in 3-5 years of my life at the chance of gaining another 10 onto it?  Not to mention the increased satisfaction with the quality of my life?!?  That's like asking if I would trade in 5 dollars in pennies for a 10 dollar bill!  To me the answer is obvious.

mmm i think i would, from the ages of 0-3 :)

Yes, I'd trade up to 10 years of my life to reach my vanity weight and remain that way effortlessly,  because I'm shallow. I have no intention of ever marrying or having children so no one would miss me if I died a little sooner.

I guess it depends. Can I just get rid of those last few years where I'm too old and frail to really enjoy life anyway, being kept alive by sme crazy medication that probably hasn't been invented yet? If so, yes.

But, If its the years I will spend living life to the fullest, no way. I should be eating healthy anyways, regardless of my weight, and if I continue to eat healthy I won't have to worry about my weight, and will reach my goal eventually and stay there.

I think this is actually a pretty good question. At least one I haven't seen on the forums yet :)

I would.

But I do have my reasons: 1) I have been very much obese all my life. Since the age of 7, when I realise I was bigger than everyone else, being slim has been my major goal, the quality of my life has suffered due to my weight.

2) I'm only 21, if I was 70 then I probably wouldn't make the swap. I can have over 60 years left, so I wont exactly dramatically reduce my future.

I have probably spent far too much time worrying about my weight, looking for clothes that fit, feeling guilty about what I've eaten, etc, so it will probably balance itself out anyway.

Other times I would swap quantity for quality:

Being a millionaire- probably about ten years for that

Married to Viggo Mortensen- Would definitely give up years for that- Hell I would give up most of my life if he dressed up as his Aragon character!

Ahhh ... I am trading in my weight for a longer life!

Would I trade my life for something? Only to save the life of another. After all, my life is not my own ... I was bought with a price.

=^..^= MOLLY

I wouldn't trade 3-5 years of quality living for it, no.

Like a previous poster said, though, I might be willing to trade a few of those incontinent, demented nursing-home years...

Though I believe that lifelong weight control is possible without recourse to magical scenarios. ;)

yes I would at this point since my weight will probably kill me anyways. High BP, uncomfortable. Yes I'd do it if I never had to worry about it again.

I would certainly consider it.  Not the eating but to remain at a healthy weight for life.  Even gastric cant guarantee that.  I imagine this sounds pessimistic and I dont consider myself to be - everythings going quite well but at 465 lbs I was facing early death and I may always have the fear of that returning despite my determination. 

Without knowing with certainity whats down the road, it is tempting.  It sure would help to know whats behind door number 3 though.  Strange to me too because Im one who says I dont care if there isnt one brain wave coming off the machine, DONT pull the plug.  The worry of returning to that morbidly obese mindset of giving up though makes me think yes.

Yeah! I'm fine with my weight now and all, but I'd love to have the option of being able to eat all I want without any fear or wonder of repercussions; the quality of life I did have would be better. I wouldn't have to worry about gaining lots of weight if I ever have kids, I'd look and feel great for the rest of my life, and I'd probably be a lot more confident, too. As far as I'm concerned, I wouldn't want to live until 100 if it meant I was senile and decrepit by that age anyway. It sounds harsh, but I'd rather die than live hooked up to a hospital bed somewhere.