Biologically/evolutionary, why would humans prefer junk food over health food? Why do we resist exercise when?
exercise is so obviously beneficial? Is this just a cruel joke being played by God? What I mean is, from an evolutionary standpoint, I would think that we would be biologically programmed to crave healthy foods and exercise because it results in a longer life. Instead it's just the opposite and we have to force ourselves to stay away from too much fat/sugar/salt, and we have to force ourselves to exercise. Is this some sort of test we have to go through to prove that we can resist temptation?
Diet & Fitness - 10 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
We as humans crave what tastes good, and helps us be lazy. Evolution didn't create that, we did with all our technological advances. Healthy food isn't exactly the yummiest food, and doesn't satisfy our lust for the junk we normally dump in our bodies. But you can condition yourself to prefer it, it just takes will power, something the majority of people lack.
2 :
Advertising and careful planning by the TV writers and producers is at work. Every sitcom has binge eating featured as great fun, puts down exercise and normalizes obesity. The people go out to eat, they fight for the right to be lazy. Then there are the ads. They tell us to want to go to restaurants and to crave an idle lifestyle. It works on us. Radio, TV, magazines all sell fake slim downs and gorging activities at the same time. You're supposed to believe that overconsuming brings pleasure, and even buy diet food! And we do, even though we should know better. Evolution also left us looking around to see what others are enjoying, but we don't always remember that the ads and shows are NOT REAL PEOPLE!
3 :
Maybe because junk food is already processed. Our body can absorb the sugars quickly and junk food usually has tons of calories (fat having more than twice the calories per grams than carbs and protein). God does not exist, theres always a logical explanation, keep looking for it.
4 :
lifes a b****. and its not fair thats a reason.
5 :
When humans first began, there was no need for us to worry about exercise. we vigorously worked and hunted for clothing and food. At that time, there were no "healthy foods" and "junk foods." We live in a day and age where we have fast food and technology, which is what leads us to live an immobile, unhealthy life. We lead this life because it's easy and it makes us happy. Biologically, I think if you were given two choices: A. Live easy and happily, or B. Work hard daily and carefully select foods, you would choose a.
6 :
we, as humans, seek pleasure..therefore, the things that are delicious are the ones we eat (regardless if it's healthy or not)..being tired feels unpleasant..so, it is human instinct to avoid unpleasant things..and, since exercise can cause tiredness, we subconsiousely, unconsciousely, or even consciously, avoid it..we are NOT biologically programmed to crave healthy foods, but only the ones that are favorable to eat..
7 :
It's all about how you were raised and your individually choices. To say ALL people want to sit on their butt and eat bad food is a gross stereotype. I for one can't stand sitting for more than 1-2 hours, I have to move and be active. Ever since I was young I've always loved veggies and fruits, it's all I'd eat if my parents let me. I'd NEVER pick a hamburger over fresh strawberries, or to sit on the computer all day rather than go for a hike. Some people have healthy, natural tastes and desires, and some are jsut lazy, have bad inclinations towards eating poorly, not exercises, etc. It has nothing to do with God or whether bad foods are temptations or not.
8 :
First, we tend to be more concerned about our own comfort. I work out constantly and eat healthy, but at any given moment, I'd rather eat an ice cream sundae and play video games than go for a run and eat an apple - I look to the future rather than the future. However, from an evolutionary standpoint, we originally had to hunt and forage for our own food and take whatever calories we could get. Meat (generally unhealthy) has more calories than berries and grains (generally healthy), so we'd prefer to eat that. Additionally, exercise costs us calories; from an evolutionary standpoint, we wanted to conserve calories. Until IDK, 200 or so years ago, being fat was seen as more attractive than being thin, at least for males, because it shows that you are wealthy enough to afford food to provide for a family. Take a look at bears. They hibernate in the winter. Why? Because it's harder for them to find animals to eat in the winter, and hibernation conserves an immense amount of calories.
9 :
Probably because we thought junk foods tastes better. and true, it does taste better because of overload of MSG and salt in it. That's why it doesn't help especially if you want to lose weight.
10 :
The body is built for survival, storing as much fat as possible is essential for survival through famines. Having a desire for sweet, starchy carbs and the ability to eat them almost endlessly is also part of the plan. What wasn't part of the plan was to have so many easily obtained highly refined carbs endlessly available. We were suppose to reach the end of the growing season when fruit was finally ripe and gorge on them til the next year, hopefully adding a few pounds of fat storage which would have to last us til the next year. Exercise wasn't suppose to be optional, for millions of years people had to work their azz off just to make a meal. We are blessed with overabundance & excess being "a problem"
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