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thanks for the interesting perspective I think my realization was that it's not about 'who I am' but rather about what I do. So the breakthrough was not caring

thanks for the interesting perspective I think my realization was that it's not about 'who I am' but rather about what I do. So the breakthrough was not caring how an action affects my image (e.g. appearing weak) but rather as a learning point (e.g. more tired indicates a problem that should be diagnosed).

GoToRO 5y ago
Where can we read about your food choices?
- victorwho86 5y ago
  I sometimes write about food choices on the blog: https://victorrotariu.com/ https://victorrotariu.com/ and on medium: https://victorrotariu.medium.com/ https://victorrotariu.medium.com/ But I can sum them up: No sugar (e.g. sucrose), ever. This includes honey, fruits, sugar hidden in non-sweet foods. The problem I consider is the fructose in sugar, not the glucose No hydrogenated oils, e.g. transfats No seed oils, e.g. PUFA, e.g. rapeseed, sunflower, corn. No cereals, e.g. wheat. For cereals I am not 100% sure they are detrimental to me, rather that there is good chance No alcohol No nitrites Lots of meat Lots of saturated fat 16h+ fasting daily (e.g. no breakfast) 95%+ of meals are cooked
proc0 5y ago
Sure, thanks for sharing your experience, it created a good discussion as a result. You mention an identity crisis, which is what I was responding to, and it was suggesting to me there was some self-reflection going on. You mention human nature as well: "You cannot win by fighting human nature. You win by embracing human nature" Do we really know what human nature is? Do we really know the true nature of the human mind? Are we identical to our bodies? If we lose a limb, do we change our minds/identities? These are largely unanswered questions, but to me it suggests mind over body. So from this perspective, maybe the body is weak at times, and this can be confused with our own identity if we're not careful. Check out David Goggins (he has several interviews on YT), if you're not already familiar with him.
- victorwho86 5y ago
  Thanks, this is a really interesting discussion I am familiar with David Goggins. He is quite amazing. I think what he does in some ways is mind of human body, but in other ways is an expression of human nature. Let me explain. I was probably not very clear in the post about this part on human nature. Homo Sapiens evolved to adapt to a certain environment. The 290,000 years before the Agricultural Revolution were spend in an environment quite different than the world today. We as a species are exquisitely adapted to survive and thrive in that environment. This is why we have conquered the Earth. When I say human nature, I mean our biases, blindspots, logical fallacies that are adaptations to that environment. In essence a model of the world that still believes (unconsciously) we are in that past Paleolithic context. When I say fight human nature, I mean fight impulses that come from those adaptations. Impulses which are not beneficial now, such as being sedentary, but were in the past (when it was advantageous to conserve energy as much as possible). My conclusion was that in the past I thought I could fight this past model (human nature). But now I realize it's not a game anybody can win, except for very short periods of time. Rather I believe the solution is to change your environment and your model of the world, so that those unconscious biases (human nature) pushes you to behaviours which are beneficial. To come back to the sedentarism example: instead of attempting to move from doing nothing to intense exercise 6 times per week (which is what everyone does), to make it a gradual habit: like at least 10 minutes of running at the same time every morning before your cup of coffee. This habit will naturally grow into a bigger habit. You are using your human nature to reach the outcome. In this case instant gratification (coffee after), habit formation (same trigger every day), overcoming resistance with minimum dose (only 10 minutes).
  - proc0 5y ago
    We'll have to disagree about human nature. I think humans have a powerful mind that has more control of the body than people realize. "Homo Sapiens evolved to adapt to a certain environment. ... This is why we have conquered the Earth." This sounds like a contradiction. Did we evolve for a specific environment, or did we conquer the globe with all its different environments? People live literally in every type of environment, from deserts, to mountains, to jungles, to very cold places. In every single case we have adapted. Why are you saying it's so hard to adapt to new circumstances? It seems you are suggesting human nature is not as highly adaptable as it obviously is. We are creatures of adaptation. > But now I realize it's not a game anybody can win, except for very short periods of time. I think you're speaking for yourself here only, because there are plenty of examples of how this "nature" has been shattered into pieces. What were humans doing on the moon? Why are humans capable of meditating and fasting for days/weeks? Why are humans capable of extreme feats of athleticism that our ancestors would have never dreamed of. The list is very long. Tying this in with the my first comment, if you think you don't have control, then for sure you will not, because you will block that possibility.

GoToRO 5y ago

Where can we read about your food choices?

victorwho86 5y ago
I sometimes write about food choices on the blog: https://victorrotariu.com/ https://victorrotariu.com/ and on medium: https://victorrotariu.medium.com/ https://victorrotariu.medium.com/ But I can sum them up: No sugar (e.g. sucrose), ever. This includes honey, fruits, sugar hidden in non-sweet foods. The problem I consider is the fructose in sugar, not the glucose No hydrogenated oils, e.g. transfats No seed oils, e.g. PUFA, e.g. rapeseed, sunflower, corn. No cereals, e.g. wheat. For cereals I am not 100% sure they are detrimental to me, rather that there is good chance No alcohol No nitrites Lots of meat Lots of saturated fat 16h+ fasting daily (e.g. no breakfast) 95%+ of meals are cooked

proc0 5y ago

Sure, thanks for sharing your experience, it created a good discussion as a result. You mention an identity crisis, which is what I was responding to, and it was suggesting to me there was some self-reflection going on. You mention human nature as well: "You cannot win by fighting human nature. You win by embracing human nature" Do we really know what human nature is? Do we really know the true nature of the human mind? Are we identical to our bodies? If we lose a limb, do we change our minds/identities? These are largely unanswered questions, but to me it suggests mind over body. So from this perspective, maybe the body is weak at times, and this can be confused with our own identity if we're not careful. Check out David Goggins (he has several interviews on YT), if you're not already familiar with him.

victorwho86 5y ago
Thanks, this is a really interesting discussion I am familiar with David Goggins. He is quite amazing. I think what he does in some ways is mind of human body, but in other ways is an expression of human nature. Let me explain. I was probably not very clear in the post about this part on human nature. Homo Sapiens evolved to adapt to a certain environment. The 290,000 years before the Agricultural Revolution were spend in an environment quite different than the world today. We as a species are exquisitely adapted to survive and thrive in that environment. This is why we have conquered the Earth. When I say human nature, I mean our biases, blindspots, logical fallacies that are adaptations to that environment. In essence a model of the world that still believes (unconsciously) we are in that past Paleolithic context. When I say fight human nature, I mean fight impulses that come from those adaptations. Impulses which are not beneficial now, such as being sedentary, but were in the past (when it was advantageous to conserve energy as much as possible). My conclusion was that in the past I thought I could fight this past model (human nature). But now I realize it's not a game anybody can win, except for very short periods of time. Rather I believe the solution is to change your environment and your model of the world, so that those unconscious biases (human nature) pushes you to behaviours which are beneficial. To come back to the sedentarism example: instead of attempting to move from doing nothing to intense exercise 6 times per week (which is what everyone does), to make it a gradual habit: like at least 10 minutes of running at the same time every morning before your cup of coffee. This habit will naturally grow into a bigger habit. You are using your human nature to reach the outcome. In this case instant gratification (coffee after), habit formation (same trigger every day), overcoming resistance with minimum dose (only 10 minutes).
- proc0 5y ago
  We'll have to disagree about human nature. I think humans have a powerful mind that has more control of the body than people realize. "Homo Sapiens evolved to adapt to a certain environment. ... This is why we have conquered the Earth." This sounds like a contradiction. Did we evolve for a specific environment, or did we conquer the globe with all its different environments? People live literally in every type of environment, from deserts, to mountains, to jungles, to very cold places. In every single case we have adapted. Why are you saying it's so hard to adapt to new circumstances? It seems you are suggesting human nature is not as highly adaptable as it obviously is. We are creatures of adaptation. > But now I realize it's not a game anybody can win, except for very short periods of time. I think you're speaking for yourself here only, because there are plenty of examples of how this "nature" has been shattered into pieces. What were humans doing on the moon? Why are humans capable of meditating and fasting for days/weeks? Why are humans capable of extreme feats of athleticism that our ancestors would have never dreamed of. The list is very long. Tying this in with the my first comment, if you think you don't have control, then for sure you will not, because you will block that possibility.