About not eating things you shouldn't, there is an important difference between resisting temptation and avoiding temptation. I have found that if there is ice-cream in my freezer, at some point I will give in to the temptation to have some. To avoid that temptation I resist the temptation to buy it in the store where I have to resist it only once, as opposed to every day if it's in my freezer. And if I eat before I go shopping, I find I often don't feel temptation to buy ice-cream. That is one reason recovering alcoholics and criminals are counseled to avoid people and situations that might tempt them, in particular their previous alcoholic or criminal friends. Avoiding tempting situations puts less of a strain on my willpower than resisting those temptations.
Same here. Leave the temptations at the store and eat before going. But eat nutrient-rich unprocessed foods and plenty of protein. Eating like this gave me the same ah-ha moment as Oprah - it is the brain that was driving my impulses to overeat junk. But I can fix my brain chemistry by eating the right foods until satiated (no CICO deprivation with inadequate protein & nutrients), with no need for expensive and dangerous pharmaceuticals. I find the smell of freshly cooked donuts & pizza is slightly nauseating, not tempting, in this properly-fed state.
The 15 lb difference in weightloss after half the group switched to a placebo is interesting; like the Freshman 15, I suspect it is mostly water retention & inflammation due to eating favourite junkfoods again. But it triggers the mind to give up the diet or double-down with more CICO deprivation, spiraling & yo-yoing.
Going carnivore was the best thing I ever did to eliminate cravings for sweets and (bad) fat. I see all the TV ads for pizza and snacks, and think, "That's not even food." Same with all the recipes on Facebook using ingredients like cake mix, instant pudding, and Cool Whip. Not food. No desire to eat it.
I've even got my carb-loving husband on board! His glucose was up around 150 - 170 and his doc started talking drugs (probably 2 or 3 more meds added to his heart and BP meds). At first he balked and complained about cutting carbs down to around 60g daily ... though, to his credit, went along with it. His glucose is now anywhere from 96 to 110, occasionally a tad higher, and he's feeling much better. In fact, he's now complaining about all the sweets people are going to be bringing to our house on New Year's Eve. He says they darn well better take it all home with them at the end of the evening!
PS: When you first wrote about that book on Control Theory, I found and purchased a copy. Now I need to find it again and re-read it. Finally, thank you so much for everything you do, and for all the amazing content and knowledge you give away for free (though I am a subscribing member). I've learned so much from you. Whenever I read or hear something from another "expert," I always think, "What would Dr. Mike say?" :-)
I've had the same experience--after a few months eating all the meat i want, the sight of the giant Costco cake is no longer tempting. And if I do have some kind of sweets I usually feel sick afterwards-- racing heart, indigestion, energy crash -- so it's a self-reinforcing system. And what is Cool Whip anyway? lol.
Is Cool Whip still around? My parents used to occasionally buy it in the 1950s. I think we used it on Strawberry Shortcake, when fruit was more seasonal than now.
It is! In the frozen food section of the grocery store. There's regular, zero sugar, extra "creamy," reduced fat, French vanilla, chocolate, sweet cinnamon, strawberry; peppermint, and cheesecake. BLECH!
Francis Collins, Tony Fauci and all their ilk were and are loathsome, malevolent, Big-Pharma shills who deserve to be tried by a Nuremberg-style Tribunal and executed by hanging for their manifold Crimes Against Humanity.
I can’t remember when or even how I first stumbled onto The Arrow. It has to be a year, maybe a year and a half, but it quickly became my favorite of dozens of weekly reads. I look forward to seeing it in my feed every Friday morning!
The Kennedy situation is an interesting one. Clearly, at some level, he’s a threat to both candidates, certainly more so to the democrats, and I believe they’ll do whatever to can to try to make him irrelevant. I really started paying attention to him during the Covid debacle and liked what I was hearing. That said, I do have some concerns with some of his environmental stances. Break out the popcorn! It’s becoming quite a show! Interesting times we’re living in!
yeah Tom I see these complexities, too. I think we could have a proliferation of 'third party candidates' in 2024, and we may find the president in 2024 is selected by the House of Representatives. I mean this seriously. For 'it' to happen some third party people have to win some states, because electing a president is about electoral votes not the popular vote. And states (except two) parcel out their electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis. So hang on for what could be a wild ride.
Congratulations Mike on three years of The Arrows ! Doesn’t time fly fast though, it seems like only yesterday the first No Name Newsletter came out. Thank you for all your writing.
Looking back briefly I notice that in No Name Newsletter #5 you mention that you and MD "are working hard on Protein Power 2.0” - will that come out this year ? Looking forward to it whenever it does come out.
I am going to give it my very best effort this year. MD is on me about it as well. It's not her fault it's not already out. Blame it all on me. Although I've enjoyed writing The Arrow, I never dreamed how much time it would occupy. Not in the writing of it--that's the fastest part. What's time consuming is figuring out what to write and doing the research to make sure it's accurate.
Re: Arrow #156 Diet and Disease... Yes...fast food attacks by osmosis. Hilarious concept. Is it like the eggplant that ate Chicago? I love the idea that there is no will power and we all are victims of 'disease.' Is there also stupid disease? Is there a similar opposite offsetting positive 'diseases' that imbue us with positive attributes?? Like Oprah's unmatched acting ability? Or is that her doing? Maybe Not.. I may be confusing this concept with...White Privilege...or something. .
I have been a nail-biter and a smoker (2-packs a day for 10-years) and I stopped these habits without psychotherapy, electro-shock therapy, or drugs - both COLD TURKEY. It's all about Turkey, it tastes terrible...No, seriously, it's about will power! One day I woke up and said to myself...smoking is bad (aka epiphany!). I thought about that for over a month and decided I would 'not buy' cigarettes any more. Since I would not 'bum them,' this became my way to eliminate cigarettes from my world. They were still all around me as were smokers <much like 'fast food'> . Will power is underrated.
We (wife and I) went on your 'shake diet' and I lost 40 pounds over a period of about 8-months ( also painfully gave up alcohol). But we control these things. I have since had my thyroid removed and put some (too much back on). my fault... But, in addition to my belief in will-power, I do also think there is a lot of 'individual biology' out there. Somethings are harder for some people an easier for others. I don't know why I have no 'science to back this view but it seems true.
Many people talk about cigarettes as being addictive. to me smoking was simply a habit - a strong one. I had a drink....I smoked. I had coffee...I smoked. I drove my car...I smoked...and so on. I never felt any physical addiction. But some apparently do. To me, all these things - even eating - is simply a habit and there are habits we can change- or choose to not change. I do not believe we should call every failure we have to impose our will-power the result of disease... disease is a GREAT scapegoat. At some point we have to take responsibility for our actions and not use the passive voice to describe our failings or suppose a nefarious outside 'actor.'. What a pathetic view of life.
-- Happy Holidays to you, Mary Dan, your family, and your (fortunate) readers, of which I am one. A tough year ends but still things to be thankful for... Best, B
You are correct. Some things are harder for some people and easier for others. There is no doubt about that. But some things are harder for some people simply because those people believe they are harder. When I was in high school, I struggled with chemistry. When I was in engineering school, I struggled with the chemistry classes I had to take. When I decided I wanted to go to med school, I had to take organic chemistry, and I struggled with it. I told myself I had some sort of learning disability where chemistry is concerned. Just like some people don't connect with math; I didn't connect with chemistry. When I got to med school, I barely made it through biochemistry. My plan was to be a surgeon, and what does a surgeon need biochemistry for? Then when I developed an interest in obesity and metabolism--mainly because I had become obese myself--I started reading about it all and was forced to learn the biochemistry. And I discovered the block I had where chemistry is concerned was self inflicted. It could be learned just like anything else with a little study. Now I love it and read it all the time.
I think most of us are like that about certain things, including weight loss. And once one has developed that mindset, it's almost impossible to overcome. Unless one gets out of that mindset.
Happy New Year to you and Kathleen. Hope to see y'all sometime soon.
Congratulations on #156 Mike! Like so many here, I find your blog of tremendous importance, and entertainment too. Let's see, you've blown past Joe DiMaggio's streak, with Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken ...just...a...little...ways...ahead. Press On.
Mike - from the little I've read, I can't wait to get back to it (heading out for a three day drive to FL) - so no perusing for typos this morning - maybe there aren't any - like last week. Congrats on three years - sheesh! That really is an amazing amount of work. Don't know what we'd all do without you, really.
On the local news the last couple of days they have been warning about buying those diet drugs online. Some of the people in the story are saying that if you do actually want the diet drugs you should ask your doctor because if you buy them online you don’t know you are getting but it probably isn’t what you think it is...
If I had to bet, I would bet those are articles underwritten by Big Pharma. Enough people are buying and using those off-brand drugs that if there were problems, we would be hearing about them.
I have a friend who is taking injectable tirzepatide that she gets online. She's lost 30 pounds and seems to be doing well. I told her of the risks and side effects, but she says she's not having any problems. She's on a "maintenance" dose now. Not sure how long she feels she needs to take it. She's done injected HCG many times in the past and does extremely well on it, but then gains the weight back every time. I suspect the same will happen with the tirzepatide. She's trying to talk me into taking it, but I flat-out refuse. Can't say I'm not tempted, but I won't do it.
Thanks. When I saw the skull of the Pliosaur it reminded me of the dragon skulls in Game of Thrones. They were thought to be extinct at the beginning of the story and the existing eggs were considered petrified relics until...
Been learning about C15:0, odd-chain saturated fatty-acid in milk fat and butter. Being proposed as an essential fatty-acid and a replacement for omega-three fats. Chronic disease benefits and may promote anti-aging.
It's found in fatty-fish, too; but then it comes along with PUFA, which you may want to avoid.
Two available supplements: "Fatty15" (C15:0) and "LipOdd" (C15:0 and C17:0). C17:0 is also impressive, but it's produced by the body.
So funny that you thank us for "hanging in there." Always terrific stuff.
Question: I know you've shared a stage with Dr. Paul Mason (maybe Low Carb Down Under). I was listening to him on YouTube the other day and heard him say that dairy leads to insulin resistance in older women -- women who did well on low-carb (keeping weight off) prior to menopause. Since your New Hypothesis of Obesity video, I've been eating a lot of sour cream and cheese. Is this a mistake (for achieving the aging plateau Michael Rose talks about)?
And of course, if this is too complicated to answer in a reply or something you'll post about eventually, I'll wait for that! (Searched and didn't see it here.)
PS I eat a really disciplined low-carb diet. I love that you mentioned Glasser. Have that book and haven't looked at it for a long time. I advocate the "control your actions" mode in my current book and in general. Because "neurons that fire together, wire together," in Carla Schatz' sum-up of Donald Hebb, every time you do an action, you strengthen it as a habit. So, for example, I do 10 pushups (with a weight on my back) every time I make coffee during the day. (Loved that video of you on the Americano from a past post, by the way!) Unless I'm pretty much dying, there's NO getting out of this. None. In perimenopause, if I had a migraine, okay, go to bed -- no pushups. But that was pretty much the only "get out of pushups" free card.
Oops -- just looked in "Middle-Aged Middle" book. Meant to look before I hit "post." I see you and MD write: "Over the years we've had many patients whose weight loss stalled when they ate more than tiny amounts of dairy products – – for reasons that we cannot readily explain in metabolic or biochemical terms."
That book is 2009, so maybe there's more explanation now?
Love the mention of Dr. Glasser's book. Funny the same basic principles to make the changes he suggests are already outlined in many 12-step programs., but I do appreciate his summarization that you can really only control your actions (and reaction) to stimuli. I used to believe you can think your way into good action, but I think it is more prudent to act your way into right thinking.
About not eating things you shouldn't, there is an important difference between resisting temptation and avoiding temptation. I have found that if there is ice-cream in my freezer, at some point I will give in to the temptation to have some. To avoid that temptation I resist the temptation to buy it in the store where I have to resist it only once, as opposed to every day if it's in my freezer. And if I eat before I go shopping, I find I often don't feel temptation to buy ice-cream. That is one reason recovering alcoholics and criminals are counseled to avoid people and situations that might tempt them, in particular their previous alcoholic or criminal friends. Avoiding tempting situations puts less of a strain on my willpower than resisting those temptations.
Yes, that’s behind Scott Adam’s “friction” model. You just put so many frictions on a way to sin
Same here. Leave the temptations at the store and eat before going. But eat nutrient-rich unprocessed foods and plenty of protein. Eating like this gave me the same ah-ha moment as Oprah - it is the brain that was driving my impulses to overeat junk. But I can fix my brain chemistry by eating the right foods until satiated (no CICO deprivation with inadequate protein & nutrients), with no need for expensive and dangerous pharmaceuticals. I find the smell of freshly cooked donuts & pizza is slightly nauseating, not tempting, in this properly-fed state.
The 15 lb difference in weightloss after half the group switched to a placebo is interesting; like the Freshman 15, I suspect it is mostly water retention & inflammation due to eating favourite junkfoods again. But it triggers the mind to give up the diet or double-down with more CICO deprivation, spiraling & yo-yoing.
Some consumers add sugar to their ice cream to balance the fat (Bioenergetics Diet). Then they don't need to consider it a temptation.
Going carnivore was the best thing I ever did to eliminate cravings for sweets and (bad) fat. I see all the TV ads for pizza and snacks, and think, "That's not even food." Same with all the recipes on Facebook using ingredients like cake mix, instant pudding, and Cool Whip. Not food. No desire to eat it.
I've even got my carb-loving husband on board! His glucose was up around 150 - 170 and his doc started talking drugs (probably 2 or 3 more meds added to his heart and BP meds). At first he balked and complained about cutting carbs down to around 60g daily ... though, to his credit, went along with it. His glucose is now anywhere from 96 to 110, occasionally a tad higher, and he's feeling much better. In fact, he's now complaining about all the sweets people are going to be bringing to our house on New Year's Eve. He says they darn well better take it all home with them at the end of the evening!
PS: When you first wrote about that book on Control Theory, I found and purchased a copy. Now I need to find it again and re-read it. Finally, thank you so much for everything you do, and for all the amazing content and knowledge you give away for free (though I am a subscribing member). I've learned so much from you. Whenever I read or hear something from another "expert," I always think, "What would Dr. Mike say?" :-)
I've had the same experience--after a few months eating all the meat i want, the sight of the giant Costco cake is no longer tempting. And if I do have some kind of sweets I usually feel sick afterwards-- racing heart, indigestion, energy crash -- so it's a self-reinforcing system. And what is Cool Whip anyway? lol.
Non-fat sugar-free Cool Whip, to boot!
Is Cool Whip still around? My parents used to occasionally buy it in the 1950s. I think we used it on Strawberry Shortcake, when fruit was more seasonal than now.
It is! In the frozen food section of the grocery store. There's regular, zero sugar, extra "creamy," reduced fat, French vanilla, chocolate, sweet cinnamon, strawberry; peppermint, and cheesecake. BLECH!
No question in my mind that it is ALL about "action" - as I am a member of a 12-Step program with over 30 years of abstinence.
Francis Collins, Tony Fauci and all their ilk were and are loathsome, malevolent, Big-Pharma shills who deserve to be tried by a Nuremberg-style Tribunal and executed by hanging for their manifold Crimes Against Humanity.
Agreed. But we need to wait to hang them until after they've had a fair trial. :)
That's what the Tribunal is for - to conduct the fair Trial.
The constant propaganda from Pharma to BUY THIS PILL is actually frightening.
walk this way...talk this way....
It truly is.
We need to outlaw Pharma ads just like we did to Big Tobacco.
I can’t remember when or even how I first stumbled onto The Arrow. It has to be a year, maybe a year and a half, but it quickly became my favorite of dozens of weekly reads. I look forward to seeing it in my feed every Friday morning!
The Kennedy situation is an interesting one. Clearly, at some level, he’s a threat to both candidates, certainly more so to the democrats, and I believe they’ll do whatever to can to try to make him irrelevant. I really started paying attention to him during the Covid debacle and liked what I was hearing. That said, I do have some concerns with some of his environmental stances. Break out the popcorn! It’s becoming quite a show! Interesting times we’re living in!
Happy New Year, Doc! Thanks, as always!
Happy New Year back. And I agree about Kennedy across the board.
yeah Tom I see these complexities, too. I think we could have a proliferation of 'third party candidates' in 2024, and we may find the president in 2024 is selected by the House of Representatives. I mean this seriously. For 'it' to happen some third party people have to win some states, because electing a president is about electoral votes not the popular vote. And states (except two) parcel out their electoral votes on a winner-take-all basis. So hang on for what could be a wild ride.
Congratulations Mike on three years of The Arrows ! Doesn’t time fly fast though, it seems like only yesterday the first No Name Newsletter came out. Thank you for all your writing.
Looking back briefly I notice that in No Name Newsletter #5 you mention that you and MD "are working hard on Protein Power 2.0” - will that come out this year ? Looking forward to it whenever it does come out.
A very Happy New Year to you...and everyone.
I am going to give it my very best effort this year. MD is on me about it as well. It's not her fault it's not already out. Blame it all on me. Although I've enjoyed writing The Arrow, I never dreamed how much time it would occupy. Not in the writing of it--that's the fastest part. What's time consuming is figuring out what to write and doing the research to make sure it's accurate.
A very Happy New Year to you, too.
Re: Arrow #156 Diet and Disease... Yes...fast food attacks by osmosis. Hilarious concept. Is it like the eggplant that ate Chicago? I love the idea that there is no will power and we all are victims of 'disease.' Is there also stupid disease? Is there a similar opposite offsetting positive 'diseases' that imbue us with positive attributes?? Like Oprah's unmatched acting ability? Or is that her doing? Maybe Not.. I may be confusing this concept with...White Privilege...or something. .
I have been a nail-biter and a smoker (2-packs a day for 10-years) and I stopped these habits without psychotherapy, electro-shock therapy, or drugs - both COLD TURKEY. It's all about Turkey, it tastes terrible...No, seriously, it's about will power! One day I woke up and said to myself...smoking is bad (aka epiphany!). I thought about that for over a month and decided I would 'not buy' cigarettes any more. Since I would not 'bum them,' this became my way to eliminate cigarettes from my world. They were still all around me as were smokers <much like 'fast food'> . Will power is underrated.
We (wife and I) went on your 'shake diet' and I lost 40 pounds over a period of about 8-months ( also painfully gave up alcohol). But we control these things. I have since had my thyroid removed and put some (too much back on). my fault... But, in addition to my belief in will-power, I do also think there is a lot of 'individual biology' out there. Somethings are harder for some people an easier for others. I don't know why I have no 'science to back this view but it seems true.
Many people talk about cigarettes as being addictive. to me smoking was simply a habit - a strong one. I had a drink....I smoked. I had coffee...I smoked. I drove my car...I smoked...and so on. I never felt any physical addiction. But some apparently do. To me, all these things - even eating - is simply a habit and there are habits we can change- or choose to not change. I do not believe we should call every failure we have to impose our will-power the result of disease... disease is a GREAT scapegoat. At some point we have to take responsibility for our actions and not use the passive voice to describe our failings or suppose a nefarious outside 'actor.'. What a pathetic view of life.
-- Happy Holidays to you, Mary Dan, your family, and your (fortunate) readers, of which I am one. A tough year ends but still things to be thankful for... Best, B
You are correct. Some things are harder for some people and easier for others. There is no doubt about that. But some things are harder for some people simply because those people believe they are harder. When I was in high school, I struggled with chemistry. When I was in engineering school, I struggled with the chemistry classes I had to take. When I decided I wanted to go to med school, I had to take organic chemistry, and I struggled with it. I told myself I had some sort of learning disability where chemistry is concerned. Just like some people don't connect with math; I didn't connect with chemistry. When I got to med school, I barely made it through biochemistry. My plan was to be a surgeon, and what does a surgeon need biochemistry for? Then when I developed an interest in obesity and metabolism--mainly because I had become obese myself--I started reading about it all and was forced to learn the biochemistry. And I discovered the block I had where chemistry is concerned was self inflicted. It could be learned just like anything else with a little study. Now I love it and read it all the time.
I think most of us are like that about certain things, including weight loss. And once one has developed that mindset, it's almost impossible to overcome. Unless one gets out of that mindset.
Happy New Year to you and Kathleen. Hope to see y'all sometime soon.
Congratulations on #156 Mike! Like so many here, I find your blog of tremendous importance, and entertainment too. Let's see, you've blown past Joe DiMaggio's streak, with Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken ...just...a...little...ways...ahead. Press On.
Hmmm. Are there enough weeks left in my life to match Cal RIpken's streak?
Mike - from the little I've read, I can't wait to get back to it (heading out for a three day drive to FL) - so no perusing for typos this morning - maybe there aren't any - like last week. Congrats on three years - sheesh! That really is an amazing amount of work. Don't know what we'd all do without you, really.
Best,
Marcia
Have a safe and fun trip. And a Happy New Year.
On the local news the last couple of days they have been warning about buying those diet drugs online. Some of the people in the story are saying that if you do actually want the diet drugs you should ask your doctor because if you buy them online you don’t know you are getting but it probably isn’t what you think it is...
If I had to bet, I would bet those are articles underwritten by Big Pharma. Enough people are buying and using those off-brand drugs that if there were problems, we would be hearing about them.
I have a friend who is taking injectable tirzepatide that she gets online. She's lost 30 pounds and seems to be doing well. I told her of the risks and side effects, but she says she's not having any problems. She's on a "maintenance" dose now. Not sure how long she feels she needs to take it. She's done injected HCG many times in the past and does extremely well on it, but then gains the weight back every time. I suspect the same will happen with the tirzepatide. She's trying to talk me into taking it, but I flat-out refuse. Can't say I'm not tempted, but I won't do it.
And anyone who has read Kennedy's book has no doubt re the outcome of a "fair" trial.
Couldn't open the sea monster clip.
Same.
Sorry about that. I copied the title instead of the link. All fixed. Thanks for letting me know.
Thanks. When I saw the skull of the Pliosaur it reminded me of the dragon skulls in Game of Thrones. They were thought to be extinct at the beginning of the story and the existing eggs were considered petrified relics until...
Been learning about C15:0, odd-chain saturated fatty-acid in milk fat and butter. Being proposed as an essential fatty-acid and a replacement for omega-three fats. Chronic disease benefits and may promote anti-aging.
It's found in fatty-fish, too; but then it comes along with PUFA, which you may want to avoid.
Two available supplements: "Fatty15" (C15:0) and "LipOdd" (C15:0 and C17:0). C17:0 is also impressive, but it's produced by the body.
So funny that you thank us for "hanging in there." Always terrific stuff.
Question: I know you've shared a stage with Dr. Paul Mason (maybe Low Carb Down Under). I was listening to him on YouTube the other day and heard him say that dairy leads to insulin resistance in older women -- women who did well on low-carb (keeping weight off) prior to menopause. Since your New Hypothesis of Obesity video, I've been eating a lot of sour cream and cheese. Is this a mistake (for achieving the aging plateau Michael Rose talks about)?
And of course, if this is too complicated to answer in a reply or something you'll post about eventually, I'll wait for that! (Searched and didn't see it here.)
PS I eat a really disciplined low-carb diet. I love that you mentioned Glasser. Have that book and haven't looked at it for a long time. I advocate the "control your actions" mode in my current book and in general. Because "neurons that fire together, wire together," in Carla Schatz' sum-up of Donald Hebb, every time you do an action, you strengthen it as a habit. So, for example, I do 10 pushups (with a weight on my back) every time I make coffee during the day. (Loved that video of you on the Americano from a past post, by the way!) Unless I'm pretty much dying, there's NO getting out of this. None. In perimenopause, if I had a migraine, okay, go to bed -- no pushups. But that was pretty much the only "get out of pushups" free card.
Oops -- just looked in "Middle-Aged Middle" book. Meant to look before I hit "post." I see you and MD write: "Over the years we've had many patients whose weight loss stalled when they ate more than tiny amounts of dairy products – – for reasons that we cannot readily explain in metabolic or biochemical terms."
That book is 2009, so maybe there's more explanation now?
Love the mention of Dr. Glasser's book. Funny the same basic principles to make the changes he suggests are already outlined in many 12-step programs., but I do appreciate his summarization that you can really only control your actions (and reaction) to stimuli. I used to believe you can think your way into good action, but I think it is more prudent to act your way into right thinking.