heavy_industry Q3 health improvement

[heavy_industry]

Q3 goals:​

• 100% low carb diet adherence (Q1: 70% -> Q2: 87%)
• Remove the f nicotine out my my life once and for all

Strategy:​

• Food:

I've basically conquered my junk food addiction.
Whenever I go buy some food, I look at processed carbs and feel nothing. In my mind it doesn't even register as being food. It got to a point where I no longer require discipline to stick to my diet. Now we're on autopilot.

The only exception to this, is when I happen to be travelling.

For some unknown reason, whenever I remove myself from my usual environment, I randomly start to crave carbs. I am not a psychologist and I cannot explain why this is happening, but it's clearly some kind of mental trigger.

Either way, I think that the best course of action is to just define a low carb "cheat" meal that I'll be having when I'm not at home.

• Nicotine:

First let's start with motivation:
1. Disastrous cardiovascular risks later down the line that I am not interested in - at all.
2. Freedom from my self-imposed trap of dopamine.

Currently using chewing gums and I will gradually reduce the amount I'm taking week by week.

Will taper off using nicotine patches.

I feel horribly ashamed for failing to kick this habit. But I don't care how many times I fail. I will conquer all of my goals or die trying.

Details:​

• Timeframe: 10 weeks
• Will post weekly updates
• I may also include details about the other items in the health improvement process, but main goals are food and nicotine.

Let's go.

 

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[Lyzmin]

Great goals for this quarter!

The only exception to this, is when I happen to be travelling.

This is the reason I always take a meal shake with me. This is even easier than fast food.
Maybe a suggestion to experiment with?

 

[DoTheWork]

Have you tried nicotine patches instead of gum?

 

[heavy_industry]

Have you tried nicotine patches instead of gum?

I think it might be better to use patches because there is no risk of falling off the wagon and taking too much. You only get 1 patch per day.

Whereas with nicotine gums you can eat them like candy if you're not 100% vigilant.

 

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[DoTheWork]

I think it might be better to use patches because there is no risk of falling off the wagon and taking too much. You only get 1 patch per day.

Whereas with nicotine gums you can eat them like candy if you're not 100% vigilant.

I also believe that I've read that patches are less addicting. Surely, they are less habit-forming and a controlled dose, as you said.

It really removes the decision fatigue as well. I'm not sure if you do this, but in a situation like this, I would fight myself about whether or not I should have more gum. I would try to justify it in my head, then guilt myself for having more (or wanting to have more).

The patches are designed as a system as well. You start at a specific dose and work down every 10 days, usually. With the gum, I'm sure it would be more difficult to develop and follow a system.

If you do this, just make sure you trash gum (even if you just bought some). Otherwise, you'll end up doing the patch + gum.

Walmart's Equate brand has patches for super cheap over Nicorette brand. Pricing is the same regardless of dosage, so you could even cut the larger patches into smaller doses. However, this only works with "matrix-style" patches like Equate, where the nicotine is distributed evenly across the patch. Some other brands are not like this, which can be dangerous when cutting the patches as too much nicotine can be released at one time.

 

[Jrjohnny]

Nice job! I’ve seen both of the previous quarters, you’ve made great progress.

Im sure your going to crush this quarter man, keep us updated!

 

[heavy_industry]

Nice job! I’ve seen both of the previous quarters, you’ve made great progress.

Im sure your going to crush this quarter man, keep us updated!

Thank you!

Looking at the progress month-by-month (or some other short timeframe), it was not a spectacular, skyrocketing thing. It was steady, boring, repetitive, and filled with failure and small disappointments.

But when I take a look at who I was 6 months ago, I simply cannot believe how much I've changed. Both physically and mentally.

I'm taking things one step at a time.

I've learned from my previous mistakes and I am now willing to take a systematic approach to conquering my goals. And now I'm playing the long game. I'm looking years into the future.

Step by step everything will turn into gold.

 

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[Pain Brain]

Q3 goals:​

• 100% low carb diet adherence (Q1: 70% -> Q2: 87%)
• Remove the f nicotine out my my life once and for all

Strategy:​

• Food:

I've basically conquered my junk food addiction.
Whenever I go buy some food, I look at processed carbs and feel nothing. In my mind it doesn't even register as being food. It got to a point where I no longer require discipline to stick to my diet. Now we're on autopilot.

The only exception to this, is when I happen to be travelling.

For some unknown reason, whenever I remove myself from my usual environment, I randomly start to crave carbs. I am not a psychologist and I cannot explain why this is happening, but it's clearly some kind of mental trigger.

Either way, I think that the best course of action is to just define a low carb "cheat" meal that I'll be having when I'm not at home.

• Nicotine:

First let's start with motivation:
1. Disastrous cardiovascular risks later down the line that I am not interested in - at all.
2. Freedom from my self-imposed trap of dopamine.

Currently using chewing gums and I will gradually reduce the amount I'm taking week by week.

I feel horribly ashamed for failing to kick this habit. But I don't care how many times I fail. I will conquer all of my goals or die trying.

Details:​

• Timeframe: 10 weeks
• Will post weekly updates
• Will also include details about the other items in the health improvement process, but main goals are food and nicotine.

Let's go.

Awesome. I know what you mean when you look to processed carbs as inedible. It's strange to think how someone could find them palatable after a few months without them.

I don't have much experience with nicotine past childhood, but like many other highly-stimulating consumables it is a tough cycle to break. You should not be ashamed for not yet kicking the habit. The habit serves as a reminder for us to be cautions of exploitive stimulation. It is a source of experience and wisdom that stregthens our ability to resist temptations for ourselves and others.

Thanks for sharing. One day we will wonder how we were able to even function with our vices.

 

[REV5028]

define a low carb "cheat" meal

*Hits buzzer* What is "pudding"!

Lame Jeopardy jokes aside... let's go, you got this!

 

[Len_1590]

I love the health goals.

Massive massive kudos for getting your nutrition on autopilot. That's such a huge step!
The occasional high carb day isn't terrible, but as Daniel Kahneman points out in "Thinking, Fast and Slow!" it's easier to give 100% than 99.99% - so completely understand wanting everything!

What other addictions similar to nicotine have you kicked in the past?

 

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[Mace22]

Two things that might help

1. When you're traveling and start craving carbs (probably because all airport food is junk)
you can either pack foods that the TSA will let you take on your flight, or get find snacks that are healthy, (almonds without seed oils, Beef Jerky without sugar, etc. Alternatively you could tough it out until you get to the next place you can eat real food)

2. If you're struggling to quit nicotine, redefine your identity. You're not trying to quit smoking, you don't smoke.
(Nicotine patches and chewing won't help, it's still addictive.)




P.S
Going low-carb might not actually be healthier. It takes a while for our brain to switch from using carbs for fuel to using fat. Barely giving it enough carbs doesn't seem to work in my experience. Try either going keto for a set period of time (In ketosis for about a month to two months because after that you start to experience issues (lack of minerals, nutrients, etc.) Or eating whole foods, and cutting out processed grains (Wheat, Oats, Brown Rice, Quinoa, etc.) and going with Potatoes, white rice, tubers, and fruit.

There is also a sort of 80/20 rule with nutrition. Sure, we can optimize our carbs and blood sugar, and take supplements, etc. etc., but a lot of it comes from eating clean, whole foods.
(If you've got the money, get organic, grass-fed food, if you're trying to save only get organic fruits, legumes, and grains and grass-fed/organic meat)

 

[heavy_industry]

Massive massive kudos for getting your nutrition on autopilot. That's such a huge step!

Thank you!

it's easier to give 100% than 99.99% - so completely understand wanting everything!

That's exactly what I'm shooting for!

What other addictions similar to nicotine have you kicked in the past?

I'm not exactly addicted to nicotine, I've developed a physiological tolerance to it, which means that the best course of action is to taper off using a medical device such as patches.

Addiction is behavioral in nature. If you find yourself addicted to something, just rip off the band-aid. You can't "taper off" a social media addiction - for example.

Going low-carb might not actually be healthier.

Low carb is my way of saying 0 carbs.

*Hits buzzer* What is "pudding"!

 

[MaxT]

Congrats to you about food, it's hard at the beginning but when we're in we don't regret to make this choice...
I wish you a lot of good things for the future

 

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[Len_1590]

I'm not exactly addicted to nicotine, I've developed a physiological tolerance to it, which means that the best course of action is to taper off using a medical device such as patches.

That's an interesting take, I never considered this different from addiction. I'll have to have a read up on it some time.

You've got this.

 

[heavy_industry]

Finished Week 1/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 4/7 days

Notes:

Catastrophic beginning of Q3.

Will try harder next week.

 

[Len_1590]

Finished Week 1/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 4/7 days

Notes:

Catastrophic beginning of Q3.

Will try harder next week.

I have always been a bigger fan of negative splitting and finishing strong, than starting strong and fading at the end.

You've got this! 9 weeks to go!

 

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[Jrjohnny]

Finished Week 1/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 4/7 days

Notes:

Catastrophic beginning of Q3.

Will try harder next week.

Hey, you still made some progress. Now you got something to work even harder for.

Prove that it was only a fluke and your capable of succeeding.

 

[heavy_industry]

Finished Week 2/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 5/7 days

Notes:

Second catastrophic week of the diet plan.

 

[piano]

Finished Week 2/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 5/7 days

Notes:

Second catastrophic week of the diet plan.

Bro, seriously read How to quit smoking by Allen Carr.
You already said you would anyways. So don't be a liar and read it!

 

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[Spenny]

Bro seriously read How to quit smoking by Allen Carr.
You already said you would anyways. So don't be a liar and read it!

@piano is right, his book works, and his strategies work for other addictions.

It's time to kick this, Heavy.

 

[Bigguns50]

First, congrats on your goals and your success so far!

For some unknown reason, whenever I remove myself from my usual environment, I randomly start to crave carbs. I am not a psychologist and I cannot explain why this is happening, but it's clearly some kind of mental trigger.

I can only suggest what works for me to keep me on track with everything.
What are you? Not Who....that's a different subject.

For example, I wear many hats. Father, husband, entrepreneur, athlete, etc. When it comes to my training and diet, I am an athlete. Therefore, everything I eat and do is exactly what an athlete does. Ie: That bacon sure smells good...but...I'm an athlete and I don't eat that. This goes with my entire diet (I'm whole food plant-based BTW). It's a decision that guides my choices. Hope this helps. Let me know if you have questions.

 

[Len_1590]

Finished Week 2/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 5/7 days

Notes:

Second catastrophic week of the diet plan.

Improvement of 25% in the number of days adhered to diet. I'd take a 25% improvement in any area of my life!!!

Keep the improvements coming

 

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[heavy_industry]

Finished Week 3/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 6/7 days

Notes:

Third week on a losing streak, but things are slowly getting better.

 

[Jrjohnny]

its still an improvement.

Sure, you haven’t made progress the last few weeks.

You got it this week, I can feel it.

Now you have a goal to try to beat: get better than 6/7, even 5/7 is a 14% from 6/7.

I believe in you you got this bro

 

[BizyDad]

Failure is failure.

Allowing yourself failure makes these ongoing quarterly "progress threads" monotonous to see.

It has no place on an entrepreneur forum. Just my opinion.

You haven't changed your identity yet. You still see yourself as someone who needs nicotine. Some who thinks cheat days are acceptable.

That's who you are, and these quarterly threads show it.

This does no good.

Because you are only displaying the symptoms and not changing the underlying cause.

This is like a guy who has a rash and writes progress threads about how he scratched less each week. And everyone is like... Ooooo, only two scratches this week. Getting better Heavy.

Nah, bruh. Change like this can happen in an instant. So choose to see yourself different. Define yourself different.

Do better.

 

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[piano]

Finished Week 3/10:

• Nicotine: FAILED TO USE ONLY PATCHES
• Diet adherence: 6/7 days

Notes:

Third week on a losing streak, but things are slowly getting better.

Don't worry bro. I just did some math and apparently the chances of me meeting my dream girl are 333-Thousand to one (I might've made a little mistake somewhere in my calculation, also the joke sounded funnier in my head)
edit: I redid the calculation and it's actually one in 10.000

Failure is failure.

Allowing yourself failure makes these ongoing quarterly "progress threads" monotonous to see.

It has no place on an entrepreneur forum. Just my opinion.

You haven't changed your identity yet. You still see yourself as someone who needs nicotine. Some who thinks cheat days are acceptable.

That's who you are, and these quarterly threads show it.

This does no good.

Because you are only displaying the symptoms and not changing the underlying cause.

This is like a guy who has a rash and writes progress threads about how he scratched less each week. And everyone is like... Ooooo, only two scratches this week. Getting better Heavy.

Nah, bruh. Change like this can happen in an instant. So choose to see yourself different. Define yourself different.

Do better.

BizyDad speaking the truth goddamn!
Seriously, instant change is possible. And the book I and Spenny (and prolly many others too) recommended will seriously do that!
So go do that. I don't F*cking care if you see yourself as "illiterate" or "The musle macho stereotype" or whatever I don't even knowonhfnafsb

 

[heavy_industry]

Thanks for the feedback daddy!

I'll think about what you've said.

It has no place on an entrepreneur forum. Just my opinion.

Would be correct, but we do have a special section called "Health and Fitness", and this is exactly what this thread is about: documenting my health journey.

Is it boring and monotonous? Yes.
Is it filled with failure and setbacks? Yes.
Does it have a lot of irrational decisions and self-sabotage? Yes.
Does this make me look like an idiot? Yes.

So it's exactly like starting and running a business.

All I care about is seeing gradual progress towards my end goal, which I am going to reach no matter how many times I fail, or how stupid I look in the process.

Change like this can happen in an instant.

Just like you've built your physique overnight!

Use the promo code "BIZY" for 25% off your next fitness course purchase! (we do not offer refunds)

 

[BizyDad]

So it's exactly like starting and running a business.

Does this "logic" work with people who read this thread? My goodness.

No it's not. The stakes are much higher. Fail at biz, start over. Fail at health, no do overs.

Any concern your cavalier attitude about health is setting the wrong example? How many months of failing are you getting to here? At some point enough has got to be enough.

If this was a business progress thread, the forum's best advice for you would be to quit, because this many months of poor results would signal the market is telling you something.

I'm not asking you to quit on life or quit on improvement.

Just quit setting a poor example on the forum.

All I care about is seeing gradual progress towards my end goal, which I am going to reach no matter how many times I fail, or how stupid I look in the process.

I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR IT!!

Then start a business progress thread. You are so secretive about that. But there is obviously no need to be secretive.

Isn't it interesting that the rationale you use to defend a health progress thread is the exact opposite rationale you use to defend not having a business progress thread.

The cognitive dissonance must be debilitating.

Would be correct, but we do have a special section called "Health and Fitness", and this is exactly what this thread is about: documenting my health journey.

The description of that special section (side note, does this thread really add to the specialness of that section?), the description says it is for discussion. I see very little discussion going on here.

This is you documenting failure.

We have a specific place for people to document their entrepreneurial journey. Even failed ones.

There is no place specifically set aside for documenting health journeys.

There's probably a reason for that. Take this progress thread to a quit smoking and eat right forum.

Just like you've built your physique overnight!

Use the promo code "BIZY" for 25% off your next fitness course purchase! (we do not offer refunds)

Make jokes all you want, but it doesn't help you quit nicotine or adhere to a diet any better.

My biggest issue is this...

You are so well respected around here that since you started this ridiculous poor progress thread, now the forum is getting cluttered with all kinds of non business progress threads.

From @farahead ridiculous fap based commentary to @Jrjohnny asking about bleaching hair, someone has to maintain a standard around here. These health threads are no different, add little value, and inspire others to post some irrelevant to business type stuff.

So it's exactly like starting and running a business.

Now I wonder if you even have a business. Or is this health journey somehow scratching that itch for you?

 

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[Jrjohnny]

@Jrjohnny asking about bleaching hair

Cmon man you ain’t gotta do me like that

 

[BizyDad]

Cmon man you ain’t gotta do me like that

Hahaha. Sorry not sorry.

It is a business forum, not a "solve every question" in life forum.

Just remember, I'm a nobody around here. I'm not an admin or anything. Just a guy with some opinions who chooses to share them often and wants to help keep this forum awesome while waiting for Elon Musk to grace us with his presence.

IMPORTANT! - Elon Musk stopped by today...

and he promptly left. And he will never return. Why? He visited the forum at an unfortunate time. On the front page, he was greeted with shit threads like this: Sex, Drugs, and Hookers? Where Do I Find Them? From $0 to $1 Billion in One Month! Help me pick a Wordpress Template. Does...

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