Macro-discipline

[Zeta]

Some very interesting ideas were posted in the thread A Precommitment Self-Discipline Trick.

 

I was thinking about self-discipline and realizing that the biggest problem I've had in recent years is what I would call "macro-discipline" (or "macro-self-discipline"): the discipline needed to stay on CR, or stay on CR at a given level, over the course of many weeks or months or years, as opposed to the day-to-day discipline of the sort that various food container locks address.

 

Indeed, I'm experiencing a failure of macro-discipline right now! I had a schedule that I stuck to perfectly for many months (2 days of feasting, 1 of near-fasting), but then, because of some social events that lined up in a way that made it seem that I should push my fasting day one day into the future, and because I wanted (or so I told myself...) to see whether I would sleep well after a Feast Day 3, ruling out the existence of an inertial circadian adjustment independent of the amount eaten (1), I decided to postpone my fasting day from Dec. 30 to yesterday. But then, yesterday, I woke (slept beautifully by the way), and told myself a bunch of things about why I should push the fasting day back again ("need to get weight up to see the non-CR components of my hematological abnormalities", etc.). And, today, I woke and ... same thing. I think I'm going to have fasting day tomorrow, but who knows!!!

 

I'm also enjoying pigging out for more than two days in a row.

 

Zeta.

 

(1) i.e., has my body adjusted to sleeping little every third day, in such a way that the original, and, to a great degree, likely continuing cause -- hunger-induced cortisol -- is no longer necessary to reduce hours slept from 7+ to 2-3? That is, is my body on a 72-hour cycle that was kick-started by the every-three-day cortisol spike, but now has a life of its own? (Answer -- see above -- apparently not!)

[Dean Pomerleau]

Zeta,

 

Usually I can confine my"feasting" to the remainder of the day on which I've "fallen off the wagon". But it has occasionally stretched to several days, if I'm stressed (very rare), or traveling. Its weird how the human mind works.

 

In your case, I wonder if your hesitancy about getting back on track is a result of (possibly non-conscious) appreciation of how you feel (not to mention sleep) with more calories? Are you feeling more energy now than you've gone several days without (near) fasting? Perhaps your anemia symptoms are subsiding, and (again perhaps non-consciously and erroneously) you're associating feeling better with eating more calories (rather than with the real cause - correcting your anemia via iron suppls?), and are reluctant to go back? 

 

In general, I've found that for me, trying to "be flexible", i.e. eating differently when traveling, or eating differently one day to the next, makes it much harder to maintain a low-calorie (or even my relatively high calorie!) routine. When what I am eating one day to the next isn't very regular, its too easy to rationalize deviating from my preferred program. So perhaps part of the challenge is the 2 days feasting / 1 day near-fasting routine you've been following. Since Michael seems to poo-poo the hormetic effects of intermittent fasting anyway, have you tried a consistent diet with the same daily calorie count? Or, if you prefer the 2-feast / 1-fast strategy, perhaps easing back into it by not so severely restricting on the near-fast day, at least to start with?

 

Just a couple thoughts.

 

--Dean

[Zeta]

Dean, excellent points! The idea of being influenced by how good I feel is definitely part of it (but note: it's not because of the iron, which I had to stop after just a few days). I just feel better at a higher weight -- at least these days. But, as noted, I'm hoping that iron supplementation, or some other simple solution, will help me feel better while being on a lower weight.

 

But I will ease back into it this time. I think I'm enjoying how I feel so much now that the prospect of a whole day of 450 calories of greens is too unappealing....

 

Zeta

 

[Dean Pomerleau]

Zeta,

 

I just feel better at a higher weight -- at least these days. But, as noted, I'm hoping that iron supplementation, or some other simple solution, will help me feel better while being on a lower weight.

 

But I will ease back into it this time. I think I'm enjoying how I feel so much now that the prospect of a whole day of 450 calories of greens is too unappealing....

 

Do you really think its higher weight, or higher calorie intake, that is making you feel better lately?

 

I hesitate to suggest this, but have you considered trying my strategy - namely eat more calories but maintaining a low weight/BMI via copious low-intensity exercise - like continuously pedaling at a bike desk?

 

--Dean

[Zeta]

Do you really think its higher weight, or higher calorie intake, that is making you feel better lately?

 

I really don't know. I'm going to go back to fasting every three (or so!) days for a few weeks, then consider the increased exercise option. The problem is my gut: It's hard for me to eat a lot without getting bloated.

 

Zeta