I’ve read about this thing called Holocracy which has really got me thinking about governance systems. Holocracy is a method for governing a company or organization by having small interconnected groups that share responsibility for decision-making and finding consensus. I think eventually someone will figure out a way for this to be applied to states/nations/etc. I think that communication technologies will be an important part of the solution, or at least important to enable it to scale up. But, right now I believe that government on a state or national level gets too polarized and then becomes paralyzed. Perhaps this is because we’re more concerned with blocking stuff we don’t agree with, than with finding consensus and moving forward on things we do agree about. ...

My plan for this month is to eat MORE and exercise LESS. Yes, I know that sounds backwards, but here is my thinking. 1. I have had great results with Paleo but I have been playing fast and loose, and having stuff I shouldn’t be having a bit too often. I can have bread, but I’ve decided I don’t want to have it every day. So I’m taking this month to re-focus on core Paleo. Also, there’s some “extra” stuff I’m doing that is sort of OK but not really important to basic paleo. For example, intermittent fasting, and carb re-feeds. It doesn’t hurt, but it would benefit me more to get my basic, core paleo skills back on track. Here is my resource for that: http://everydaypaleo.com/just-paleo/ and Whole30. ...

Here are some of the important life skills and practices that I have learned in my weight loss journey. 1. Logging and measuring everything, at least while I’m making changes. 2. Really listening to my body to know when I’m hungry or satisfied. 3. Being aware of nutrient balance (fat/carbs/protein) 4. Experimenting, pushing the limits for 4-week intervals in the early game. 5. Being honest with myself about what plans will be sustainable over the long term (rest of my life) and rejecting anything that still requires lots of motivation after the first 4 weeks. ...

In the past I’ve been quite pushy about my anti-grains stance, but now that I’ve lost 90 pounds I just sit back and let the results speak for themselves. If any friends are really curious, I am happy to share my experience, and I also tell them to go and read up on Mark’s Daily Apple. I still feel strongly that low-fat diets rich in refined grains are literally killing people, but since the science is still not settled and well-understood, there is little I can do about the masses. All I can do is vote with my knife and fork, try to set a good example for my family and loved ones, and be available to share my experience whenever someone is curious. ...

I have total respect for doctors who stand up and admit “Hey we don’t actually know all the answers, and we have hurt people by assuming we do.” I’ve read about Peter Attia and his foundation but I had not heard him speak about it before. Peter Attia: Is the obesity crisis hiding a bigger problem? http://www.ted.com/talks/peter_attia_what_if_we_re_wrong_about_diabetes.html

On Lose It! there is a lot of discussion about whether sugar is terrible, whether to avoid it completely or to dole out tiny amounts. Most folks will answer that it is best to measure out tiny amounts but not deprive yourself of it completely. But I wasn’t really satisfied with either approach. So I wrote the following. I found it was best for Sugar and I to take a break from each other. I feel like I do want Sugar in my life, but lately we have become, shall I say, overly familiar, and when we see each other every day, multiple times a day, our relationship loses something. That spark wasn’t really there. Plus I think Sugar can get a bit… demanding? clingy maybe? Like, if Sugar thinks I’m not responding quickly enough to her… overtures, it can get uncomfortable for both of us.

This is awesome because it mashes up two really awesome things: Joss Whedon and David Allen’s Getting Things Done. The writer-producer-director who made Much Ado About Nothing while editing The Avengers, and who’ll return to TV this fall with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., knows a bit about “getting things done.” In fact, he cites David Allen’s book of that title as an important guide–even if he never finished reading it. More here: How To Be Prolific: Guidelines For Getting It Done From Joss Whedon

Me in 2013 As of today I have lost 100 pounds. This has been in progress for about 2.5 years. I’ve written quite a bit about my journey. Check this blog post for a good summary of what I did. A tale of two diets — How I renegotiated my relationship to food: /archives/2013/1010 The short version is: Paleo and LCHF have been good for me, but it takes a lot of trying and experimenting to find the best plan. ...

Is breakfast really so important when trying to lose weight? It depends a lot on the content of your diet. Look at your nutrient balance from last week. If your carbs are over 50%, you are on the low-fat, high-carb plan. That plan depends on eating 5-6 times a day, very small amounts, and distracting yourself so the hunger won’t bother you. High-carb dieters get into BIG trouble by skipping meals. If you get so hungry that you’re desperate and reaching for anything and everything, that’s why. The only way to eat that many carbs and still lose is to do it constantly throughout the day, no more than a serving or two at a time, so you are burning it off and not overloading your system with lots of carbs at once. I think this is why high-carb dieters say to eat breakfast every day. ...

I have decided to do another Whole30 in June, starting today. Is anyone interested in doing it with me? Reach out to me if so. The story so far: I’ve posted quite a bit about my Paleo journey so far. “A tale of two diets — How I renegotiated my relationship to food” ( /archives/2013/1010 ) is a great summary. Quick version: Over many years I have tried different diets and lost about 20 pounds, but nothing really worked well for the long term. Then I found Paleo and LCHF, then it just clicked. It has been 1.5 years and I’ve lost another 78 (for a total of 98 pounds). ...