Uncomfortable Truth: you’re unhappy, unfilled, and unhealthy because you won’t let go our your old paradigms.

You’re stuck. A prisoner of your beliefs.

How is your mental health? Personal relationships? The quality of your thoughts? How often are you exercising? Do you have a healthy social life? What do you do in your spare time? All these come together to play a vital role, in shaping your beliefs.

But what if you were to play the LONG GAME?

Guess what— all these things matter.

More uncomfortable nutritional truths:

• If you cut out entire food groups, obviously, you’ll be lean.
• Obviously, you’ll lose weight if you’re going from a slightly processed diet to a healthy diet where you cut out an entire food group (eg, carnivores and vegans).
• If you live with a toxic spouse, hate your boss and can’t control your negative thoughts, your restrictive diet is probably causing your more stress than good.

The Dangers Of Having Your Identity Tied To A Belief

How often have you seen social media influencers who have tied their entire public identity to a one-sided paradigm, unable to shift because their influence and finances are locked to that belief. On top of that, they want to avoid the embarrassment of having their ego shattered.

Be wary of people with fixed mindsets who aren’t open to different perspectives because they’re trying to protect their egos.

Influencers can show you what they want but you have no idea what’s going on behind the scenes.

As an observer of the nutritional science industry and med-Twitter for over a decade, I’ve seen intelligent scientists and doctors suffer mental health breakdowns due to the hate and controversy they face for their opinions. Engaging in battles against egos, biases, and subjective experiences is an uphill struggle you’ll never win.

It’s tragic.

The Power of Nuance

To become a well-rounded healthy and wealthy peak performer, it’s essential to master the skill of reading nuances and surpass the mediocre black-and-white thinking of the general public.

Nuance refers to the subtle distinctions, shades of meaning, or complexities within a particular topic or situation. Understanding nuances means acknowledging there may be multiple factors perspectives and variables are play that will influence the interpretation of a topic.

Recognizing and understanding these fine details enables critical thinking and higher levels of intelligence.

6 Strategies To Rid Toxic Black & White Thinking

The wisest among us acknowledge that change is constant, and everyone is vastly different. Mindset, trauma, upbringing, environment, and habits all influence how our bodies react.

1. Apply the Pareto Principle (80/20).

I support a “plant-forward” approach when it comes to diet:

• More plants, less meat.
• 80% real, wholesome nutritious foods.
• Don’t worry about the 20%. Enjoy your favorite desserts.

Eating a delicious steak once in a while isn’t going to kill you.

Hummus, lentils, and tofu rocks.

I have one rule when it comes to “junk” food: I have to fucking love it. I will never say no to Chinese fruit cake and a good Scotch because I earned it, knowing I maintain a balanced lifestyle.

2. Stop Being Black & White

Beware of influencers or individuals who advocate for cutting out entire food groups without considering the holistic impact on your well-being. It’s stressful on your mind and body especially if you’re just starting out.

OF COURSE, you will lose weight when you switch from a highly processed diet to a healthy diet. What about the long game?

Being a vegan or carnivore may work for some but make sure you have every single area of your life on point, and you know exactly what you’re doing down to the nitty-gritty details to avoid detrimental deficiencies (trust me, there are a lot of them from supplementation to the quality of your thoughts, unprocessed emotional trauma, etc).

Instead, seek guidance from professionals who understand the importance of a well-rounded approach without pushing their own agendas on you (which may be related to their own unprocessed traumas). They’ll help navigate the complexities and provide personalized recommendations based on your unique circumstances

3. Understand Nuances: Respect Individual Differences

What works for you may not work for somebody else. Stop pushing your one-sided philosophies onto others if you don’t understand their genetic history, how they think (mindset), daily habits (eat, sleep, exercise), the quality of their relationships, environmental influences, unresolved emotional trauma, etc. All these things will affect how your body processes food.

Embrace empathy and understanding as you navigate conversations around nutrition, respecting the unique journey of each individual.

4. Be Adaptable and Open To Change.

We live life in seasons. What works for you now may not work for you later. Remember, flexibility and adaptability are key to long-term success.

Stay attuned to your body’s signals and be willing to adjust your eating pattern accordingly. For example, we need more protein as we age.

5. Drop The Ego

Your ego is the biggest culprit keeping you stuck in this mediocre black-and-white thinking.

Be willing to admit you’re wrong, challenge your beliefs, question your assumptions, and seek knowledge beyond what you already know.

Embrace growth and expansion.

6. Gather Resources from Different Perspectives

Don’t limit yourself to one ideology or follow only like-minded individuals. Deep dive into research, listen to podcasts, read books, and engage with experts who offer varying viewpoints. Challenge your biases, question assumptions, and embrace the opportunity to learn and evolve.

Check out these doctors with a well-rounded science-based approach: Dr. Peter Attia, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, Dr. Donald Layman, and Dr. Andrew Huberman.

I’ve been following many vegan doctors for the last decade however I am wary because their public identity is tied to their beliefs. That becomes dangerous. You can often see hints of mental health issues in their comments and replies.

Can we just be balanced and stop demonizing things (eg. red meat) just because other unhealthy habits may be the root cause of our other health issues? Maybe it’s your toxic mindset that’s causing your weight gain because you’re drowning in a negative environment.

Disclaimer

I am NOT against veganism! I think it’s a wonderful way to eat if you know what you’re doing, getting adequate protein, and not doing it for the wrong reasons like most people— losing weight and vanity in the guise of saving the world.

Misinformation will kill.