Siim Land

I love some chilis and Cayenne pepper in my foods. However, they're a double-edged sword because of their high lectin content. It's not unhealthy by any means but if you consume too much of them, you'll cause some excess gastrointestinal stress. You may get bloating and brain fog. I definitely feel a huge difference in my cognitive performance and mental sharpness if I've eaten too much peppers or maybe garlic. What other foods contain lectins? All nightshade, tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, bell peppers, beans, lentils etc. Again, they're not unhealthy but you don't want to overeat them if you want to maximize your brain's performance and health.

Attain Jedi-Like Concentration in 4 Steps Feel in Control of Your Environment - If there’s the possibility of a random stimulus to pop up, then you’re already unconsciously pre-empting it to happen, thus causing slight arousal and anxiety. Turn off social media notifications and other pop-ups. Plug off the Internet, unless you really need it for your work. Mute your cell phone or switch it to airplane mode. In fact, put it out of sight for the time being so you wouldn’t be tempted to play with it. Eliminate other possible distractions, such as the TV, radio, pencils, toys, food. Whatever your weakness might be, you know it – get rid of them. Lose the possibility of other people disturb you. Switch to Jedi-Sage Mode. Dedication and Commitment - The amount of focus we can dedicate to one thing is limited to how many objects we have to concentrate on. Dedicate yourself to the ONE thing. Concentrate on only one task at a time. Enough said. Have only a handful of commitments and projects at a time. Finish a task before you pick a new one. Empty your mental recycle bin. Practice via negative. It’s the method of first subtracting the downside before adding in more stuff. Persistence and Perseverance - The key to extraordinary results lies in intense concentration on the task and thus becoming immersed by it. It’s the merging of your awareness with the object of your focus, which is a state of consciousness called FLOW, or the zone. Strengthened Willpower and Psychic Energy - To attain jedi-like concentration we have to also deliberately practice it. Jedi Meditation. This is probably the most fundamental tools in the psychic skill-set of a jedi-warrior. Laser-Sight Gazing. This same focus can be achieved by looking at one object for an extended period of time. Concentration Curls. A bodybuilding exercise used to flex your mental muscles. It’s based on doing reps of periods of focus. Simply hold a thought, a concept or an image in your head for a set amount of time. Conversational Presence. While talking to another person, gaze into their eyes and give them your fullest attention. How to Reclaim Your Attention? The key to not losing focus entirely is to simply notice that when you’re beginning to drift, accept it and then guide your attention back to the task. Check out the video for more descriptive explanations! Stay Focused Stay Empowered Siim

@Dan Arnautu Another option would be to lead with massive value by creating free content around your offer. Then create interest for your product or service until someone gets the bait. I mean offer.

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Self-awareness is crucial here. You have to know who you are and what you're trying to accomplish. Then, you focus on only the critical few activities that give you the most results for the least amount of effort, in regards to your purpose. However, one can wait an eternity for a divine revelation to hit you and tell you exactly what you need to do. There's also the danger of overthinking your overthinking and getting stuck in thought paralysis, not to mention information overload. The key is to start and figure it out along the way. It's like peeling back the onion layer by layer. You may change your course if you quit certain commitments of pick up new activities, but you will stay in alignment with your North Star. In my opinion, it doesn't matter where you're going, as long as you keep going. As long as you stay in motion and are guided by intuition, magical things will begin to happen. Trust the process. Stay Empowered Siim

I love walking and I walk on average 1.5 hours a day. It's therapeutic, a great way to get more movement in your day, a time to listen to audiobooks and be mindful. Although I could easily walk for a lot longer, I will limit it to 2 hours. First, not to waste time on it that much and to get other stuff done. And second, not to adapt to it physiologically that much. I do use a standing work station but I will next incorporate a treadmill station to be productive and get in more steps simultaneously.

Can you describe what you mean by messing up your digestion? In general, warm beverages should promote digestion and such. Cold liquids need to be heated up beforehand, which burns more calories and requires more energy.

The question is do you have football at first because you suck at it? But, all in all, everything you think is interesting, find appealing or like to do are the result of your conditioning. From this perspective, you'll always be misaligned with your purpose. I guess the key is making a conscious decision of pursuing a path of mastery and then staying disciplined on it. I would imagine grand master chess players all have an obsessive love-hate relationship with the game - they just want to win.

If your life purpose takes up so much of your free time you don't have the desire to play video games anymore. You should replace it with focusing on what really matters to you and makes you feel more fulfilled.

The keto diet can work great for "normal people". The most common problems are micronutrient deficiencies and electrolyte imbalances. Those can easily b supplemented and thus fixed. Doing it on a vegetarian ketogenic diet is also very easy and effective. Although keto is mostly animal based, you don't need to consume any meat on it. It's not the food that makes the diet ketogenic but the metabolic state of ketosis that does. I've written a book Vegetarian Keto on Amazon. Maybe you want to check it out.

It increases time under tension and thus volume. Just a trick you can unconsciously make yourself work more. It's great for maintaining good form and going through full ranges of motion.

"You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength," - Marcus Aurelius

2 years ago I stopped drinking alcohol. Not because I had bad habits but because I simply felt like I didn't need it anymore. I used to drink maybe 1-2 times per month before quitting completely but I saw rapid improvements in everything I did immediately. There’s still quite a big difference between drinking a little bit VS not at all. First off, you don’t have to think about it at all. You don’t have to spend cognitive resources on it either. Your mind just gets this massive amount of open space. Secondly, your thinking is so clear…just so clear…all the time. No alcohol -> no hangovers -> no problems. (Shocking, I know!) Thirdly, being no alcohol is also a great way of personal development. You're forced to become an interesting person in social environments and have to overcome the fear of talking to others. Fourth, not drinking alcohol forces you to be authentic all the time. You can’t hide behind your drunkness or lack thereof. Every improvement you make in your life is conscious because you’re aware of your own behaviour and the progress you’re making. I don’t want you to think that I’m condemning those who drink alcohol. It’s just a personal choice I’ve made and I’m not judging. In fact, drinking occasionally can actually be good for you. Studies have shown that having a glass of red wine a few times per week increases life span and improves longevity. Here are the benefits of NO ALCOHOL after 2 years (quickly experienced) Increased focus – I don’t have to waste cognitive resources on thinking about it. Clear skin – holy sh#t! I don’t know what the fck people are talking about when it comes to blisters or zits or acne because I hardly ever get something like that. Effortless fat loss - Whenever you consume alcohol, your body will prioritise getting rid of it. This will shut off other metabolic processes almost entirely, meaning, the food you eat with alcohol is more likely to be converted directly into fat. BOOM! Abundant energy all the time – first off, there are no hangovers, but you also increase your overall energy levels. More assertiveness – you begin to take massive action. Because you’re not wasting your precious vitality and energy on metabolising alcohol and curing brain fog, you have so many extra resources at your disposal. Sacrificing alcohol is not difficult for me because it helps me to live a much more fulfilling life in the other things that I do. That is why hereby I challenge you to pick up the challenge and go no alcohol for 30 days. Just quit it for the time being and see how it turns out. Trust me, it can only benefit you. I have also made a video about this on my YouTube channel and I would appreciate if you would check it out. - Thanks! Stay Empowered Siim

Fasting is very good for you. I do intermittent fasting every day and eat only once - very easy way to be more productive, improve your health and maintain low levels of body fat. However, this is just my personal preference and it's by no means the best solution. With that being said, I think everyone should incorporate some intermittent fasting into their routine. Think about it, if you're eating dinner at 8 PM, and then have breakfast at 8 AM, you haven't eaten for 12 hours, but, in reality, you've been in a fasted state for less than 10. And this is put lightly, some people never enter into fasting physiology. That's why the general guideline would be to fast for 14-16 hours every day to at least get some benefits of autophagy and cellular detoxification. Check out my video on how to survive your first 24-hour fast: Stay Empowered Siim

@Huz The issue isn't the particular thing you're craving as it seems you'll always go round to some substance or another. The problem is in wanting to get stimulated and conditioning your brain to be satisfied with nothing else. It's a habit also known as the "bliss point" - the optimal amount of stimulus that causes happiness. The bliss point is subjective - an obese person can't get enough satisfaction from vegetables because of their taste buds are used to processed carbs, whereas a fitness enthusiast can love those same greens. This same principle applies to money, possessions, sex, comfort and so on. What's the solution? You have to just simply quit it coldly - that's the only way of liberating yourself from the attachment and cravings. Fasting is another great trick. That's what you essentially need to do to overcome any addiction - fast. @Joel3102 Damn, it's definitely a lot harder as an Aussie. They do love to drink with the mates if you know what I mean. @pluto Thanks! Yes, with increasing awareness you begin to do more of what's good for you effortlessly. Thanks!

@Joel3102 Yes, you'll never be prepared for it. I think quitting alcohol doesn't have as severe withdrawal symptoms as caffeine, fapping or video games do because most people aren't drinking daily anyway. So, it's just a matter of mindset and taking the plunge. The biggest obstacle is definitely giving in to social expectations and judgements. "What do you mean you're not drinking anymore?" Your friends will try to convince you and bait you into drinking again but if you're gonna try no alcohol, then you have to hold strong. If other people can't come to terms with your decision then, well, I think we all know what that means... @Huz Did you pick up any other habits as a substitute? You might be compensating for it by eating less ideal food or anything else.

@Epiphany_Inspired That's so true! Thanks for sharing and the mention. The book you mentioned is amazing. A ton of insight into the lifestyle and psychology of minimalism. In my opinion, the greatest thing people need to realize is that they're not attached to the particular item but to the emotion or memory. Like, they keep old clothes just because they're reminded of a past event or who they used to be. It's natural and sentimental, but we have to understand that the item itself isn't where the good feeling we get resides - it's in our consciousness and it will stay there as long as we won't forget about it.

There is indeed some common ground diet cults tend to agree upon. Some universal principles. Drink more water (about 1 gallon a day) but not to the point where you have to urinate uncontrollably Don't eat processed carbohydrates and sugar - refined grains, candies, etc. NO HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, for the love of god Eat more leafy vegetables - dark cruciferous veggies are the best ones Don't consume vegetable oils and trans fats - canola oil, sunflower oil, margarine Eat at least some healthy fats - controversial topic, but coconut oil, avocados, olive oil and olives are thought of as good by both vegans and others Don't go protein deficient - detrimental for bone density, muscle mass and brain health. Depending on how much you weigh and how much exercise you do but in general aim for 0.6-1.0 grams per pound of lean body mass. The more muscle you have the more you should go towards the higher end. Go as organic as possible - veggies are in general quite safe, as are tubers. You want to avoid corn, tomatoes, celery, lettuce and fruit that are GMO and sprayed. Avoid artificial sweeteners - a huge list of zero calorie sweeteners and sugars. Maltodextrin, aspartame, xylithol, splenda etc. Some micronutrients everyone's deficient of - magnesium, vitamin d3, omega-3s. Additional suspects - iodine, vitamin b12, vitamin k2, selenium Use antioxidants - veggies are already packed with anti-inflammatory compounds but you should also use a lot of ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic. Stay Empowered Siim

"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way." - Viktor Frankl Stay Empowered Siim

The safest way to do HIIT is probably with sprinting - you just go from 0 to 100 real quick. Rowing is very safe as well but you can't really max out as much on it. The most effective way to train conditioning and burn fat with intervals is to do kettlebells. You really hit your metabolism and mobility as well. However, the danger is that if your technique is off you can potentially pull your back or biceps. Plus, it's inevitable that your form will break when getting fatigued. I love kettlebells and I train 80% of my cardio with them but I always stay careful when hitting my aerobic ceiling. Burpees are also great. Everyone loves burpees...

The thing with aerobic steady state cardio is that your cardiovascular system adapts to it quite quickly. You've probably had instances where you lose a ton of weight on days you walk around a lot or spend time on your feet, especially if you're not used to it. But if you do it for several days in a row you'll get used to it. The body always tries to maintain homeostasis in everything - blood pressure, blood glucose, energy expenditure etc. That's why our metabolism is constantly becoming as efficient with what it has access to. If you eat less calories for a certain period of time, you adapt again and that decrease becomes your new set point. So it is with exercise - to keep making improvements, you have to improve in some aspects of your training. High intensity interval training is a great way to never stop adapting because you'll be pushing it to the max all the time. 'Go all out for 30 seconds' is super straight forward and it doesn't matter how fit you are - you'll always get your heart rate up. It's my favourite way of doing cardio. Saves a lot of time and creates better adaptations.

@Radical Honesty Thanks! Yes, there are a ton of other biases. These are just Munger's which he uses in the context of marketing and business. There's an entire page for all the cognitive biases on Wikipedia. Check it out! The one you mentioned is quite prevalent indeed. Coincides with the one of thinking ourselves to be above average. "I'm a special snow flake," needs to be opposed by the cold harsh fact that we're just an insignificant piece of meat. I have another bias, which we should all know! Bias Blind Spot Tendency - The tendency to see oneself as less biased than other people, or to be able to identify more cognitive biases in others than in oneself.

Charlie Munger is a businessman and an investor. He has created a list of the 25 cognitive biases that influence our behavior and decision making in some way. Keep in mind that not all of them are correct all the time. But they’re still subconscious programs that we’re hardwired to exhibit. Knowing your cognitive biases will help you understand your own nature better, prevent making impulsive decisions and persuade others. Here's my video explaining all of the cognitive biases: Bias 1 Reward/Punishment Tendency - 00:30 - Everyone is motivated to do something if they can gain from it, but everyone is also motivated to do something or avoid doing it if there are punishments. Bias 2 Liking/loving Tendency - 00:49 - We ignore the faults and flaws of people or products if we like or love them. Bias 3 Disliking/Hating Tendency - 01:07 - We ignore the virtues and positive aspects of people we dislike. We just hate them because… Bias 4 Doubt/Avoidance Tendency - 01:23 - We hate uncertainty. If we are unsure about a decision, we try to quickly remove any doubt by making a hasty decision so that we could be certain again. Bias 5 Inconsistency/Avoidance Tendency - 01:39 - We have a reluctance to change ourselves and our habits. Bias 6 Curiosity Tendency - 01:55 - Curiosity to learn continuously. We also want to know how the story ends. Bias 7 Kantian Fairness Tendency - 02:13 - It’s the Golden Rule – Treat others like you would like to be treated. Bias 8 Envy/Jealousy Tendency - 02:28 - Envy and jealousy come from the need to get access to scarce resources. This happens when the object of desire is seen in possession of someone else. Bias 9 Reciprocation Tendency - 02:49 - We want to return the favor to someone who helps us. Bias 10 Influence From Mere Association - 03:00 - We can be easily manipulated by mere association. It can be a group of people, the quality of a product, advertising, etc. That’s why brands use famous people to promote their products. Bias 11 Simple Pain-Avoiding Psychological Denial - 03:25 - We have a habit of distorting the facts until they become bearable for our own views. Bias 12 Excessive Self-Regard Tendency - 03:47 - We all think we’re above average. We’re smarter, more attractive, more persuasive than we really are. Bias 13 Over-Optimism Tendency - 03:59 - This bias shows that we tend to be more optimistic in any situation than we have reasons to be. Bias 14 Deprival Superreaction Tendency - 04:09 - This is loss aversion. You much rather prefer to avoid losing something than gaining something. Bias 15 Social Proof Tendency - 04:19 - You look at other people, their status, group-think, to think and act as they do. Bias 16 Contrast Misreaction Tendency - 04:30 - We misunderstand comparisons and can thus make poor decisions. Bias 17 Stress Influence Tendency - 04:47 - We will act faster and get more extreme reactions if adrenaline is running through our body. Bias 18 Availability Misweighing Tendency - 05:02 - We overweight what’s easily available. Our brain starts working with what it has the easiest access to. Bias 19 Use It Or Lose It - 05:17 - What you don’t use you lose. You lose your skills if you don’t use them. Bias 20 Drug Misinfluence Tendency - 05:25 - You’re prone to do drugs and get addicted to them. Bias 21 Senescence Misinfluence Tendency - 05:39 - As we age there is a natural loss of certain skills and abilities. Bias 22 Authority Misinfluence Tendency - 06:04 - You tend to follow orders from higher authority figures just because they say so. Bias 23 Twaddle Tendency - 06:33 - This is basically spending too much time on nonsense. Bias 24 Reason Respecting Tendency - 06:43 - Some people just want the answers, not the reasons or a better understanding. There’s a study where a person jumps in front of a line and succeeds just because they say the word ‘because.’ Bias 25 Lollapalooza Tendency - 07:25 - If several of your cognitive biases start working together, they will have a much greater effect. These are all the 25 cognitive biases and there are probably a lot more of them. Keep in mind that they don’t always apply to every situation. Some people exhibit some biases more whereas others do so less. How to avoid falling victim to these cognitive biases? You want to develop meta-awareness and mindfulness. This way you can first recognize the presence of your own blindspots and remain aware in your daily decision making. I think we should all know these, even when we ourselves don't exhibit them always. Stay Empowered Siim

I would love it if you actually started off with bodyweight fitness. It will create a solid foundation for strength, structural integrity, mobility and bodily awareness. You can always learn compound movements and get big lifts but developing bodyweight skills and movements take a lot more time. The biggest regret in my fitness journey is that I didn't pick up gymnastics right away at childhood. What should you do? You can cover the entire body with just your body. Start off with push-ups and squats. If you can't do pull-ups, consider getting resistance bands of gymnastics rings to do bodyweight rows with. Sprinting, polymetric jumping, running for conditioning. Add handstands, Yoga, mobility. Do some hollow body holds and you're golden. Scale up by first increasing the amount of reps and sets, then try to progress onto more challenging movements, the planche, muscle-ups, front levers.