Siim Land

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Posts posted by Siim Land

  1. Posted

    I finish eating about 30 minutes before bed. The reason it works for me is that I eat only dinner and spend the rest of the day fasting. Those nutrients will be used for recovery and anabolism during sleep. If you were to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner then it wouldn't be optimal. It seems counter-intuitive but I've never felt better.

  2. Posted

    Time is one of our most valuable resources in life – you don’t want to waste it. What’s more, if you know how to manage your time better you would also be able to do more of what you love. 


    The main principle to mastering your time is not doing more stuff but doing it better.

    Here are the 4 main time-management strategies 

    Principle #1 Prioritize or Be Made Posterior 

    The most fundamental premise of time management is prioritization – focusing on what’s most important. It all comes down to knowing what you want to accomplish and then directing the bulk of your efforts to achieving that.

    Principle #2 Be Efficiently Effective

    There’s also a big difference between effectiveness and efficiency. 

    • Being effective is about doing the right thing – i.e. your micro-focused actions leading to your macro-purpose. 
    • Being efficient is about doing things right. This is pure resource management. You can be very good at putting out fires but it doesn’t mean you’re getting any closer to what you want.

    The core idea is that you have to focus on doing the right things – the things you want to accomplish – as well as possible as to save time and energy.

    Principle #3 The Principle of Least Effort 

    What this premise entails is doing the least amount of things for the highest yield of return. The trick to being more productive is to learn how to get more done in less time, without sacrificing quality.

    The most important questions you have to ask in here are:

    • What is the ONE activity that would make everything else a lot easier or insignificant?
    • How much time would I save if I did X and where could I put it to greater use?
    • Which of these activities grants me the highest rate of return? But is the effort required to achieve those results worth it?
    • How can I reduce the amount of energy I exert while still maintaining the same amount of quality? Do I have to optimize my work process or improve my skills?

    Principle #4 Addition Through Subtraction

    The principle of deduction entails you approaching your activities VIA NEGATIVA. It’s the art of addition by subtraction in which you’re supposed to first remove the downside before attempting to increase anything.

    In the context of time management, you would want to via negativa your activities like in the example of the Principle of Least Effort. Don’t pick up the newest and coolest productivity tricks and tools if you still have loopholes in the fundamentals i.e. the principles mentioned in here.

    Check out the video for more details

     

     

    Thanks!
    Stay Empowered

  3. Posted

    @ElenaO I eat mostly cabbage in a different form - raw, cooked and sauerkraut, and I feel great. Bloating has to do mostly with gut health not the food. Lettuce is also the top pesticide laden vegetables whereas cabbage, broccoli, and onions aren't. Funny, but that's how it is.

    For vegetarians, I would eat a lot of carrots, turnips, beetroot and white rice. An occasional sweet potato is also great. As far as healthy fats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and coconut flakes are probably the cheapest, while still providing as much nutrition as the more expensive nuts, like almonds or pistachios.

     

  4. Posted

    Eating healthy can be dirt cheap. And you won't become micronutrient deficient either if you use some supplements. The greatest fallacy surrounding healthy food is that some of the "healthier" products are better than others all because of the mainstream fitness narrative.

    An example: chicken breast is the most expensive part of the chicken but the least nutritious. Just because fitness gurus tell you to eat lean meats. I also cringe whenever I see people buying iceberg lettuce or other fresh salads. Yet again, virtually zero  nutritional value in comparison to the price. Green leafy vegetables, the cheapest of which is ordinary green cabbage, will give you more micros, fibre, a whole lot of volume, and antioxidants. 

    You don't need to buy organic fruit either because the nutritional value isn't very significant either. Fructose can only be metabolized by the liver and will only be used to balance your blood sugar levels, which can be done with other foods as well. Increase your body's endogenous fat oxidation and you'll avoid low blood sugar responses completely. 

    The most expensive macronutrient is protein. Eggs are the cheapest sources of protein but they are also the richest ones. They cover the entire amino acid profile and have other healthy nutrients. So, you can get away with eating mostly eggs, add in some cheaper meats that are considered unhealhty, such as chicken thighs, and you'll be well off.

    As far as fat goes then you can get large tanks of olive oil in a dark container. I remember getting one of those when I was in the UK. Lasted me for months. Nuts can be expensive and you don't need them for the micros. Cheese isn't needed for nutrition either but can be a good addition for taste.

    When I was in the UK, I lived off about 5 pounds a day and I did just fine. 

    These are just some of my cheap healthy food hacks. I might have more of them but I'll come back to you some day.

    Thanks
    Stay Empowered
    Siim

  5. Posted

    The 4 essential conditions for building muscle are:

    1. Train hard and heavy enough
    2. Trigger protein synthesis
    3. Be in a caloric surplus
    4. Adequate hormonal output (Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone)

    By following these principles, I've built pure lean muscle even on a ketogenic diet. 

    You being on a vegetarian/vegan diet, you would want to eat plant-based foods with enough protein. The myth around needing massive amounts of protein is a fallacy because most people don't eat that much anyway nor need to. Around 1g/lb of lean body mass is a great estimate to aim for. 
    As far as the sources go, you would still need the full range of amino acids. You might want to consider getting some branched chain amino acids but they aren't essential. 


    Eat vegetables, nuts, seeds and starch for glucose. Fructose has no seeming effect on building muscle because it can be only metabolized by the liver and ineffective for replenishing muscle glycogen.

    Hope this answers some of your questions.

    Stay Empowered
    Siim
     

  8. Posted

    Here are some of the best "superfoods" on the planet that aren't just healthy but full of micronutrients and push it over the top.

    • Blueberries. Why? They’re full of phytonutrients and antioxidants, protecting against cancer and neurodegenerative disease.
    • Cacao. Not hot chocolate, but raw cacao nibs. Raw cacao contains 20 times more antioxidants than blueberries and 119 times more than bananas.
    • Chia seeds.  Eaten by ancient Aztec warriors. These seeds are rich in fiber, omega-3s, protein, vitamins and minerals, such as copper, zinc and potassium.
    • Algae. It’s a complex superfood that can be found in green, blue-green or brown seaweed. The health benefits are quite amazing: stronger immune system increased white blood cell count and better gut flora.
    • Bee pollen. Made by honeybees, it is one of the most nourishing foods Mother Nature can provide us with, as it contains almost all of the essential nutrients needed by humans. It’s rich in amino acids, vitamins, including B-complex, and folic acid. Bee pollen is richer in protein than any animal source and half of it is directly used by the body. One teaspoon consists of over 2,5 billion (that’s 9 zeros) flower pollen grains. Talk about micronutrient density. 
    • MCT oil. Stands for medium-chained triglycerides that are shortened fatty acid chains that can be directly metabolized into energy by the brain and body. They're liquidized and made from coconut oil. The caloric content is highest possible - 900 kcal/100g. Instant power and ketosis.

    These are the ones I eat.

    Thanks!

  10. Posted

    You've probably heard about the many ways to improve cognition: read books, meditate, exercise and do some crazy brain games. But have you heard about these unconventional strategies?

     

     

    TLDW

    • #1 Neuroplasticity - 00:45 - Expose yourself to novelty
    • #2 Get Distracted - 01:32 - Studies show some background noise can actually boost productivity
    • #3 Practice Multi-Tasking - 02:56 - Multi-tasking isn't productive, but it can teach your brain to stay focused while being distracted.
    • #4 Power Training - 03:49 - Explosive plyometric or high intensity interval training will increase the speed of your nervous system
    • #5 Creative Visualization - 04:55 - Envisioned mental images in our head are directly connected with the ones in the outside world. Visualize the skills you want to improve.
    • #6 Empathy - 05:40 - Empathy stimulates the prefrontal cortex and boosts emotional intelligence.
    • #7 Inversion - 06:16 - Sending more blood flow to the brain is good for the functioning and health of the brain. Do handstands or hang upside down.

    What do you do to improve your cognition?

    Thanks!
     

  12. Posted

    Although it will be a good kick, I think that it would be too over-stimulating as well. I mean, cold showers will trigger a stress response, caffeine increases adrenalin and you pumping yourself up also taxes the adrenals. 

    The idea behind taking cold showers is to condition yourself to be able to control your fight or flight response and to be uninfluenced by the shock. Doing it like some sort of a means of self-qualification would rob the whole idea from it.

    But, you do you. That's just my 2 cents.

     

  13. Posted

    All great people have a One Word that will describe and define them. For Steve Jobs it was ‘Impact,’ for Martin Luther King ‘Equality,’ and for Muhammed Ali ‘Greatest.'

    What would be Your One Word – a single word that would sum up everything that is you?

    What is most characteristic to YOU? What do you stand for? What is your purpose? Your mantra of excellence?

    Evan Carmichael's book called Your One Word will help you to find the answer to that.

    Evan's One Word is #Believe,
    Mine is Empowered.

    What about you?

    Thanks,
    Stay Empowered!
    Siim

     

  15. Posted

    I eat low carb keto and thus my food list isn't that rich. Although the ketogenic diet can be very rich in variety, I still like to follow a minimal effective dose, in regards to the choices I have  to make with my purchases. I get my essential micros and macros while avoiding decision fatigue and saving time, money and willpower.

    Here's my most purchased foods in order of frequency:

    • A ton of eggs - a carton a day on average
    • Green cabbage/Red cabbage
    • Carrots/Beetroot
    • Broccoli/Cauliflower
    • Ginger/Turmeric/Cinnamon (I'm huge on these)
    • Garlic/Onions
    • Sauerkraut
    • Brazil nuts
    • Pumpkin seeds
    • Chicken thighs
    • Pork chops/ribs
    • Avocados - one a day
    • Lemon - one a day
    • Sour cream
    • Butter/Lard
    • Olives/Olive oil
    • Liver/Heart
    • Tomatoes
    • Salmon/Herring/Sardines/Mackerel
    • Coconut oil/MCT oil
    • Coffee - I've been able to go through only one pack over the past 6 months, lol - strategy
    • Green tea

    That's the gist of it.

    Super satiating, super nourishing, super energizing.

    Thanks

  16. Posted

    @Nahm Yes, he's like Sisyphus but it has served him very well so far. He has also talked about being like this ever since birth and it seems he's enjoying it. I don't want to be 100% like him because I think he is still quite myopic in some aspects of life but his wisdom can be applied to the majority of areas of your life. It's just his Navy SEAL perspective that masks the hidden gems of his wisdom.

  17. Posted

    Have you heard of Jocko Willink? 

    He's an ex-Navy SEAL commander, a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and one of the most intense men on the planet. He's not a brute or a cold-hearted soldier. His podcast - Jocko Podcast - is a medium for philosophical debates about discipline, leadership and the darkness of human nature. 

    He was also guested in Tim Ferriss' book Tools of Titans where he shared his wisdom.

    Here are my top 10 ideas from him. 

    • #1 Discipline Equals Freedom 
    • #2 Two is One and One is None - Have a Backup
    • #3 Expose Yourself to the Darkness to See the Light
    • #4 To Be Mentally Tougher, Be Tougher
    • #5 Take Extreme Ownership Over Your Life 
    • #6 Wake Up Early To Gain Psychological Victory
    • #7 Always Be Prepared
    • #8 Learn to Detach Yourself From the Situation
    • #9 To Increase Willpower, Stay Strong and Hold Your Discipline
    • #10 When Things Are Going Bad, Say Good and Get Back into the Fight

    I've also made a video.

    What do you think? He's not a spiritual guy at all but he still has some great insights.

    Thanks!

    Stay Empowered!
    Siim

  19. Posted

    Tools of Titans is Tim Ferriss' book about the tactics, routines and habits of billionaires, icons and world class performers. Here are my top 7 greatest ideas from the book. No.4 is my favourite one. 

    Table of Contents:

    1. #1 The Small Things Are the Big Things - 00:25
    2. #2 Improve Tools At the Top of the Funnel - 01:57
    3. #3 Failure Is Not Durable - 03:06
    4. #4 Good by Jocko Willink - 03:50
    5. #5 Inviting Mara to Tea - 06:01
    6. #6 Challenge All Assumptions - 07:52
    7. #7 It's Gone - 09:20

     

    Thanks!

  21. Posted

    @pluto Ye, I think that he hasn't most likely been following this one meal a day approach consistently for his entire training career. Probably he was quite strong and big in the past and has now transitioned over to a different phase in his life where he's focusing on health, maintaining muscle and strength without trying to get bigger. However, I've been eating one meal a day on keto and have managed to build lean muscle quite easily. Then again, my biological potential is by far reached and I have a lot of room for still making intermediate gains.

  22. Posted

    @Mats Well, the WHO also says that meat is cancerous, while NOT DISTINGUISHING between organic unprocessed meat (chicken, pork, beef) from highly processed meat (hot dogs, sausages, sugar covered bacon). There's a huge difference between them because the actual content of real meat in hot dogs is close to zero. 

    However, that doesn't mean that eating meat doesn't have any dangers to it. Of course, you can damage your health by eating whatever. Setting specific amounts of certain nutrients as a one-size-fits-all solution doesn't make sense and is the worse way of doing it. A petite woman who is sedentary and weighs less than 60 kg has significantly different energy demands and macronutrient needs as The Mountain from Game of Thrones... 

    Every food can be bad in excess and the most important aspect of it is the quality of what you eat. If it's highly inflammatory food, even something seemingly innocent, such as bread, canned beans or whatever, will still make you sick.

  23. Posted

    @Natasha Yes, it's definitely very good. The idea isn't to feeling obligated to eat one meal a day. Instead, it's about incorporating intermittent fasting into your daily schedule in some shape or form for the health benefits.

    @jjer94 Some of it's water but you're probably not eating enough calories. It's indeed very easy to undereat on keto because of the satiety effect. However, I'm currently building lean muscle with it very easily. You just eat more :D

     

  24. Posted

    How many of you have heard of either the warrior diet or OMAD - one meal a day. Basically, you fast the majority of the day and eat only at dinner. I've been doing it for almost a year and have never felt or performed better. It not only has amazing health benefits but also increases my productivity and sense of clarity during the day. What about you?

    Here's my video, in which I explain why and how I do it: