I’ve decided to quit snacks.
Yesterday I stopped by JAJU and tried a few things on.
My shoulders and the thickness of my arms? I was actually happy with them.
But my belly fat — I just couldn’t stand it.
So I’ve decided to give up the snacks that have been such a big part of my office life. No more. (with my wife on board)
And for dinner, my wife and I agreed to eat only a healthy, cabbage-based meal.
[1] What if I keep eating snacks?
The group with the highest intake of ultra-processed foods has a +23% higher rate of depression than the group with the lowest intake. — Deakin University, Australia (2023) —
The more ultra-processed food a person eats, the higher their odds of experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety, by +53%. — Public Health Nutrition (2022) —
In an experiment with cocaine-addicted rats, the rats preferred “sweetness (sugar)” over cocaine itself. The sweet and salty flavors in snacks overstimulate the brain’s reward system, and when that stimulation is cut off, severe withdrawal symptoms follow (irritability, anxiety, lethargy). — University of Bordeaux, France: an addiction mechanism similar to narcotics —
- About 95% of the “happiness hormone” (serotonin) is made in the gut. The chemical additives and fried fats in snacks kill off beneficial gut bacteria and wreck the microbiome, which sharply cuts the serotonin headed for the brain → depression sets in
- Snacks bring on oxidative stress and chronic inflammation in the body
- When a blood-sugar crash hits, the body reads it as an emergency and dumps adrenaline and cortisol (the stress hormone) → edginess and extreme anxiety
[2] What if I switch to a healthy dinner?
[Reining in insulin]
- The biggest culprit behind belly (visceral) fat = surplus carbs eaten late at night → an insulin overload
- Eat dinner without spiking blood sugar → insulin stays in check → all through the night, the body actively pulls energy from belly fat
[An anatomical reshaping of the body]
- A sit-down desk job → belly fat stagnates easily
- Less strain on the lower back, spine, and pelvis
[Realistic sustainability and satiety]
- Parenting kicks in the moment work ends — HARD!
- Simple, tasty cooking = something I can actually keep doing~
- Cabbage’s massive fiber load = a sturdier stomach wall
- The protein in eggs = a fullness signal straight to the brain
[3] Why do gym rats avoid salt?
- Bottom line: a misconception that got mangled on its way to the general public
- The real reason they cut salt: it’s about “water,” not “fat.”
- Sodium pulls water in and refuses to let it go. = Before a bodybuilding competition, during the cutting phase, athletes want every striated muscle to pop razor-sharp = so they ditch the salt.
- For actual muscle growth & dieting, sodium is non-negotiable: 1. an essential electrolyte for muscle contraction = the “pump” feels stronger, 2. acts as a protein carrier, 3. helps prevent the yo-yo rebound
[4] When you’re sitting, brace that core!
Make the (draw-in exercise) a habit! Crown of your head reaching for the ceiling!
So what? Zero snacks — none at all + cabbage-based dinners + the draw-in exercise
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