• This feature writing is entirely off my own personal viewpoint, perspective and thought(s) and may, subject to varying context(s) - introduce its own terminology(s) and/or themes readers may not readily be familiar with. Hence timely readership is well appreciated. 
• This is an archived post which may or may not have undergone further editing for readership accessibility. 

Budgeting, and wider thoughts on intermittent fasting.

• PART 4
  • Costings & Meals Prepping - is Keto/LCHF more resourcefully affordable?
    • Sample Plan $25- $28
    • Sample Plan $35-$45
  • Resource Longevity Analysis
  • Intermittent Fasting and sociology
  • Wrapping it up.

Is Cyclical Keto+IF more resourcefully affordable?

Having experienced sparse periods of HC+IF confirms a resounding yes. As stressed earlier in Part 3 -the need to accessorise each and every meal - with sauces, condiments, desserts to substantiate - quickly becomes an obsession for flavour. Yet doing no favour -  on the wallet.

Sample plan - $25-$28.

1. Eggs: $2 - $2.50
2. 500g beef heart, livers or if I'm lucky - short dated chicken drumsticks : $3- $3.50
3. 500ML EVOO: $4
4. Standard 500g block cheddar: $4
5. 1kg of carrots + short dated vegs : kale / turnips / pumpkins : $3
6. Yoghurt 1kg: $3.50 - $4
7. 3L full cream milk: $3
8. 1kg Rice for refeeds: $1.4
9. 500g pasta for refeeds: $65c
10. 900g oats for refeeds: $1.2
11. Lebanese Flat breads for refeeds: $0.90

Sample plan - $35-$45 (fit for a humble king)

1. <MOST OF THE ABOVE $25-$28 plan> + few combination/s of below;
2. Extra protein sources: burger patties / minces / whole chickens : $6.
3. 500g no sugar added peanut butters: $3-$4.
4. Various condiments: mayonnaise/s, mustards, minced garlic, extra herbs: $5.25
5. Cream cheese: $2.50 - $2.75 for Keto/LC+IF whey desserts.
6. 100g Gelatin powder: $3.5
7. 4kg potatoes for refeeds: $3.5 (sadly unexplained price increase throughout the year)
8. Rice based cereals for refeeds: $2.5
9. 2Litre Low Fat Ice Creams for refeeds: $2

(Sample) Longevity Analysis.

Now then, how long do these supplies actually last?

1. 12x 600/700g Eggs: 2.25 used per day (if also counted towards the making of whey cheesecake as dessert) on average amongst Keto+IF days. Up to 4.5 days of longevity per carton of 12.
2. 500ml EVOO: 15ML to 20ML per day used = 29 serves average. Theoretically, up to 29 days of longevity.
3. 250g cream cheese: 50% used per week's batch of whey cheesecake (see recipe V2). Hence 2 weeks of longevity.
4. Greek Yoghurt 1kg: from 250g (during Keto/LC+IF) for whey cheesecake + sporadic use / or whey gelatin dessert recipe, to 250g (each day during 2x refeed days) = approx 500g-600g per week. On average up to 12 days of longevity.
5. Condiments (various).
   • Mayonnaise: $2 250g pesto mayo (ALDI® Colway brand for example) =15-20g each per day. Up to 12 days of longevity.
   • Mixed herbs: $1.60 for 25g. 3 grams each used per day. Up to 8 days of longevity.
6. The cheese: variable longevity.
   • For the expensive gouda = $4 for 200g at 40g each serve during Keto+IF = 5 serves, hence, 5 days of longevity.
   • Or - For ordinary cheddar = $4.5 for 500g at 45g each serve during Keto+IF = 11 serves. Hence, 11 days of longevity.
7. 3L Full cream milk: anywhere between 250ML to 300ml per day of use of Keto+IF (dilute with water + xanthan gum), and from 600 to 800ml used during each refeed day. = At best < a week. Sometimes there are days I have to only use no more than 200ml per day of Keto+IF.
8. Variable meats -> variable longevity.
   • Raw weight 500g beef mince typically yields 425g usable cooked amount. Servings wise - 50g on the low end (combined with other sources such as organ meats), or 100g on the high end. Hence, 5 usable serves across 5 days longevity on average.
   • Entire chicken at $6 (best price I found was $3 though a rare find amongst Asian delis') typically yields up to seven (7) usable serves cooked amount. Hence 7 days of longevity.
   • 1kg of chicken drumsticks at $4 or if I'm lucky $3.50 for short dated - yields 4.5 cooked serves. About 4.5 days of longevity.
   • 500g livers (either beef, lamb or chickens) - yields around 450g of usable cooked amount. 100g each serve, about 4.5 days of longevity. However due to its insanely high Vitamin A I eat it no more than three times per week,hence longevity may vary on up to 10 days of use.
   • 500g of ox hearts - yields more or less the same usage and longevity as beef minces.
9. Vegetables: various longevity.
   • 1kg carrots: 50g to 75g serve (grated / processed with mini chopper) per day = 17 serves. Hence 17 days of longevity.
   • 1 bundle of kale (short dated) between 400 to 500g. 100g (raw uncooked weight amount) as average use per day =  4 to 5 serves. Hence 4 to 5 days of longevity.
   • 1 kilogram of pumpkins. Between 50 to 80g of (uncooked weight amount used) per day = 14 to 15 serves. Up to two weeks of longevity, if also turned into DIY pumpkin purees.
   • 1 entire head of cauliflower (approx 1.5 kilogram). Between 100g to 150g (uncooked weight amount used) per day = ten serves. Up to ten days of longevity.

Carb sources during 48 hour or 2.5 day refeeds

1. 1kg rice: 120g used (dry weight used) per day of refeed meal. Hence, for up to 8 days.
2. 400g Rice based cereals: 160g (dry weight) per day used. Hence, up to only 2 days.
3. Potatoes: up to a month and half.
4. 900g Oats: 100g (dry weight) used per day. Up to 9 days.
5. 500g pastas: 100g used (dry weight) per day of refeed meal. Hence up to 5 days.
6. Lebanese breads: finished pretty much in two days.
7. 2Litre Low fat ice creams / neapolitan flavour: 350ML used per day of refeed. Hence up to 5.7 days

There are other things I'd wish to elaborate. But it is not practical to fit them all into this one singular post.

Besides, I have much more important matters to discuss. Something we rarely hear inbetween realm/s of nutrition and sociology.

Jessica Ruscello @ Unsplash

Intermittent Fasting - a solution to the World's Problems?

Bear in mind that similarly to my thoughts on the Mouse Utopia experiment, this section are subject for writing revisions; due to its complexity and layered concerns.

That is - "What if" Intermittent Fasting were an "open liberty"? Expected yet not enforced. Encouraged yet unimposed. Would society then be a different place?

I wholeheartedly think so.

Peter Joseph stated way back in 2011's Moving Forward, one reason that keeps our current economics system going - is consumption. There is however one mirror image to this word "consumption" I cannot let go of in my head for however number of years. Somehow - the word "ownership" - remains somewhere or somehow, connected.

But underneath these graphs and charts - represents real biological beings. Succumbing to these feel-good allures of "standards".  If "Growth" and "Progress" bear different "standards" to the eyes of a peasant, against that of a politician or a plutocrat.... Who then, do you think has a higher seat, display or fervour of power to dictate how or what growth and progress "means"?

Who then; should "own" the qualitative meaning of "consumption?"

My "answer", be however utopianist it may seem - is that of our own capable and willing - nutritional selves. 

All economic systems throughout history rely on collectivist ideologies to coerce, guide and display what is binarily right and wrong. Establishments and institutions stems from this very purpose.

What is correct "enough" for them then, should therefore be (in their interpretation) a display of Equality. For all the rest underneath the ladder. Can they truly condense biological chaos into binarily-ordered subservience? I think not. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37N0aFmO19o

Coercively also - "growth" both glamourises and perpetuates hedonism (watch 3:45 onwards). Hedonism necessitates even more desire to gain permission for more consumption. Advertising perpetuates this through an ironic contradiction. The more such a race is instilled upon individuals at accruing these haven of securities -  increasingly also becomes susceptible at instilling themselves more in-securities. 

"Materialism" - I'd still wager do nonetheless serve as means of a tangibly objective-reward. But their meaningfulness is biologically restrictive to just one (1) pragmatic use and/or context, at a time.

Do you justify the biological needs of multiple Lamborghinis parked in just one garage? For one space? For one driver? At any given time?

Likewise "investing" (a polite derivative for "owning") a dozen homes where one can only sleep in one home, at a time. Or a dozen 50" plasma display screens where you can only watch one at a time. Or ten mobile phones in your drawer all claiming to have the same "smartphone" functionality. Yet your hands can only biologically use them one - at a time.

Imkerk @ Unsplash

Fasting - implores a state of being with one.

You may indeed be thrown from all directions as multiple contexts. But only you can address and dissolve yourself in one of them contexts, one (1) at a time. Within this biological state, an authentic self re-evaluation of needs versus wants. I shall elaborate in three points.

1/3

Intermittent Fasting - represents a biological, individual - agency of CONTROL - at interpreting what "enough" means.

Let us examine the concept of "control" throughout history. "Control" assumes ownership / coordination of mass nutritional, physiological and sociological - agencies, authorities and authenticities. All economic paradigms instil "Control". No matter how "Social" or "violent", at least in theory. Communism certainly works in theory. Capitalism works in theory. Hell, even Martial Law works in theory.

Damagingly however, "in theory" also assumes concreteness and finality. Thus expecting infinite, unchanged subscription of the same "correctness".

Can any one of these "economic" systems truly dictate and contain all that of subjective and chaotic variables of "correctness"? Harmoniously? Without conflicts or differences? Across not just one (1) human being, but infinitely - all the next unborn's in billions? I think not.

Everything bears individualised context. "Control" therefore, only in the best of my uneducated imploration - must rightfully be reserved to the individual citizen. The biology of the "self". The question of who dictates and owns the meaning of consumption thus - should not be a democratic question. Nor a democratic decision. It is an individual question, with a capably self-pragmatic decision.

2/3

Fasting - is the ultimate reminder of what is Authentically - present.

When you eat food to a full regularity, each and every single meal and day of your lifetime - you are currently enjoying in the secluded haven of security. You are in the realm of "wants". Now, when you are not consuming anything - you are in the realm of "needs". You will not understand much of this. Until you alone experience long enough periods of structural scarcities. Beyond consent.

When you are in the realm of "needs" it is almost guaranteed - you also already are in the state of resilience. 

Hence, there is no other way at reconciling this present state of resilience. Intermittent Fasting facilitates synergy between liabilities and biological abilities ~ by self-authentication.

Nina Ž. @ Unsplash

3/3

Intermittent Fasting implores and encourages - a worldly state of no coercions.

"Eating food" today - has become synonymous to tribal divisions of "either you are with us" or "against ALL of us".

Picture yourself a day of living - where by no "race", or of "believers" or "non believers" aka. "Religion" - are all democratically expected civil criteria. Only you and your own qualitative objective criteria to pursue day to day, is all that matters.

Fasting - is a whollistic, biological state allowing you to do just that. Fulfilling meritocracies without diversions of competing coercions for "correctness". From Lipid Hypothesis to the moral allures of Soylent Green. Or doctors' undying insistence that "morning breakfast is the most important meal of the day". All this is nothing but frivolous pursuit at maintaining Coercions Hierarchy. As if the thought of some sort of "grand prize" imaginable awaiting them, is to me - absurdly hilarious.

It is human nature that laws are meant to be broken. For the benefit of the nutritional self. Intermittent Fasting can and shall - be broken in many ways. By only you, without external coercions.

Wrapping it up.

This Annual food for thoughts for 2018 are as diverse as I could have ever written. Spanning across thoughts on psychology, fitness, physiology and sociology. I've long envisaged to form for my viewers - an in-refutable insight over what it is like to self-nurture under prolonged austerity. So far I have survived, even despite my lingering uncertainties yet to come.

My book and this "Project" are both nearing four years old of lonesome existence. They may yet raise a question amongst curious first time readers. "All this project, this blog, this article - sounds full of institutional resentments. Why should it exists?" Certainly not based on "spiritual" codex. But of physiological, nutritional, molecular whollistical compartmentalisation of "being". All from within. Hence, "This Is™" - what I implore - as the true meaning of Humility. 

Rain or shine - may Nutritional Humility be your nurturing path. Thank you, 2018.

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And so it ends my annual food for thoughts of 2018. Please leave your comments below.