Short podcast episode (+1: #360 Isn’t That Extreme?) by Brian Johnson discussing Susan Peirce Thompson’s book Bright Line Eating. Brian summarizes Thompson’s main prescription—two “bright lines” to eliminate sugar and flour entirely—and argues that strict elimination is not extreme compared with medical consequences of inaction. The episode closes with a promotion of Brian’s Philosopher’s Notes/Optimize membership, which distills and teaches big ideas from books to help listeners optimize their lives.
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Optimize plus one. Susan Peirce Thompson wrote a great book called Bright Line Eating. She has a PhD in neuroscience and is one of the world's leading experts on the psychology of eating. Before all that, Susan was addicted to cocaine and food and basically everything else, which gives her a very nice vantage point from which to talk about how to recover from addiction. In her book and programs, she applies the bright lines of willpower 101 we talk about all the time to the fundamentals of Nutrition 101 we talk about all the time. Her top two bright lines for eating Eliminate sugar and eliminate flour. Don't reduce or eat them more moderately. Eliminate. Susan walks us through all the reasons those edible food like substances act more like drugs than food, and she points out the havoc they cause in our bodies. But today I want to focus on a question she often gets asked when she encourages people to make 100% commitment to to those two bright line rules. People often say, insert at least a slightly whiny voice here. But isn't that extreme? I mean, really, I have to say no to donuts and cookies and pastries and pizza? And isn't that just so extreme? No, she says. Cutting off your limbs because you have diabetes is extreme. Getting checked into the hospital one Tuesday afternoon, then losing half your stomach after having gastric bypass surgery because. Because you have a cancerous growth near your pancreas that is a serious threat to your life. That is extreme. Removing sugar and flour? Not so much. Today's one, eliminate the sugar and flour like jumbo 100% eliminate. Unless you think it's too extreme and you'd prefer the alternative down the line.
Isn't it a bit odd that we went from math to science to history but somehow missed the class on how to live? For some wacky reason, optimal living 101 never made the schedule. Of course, it's too late to go back and change that and you're too busy to read full time to catch up. But if you're like us, you're all about optimizing your life and actualizing your potential. So imagine this. Imagine having someone read the best books on how to optimize your life and pull out the big ideas that can really change your life. You know those sections you underline and asterisks and mark all up. Then imagine that guy me connecting those awesome ideas to other great books and helping you actually apply the wisdom to your life today? Well, that's what I do with something we call Philosopher's Notes, where I've distilled hundreds of great books into 20 minute super practical summaries. Then imagine me taking the absolute best big ideas from those great books and sharing them with you in hour long Optimal Living 101 classes on everything from productivity, purpose and confidence to nutrition, goal setting and conquering procrastination. Helping you optimize every facet of your life so you can actualize your potential. You've got a personal trainer. I'm kind of like your personal philosopher. Ancient wisdom plus modern science plus practical tools. That's what our optimized membership program is all about. If you're feeling it, we'd love to have you join us.
