I read an interesting passage from a book called "Nourishing Wisdom" by Marc David:
"It is interesting to note that in contrast to women who use excess food and body weight to hide sexuality and feminine expression, some men use a lack of food and decreased body weight to deny their masculine side. The "disappearing man," as I call him, is afraid to be male and hence shuns such qualities as strength, dominance, action, and aggression. He is confused and dissatisfied with the ideal images that society attaches to men: the violent macho style, the sexual hype, and the cool unemotional mask. He lacks effective role models and feels alone in his symbolic journey into manhood. Consequently, he takes what seems to be the best available option: He chooses not to be a man.
The disappearing man uses food to manifest his internal psychological state. He eats very little and creates a body that is slender or frail. His appetite decreases because for a man, to eat is symbolically to become more embodied, more alive, stronger, and more "male". In denying the masculine element his female characteristics are therefore emphasized."
I know CR people can provide endless scientific papers detailing the validity of their lifestyle. But could the stress accumulated from constant calorie counting and management of macronutrient ratios be less desirable with regards to maximum lifespan than simply eating what feels right (within certain limits, naturally) and becoming happy with our bodies? By suppressing the desire for a truly nourishing meal do we doing ourselves actual harm?
