The Stratagem’s Archive

Category: Lifestyle Experiments

  • Cold Turkey Dieting Doesn’t Work: Why Quitting Foods Without Replacement Backfires on Nutrition, Energy, and Habit Change

    Why Cold Turkey Dieting Backfires on Weight Loss and Fitness Goals

    It’s Easter Sunday. I’m at my grandma’s house for the first time in a while, and there’s a scale by the door.

    I step on it fully dressed—tank top, pullover, shorts, socks, phone in my pocket.

    150 pounds.

    My grandma tells me to remove my pullover and empty my pockets.

    147.

    That number sticks with me more than I want to admit.

    Later that day, I go home and look at my cabinet full of Nongshim and Buldak spicy noodles.

    That’s been my default food for a long time—quick, cheap, and familiar. But I started noticing problems: bloating, gas, constipation, and gradual weight gain from around 135 to 150 without really realizing it.

    So I made a decision.

    I got rid of all the noodles.

    No tapering. No replacement plan. No transition.

    Just cold turkey.

    At first, it felt like discipline and control—like I was finally fixing something.

    But within a week, everything changed.

    • I felt weaker.
    • More fatigued.
    • Work became harder.
    • My workouts dropped off.
    • My body felt flatter, like I had lost strength.

    That’s when I realized:

    I didn’t just remove food.

    I removed a major energy source without replacing it.

    My body didn’t see progress.

    It saw calorie and fuel deprivation.

    Why Cold Turkey Habit Change Fails in Dieting and Nutrition

    I’ve done this before with soda as a kid.

    When I quit cold turkey for 1 week(see a pattern), it backfired and led to bingeing later. What worked was gradual reduction over time. That’s why I haven’t had soda in nearly 20 years.

    So I don’t know why I didn’t apply that same principle here.

    But I didn’t.

    And I felt the consequences physically.

    Cold turkey sounds disciplined. It feels decisive.

    But without replacement, your body interprets it as:

    restriction, not improvement.

    And eventually, it pushes back.

    The Real Problem: Removing Food Without Replacing Nutrition

    This is what most people miss when trying to improve their diet or fitness:

    It’s not enough to remove “bad” foods.

    You have to replace what they were providing.

    In my case, spicy noodles weren’t just junk food. They provided:

    • calories
    • consistency
    • convenience
    • reliable energy during long work shifts

    When I removed them, I didn’t replace those needs with enough real food.

    So my energy dropped. My performance dropped. My mood followed.

    That wasn’t a discipline issue.

    That was a nutrition and fuel replacement issue.

    What Actually Works: Sustainable Diet Change Instead of Cold Turkey

    Instead of cold turkey dieting, what would have worked better is:

    • gradually reducing processed foods instead of eliminating them overnight
    • adding replacement meals before removing old ones
    • building consistent, repeatable nutrition habits

    Because long-term change only works when it’s sustainable.

    Simple Long-Term Foods I Can Actually Stick To

    I don’t need a perfect diet.

    I need a sustainable one.

    For me, that includes:

    • broccoli
    • cauliflower
    • mushrooms
    • soybeans
    • avocados
    • bananas
    • baby spinach
    • oats
    • rice
    • Any foods that I will likely eat and not waste.

    I don’t force myself to eat foods I hate. That’s a fast way to fail.

    I focus on foods I can realistically maintain long-term.

    Because consistency beats perfection in nutrition, weight loss, and fitness.

    Lesson for Anyone Trying to Change Eating Habits or Lose Weight

    If you’re yo-yoing between diets, restarting nutrition plans, or struggling with habit change:

    It’s not a discipline issue.

    It’s usually a replacement issue.

    You can’t remove habits your body relies on and expect stability without replacing them first.

    Your body doesn’t respond to intention.

    It responds to consistent fuel and structure.

    Final Thought: Sustainable Habit Change Over Cold Turkey Dieting

    I’m not trying to punish myself into better health anymore.

    I’m trying to learn how to actually support my body while improving it.

    And that means:

    Don’t just remove habits.

    Build replacements that last.

    If This Resonated With You

    If you’ve struggled with cold turkey dieting, weight loss cycles, or trying to “fix” your habits only to fall back into old patterns—you’re not alone.

    I’ve also created two fitness PDFs where I go deeper into my training, habits, and the systems I’ve built around self-improvement and consistency.

    No shame. No guilt. Only human effort around constraints.

    If this post resonated with you, share with someone you know is in the same boat, or you feel like someone finally put your experience into words, don’t forget to like, subscribe, or share around.

    You can tap the Tiny Wave button to let me know if you understand the struggles of making healthier choices.

    It links to my Ko-fi, where you can support the Archives or simply show that this perspective helped you.

    Either way, it means a lot to know someone out there understands this too.

    Tiny Wave 👋

    Thank you again, and I’ll see you all in the Archives later.

    Explore The Archives:

  • Why Baking Soda and Vinegar Didn’t Remove My Toilet Calcium Stains — My 9-Month Struggle To a Clean Toilet

    I moved into my first ever studio apartment nearly 9 months ago. For the first 6 months, I didn’t clean my toilet at all. I only focused on cleaning my shower and sink.

    My toilet? Shit out of luck.

    However, by the time I actually looked at it, the white above the waterline had started turning grey. Weird, ugly, and stubborn — just the way I like my problems to test my patience.

    Turns out, that ugly grey stains are called calcium deposits.

    They remind me of plaque, but for toilets—stubborn and brushing isn’t enough to get your teeth clean. We need to floss, mouthwash, rinse and repeat this process somehow.

    Because calcium deposits are ugly, can damage my toilet, and cost me way more financially than a very upset stomach after eating Taco Bell’s.

    THEY. NEED. TO. GO!

    So, I tried the obvious solution: baking soda and vinegar. Thankfully, I already had these on hand.

    Spoiler alert: it didn’t work…

    The Baking Soda + Vinegar Saga

    I’ve been scrubbing this toilet like it personally offended me, every week, for the last 5–6 weeks.

    I sprinkled baking soda, poured vinegar over it, let it sit 20–30 minutes, and then scrubbed for 5–10 minutes, iPhone timer in hand.

    Guess what? Nothing. Nothing changed. The calcium deposits were still there, looking the same, mocking me with every scrub of my very firm bristled toilet scrubber.

    I even tried just baking soda on its own last week. Covered the entire bowl, left it for more than an hour because I got distracted, then scrubbed for 5–10 minutes… and it still looked the same.

    Like, what the fuck? My eyes aren’t broken — the calcium is just a stubborn little bastard that refuses to quit.

    Guess what? So am I—stubborn as hell and refusing to quit.

    Why This Method Doesn’t Work (For Long-Standing Buildup)

    Here’s the deal: baking soda + vinegar only works if you’re an OCD-level clean freak who never lets deposits form in the first place.

    I’m not.

    My toilet has been living its best 9-month uncleaned life, and now it’s punishing me. The consequences of my own actions are haunting me.

    Also, harsh chemicals are out of the question for me. My bed is literally in front of my bathroom. I don’t want to sleep in chemical fumes for days like I did when I cleaned the bathtub with Tropical Spring Fabuloso.

    Nice smell, yes, but still too strong for my tiny space.

    What I’m Going to Try Next

    Since baking soda and vinegar failed miserably, even after repeated failures but apparently I’m insane, my next experiments are going to use a few liter bottles of Coke and lemon juice. That’s right — I’m not giving up yet.

    I’m stubborn, pissed off, and determined to figure this out without resorting to harsh chemicals.

    Consider this Part 1 of my saga. Part 2 will cover the results of these experiments: which method finally gets this calcium out, and whether any of it is worth trying for your own toilet nightmares.

    If You’re Fed Up Too

    I know I can’t be the only one who’s stared at a toilet like it’s mocking them. If you’re just as tired of half-assed advice, if baking soda + vinegar isn’t cutting it for you either, you’re not alone. This is a space to vent, experiment, and maybe even finally get results.

    Leave a comment, like, or share this around if you’ve had your own calcium showdown or know someone going through the same frustrations.

    I want to hear how furious, stubborn, or creative you’ve gotten trying to deal with it, and what finally got through your own toilet demons.

    You can even do it anonymously, without a WordPress account, or even a thumbs up emoji to say, “I’m fed up with the consequences of my own actions, but got through them anyways.”

    Or if this made you let out a short, “heh,” at the ridiculousness of the situation or because my frustration made you not think about your problems for a second, that thumbs-up emoji can be used for that too.

    Call to Action

    If you’re fed up with stubborn calcium like I am and want to support me testing weird home remedies (Coke, lemon juice, and whatever else), you can drop a dollar by clicking this tiny wave button of encouragement below. Every bit helps me keep testing these ridiculous toilet demons so you don’t have to!

    Tiny Wave 👋

    Stay tuned for Part 2: the experiments with Coke and lemon juice, because I’m not letting this calcium win. And if you’ve got a method that works, I want to hear it. Let’s finally beat our bathroom nightmares together.

    Explore The Archives For More DIY Issues I’ve Tackled So Far

  • My Personal Experiment with Primal Queen: My 4-Month Update Review

    Disclaimer: I’m Not a Medical Professional — Just Sharing My Experience

    I’ve been taking Primal Queen for about 4 months now. As I mentioned in my previous posts, this is not a silver bullet, I’m not a medical professional, and I’m not using this supplement as a replacement for sleep, nutrition, or exercise. Life has been chaotic, and my routine is… well, let’s just say “imperfect”:

    I don’t always sleep enough or consistently.

    I stay up late far too often.

    I love sweets more than I love vegetables.

    I work out 2–3 times a week while juggling two jobs.

    My energy levels, mood, and days off are all over the place.

    Basically, I’m not exactly a poster child for “ideal supplement results.”

    And that’s okay.

    Why I Started Taking Primal Queen

    The primary reason I started taking it — aside from my Ma’s recommendation — was for my menstrual cycles.

    I wanted something that might help regulate them, reduce bloating, and make my cramps more manageable.

    No illusions here: I wasn’t expecting to suddenly climb walls like Toby McGuire’s Spider-Man (I still have my astigmatism with 19/19 vision and slightly bent glasses, and I still struggle to lift heavy awkward freight at work without feeling winded).

    But I figured, maybe it could help me function a little better during my cycle, which is already a huge quality-of-life improvement.

    What’s Changed After 4 Months

    Here’s what I’ve noticed since starting Primal Queen:

    • Cycle consistency: My period now lasts 5 days every time, with roughly 21-day gaps between cycles.
    • Bloating: Reduced significantly — I’m not waddling around like a balloon by day 2 anymore.
    • Cramps: Down to a 1–2 on the pain scale, manageable enough that I can still go about my day.
    • Flow: Less heavy, no worrying about leaks — practical wins for real life.
    • Mood: Irritable when I have to do things I don’t want to do, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t always a little irritable anyway.

    Even on days when I haven’t eaten enough, slept enough, or exercised, which is often, I can still notice these improvements.

    That’s the biggest surprise. It doesn’t magically fix everything, but it gives my body a little more support to handle the chaos.

    What Hasn’t Changed

    I’m still working two jobs, working long shifts, sweating in Hawaii heat while wearing pants and a pullover because I’m a psychopath.

    My strength and stamina are still a far cry from superhero threat levels.

    My eyesight is the same — sadly, no Marvel-level upgrade here.

    But that’s okay.

    I didn’t start this expecting Spider-Man improvements. I started it to take care of myself in one tiny, practical way, and that’s exactly what it’s doing.

    Key Takeaways

    1. Supplements aren’t magic — your daily habits, stress, sleep, and diet still matter.

    2. Even with imperfect routines, small improvements can make a big difference.

    3. Tracking your results (even humorously, like my Spider-Man comparisons) helps you notice subtle wins.

    4. Consistency matters more than perfection — taking it “mostly every day” is enough to see changes.

    Optional Reflection

    • What small improvements in your routine have made the biggest difference for you?
    • Have you tried supplements in a chaotic life?
    • What results actually mattered?
    • How do you measure your “wins” when your life is messy?

    If You Made It to the End

    Hey, thanks for sticking with me all the way through! I put this work out there for myself, but it means a lot when someone actually reads it.

    If you’d like to show you were here and get what I mean about juggling life, cycles, and experiments, tap the Tiny Wave button below.

    Tiny Wave 👋

    No pressure at all — supporting the Archives is completely optional. Even a small click tells me a real person stopped by and that these reflections land with someone.

    If not, feel free to like, subscribe, or share this post if it resonates with you or reminded you of someone doing a similar personal experiment.

    Check Out My Other Primal Queen Posts

    Explore The Archives Here

    The best place to start anything is from the beginning. Below you can check out my start here page, explore whichever articles peak your curiosities—from personal finances on a low income, personal strength training without a gym, video games and the lessons they unexpectedly provide, or thought experiments—feel free to see what exists below.

  • Fitness For Chaotic Human Lives: How to Get Strong When Life is Chaotic

    If you’ve tried to stay consistent but keep feeling like you’re “starting over” because your work schedule, energy levels, or life responsibilities keep shifting — this PDF is for you.

    Why This ISN’T Your Typical Workout PDF

    This isn’t another workout PDF.

    There are exercises inside it, but they aren’t instructions or prescriptions.

    This is a 5 page reflection, including a reflective questionnaire, on how I’ve trained across changing jobs, energy levels, injuries, and mental load — and how I stopped treating inconsistency as failure.

    The goal was to become gentler when things got messy and to not treat inconsistencies, low energy, or injuries as moral or discipline problems.

    Functional Strength, Mobility, and Capability Options You Can Adapt—No Gym Required.

    If you’re looking for something to follow along with step by step, the first Chaotic Life Strong Exercise Flows  may be more your speed.

    It has a few follow along exercise flows inside that can be done between 15-30 minutes, depending on how much energy you have left.

    Although, if you’re trying to understand how to keep your fitness goals alive when life won’t slow down, and your not “starting over,” then this one was written for you.

    Fitness For Chaotic Human Lives PDF

    Fitness For Chaotic Human Lives PDF: reflection and questionnaire for training with inconsistent schedules.

    Tried this PDF? Even a tiny wave lets me know it reached someone. Optional support is here .

    Tiny Wave 👋

    If you found value in it and want to help keep it available, optional support is here 🌊.

  • My 1-Month Primal Queen Experiment: Tracking Real Results and Supplement Effects 2 Weeks In

    Author’s Note:

    Primal Queen is a women’s health supplement. This post is NOT sponsored—I’m using it because my Ma swears it helped her hot flashes and anemia, so naturally, she shoved it in my face. I’m giving it a try.

    I’m not a medical professional, and everything here is my experience only. Fellow archivists, take notes, experiment safely, and remember—your body might have a totally different story.

    Why Am I Talking About a Women’s Health Supplement?

    Simple. Thanks for asking!

    1. If you’ve been following The Stratagems Archive, you know I’m an asexual woman exploring all kinds of things—from finances to video games to life hacks. Health counts.

    2. My family and I have tried supplements over the years to fill gaps: energy, focus, nutrients, etc.

    When my Ma handed me Primal Queen, I decided—what the hell—let’s see if this thing does what it says.

    So here I am, experimenting.

    What Was Primal Queen Supposed to Do?

    According to the marketing hype (and that tiny insert that comes with it), Primal Queen promises to:

    • Increase energy & vitality
    • Elevate mood
    • Reduce iron deficiencies
    • Support sex drive (ha!)
    • Boost immune system
    • Reduce stress & menstrual cramps
    • Promote healthy skin & delay aging
    • Improve muscle function & recovery
    • Balance hormones & menstrual flow

    …And a bunch more. Basically, if this supplement doesn’t make me a superhero, I’m gonna be disappointed. But okay, you can see why I was skeptical, right?

    What Have I Noticed So Far?

    I started taking Primal Queen October 27, 2025. My November cycle? November 2–7.

    Normally, I:

    • Feel sluggish, bloated, or low-energy before and during my cycle
    • Cramp so hard I want to punch someone in the face
    • End up moody, irritable, and basically done with the world

    This month? Not so much.

    Here’s the kicker: I know what my “good months” feel like, so I wasn’t ready to credit a supplement just yet. I asked myself:

    • Am I sleeping better?
    • Eating more regularly?
    • Drinking more water?
    • Getting sunlight or working out more?

    Some yes, some no. So maybe Primal Queen is doing something—or maybe I just got lucky. Time will tell.

    Quick Data Check

    Category

    This Month

    Last Month

    Started/Ended

    11/2/25-11/7/25

    TBA

    Bloating

    None

    TBA

    Cramps (0-10)

    0

    TBA

    Flow

    Light

    TBA

    Cycle length

    5 days

    TBA

    Energy dips

    During lunch

    TBA

    Mood

    Tired/irritable

    TBA

    Sleep quality

    Low quality

    TBA

    How I’m Doing This Experiment

    Plan:

    • Take Primal Queen for 1 full month.
    • Stop for 1 month.
    • Compare my experience and see if I fall into the 9/10 who benefit or the 1/10 who don’t.

    I’ll be keeping notes and reflections along the way.

    Reflection for Fellow Archivists

    Here’s where I break the 4th wall and talk to you:

    • Have you ever tried supplements for energy, mood, or cycles?
    • How did it feel—physically, mentally, emotionally?
    • Did you track changes consistently or just “hope it works”?
    • Have you noticed patterns over months, seasons, or life changes?

    Experimenting on yourself is not about winning or losing—it’s about noticing what your body tells you.

    Final Thoughts (2 Weeks In)

    Even after only 2 weeks, I’ve noticed how powerful awareness is. Tracking my body, my energy, and my mood—without shame or hype—already feels like a win. Will Primal Queen be the magic pill it claims? Maybe, maybe not. But I’m learning something about my body either way.

    Call to Action

    If this post speaks to you, feel free to:

    Like, subscribe, or share with fellow archivists.

    Reflect quietly on your own experiments.

    Thank yourself for paying attention to your body, mind, and curiosity.

    Because sometimes, the boldest thing you can do is notice, track, and honor your own experience—without waiting for anyone else’s approval.

    More Experiments From The Archives

    Other Works of the Archive

  • Now Noticing November: Reflections on Urges, Awareness, and Myself

    This November, explore “Now Noticing November”—a mindful, judgment-free take on urges, sexual energy, and self-awareness.

    A personal reflection from a 29-year-old asexual woman offering a fresh perspective beyond No Nut November and No Fap.

    Author’s Note / Friendly Heads-Up:

    Hey! This post comes from my perspective as a 29-year-old asexual woman thinking too deeply about urges, curiosity, and intimacy.

    Nothing graphic here—just honest reflections. Some bits mention masturbation or sexual energy, which might feel a little uncomfortable depending on your own experiences.

    That’s okay. Just a heads-up before you dive in.

    A Different Perspective

    Women’s voices on this stuff are rare online. So if this feels a little different, that’s on purpose. Welcome to my corner of the internet—you don’t have to perform, compare, or apologize for being here.

    We’re all exploring together, each on our own journey. The Stratagems Archive is a safe place to reflect.

    Flipping the Script

    I didn’t plan to write about No Nut November (NNN) or No Fap. Honestly, I thought about it because of a morning when I felt unusually aroused—an intensity that came up without any prompting.

    But instead of following the usual rules or shame-driven narratives, I decided to observe, reflect, and write from my own experience.

    This aligns with how I process boundaries, consent, and trust—like in this post about From Video Game Chaos to Personal Growth: How Huniepop and Thought Experiments Made Me Think Too Hard (And That’s Okay)

    Here, I’m giving NNN/No Fap the middle finger—for being ironically rigid, morally loaded, and often harmful.

    Let’s go.

    My Approach

    This November, I’m paying attention—not to a challenge, not to a goal—but to what’s happening inside me.

    I notice tension in my body, subtle urges in my stomach and legs. My mind doesn’t demand release; it quietly asks, “Are you aware of me?”

    Years ago, I tried the standard challenges. Two months without acting on urges as a young adult.

    Did I become stronger, more productive, or fulfilled? Not really. I just felt guilty when I gave in and frustrated when I didn’t.

    I was still stuck in a dead-end job, carrying debt, and hating life because some “rule” told me what I shouldn’t do.

    Now? I notice. I sit with it. I let the feeling rise, fade, or linger—without judgment or urgency. Sometimes I call these urges “energy.”

    Energy I redirect into reading, journaling, working out, writing, or exploring fictional vignettes of intimacy and trust—safe spaces to explore curiosity without harming myself or anyone else.

    Awareness Over Rules

    The loud online NNN/No Fap narratives are full of instructions, memes, and ego-fueled comparisons. Strip that away, and you find something much more interesting: awareness.

    • Awareness of your body.
    • Awareness of your thoughts.
    • Awareness of your own patterns.

    This awareness doesn’t need to shame you. It doesn’t need to make you better than anyone else. It just makes you better for yourself.

    Reflections for You

    Take a moment to reflect—no pressure, no trends, just noticing:

    • Have you tried NNN or No Fap?
    • How did it make you feel—physically, mentally, emotionally?
    • Did you tie abstinence to productivity or self-improvement?
    • Or did you simply notice what your body and mind were doing?
    • What did you learn about yourself when you gave in, held back, or simply sat with your urges without judgment?

    This November, I’m not participating in No Nut November or No Fap. I’m not abstaining to prove anything or to strangers who I don’t rightly know. I’m simply noticing—my urges, my reflections, my curiosity.

    If you’re a Fellow weary Archivist, tired of being told there’s only one right way to handle your body, mind, or habits, I invite you to pause, reflect, and reclaim that space for yourself. You don’t need to follow the trend, the meme, or the challenge. You can simply notice.

    Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is give yourself permission to pay attention—to your body, your mind, and your own journey—without judgment or competition.

    Share Your Thoughts

    If this post speaks to you, feel free to:

    • Like.
    • Subscribe.
    • Share.
    • Reflect quietly.

    Leave a comment below or message me directly at whatimtryingoutnow@gmail.com. I read everything and will get back to you if you’d like to discuss this further.

    Thank you for spending your time in the archives. I hope you leave noticing something new about yourself today.