asceticism

I was reading this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asceticism

Yes, it totally appeals to me as an ideal. My approach is very different from these religions that are into it, though. It should never involve forcing or pushing. You just take yourself to your edge, where you are fine but pushing a bit (a la yoga). This eliminates a) hating what you are doing and b) rebelling far worse later (like with yo-yo dieting). So I have eaten for pleasure my whole life, because I haven't been ready to eat just for hunger. But I was fine dropping food categories over the years. You just lose your attachment for X food and realize you can enjoy something else.

The point is that you develop/increase your capacity for satisfaction from life and become less dependent on external conditions (which you have limited control over, anyway). If you need more, more, more for enjoyment, you desensitize your senses over time. This is exactly what happens with type 2 diabetes and other insulin-resistance related issues. You are exposed to too much insulin for a variety of reasons and eventually you are desensitized to it. You need more and more for an effect until you can't take it up. Then maybe your pancreas gives out, it can't pump out any more insulin. Same for people who listen to headphones and lose their hearing. As I become more sensitive, life gets far more satisfying and interesting.