How to live in optimal space

Evidence based living

Imagine a landscape. You have peaks and valleys and you possess the ability to navigate this terrain. If you've ever been hiking you know what I’m talking about. Some areas have wide open paths and sometimes you travel off the beaten path. Life also presents us with a space that must be navigated. Its important to realize that each decision presented to you effects your future self. Make sure each decision is deliberate and calculated. Don’t fall into life. The following contains simple advice for living. It mostly has to do with health but these thoughts open the door which enables you to explore any path.

Log

Before I go any further, I want to share the single most important thing you can do for yourself: log daily. Not jog, log. You have to get your mind right before you can continue. I want you to record everything that can be measured about your existence. You cannot know if your behavior is working if you do not keep a daily log. Write down your thoughts, emotions, how your body feels, record your weight, body measurements, body fat percentage and your relative strength. Some of these can be monthly, others should be daily. You decide.

Now that you are logging daily. Stop reading this blog. Figure out life for yourself.

Don’t go any further.

Seriously.

Diet

What do you want to be — on the hunt or sleeping in a cave somewhere? What you eat has a dramatic effect on how you feel. How can you possibly feel tired when you have a full stomach, a full refrigerator, and you can walk to a nearby “convenience” store packed full of 99 cent goodies (not to mention having a full waistline). If you are overweight ask yourself, why isn’t your body using all that fuel to give you energy?

The answer lies in what you’re feeding your body. If you want to feel like you’re on the hunt then eat like a hunter. This includes a ton of meat and fat. Yes, saturated fat. Eat lots of coconut oil, butter and cream, meat and eggs and bacon. Mmmm bacon.

For a more detailed prescription

1. Cut out all sugar. This does not include lactose, so drink whole milk (don’t forget to drown your coffee in some cream).
2. Eat every 3 hours. This may sound like a lot, but trust me, you’ll be hungry at first and you’ll be counting the minutes. This is a convenience method as it allows you to alternate between fat and carb intake. If it doesn’t fit your lifestyle then don’t do it.
3. Eat protein with every meal
4. Never eat carbs with your high fat meal. If you need some carbs to refuel, eat them at your next meal and keep them to around 45 grams.
5. Eat carbs and protein after a workout. Refuel your glycogen stores. You can go over 45 depending on how much you push yourself.

You’ll go through a withdrawal phase. This is normal. Your body has to get used to burning fat as its primary fuel. This will be mostly over after a week. After two weeks you’ll be chasing your gazelle.

Exercise

Seriously, move. Do 20 minutes of cardio a day. The more you get your heart rate up the better. Stationary bike, real bike, walk, run doesn’t matter. You need to start somewhere. Work your way up to getting your heart rate to at least 120 some point within your workout.

Lift. I don’t care if you’re a 12 year old girl. Everyone should be lifting. Focus on your large muscles: chest, legs, back, abs. You can get a good workout in only a few movements. Bench, dead-lift, squat, pull-ups. Do these four movements alone and you’re golden. Everything else is icing.

Don’t worry about how much weight you’re using. Just do whats easy and comfortable at first. Don’t forget to log. Increase your weight by just a few pounds each week. Time is going to pass you by regardless of what you do, imagine where you’ll be if you add just one pound a week to your lifts over a year.

Supplements

This section lets me justify the word “hack” in the title.

Have a protein shake. Add raspberries or whatever. Get creative.

I also want you to make sure you’re supporting your nervous system. Your nervous system is what’s contracting your muscles and allowing your brain to function optimally.

Drink coffee. Its not just about caffeine. There’s caffeic acid and other awesomeness about coffee.

Take plenty of vitamin E and vitamin D.

Research and consider alpha lipoic acid with acetyl l carnitine. You don’t need a lot and I’ve found it best to take small doses several times a day (50–100mg range of alpha lipoic acid). Add it to your protein shake.

Coenzyme Q-10 has a synergistic effect with alpha lipoic acid

Do your research. All of these supplements can be found in your Walmart supplement section.

Do it.