My Biohacking Journey
Biohacking is taking a proactive, self-experimental approach to understanding and enhancing the human experience.
Since 2009, when I was told by cardiologists that heart surgery may be in my future I have taken a preventative approach to medicine. During this period I have tested the following tools/practices:
Nutrition and supplementation: low-carb, slow carb, carb backloading, paleo, paleo+rice, If It Fits Your Macros, Intermittent Fasting
Sleep optimization: Blackout curtains, yoga before bed, cooling mattress topper, no snooze button, zinc, magnesium, white noise machines, humidifier, dehumidifier, THC and CBD
Exercise recovery: Ice baths, massage gun, contrast baths, compression wear to sleep
Wearables: Withings, Whoop, Apple Watch, Garmin, Polar chest strap
Genetic testing and personalized medicine: DNA testing, quarterly blood labs, and bodyfat testing through bioelectric impedance
Nutrition And Supplementation
This category took the most time to test and has the least transferability between individuals. Each style of eating will have different pros and cons. Which will be broken down below:
Low-carb: 75g of carbohydrates per hour of exercise
Pros: Leanest I have ever been, felt fine most of the time
Cons: Preceded my longest period of illness in this lifetime, not fun at parties
Slow-carb: Biweekly cheat days otherwise being paleo-ish
Pros: Very fun to make a list of trash to eat, feels very sustainable
Cons: Makes food a game/ unhealthy mentally
Carb backloading: Eat all non-exercise supporting carbs in the final hours of the day
Pros: Dessert every night, stressed people do this anyway
Cons: Still requires tracking macros and time restriction
Paleo: meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies
Pros: Genuinely feels good, removes most grocery items and mental clutter around food
Cons: Boring and expensive
Paleo+rice:
Same as paleo just a bit better overall
If It Fits Your Macros: Daily targets for protein, carbs, and fat, rather than restricting certain food groups. Allows any foods that fit within your calorie and macro goals.
Pros: Flexible, fun for data nerds
Cons: Allows genuinely unhealthy food to be part of the daily routine
Intermittent Fasting: Cycling between periods of eating and periods of fasting or significantly restricted calorie intake
Pros: You have a new personality trait, and can remove unnecessary calories
Cons: Lose muscle mass, binging to make up for lost calories
Sleep Optimization
Generally speaking, I fall asleep very easily. My sleep disturbances tend to be in the middle of the night due to stress or simply not getting enough sleep during busy seasons of life.
This category transfers extremely well to my clients historically and everything listed below can be used basically every day, indefinitely.
Blackout curtains/shades: Make the room pitch black, in college I started making the room completely dark and covering every light in duct tape with the help of my roommate Aaron.
Yoga within 4 hours of bedtime: Specifically ROMWOD when that's what it was called holding poses for 2-4 minutes with a focus on deep breathing seems to be an excellent form of non-sleep rest
Cooling mattress topper: Adult chocolate lab that has slept in the bed since week one does not help
No snooze buttons: Blaring alarm goes of it needed at time needed to do so. Go to bed on time
Zinc & magnesium: 95% off AG1
White noise machines: Consistent noise level that is distracting this can be a boring podcast or book as well
Humidifier/dehumidifier: No more bloody noses or moldy apartments
Mouth Tape: No more sleep apnea or snoring
THC and CBD*
*Obviously not for everyone and the only option from this list I no longer use
Exercise recovery
A generally overrated category used by marketing agencies to pay bills. The following options I continue to use;
Ice baths: Great for cooling down in summer, great for actual athletes between multiday events or multievent days, good for mental toughness. Potentially problematic for gains
P.S. Buy a stock tank
Massage gun: Lazy lacrosse ball option, ours has lasted, so no complaints
Compression wear to sleep: Works well if temperature is a non-issue, compression long-term may be problematic for breast and testicular tissue
Self-myofascial release tools: Great right before activity to increase range of motion temporarily. If you have to use it every day for years on end it’s a bandaid, not a solution. Please do not travel with a roller or worse, purchase roller water bottles
Wearables
Yet another overrated category. They can be useful for people who chronically under or overdo the amount of work they need to do for their goals. Truly useful for sleep, step, and zone data at least periodically. I encourage everyone to at least try to track more data about their health habits.
Withings: Felt cheap, probably was cheaper than most other options, and the first tool to track HRV for me 8-9 years ago
Whoop: Amazing app, over the top reports, a data nerds dream. Terrible straps, a watch that doesn't tell time. Also tells you how much you aren't an athlete every chance it gets
Apple Watch: Become a teen secret agent instantly. Charge at least once per day. Otherwise wonderful, as we have come to expect from this brand
Garmin: Elite battery life, plenty of data with a good app. Ridiculously high starting prices. Wait until holiday sales.
Polar chest strap: For real athletes who want real data. Inexpensive.
Genetic Testing and Personalized Medicine
DNA Testing: Confirmed thoughts and notes including poor THC metabolism, really sore calves, and no food issues. An interesting experience for a relatively low price.
Quarterly blood labs: Regular doctors dismissed me for years, only for me to find out I could be doing much much better than I was being told. Unfortunately, now I have a supplement crate…
Bodyfat Testing: Most people are way fatter than expected. It’s ok. Even one of the most decorated bodybuilders of all time was way off on his body fat not being 0%. Take more steps, do more movement that feels fun, and eat fewer calories
Overall these tools have value, probably less than your favorite influencer wants your wallet to believe, however, if combined they make a 5% difference that can be very significant especially compounded.
Keep in mind nearly all practices also have side effects. Finally, if a tool or practice is new, give it some time, if it survives a few years of hype then it may be worth doing.