Welcome to the first post of my 240 Minute Body blog: Hacking My Body
The goal of this blog is to follow my progress as I track every element of my nutrition and exercise life with photos, videos and posts.
After reading the "4-Hour Body" I extracted essentials to follow, here are my initial notes from my first 24 hours with the book.
My 4-Hour Body
Goal #1: Loose 20 lbs in 30 days (40lbs in 60 or 230-190lbs), Hit 12% body fat (30 days) from 23%, Decrease Total Inches.
Goal #2: Strength Training, Muscle Gain, Injury Proofing, Endurance Training,
Starting Numbers:
| Location | Measurement (inches) 12/21/10 | Measurement (inches) Goal |
| Right Bicep | 13 ¼ |
|
| Left Bicep | 13 ½ |
|
| Waist | 43 |
|
| Hips | 43 ½ |
|
| Left Thigh | 26 |
|
| Right Thigh | 26 |
|
| Total Inches | 167 ¼ |
|
| Body Fat % | 22.5%? | 12.00% |
Chapters for “Rapid Fat-Loss”
Fundamentals
Ground Zero
Slow-Carb Diet I and II
Building the Perfect Posterior
Fundamentals
Minimum Effective Dose (MED)
To remove stored fat → do the least necessary to trigger a fat-loss cascade of specific hormones.
To add muscle in small or large quantities → do the least necessary to trigger local (specific muscles) and systemic (hormonal) growth mechanisms. (p19)
Pressing the right buttons in the right order.
80 seconds is the dose prescription
Rules that change the rules
“know the rules well so you can break them effectively.”
No exercise burns many calories
A drug is a drug is a drug
anything you put in your mouth or your bloodstream is a drug, a chemical
The 20 pound recomposition goal, a 20-pound change in appearance, loosing fat or gaining muscle.
100 Unite slider: Died, Drugs, Exercise
Ideal ratio is 60% diet, 10% drugs, 30% exercise.
Diet and exercise most important.
Adhear to the method
Physical recreation is different then exercise
Exercise = Preforming MED of precise movements that will produce a target change.
Can I measure it? Not just health, its not actionable, what are the numbers I can measure.
Why a calorie isn't a calorie:
Rule #1: not what is put in your mouth, but what makes it to your bloodstream.
Rule #2: the hormonal responses to carbohydrates (CHO), protein and fat are different.
Different sources of calories = different results.
Calorie allocation is effected by digestion, ratio of protein-to-carbohydrates-to-fat, and timing.
Ground Zero
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Use Data!
4,000 calories = 1lbs of fat!!!
What is your BMR?
BMR – intake = deficit from diet
Total deficit = BMR – caloric intake – burned from cardio
230 to 185 45lbs over weight 4.5 lbs in first week = 10% or 18,000 calories.
10lbs is one clothing size.
HRM
Elusive Bodyfat
The deceptive Scale
Starting your physical GPS – The Steps
Circumference measurements
Total Inches: 167 ¼ 12-21-10
22.5% bodyfat?
Cheap Insurance
Four Principles of Failure-Proofing
Make it conscious
Make it a game
Make it competitive
Make it small and temporary.
Make it Conscious:
Take Photos of everything I eat
Take a Before Photograph front and side
Make it a Game:
Observer effect
Measurement = Motivation
Measure five measurements, five meals, five exercise, Five is the magic number.
Make it Competitive:
Challenge someone!
Make it small and temporary
Questions and Actions:
Do I really look like that? Pictures taken!
Do I really east that? No pictures of Food Yet...
Who can I get to do this with me? Rachel? Bubs?
How do I measure up? TI = 167 ¼ 12-21-10
What is the smallest meaningful change I can make? Done! Pictures and TI!!!! Done Done Done!
Subtracting Fat
The Slow Carbohydrate Diet I
How to lose 20 Pounds in 30 Days with Exercise
Better Fat-Loss Through Simplicity
Exercise, diet, drug/supplement regimen.
Rule #1: Avoid “white” carbohydrates
Rule #2: Eat the same few meals over and over again.
| Proteins | Legumes | Vegetables |
| *Egg whites with 1-2 whole eggs flavor (organic eat 2-5 with yoke) | *Lentils (dal or daal) | *Spinach |
| *Chicken Breast or Thigh | *Black Beans | *Mixed vegetables (including broccoli, cauliflower, or any other cruciferous vegetables) |
| *Beef, grass-fed | Pinto Beans | *Sauerkraut, kimchee (explanation in “Damage Control” |
| *Fish | Red Beans | Asparagus |
| *Lobster | Soy Beans | Peas |
| Pork |
| Broccoli |
|
|
| Green beans |
Keep it simple! Repeat 3-4 meals. Substitute vegetables at restaurants. Mexican food is great!
First meal within an hour of waking!
This is a diet that works, might not be fun but that is not the point!
Rule #3: Don't drink calories!!!!!
Coffee with dash of cinnamon is good
Up to two glasses of red wine per night.
Rule #4: Don't eat fruit!
Tomatoes and avocados (up to one cup per day) or ok!
Fruit turns into glycerol phosphate for efficiently then almost all of other carbohydrates.
Fruit → glycerol phosphate → triglycerides (via liver) → fat storage
Rule #5: take one day off per week!!
Dramatically spiking caloric intake once per week increase fat-loss by ensuring that your metabolic rate (thyroid function and conversion of T4 to T3 etc.) doesn't downshift from extended caloric restriction.
The Slow Carbohydrate Diet II
Supplements: Potassium, Magnesium, and Calcium (page 81)
Potassium: 4,700 mg per day
#1 Lima Beans, 4.9 Cups
Magnesium: 400 mg per day
#1 Salmon w/bones, 1.1 Cups
Calcium: 1,000 mg per day
#1 Pumpkin seeds, 2.6 oz
Spinach is the only one that includes all three: 1 cup = 839mg P; 245mg C; 175mg M
No Dairy due to high insulinemic index
No Fruit
For beans use balsamic vinegar and garlic powder or hot sauce!
Cheat day weight gain, its ok
Spices! $50 and whole foods! Montreal Steak rub, thick salsa w/o sugar, garlic salt, white truffle sea salt, thai chili paste.
Oil, instead of olive oil use Macadamia Oil!
Dry red wine: Pinot Noir, Cab, Merlot, sauv, albarino.
Snacks: no need, eat more! But if must a few carrots! Make sure to eat a lot at meal time of the slow carbohydrate diet!
If trouble sleeping eat 1-2 tablespoons of Almond Butter before bed.
On day off eat a good high protein meal for breakfast!
What about breakfast?
Eggs, Lentils, Spinach.
Increased protein intake decreases water retention and increases resting metabolism about 20% if breakfast calories are at least 30% protein!!!
When consuming animal fat get the good stuff because toxins are stored in the animals fat. Eating larger animals from factory farms is asking for trouble.
Cook eggs with ghee
Eggs and spinach both have high levels of betaine, which helps fat-loss.
Eat three cups or 250 grams of spinach per day! Great for muscle growth and for weight loss.
Keep variety of vegetables to a minimum.
80% frozen 20% canned vegetables.
Tuna + lentils + chopped onions.
Chunky salsa with corn and beans is great! Use with eggs!
Traveling... oh man... Mexican is great! Raw almonds or walnuts for 12 hours. Chicken salad combine with nuts. Choose mild hunger over deviation.
Make sure you eat early! Eat enough protein! Drink a lot of water!
Mistakes
Mistake #1: Not eating within one 30-60 minutes upon waking up in the morning.
30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking up in the AM!!!
Mistake #2: Not eating enough protein! More then 20 grams per meal!! at least 40% of breakfast as protein will decrease carbohydrate impulses and promote negative fat balances.
Eat 2-3 whole eggs at breakfast!
Or add turkey bacon, organic bacon, organic sausage, or cottage cheese...
Don't restrict portions or calories!
Mistake #3: Not drinking enough Water!!!
Make a special effort to drink more water on CHEAT DAY!!
Mistake #4: Cooking abilities... You suck... deal with it!
Use canned and frozen food for the first few weeks!
Mistake #5: Girl stuff
Mistake #6: Overeating “Domino Foods”, Portion Abuse.
Done eat anything that requires portion control, Get domino foods out of the house!!!!
Mistake#7: Over consuming artificial sweeteners.
They provoke insulin release. No sugar free, not sweeteners, non of that bullshit!!!
Mistake #8: Hitting the Gym to Often
Remember MED!!!
Damage Control
Preventing Fat Gain When You Binge
Principle #1: Minimize the release of insulin, a storage hormone.
Make sure your first meal is not a binge meal. Must have high protein over 30 grams and legumes. Proteins decrease appetite, fiber prevents diarrhea. Smallish mean of 300-500 calories.
Consume a small amount of fructose, grapefruit before the second meal. This has a flat-lining effect of blood flucose. Combine naringin in grapefruit with coffee as it extends the effects of caffeine.
Use supplements that increase insulin sensitivity, AGG and PAGG. Dose only twice during the day and once the next morning.
Consume citric juices, lime juice in water or on food.
Principle #2: Increase the speed of gastric emptying, aka poo quick
Food passes quickly so that it is not absorbed well through Caffeine and yerba mate tea, includes Theobromine and theophylline. 100-200 mg of caffeine or 16 oz cooled yerba at the worst meals. GLUT-4 benefit!
Principle #3: Engage in brief muscular contractions throughout the binge
Air Squats, wall presses, chest pulls for 60-90 seconds a few minutes before you eat and 90 minutes afterwords.
This brings glucose transporter type 4 (GLUT-4) to the surface of muscle cells, opening more gates for the calories to flow into. The more open the more we put into muscles instead of fat cells.
HIT (high intensity exercise) of 20-second sprints x 14 sets, with 10 seconds of rest is the same as low-intensity prolonged exercise (LIT) 6 hours of extended exercise over eight days!!!
280 seconds of HIT = 6 hours of LIT!!!
100 steps after eating, live 99 years!
30-50 repetitions each of: air squats, wall presses and chest pulls
Side Notes: Cissus Quadrangularis (CQ) – 2.4 grams 30 minutes before the 3 meals (7.2 grams total)
Microbiome: Balancing bacteria for fat-loss 100 trillion in the body! Lean people have more bacteroidetes while obese have more firmicutes.
Get off splenda
Fake sugars out!
Go fermented
Cheese, japanese natto, kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, fermented fish, unsweetened plain yogurt all contain high levels of healthy bacteria and are mandatory.
Probiotics and prebiotics
Inulin is not insulinemic, can be found in garlic, leeks, chicory and Athletic Greens.
Inulin and FOS (fructo-oligosaccharides) inprove calcium absorption and calcium promotes GLUT-4 translocation!!!!!!
Bacteria is good for your second brain, the gut!!! Keep your microbiome in shape!!!
The four horsemen of fat-loss
PAGG
Garlic is the bomb! Allicin is an ingredient in garlic.
PAGG:
Policosanol: 20-25mg
Alpha-lipoic acid: 100-300 mg
Green team flavanols (decaffeinated with at least 325 mg EGCG): 325mg
Garlic extract: 200mg
Time before meals and bed:
Prior to breakfast: AGG
Prior to lunch: AGG
Prior to dinner: AGG
Prior to bed: PAGG
6 days per week and one week off every 8 weeks.
Policosanol: 23mg is ideal!
Alpha-lipoic Acid (ALA): potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, regenerates vitamin C and E, restores levels of intracellular glutathione, and increases excretion of toxic heavy metals.
Lacks toxicity in humans. Its NOAEL is 60mg per kilo of bodyweigh.
Notes: impressive impact on glucose uptake and reduction in triglyceride production. ALA helps you store the carbohydrates you eat in muscle or in your liver as opposed to in fat.
Green tea flavanols (EGCG):
Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) decreases risk of UV-induced skin damage, inhibiting cancer growth, and anti-aging.
EGCG increases GLUT-4 recruitment to the surface of skeletal muscle cells. Inhibiting GLUT-4 recruitment in fat cells. Diverts carbohydrates from bodyfat to muscles
EGCG increases apoptosis killing fat cells. Prevents rebounding fat memory!!!
325mg three-four times per day. Use decaffeinated green tea extract pills.
Garlic extract (Allicin Potential, S-Allyl Cysteine):
Stable form of Allicin inhibits fat regain and increases fat-loss.
Use aged-garlic extract (AGE),
Advanced:
Ice Age:
Working out in increasingly cold water burns increasing amounts of calories!
More fat-loss in less time!
This is not due to heating the body from the cold water, something else is going on...
The “something else” is adiponectin and BAT
Adiponectin is a hormone secreted by fat cells that can increase the oxidation (“burning”) of fatty acids and increase uptake of glucose by muscle tissue. (Shivering also increases GLUT-4)
Fat-burning Fat:
two types of fat, white adipose tissue (WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT)
BAT is derived from the same cell as muscle tissue! And is composed of multiple droplets that are brown in color because of a much higher volume of iron-containing mitochondria! Mitochondria are best know for producing ATP and oxidizing fat in muscle tissue. BAT helps dissipate excess calories as heat. Cold stimulates BAT to burn fat and glucose as heat. Cold and beta-adrenergic agonists can also make BAT appear within WAT.
How to get cold? Ice pack on back on neck and upper trapezius for 30 min.
Ice Age Revisited – four places to start
Place ice packs on back on neck and on upper trapezius for 20-30 min in the evening when insulin sensitivity is lowest.
Consume at least 500 ml of ice water on an empty stomach immediately upon waking, increasing resting metabolic rate 24-30% 40-60 post consumption. Eat breakfast 20-30 minutes later.
Take 5-10 minute cold showers before breakfast and before bed. Use 1-2 minutes of hot water over the entire body then step out, soap head, turn to freezing and rinse, focusing on your lower neck and upper back for 1-2 minutes and soap rest of body and rinse.
Option: cold bath see p130 and p128 Protocol A
What about: Surfing in the Maine Winter Water!
The Glucose Switch: Beautiful Number 100
Its not when eaten, its when it hits the bloodstream. 90 to 150 minutes after consumption!
Eat so it hits your bloodstream when you need it! Aka time post workout protein shake for 90 minutes before you end your workout!
The more fat the earlier in the meal the less they glycemic response, as appetizer before the entree.
Eat four Brazil nuts and a tablespoon of almond butter first thing upon waking!
Measure what matters!
Three tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice before a meal lowers blood sugar index by 10%.
Cinnamon can reduce the glycemic index of a meal up to 29%!!! 4 grams per meal or 6 grams per day. 4 grams = 1.5 teaspoons.
Cassia cinnamon (or aromaticum), grid yourself, they roll up from both sides, powder tends to be darker reddish-brown. Use no more then 4 grams per day!!!!!
Size and speed of meals determins glycemic response. Slow down the eating. Chew each mouthful 20 times. 30 min per meal!
For fat-loss minimize blood sugar bumps above 100mg/dLto no more then two per day.
Eat decent quantities of fat at each larger meal.
Spend 30 minutes eating lunch and dinner
Experiment with lemon and cinnamon before and during meals
Use “Damage Control” techniques to accidental and planned ninges.
The Last Mile
Loosing the Final 5-10 Pounds
10-12% bodyfat 200 lbs male
8oz of protein @ 200lbs +/- 1oz for every 10lbs change
½ cup of almonds = 60 and 8oz is the size of your fist
Eat one of these meals within 1 hour of waking, 1 hour before bed and every 3 hours in between.(p150)
Building the Perfect Posterior
Chair of muscles from base of skull to Achilles tendons
Russian kettleball swing, twice a week for 15-20 minutes (peak 35)
Monday and Friday
Kiwi A/B Workout:
All 13RM
Six Minute Abs
Preform after kettleball workout Monday and Friday
Diet to 12% bodyfat or less
Options: Cyclical Ketogenic Diet or Inermittent Fasting
Movement #1: Myotatic Crunch
ass 6” from ground on swiss ball or BOSU
Keep arms next to ears
4 seconds, lower until fingers touch ground (reach finger tips away from ball)
2 seconds, pause
2 seconds, raise arms to 80 degrees with ground
x10 then add weight, like book
Movement #2: Cat Vomit
targeting the transverse abdominis (TVA) “corset muscle”
on all fours, straight relaxed back, gase relaxed forward
exhale all air, hold breath
pull belly towards spine for 8-12 seconds
inhale fully, exhale fully, inhale fully and repeat from beginning
Note: if not these use bicycle crunch (248% traditional)
Geek to Freek:
Note: at least 1.25 grams of protein per lean mass pound per day (bodyfat subtracted)
Occam's Protocol I
Goal: Apply the MED necessary to trigger cusclular growth mechanisms and then channel food preferentially into muscle tissue during overfeeding as safely as possible.
Reduce injuury potential first and the increase proformance second.
Occam's Protocol:
Less then 30 minutes of gym time per week
To the point of failure, 7+ repetitions at 5/5 (5 sec up, 5 sec down)
Leg press at 10+ repetitions
Stimulates muscle and hormonal responses.
Engineering the Perfect Nights Sleep:
Tools:
Zeo
Increased % REM sleep = Increase mental ability
more then 9 hours of sleep or wake after 4.5 hours
Taking 200 mg of Huperzine-A 30 minutes before sleep increases REM by 20-30%
Increased percentages of deep-wave sleep lead to better physical performances
more then 2 glasses of wine within 4 hours of sleep decrease deep-wave sleep 20-50%
Eating two tablespoons of organic almond butter on celery before bed eliminated 50% of the feel like shit the next morning. (low blood sugar). 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil (120-240 calories)
Turning Off Monkey Mind
Test 67-70 degree bedroom temp or test sock thickness.
Eat a large fat and protein dominated meal within three hours of bedtime. More then 800 mg of cholesterol and 40 grams of protein.
Light clues
Single session of “pre-hab”
Take a cold bath one hour prior to bed.
Ultrasonic Humidifier
Reversing Permanent Injuries:
The Menu:
Stage #1: Movement, posture and biomechanics through specific movemnts
Feldenkrais
Pilates
Assisted stretching
Tai Chi Chuan
Yogo (Ashtanga, Bikram)
*Barefoot/Vibram walking (lower back)
*Egoscue (cervical/neck and mid-back)
Stage #2: Manipulation, correcting soft-tissue damage or adhhersion using tools or pressure with hands
Massage (from swedish to rolfing)
Acupuncture and acupressure
*Active-release technique (ART) (shoulders)
*Advanced muscle integration therapy (AMIT)
Graston techniqu
Stage #3: Medication, Ingesting, injecting or applying medication
Topical
Androgel
DMSO
Arnica
Oral
Cytomel
High-dose L-glutamine
High-dose bovine and chicken collagen
PRP
Cortisone
*Prolotherapy
Intramusculare injection
*Deca-Durabolin
Delatestryl
Depo
Sustanon
HCG
*Biopuncture
Stage #4: Mechanical Reconstruction, Surgical repair
The Chosen Few:
Shoe heel removal and vibram training area fixed: Lower Back
wear flats or shoes with a little difference in sole thickness from toe to heel.
The Egoscue Method, Areas fixed: Cervical/neck and mid back
How to Pay for a beach vacation with one hospital visit:
Medical Tourism
Getting a long list of MRIsf, bloodwork, urin work, etc.
Quick and can be pulled out when consulting a doctor in the USA.
Pre-Hab:
Injury-Proofing the Body
Critical Four
Chop and Lift (C&L)
Turkish Get-up (TGU)
Two-arm Single-leg Deadlift (2SDL)
Cross-body One-arm Single-leg Deadlift (1SDL)
Schedule: Finding and Fixing
Week 1:
Tuesday, 30-45 minutes
Coordination: Practice Movements
TGU & SDL no weight both sides then with little weight
Thursday & Saturday, 45-60 minutes per
Testing: Identify weakest quadrant and sides for each movement
TGU & SDL only if executed flawlessly
C&L, down/up left/right x 6-12 each
TGU 5 x each side, 5 each side additional weight
2SDL 5 reps each leg
1SDL 5 reps each leg
Full-Range Squat 10 reps
Weeks 2-6: Monday and Friday, 30-45 Minutes per
Fixing:
10 ass-to-heels
Half-kneeling C&L
TGU
1SDL
no 10 ass-to-heels
Half-kneeling C&L
Full-kneeling C&L
TGU
1SDL
Note: Sets and Reps: For all exercises for weeks 2-6, use a 2:5 ratio of sets for strong:weak sides and a repetition range of 3-5.
Strong side x 3-5 reps
Weak Side x 3-5 reps
Strong side x 3-5 reps
Weak Side x 3-5 reps
Weak Side x 3-5 reps
Weak Side x 3-5 reps
Weak Side x 3-5 reps
60 seconds between sets
Two seconds for lifting consistent
Four seconds for lowering consistent
See page 331 for exercise details
Prepare Stretching, and Body Preparation Methods (AKA Pre-Hab)
