health & wellness 🧘‍♀️ (as of 4/23)

health & wellness

my health journey is much like everyone else’s, filled with ups and downs. i used to beat myself up about it but now i have learned that the ebb and flow of attention to one’s health is the nature of the beast. my only goal is to trend upward in the long term, while giving myself accessible goals that are less metric-based and more feel-based.

as much as i love seeing a clear result, sometimes the best measurement is gauged median on feeling balanced.

a lot of people do well with very specific goals, as do i, but when it comes to my well-being for the rest of my life, i’m opting for high level considerations.

nutrition 🍩

in general, keeping it chill for now. life got a little crazy. so trying to establish some simple steps to get back to maintenance.

macros

average input

(protein/carb/fat)

• pre-work: fruit, veggie, nuts smoothie + protein before work (45/30/5), w/ oats (48/60/8)
• breakfast: quick carb/breakfast sandwich (15-25/40/15)
• lunch: grain, protein, veggies (25/70/20)
• snack (5-15/20-25/5-15)
• dinner: grain/protein/veggies (30-40/60-70/15)
• before bed: protein shake or egg whites (25/0/0)

average macros per day = 145-178g protein // 220-265g carbs // 60-73g fat average cals per day = 1980 - 2429

vitamins & supplements 💊

i don’t go crazy, but i’ll list my go-tos. should go without saying, but always consult a doctor before taking on any new supplements. for instance, some fish oils contain PCBs which can cause birth defects and even cancer. so always do your research.

daily

for me - if i can’t do any of the below on an empty stomach or i will get massive headaches

protein powder // 25g-60g

i try to consume most of my protein in solid foods, but it becomes nearly impossible to hit the numbers above with a full-time job. i supplement both of the below, especially when i am low on protein for the day. good rule of thumb (for me anyway), no more than 3 scoops of whey. your bm will thank you.

• whey protein:
  • isopure creamy vanilla, but they’ve been out for a while.
  • trying myprotein impact whey right now in the meantime.
• pea protein:
  • anthony’s premium pea protein, note - most plant proteins taste like trash. this one has no fillers. no sweeteners. just ground up, dried pea protein isolate. it taste like cardboard, but gets the job done. you’ve been warned.

creatine monohydrate // 5mg

there are many misconceptions around creatine, but it should be noted that out of most of the health supplements in the world, creatine is one of the most researched and tested substances, perhaps only second to whey protein. according to webmd:

Creatine is a chemical found naturally in the body. It’s also in red meat and seafood. It is often used to improve exercise performance and muscle mass.

i’m not a nutritionist, but i’ve been listening, reading, and researching supps for over 10 years, and this reddit user sums it up well. there’s been some new studies that show promising signs of creatine benefitting brain health, but more peer review needs to be done. at this point, it’s very clear there are minimal downsides, and if you’re looking to moderately boost your performance in high-intensity activities, it’s a bit of a no brainer.

to be honest, it’s hard to pick a “bad” brand. most mainline ones are fine. if you really care about the quality, you may want to learn more about the processing facilities of the brand your interested in. a lot of them are overpriced. do not get caught up in the hype. it shouldn’t be that expensive.

i’d recommend bulksupplements.com creatine monohydrate. 1lb for $20 will last you 3-4 months. also - don’t get all caught up in the “loading phase.” sure, you could do it. but unless you’re under some type of competition time crunch, starting with 5g a day is more than adequate.

daily vitamin // 1 pill

i’ve always been skeptical of taking vitamins. no real reason why. only recently have i decided to start taking one. once again, do not let them run your pockets. i use walmart’s brand. it’s fine. also - if you end up going with isopure, there’s a pretty exhaustive vitamin stack already in each scoop including other nutrients like biotin, a helpful nutrient if you eat a lot of eggs.

fish oil // 2 pills

this is another supplement i inconsistently take. much like the other ones, this, too, is a well-researched supplmental vitamin with benefits such as:

improved cognitive health
eye health support
alleviate rheumatoid arthritis/improve joint health
can help with depression
defend against prostate cancer

there are also cons (listed below), but of the list, i’ve only experienced one: the burps. some brands are definitely better than others in this regard, and it’s such a noticeable issue that companies even engineered a “burpless” soft gel. mixed results.

an unpleasant taste in the mouth (the "burps")
fishy-smelling breath or sweat
heartburn
nausea
stomach ache or indigestion
diarrhea
headache

(source: webmd)

if i got the money, and am feeling fancy, i’ll go for these: nordic naturals ultimate omega. they taste good and rather burpless relative to other brands. if i’m on a budget, which is normally the case, i’ll go with tried and true nature made fish oil supplements. no frills. no fancy marketing. tastes okay, but could give you the burps.

ginkgo biloba // 1 pill

this is perhaps the wildest one, but has become more popularized in recent years. i’ve done the bare minimum of research and have not taken it consistently enough (nor on its own) to determine its effectiveness. some of my favorite runners and bodybuilders take it 🤷‍♂️ i wouldn’t recommend it, only because i’m sure the effects are slight. although, some people swear by it. so, take at your own risk. i’m hoping to consistently take this with the rest of my stack over the next 90 days and will report back.

For more on ginkgo biloba, you can check out this mount sinai article.

other supplements

vitargo carb supplement

• i mostly use this when i’m bulking instead of gatorade powder. i don’t think gatorade is a great electrolyte supplement. so, i used to use it as a preworkout quick carb boost. since then, i’ve relied on this product since it’s a powdered starch with no added chemicals or preservatives. i have the flavorless one, but at this price point, i’m sure the flavors are decent enough. this was also a lifesaver when i was really pushing as a hybrid athlete (run/weighlift).

nuun sport electrolyte tablets

• these are my gatorade replacements. if it’s leg day, cardio heavy, if i just drank too much alcohol, i pop this into a water bottle and chug. more dense than gatorade in electrolytes at only 15cals is great. i think lmnt is also a crowd favorite. either way, if you workout/run a ton, having these at your disposal is great. ngl, out of all the supps, this one gives me the most immediate and noticeable difference in energy and how i feel the morning after.

meditation

i’ve been diagnosed with adhd and used to take adderall for it. after years of weird sleep cycles, a lack of appetite, and a constant edge about me, i decided to ween off of it and try to explore other practices, including psychotherapy. that said, meditation is one of the most beneficial things i have incorporated into my life. i will probably dedicate an entire branch of the garden to this as a reminder of my reflections, mantras, and mindfulness.

much like a 401k, the magic behind meditation is in its compound effects over time. i’m not a guru, nor do i trust those who act like them, but i don’t think meditation is woo-woo at all. i think it makes a lot of logical sense, and there is a reason most world religion employ some style or practice of it. there is power and agency in being able to sit quietly with ones own thoughts.

working out

the focus, currently, is to get moving again. i’ve taken the better part of 2 months off after a grueling year of bodybuilding and then running at the end of Q4. after suffering a herniated disc, there was something empowering about being able to push myself to my physical limits and run more than i ever have in my life.

inevitably it let to some burn out, and between learning i’d be a father and the purchase of a new home, i’ve really put this by the way-side.

So…

strength training full-body // 2-3x per week, 30-60min sessions, workouts i can do at home or at the gym

cardio running // at least 2x per week supplmental // 1x per week, any activity of my choice