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Before You Give Up On Maca Root

Maca Side Effects May Not Be What They Seem

Let’s talk about maca side effects. Despite the purported benefits and many success stories, some people have adverse reactions to this herb.  I’d like to share my personal experiences with maca because I’ve experienced both some great benefits and some rough patches.  And I believe I’ve found a way to work through the side effects to receive the positive effects.

I’ll explain below why I don’t think people should be scared off by maca side effects.  They’re often signs to simply change the way one is using this superfood.  And I believe there are at least some things to try before writing it off completely.

What Is Maca?

For those who don’t know, maca is a cruciferous root vegetable that grows in the Andes Mountains at very high altitudes.  Between 12,500-14,400 in fact.  It looks a bit like a small turnip.  And it has sort of a butterscotch flavor.  Some people seem to find the flavor repulsive.  I personally don’t mind it and it’s easy to mask in a smoothie with some cinnamon and raw cacao.  From what I’ve seen it’s almost always available as powder, either raw or gelatinized.  Gelatinization is a process that removes some of the startch and makes it more digestible.

Maca Root

Maca has been a common food in Peru for millennia and is often consumed there on a daily basis.  It also grows in a variety of colors including yellow, red and black among others.  Some people claim the different colors have different effects, while others claim that’s all marketing hoopla and doesn’t make a difference.  I honestly have no idea who is right, so everyone should try different brands and varieties and find out for themselves.

Personally I have the most experience with premium gelatinized black maca root from a supplier called The Maca Team (no affiliation).  I’ll get into that more later.

Maca Benefits

The benefits of maca are numerous and include:

  • Increased energy and stamina
  • Increased fertility
  • Hormonal balance and estrogen detoxification
  • Boost in libido
  • Improved mood
  • Better cognitive function
  • Healthy hair and skin
  • Muscle building and weight gain
  • High in antioxidants and vitamins/minerals
  • An adaptogenic herb for dealing with stress

Reported Maca Side Effects

  • Excessive maca consumption combined with low iodine can cause goiter (this is potentially true of any cruciferous vegetable on some level…I personally supplement with kelp to get iodine and avoid this issue)
  • Upset stomach
  • Increased heart rate
  • Headaches
  • Anxiety or jittery feelings
  • Insomnia

It should be noted that maca is a vegetable and doesn’t pose any real dangers of any sort.  In my experience, any adverse effects pass rather quickly.

Why I Originally Tried Maca Root & My Experiences

I’m a man who likes to lift heavy and cultivate my masculinity.  So I was very much interested in maca for it’s purported benefits of optimizing hormone levels, muscle building, and increased fertility and libido.

Admittedly I haven’t had my hormone levels checked in a bit, so I have no testing information to confirm before and after effects of maca on hormonal balance.  All I have is anecdotal evidence.  But I’ll say that I do feel a bit of extra swagger in my step.  And assuming maca really does lower estrogen, this would seem to be a huge benefit in our modern environment that bombards us with exogenous estrogen.

While taking maca I have a tendency to feel a tad more aggressive and assertive.  Maca isn’t known to increase overall testosterone levels.  But it is suspected that it might increase levels of free testosterone and DHT due to its diindolylmethane content.  Allowing the body to actually use more testosterone, more easily.

Maca Side Effects back

Maca side effects front
I don’t look like I take steroids because I never have. Nor do I use any sort of bodybuilding supplements geared towards aesthetics. But at 41 it’s possible to look thick and lean, be strong and athletic, and be pain free as a result of barbell lifting, proper movement, a low carb diet, plenty of good animal fat, and a few food-based supplements like maca.

My workouts are also great when using maca.  That could be related to the hormonal benefits, but also the energy boosting benefits.  Either way, my workouts have been strong while taking maca and my body weight is on the higher side for me.  I look thick and lean considering I primarily lift for strength and performance and I’ve never taken steroids.  This could all be influenced by other confounding factors in my diet, but maca certainly isn’t hurting.

 

Regarding libido and fertility, I definitely feel the boost.  It’s subtle but it’s there.  Just a stronger desire towards the fairer sex.  Not sure how else to put it.  If you know the feeling you know the feeling.  I’ve also noticed solid bedroom performance as well as consistent morning wood (or middle of the night wood).  Woodies are also lasting longer without stimulation.  This all may be related to the glucosinolates and isothiocyanates in maca.

Maca has been shown to increase sperm count and sperm motility in both men and male rats.  One thing I will say since I started taking maca is that my bizness is simply heavier and larger in total.  I’ve been handling my junk all my life so it’s easy to sense any differences or changes.  When I hold it all in my hand, it feels substantial.  Sign me up.

In addition, I’ve noticed I have a more positive outlook and a more fearless attitude towards life.  Like a lion prowling around the city streets.  And though it’s hard to pinpoint this to one thing, especially given benefits I’ve experienced from diet changes, my energy has been good.  I’ll take that all day long.

All that said, my maca experiment hasn’t been 100% smooth sailing.

A Few Bumps In The Road

Let’s get back to maca side effects.

When I first started taking maca, I felt great for about a week.  I bought some organic maca from the health food store and I slowly ramped up my consumption.  Then I started to feel unusually irritable.  I kept at it for several more days but finally put two and two together.  The maca was affecting my mood.  I felt a rage inside at other drivers on the road and wanted to yell at co-workers.

So I took a break.  And within a day my mental state was back to normal.

About a week later I tried adding maca back into my morning fat-bomb smoothie.  And it went well.  I felt the positive benefits again.  And I’ve never quite felt that same level of irritability from it since.

Then I bought the aforementioned gelatinized black maca powder because black maca is supposed to be great for muscle building, male fertility, etc.  I must say that this stuff is really potent.

I started slow but was eventually taking 9 grams a day.  Which is a lot given gelatinized maca is more concentrated.  And I started to develop some side effects as the active compounds built up in my body.

I definitely had an increased heart rate most of the morning every morning.  Granted I was taking maca right after drinking coffee, but it was a noticeable increase and coffee alone doesn’t have that effect on me.

My body temperature was clearly higher as well.  I was sweating more and experiencing hot flashes.  Not saying that’s a bad thing, as this can be a symptom of decreasing estrogen levels.  And we all have too much estrogen these days from polluted air and water, BPA everywhere, etc.  But a racing heart while overheating a bit isn’t altogether pleasant.

Then I’d often take more maca at lunch.  And in the afternoons I’d occasionally get a bit if free floating anxiety.  Can never say for sure if it was the maca or not, but when I decided to take another break that seemed to subside.

I also had a few very restless nights while taking high doses of maca where sleep didn’t come easily.  This also stopped whenever I stopped maca temporarily.

Did My Maca Side Effects Convince Me To Give It Up?

I see people all over the internet talking about how maca just isn’t for them.  It gave them maca side effects so they just stopped using it immediately and never started again.

Personally, I’ve been liking the benefits too much to give it up completely.

So the last time I started taking maca again after a break of a couple weeks, I started with very low doses.  Around 500 mg.  And I’ve built up over many weeks to 1500 mg.  This is half of the minimum recommended dose on the package of the black maca (3g), but it seems to be a good dose for me.  Even though I’m 50 lbs. bigger than the 160 lb. person the guidelines were set for.  I also take my maca early in the day and don’t take any more after that.

I feel the benefits and really don’t have any side effects at all.  So I’m able to make my use more consistent without having to stop for breaks.  A moral of the story here is that some people get the benefits of maca with small doses so less can be more.  Great – that means I’ll spend less money on maca.

Also, having done some deep nutrition-based healing and detoxification in the past, I know that the road to health improvements can be bumpy.  And sometimes what feels like a bad side effect is really a good sign of healing and re-balancing.  This is called a healing reaction.

For instance, when the body dumps toxic heavy metals it feels terrible for a day or two.  But ultimately it’s worth the unpleasant spell because health improves afterwards.

My suspicion is that what many people see as deal-breaker maca side effects are similar to healing reactions.

If maca detoxifies the body of estrogen and balances hormones, anybody who is estrogen dominant or out of balance in some way is going to feel the effects as the maca helps sort them out.  It can’t be expected to be a smooth ride.  And deep re-balancing of any sort is going to temporarily affect the mind and mood.  But it passes.

Also regarding The Maca Team’s black maca, its power is a testament to its quality.  Just isn’t necessary to take copious amounts.  At least not for me.  So keep in mind that some brands are probably going to be better than others which will affect dosage.

Suggestions For Use

Given all of this background, my suggestion is to start small.  Really small.  And don’t be in a rush to up the dosage.  In time you might be someone who can take very large doses without issue.  But in the event you aren’t, you’ll be less likely to experience any unpleasant side effects if you don’t go crazy bumping up the amount you take.

And if you do have side effects, just try taking a week off.  And then reintroduce slowly.  My experience has been that after a break I seem to tolerate maca better than before and the side effects I had previously are far less severe.  If I feel them at all.  It’s as if short periods of use followed by breaks has sorted out some issues and then my body is more able to use the beneficial compounds in the maca.  I’ve also found my sweet spot dose-wise.

Cycling on and off maca is a common recommendation anyhow.  Though I’ve found that a low and steady dose is my preference to heavy doses with breaks.  Just personal preference, so try different approaches for yourself.

I Wholeheartedly Recommend Maca

It’s entirely likely that maca might not be for everyone.  But once I learned how to work around maca side effects and use it sensibly, the positive impacts have been fantastic.  Very welcomed and very noticeable.

And before anybody reads any online reviews that scare them off from trying or continuing the use of maca, keep in mind that sometimes it’s only a matter of finding a dose that works and also easing into maca consumption.  There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Please leave a comment if you’ve had any maca success or maca side effects, or have any questions.

 

 

 

 

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Blog Nugget #4 – 10/24/18

Thank You Setbacks

As I was walking to work this morning, I was remarking at how good I’ve been feeling lately.  I also look very healthy and youthful.  Much younger looking than my age.  I’m my leanest in a long time and very strong, and my energy and mood are more optimal than they used to be.  My mind is generally working quite well, and my blood work results have been really good.  My body is looking much more vascular, and I believe this is likely due to reduced inflammation from eating a ketogenic diet.

So I have a lot to be grateful for, and it’s all because of the way I live now.  And the way I live now is a result of a lot of trial and error experimentation.  But most importantly, I never would have had the drive and patience to endure so much trial and error if it weren’t for the health setbacks I endured a few years back.  Thank you setbacks.

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Blog Nugget #2 – 10/22/18

Blow A Little Money From Time To Time To Build A Sense Of Abundance

While on vacation recently, there were a couple of businesses renting waverunners on the beach.  It looked really fun so I inquired about the rates.  The price was double what I expected, but nothing I’d ever miss.  Despite the fact that it was entirely within my everyday budget, I balked at the idea because it didn’t seem like a good deal to me at first.  I began to think about all of the “smarter” things I could do with this rather insignificant sum of money.  And for some reason I had the thought that impulsive purchases like this add up if one does it all the time.  As if I’m going to rent waverunners every day of my life.

A few days later I reconsidered and decided to do it anyway.  I was conscious of my previous thought patterns on the matter and knew I was being ridiculous.  And it was a blast.  The cash I spent means nothing now but I have a memory of flying across the water at full throttle.  I’d never tell anyone to blow their life savings on something frivolous, and money is relative from person to person.  I’m also opposed to taking on debt to do something like this.  There is also something to be said for not spending money on dumb shit sometimes.  But the point is that I caught myself in a scarcity mindset over an insignificant amount of money.  After I let go of my unnecessary resistance, spent the money, and had fun, I felt a sense of abundance instead.  And that felt a lot better.  Not to mention an abundance mindset is an asset in life for many reasons, and that’s worth cultivating.  So from time to time, just treat yourself and enjoy it.

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A World Full Of Strong People

Something That Could Change The World

When I go out into the world, I feel something insidious.  I smell it wafting through the air.  And then I see it.  I hear it.  Just where it originates from I’m not sure, but the effects are evident everywhere.

Sick people who have been told they are simply getting older and there’s nothing they can do about it.  It’s just their genetic lot in life they’re told.

Minorities being told they are victims and the deck is stacked against them, so why even try?  Just vote for the politician giving out free stuff.

Young girls using smart phones and social media to get attention and validation from perfect strangers they’ll never meet.  Glued to their screens walking down the street and missing all that’s actually going on around them.

People who believe the government, or their doctor, or a deity, or some famous person somewhere will solve all of their problems.  A mindset that looks externally to others as the source of both problems and solutions.  A blindness to the inner strength we all have the potential to possess and wield.

So many people have more strength and well being inside than they have ever experienced or even considered.  Mental strength, emotional strength, physical strength.  It’s all intertwined.  There will always be variations and levels since we’re all different, but we could stand to move the middle of the bell curve forward quite a lot.

I want to see more strong people every day when I walk out the door.  More people who can not only help themselves, but those around them.  People who are wise to the lie that they are simply victims of fate.  And who therefore won’t be manipulated into handing over their personal power.  People who can see and sense their own worth without being told by someone else.

If we are all part of a society, then the more strong individuals there are the stronger society will be.  It’s simple arithmetic.  4 + 4 is greater than 2 + 2.  And it’s a beneficial feedback loop.  There won’t be reason to focus on which group in society is more privileged than another because we’ll all be strong individuals, judged on our merit.

But there is so much knowledge that has to be spread for this to happen.  And so much bullshit that has to be overcome and stripped away.  Not to mention a massive amount of momentum moving in the wrong direction.

And the only way to do it is for more people to show the way.  Others have to see you striving and shining first, and then they’ll want to understand the secret.  People usually don’t make major changes when someone else tries to force them to.

You often have to plant a small seed and wait for them to come to you.  They come to you because they sense something in you.  See something in you.

So let’s make a deal.  You show someone the way through example, and I will too.  Because I know there are strong people like you out there as well.  And perhaps in time we’ll begin to have a world full of people getting stronger.  I don’t care if that might be a pipe dream because it’s the simplest and most effective way to a better world.

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Focus On The Things Within Your Control

Some Things Are Entirely In Our Control, Some Aren’t

Life has been reminding me lately that certain things are in our control, and others aren’t.  Every success, whether personal or business, is generally a combination of opportunity presenting itself and being prepared to seize the opportunity when it arrives.  This is why it’s really important to stay ready and focus on the things within your control.

We often can’t force the right opportunities and encounters to show up in our lives.  We can increase the odds through our actions and our thoughts, but the reality is that certain things won’t happen right when we want them to happen.

Yet we can make daily conscious decisions to take specific actions that keep us prepared for anything life offers up.  Everything from working on our mindset, to diet, and even the way we breathe will contribute to success in some way.  These are just a few of a long list of items that are always within our conscious control.

So that is where one’s focus should lie.  Doing everything to be ready for the things that aren’t entirely in our control, while always being alert and ready for the unexpected.

And when life dishes out hard times, these same decisions and actions can be a source of strength.  Tragedy and loss can’t be reversed, but just because life feels out of control doesn’t mean we can’t build ourselves up anyway.  The things we can control directly will help when it comes to putting one foot in front of the other after we get knocked sideways.  They are a target to aim at daily so we don’t lose our way.  And they ensure one comes out the other side strong and healthy instead of turning to destructive ways of coping with physical or emotional pain.

Patience Is The Foundation

First and foremost, aim to cultivate patience.  We can set our intentions for what we’d like in our lives, but it’s very powerful to develop a deep sense of patience while we live without the things we’d like to accomplish or attain.  Letting go of outcomes if very powerful.  This isn’t the same as complacence.  It means enjoying the daily work and the journey without expectation.  With this approach, frustration is less likely to creep in.  And this is important because getting to the finish line is often just a matter of staying the course.

It is when we feel and experience a deep sense of lack, or being without, that negative feelings like doubt and jealousy creep in and derail us.  Patience is the antidote.  To be able to simply be okay without the things we’d prefer to have.  Seems pretty obvious, right?  Well it’s easier said than done, and very easy to lose sight of.  So this is a reminder to myself as much as anything.

And it’s the foundation for redirecting focus to the things we can influence directly every day.

The Things We Can Control

Once a sense of patience has been accomplished, focus can shift to the things we are able to control directly.  The things that prepare us for opportunities that surface.  Here are a few to keep in mind.

Mindset

Mindset certainly encompasses patience, but there is more to it than that.  It means having the strength to turn negative thoughts into positive thoughts.  The term for this is re-framing.  Re-framing is a very powerful skill.

Any situation can be seen in far more ways than one.  Failure and criticism can be seen in a negative light.  As some indication that we aren’t capable.  On the other hand, they can be seen as a kick in the ass to grow and discover the things we can work on to become more capable and skilled.  Aim to turn every situation positive in the mind, no matter what.  Even life’s hardest moments have a bright side.  This will result in a fundamental shift that promotes forward motion and improvement.  Some might think it’s a bad idea to be overly optimistic because it can lead to disappointment.  I call bullshit.  An optimistic mindset combined with patience is powerful.

One technique I learned from reading Eckhart Tolle is to watch our own thoughts as if from a third party point of view.  Don’t judge negative thoughts.  Just detach from them and see them for what they are.  See that they are learned patterns.  See that they aren’t necessarily reality.  And in time any tendency to generate negative, self defeating thoughts will slowly start to fade away.

Breathing

Human beings are meant to breathe deeply, slowly, and steadily.  But constant distraction and stress can result in breath that is shallow and quick.  It is far easier to become anxious, irritable, and distracted when breathing patterns are incorrect.

There are many schools of breathing practice, but I’ve found two things to focus on that have made all the difference for me and keep things simple and easy to stick with.

First, breathe through the nose only.  Mouth breathing is for slobs.  Quiet nose breathing results in a nice slow breathing pace by default because the sinuses are smaller passageways than the mouth.  The sinuses also clean and moisturize the air we breathe.  And we lose a lot less carbon dioxide when we breathe through the nose which is crucial for health and mental calm.  There is no way to consciously nose breath at night while sleeping, but a way to ensure breathing is correct around the clock is to tape the mouth at night.  It sounds and feels a bit strange at first, but it’s easy to get used to.  Just put a small strip of surgical tape across the lips before bed.

Second, breathe into the belly.  This ensures the breath goes all the way to the bottom of the lungs.  It’s a really simple mental cue.  And this will trigger the parasympathetic nervous system which is the rest and relax side of the autonomic nervous system.

For more info on breathing, do an internet search for Buteyko Breathing.  But you can just focus on these two simple breathing techniques and get great benefits.

Nutrition

Personally I’ve done really well lately on a very low carbohydrate diet.  I’ve come to believe that metabolic health is one of the keys to well being and success in life.  Some people can eat pretty much whatever they want and still feel and perform great.  I can’t.  So I make a point of eating what helps me get ahead on a  daily basis.  And that means low carb, high fat, and plenty of animal protein.  If I can be in a state of ketosis I seem to be at my best and compete with the people who are able to eat candy all day and stay sharp.

I will throw in my two cents against vegetarian and vegan diets for staying big, strong, and mentally robust.  Even though I truly do see the appeal.  I was vegetarian for five years and it wasn’t good for my health or well being.  No matter how many beans, nuts, and other vegetable-based calories and proteins I ate, I continued losing weight.  I dropped from over 200 lbs. to about 165 lbs. in a few years.  After I reintroduced meat to my diet I shot right back to 190 lbs.  Now I’m 210 lbs. in my skivvies and lean as well.  Everyone is different, but animal based foods provide certain nutrients like vitamin B12, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids such as DHA and EPA that can’t be found in adequate amounts or bioavailability in vegetables.  Our brains thrive on DHA and EPA.

I still eat a ton of vegetables, but a good quality steak and grass fed butter make me feel strong like bull.  That’s because animal protein is superior to plant protein.

Not to beat this point to death, but whatever you eat, eat real food the vast majority of the time.  If it comes pre-packaged, you generally shouldn’t eat it.  If the ingredients list includes items you can’t pronounce or recognize, don’t eat it.  The main point is that eating the wrong food (for you) will hold you back.  So make nutrition a priority.  It’s an easy thing to control every day.

Drinking & Drugs

Have some fun from time to time.  Nothing wrong with it.  But being hungover on a consistent basis does not prepare a person to be their best when opportunity knocks.  And hungover doesn’t have to mean vomiting and raging headaches.  It can simply be lower energy, a bit of brain fog, and poor sleep from one or two drinks.  Being off even 10% from your potential every day will take some toll.  Just my opinion.

If you haven’t taken a couple of months to be completely sober in awhile, give it a try.  It creates a juxtaposition that makes it obvious how a couple of drinks a night isn’t completely neutral.  Even light consumption on a consistent basis has an impact.

If you like getting high, make that an occasional indulgence too.  It’s also a lot more fun and interesting if it isn’t a daily habit.  It too dulls the mind if it’s a daily crutch.  Be smart and prioritize optimal function over catching a buzz.

With regards to any other party favors, use common sense.  Most anything isn’t helpful when it isn’t occasional.  And some substances should obviously be avoided altogether.

Fitness

A strong body is a huge benefit to any endeavor in life.  And a strong body strengthens the mind.  As a friend of mine who is in real estate has always said, negotiations are always easier for him when he knows he got up and squatted that morning while the other guy didn’t.  It’s a slight mental edge, not just physical.

And when in the dating market, the benefits of fitness are pretty obvious.  I mention this because that’s been part of my life lately.

I’m biased, but I think people should focus on compound lifts like squats and deadlifts.  And high intensity interval training like wind sprints or other short, but intense bursts of exercise.  I’m speaking to the ladies as well as the guys.  The occasional long run, bike ride, or hike is great too, but I wouldn’t make them the foundation of any fitness regimen.  And I love a bit of asymmetrical body movement activity like rock climbing or playing games that require adapting to moving objects and moving forward, backward and sideways.

The Company We Keep

Spend time with people who challenge you. Spend time with people who inspire you and expose you to new ideas.  Spend time with people who support your vision even if they prefer to live differently.  Spend time with people who are better than you at certain things.  Spend time with people who don’t waste time frivolously and avoid people who do.

And learn to spend time alone.  This is ultimate power.  When you’re perfectly fine in your own company, you have found your center.  This helps provide clarity when deciding what it is you really want from life.

Media Consumption

This includes movies, shows, news, music, books, online content like blogs and social media, and any other source of information or entertainment.

Generally speaking, avoid TV shows with regular commercial breaks.  Or at least mute the commercials.  Advertising is meant to make you feel imperfect, lacking, and less than others.  Then the advertiser tries to sell you something to help fill the void and make life whole again.  It’s bullshit.  Don’t participate.  You are perfectly whole.

The same goes for any music, movies, or shows that leave you feeling anything but strong and confident.  If it makes you feel sad, pensive, depressed, insecure, etc., just turn it off.  You are on a mission to be ready to tackle life every day.  Anything that weakens the mind and mood is a contradiction to this mission and is completely unnecessary.

There are plenty of good websites, blogs, podcasts, and non-corporate news these days where the creators want to share strength with you and inspire you.  Search out the good stuff where you walk away feeling like you have the power to take life by the horns.  Or where you learned something truly worthwhile and applicable in your own path towards living the life you want.

I listen to a lot of instrumental music.  Where the beat gives me energy, makes me feel good, the musicianship (or even digital production) is really solid, and there aren’t any lyrics imposing some sort of meaning.  I really don’t want to hear about somebody else’s heartache.

When I read, I generally read something educational.  Good fiction can be educational, but mostly I stick to non-fiction.  And I take a spin through Barron’s on a weekly basis to look for investment ideas.

Also, don’t indulge in porn.  And for that matter, don’t waste time masturbating.  Just don’t.  These things weaken the mind, the body, and the will.  I know from experience, and cutting them out is incredibly powerful.  My focus improves, my enthusiasm improves, I’m far more productive, and I’m much more social.  And I don’t feel like a loser.

Style

I can also make a conscious decision to dress well whenever I’m out and about.  That doesn’t have to mean suit and tie. But clean clothes that fit well go a long way, even if it’s just jeans, t-shirt, and sneakers.  If I’m at the grocery store and get an inviting glance from a lovely lady, I don’t want to be in sweatpants and smell like BO.  Not that it always matters, but being put together increases self confidence and makes me feel like acting on those inviting glances.

Sleep

Last but not least, get plenty of sleep.  Unless there is good reason to stay up late, go to bed early.  That way you’re less likely to require an alarm to wake up which allows natural sleep patterns to run their course.

Personally, when I don’t get enough sleep, or sleep poorly, I almost feel hungover the next day.  My cognition and memory are subpar, and my mood is less positive.

Pretty simple, but hugely impactful.  I realize sleep isn’t totally controllable, but we can control what time we go to bed, how we wind down at the end of the night, avoiding screen time in the evening, our sleep environment, and even looking into supplements like magnesium to help out.

When Life Throws Hard Times At Us

Knowing which things we can consciously control isn’t just beneficial when we encounter good times in life.  It’s also useful when we have to deal with trials and tribulations.

We all experience losses of various sorts from time to time.  When I went through a divorce, my first inclination was to pick up a six pack after work every night.  But I knew that wasn’t going to help me move forward the way I wanted to.

So I decided to immerse myself in vigorous exercise and ensure I ate impeccably.  Two simple tactics.  I was pretty grumpy for quite some time, and it was miserable coming home to an empty house because I wasn’t used to it.  But I knew that if I lifted hard or did some interval training that I’d get a rush of endorphins and feel just a bit better.  And that little bit made all the difference.  Throw a healthy meal on top of that and instead of drinking myself into a middle age spare tire, I got stronger and leaner than ever before which gave me tons of confidence to go out and meet new girls.

Final Thoughts

Whether we’re on the lookout for creative ideas, career opportunities, relationships, or anything else that may or may not show up on a given day, it’s always good to keep oneself ready.  So identify the things you can control and go after them.  And in difficult times, having a list of daily actions to keep strong mentally and physically is an unbelievably effective tool for maintaining forward motion in life.  When we do small things daily, they accumulate and add up in a big way over time.

What else might you add to this list?

 

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The Fine Art of Being Bored

Whatever Happened to Doing Nothing?

We live in a YOLO and FOMO culture these days.  You only live once, and it results in a fear of missing out.  It makes one feel like they have to be in motion constantly.  Don’t want to miss any fabulous selfie or social media opportunities.  But sometimes it’s good to do nothing.  It’s healthy.  Boredom can inspire creativity and new ideas.  And we’re mortal creatures that have to conserve energy from time to time.  Conserved energy allows one to engage in life with more vigor.

And even when we stay home to relax, it’s easy to be constantly distracted by social media, Netflix shows, or video games.  Simply sitting out on the back step and listening to the sounds of the city or nature can seem pretty boring in comparison.  But it’s good to do so from time to time.  Just watch the clouds pass overhead.  Pay attention to the warmth of the sun.  It helps reset our dopamine systems that are overstimulated much of the time by constant entertainment and information.  It develops patience, allows for honest reflection, and builds a certain kind of mental fortitude.

For much of our evolution, we were busy with taking care of procuring food and water, building and maintaining shelter, and staying safe from the dangers of the world.  But it wasn’t on a 9-5 schedule.  So when we were done with these activities, we had down time.  And we didn’t have flat screen TV’s.  when it got dark at night, we didn’t turn on a bunch of lights and stay up late.  Being still and quiet, yet alert, was likely a large part of our development as a species.

Relishing Boredom

Whenever I’m having an unusually mellow Saturday afternoon, it’s common for me to feel a bit of anxious energy bubble up if I’m not being productive in some way.  I’m conditioned to feel like I’m wasting my precious moments if I’m not creating something, learning something, getting ahead.

But I’ve learned that there is power in turning off my phone, shutting down the laptop, and just sitting quietly.  Perhaps even meditating.  Being alone with our own thoughts can be a bit frightening at times.  We’re all probably a little bit nuts in some ways.  But it’s also the best way to see thoughts for what they are, learn to be at ease with them, and guide them in a more constructive way.  It’s a chance to visualize what we want in life as well.

And with regards to productivity, one of my most financially successful friends is a master at being bored.  As he says, “that’s where the magic happens”.  And he’s right.  To be able to let inspiration and ideas in, sometimes it’s necessary to shut off the noise and just be bored for a bit.  He’s proof that a person can make millions of dollars without staying unnecessarily busy 24/7.  He relishes the inevitable boredom instead of letting it make him fidgety.

Be Bored On Purpose

Take some time on a regular basis to be bored on purpose.  It doesn’t have to be for hours on end, just for a little while.  Or at least settle in for a bit when boredom pops up on its own.  Don’t fight it.  And trust that it isn’t wasting time.  It’s an art form, especially in this day in age.  Just sit still and smile and it will differentiate you in a small way.  Think about your life and let your imagination take you for a ride.  You’ll be healthier and happier for it.

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Ketogenic Diet Self Expermient, Part 1

Anecdotal Evidence Alert

I’d like to share my own n=1 personal experiment with the ketogenic diet.  Please note that this will be highly subjective and anecdotal in nature.  I simply wanted to share some of what I’ve experienced in case it can be helpful or insightful to somebody else.

It goes without saying that I’m not offering medical advice here.  And everyone should consult their doctors and/or nutritionists if they’re interested in trying different diets.

I’ve also titled this post as Part 1 because I’m only two months into this experiment.  And know it could take some turns as I go.  This would most likely result in Parts 2 and beyond at some point.

The Beginnings of My Ketogenic Journey

First, I’ll save you all from a lengthy explanation of ketosis.  There are so many good articles already available.  They’re written by doctors ans scientists and explain it better than I could.  Just do an internet search if you aren’t familiar with the topic and you’ll find more information than you can possibly read.

So why did I decide to try eating a ketogenic diet?  Primarily because of the purported mental benefits.  Many people claim improved memory recall and cognition, not to mention improved mood.  I was also interested in the claim that ketosis can increase mitochondrial density.  Also, I realized I’d been showing some signs of metabolic syndrome on and off for a couple of years – high blood pressure, low HDL cholestrol, and fasting glucose levels on the high side.

I was actually hesitant to try the ketogenic diet because the low carbohydrate intake and lower protein intake than I’m used is supposed to be detrimental to heavy strength training.  I’d just run the Texas Method strength program and gained ten pounds of lean body mass and got my deadlift up to 500 lbs. in the process.  The prevailing narrative is that glucose is essential for driving the anaerobic energy system in strength/explosive athletes.  And that without carbs, max strength and power would suffer. Furthermore, I’d been eating around 200 grams of protein daily to promote muscle growth.  In ketosis I’d be eating quite a bit less.

I also knew that ketosis could make me leaner.  I’m all for it, but also didn’t want to lose too much bodyweight.  I want to stay at about 200-205 lbs., so my hope going into this was that I’d be able to continue building muscle while losing body fat.  That way I’d stay around the same weight as my body composition slowly changed towards a leaner physique.  To do this I knew I’d have to keep my calorie levels at 3000+ per day.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a hormonal and libido standpoint, but I do know that hormones like testosterone require cholesterol for production.  And the ketogenic diet doesn’t shy away from dietary cholesterol and fatty acids.

What I’ve Experienced In The First Two Months

I’ll run through a bullet point list of my experiences since starting the ketogenic journey.  Again, I’m not trying to sell this diet, and everyone is different.  But for me it has most definitely had a huge positive impact.

-First a quick warning that it can be a bumpy ride for a week or two.  Cutting out all grains and potatoes and reducing carbohydrates to less then 50 grams per day truly caused withdrawal symptoms for me.  I had several days where I felt downright depressed, and almost detached from reality.  That said, I knew to expect it as I adjusted, and so I was able to ride it out and it passed.

-On the flip side, as the carb withdrawal symptoms reduced I started to have some days where I was downright happy for no apparent reason.  This was a huge juxtaposition to the low grade melancholy feeling I now realize I’d had much of my life.  The positive mood makes me feel more outgoing, and more assertive at work, etc.  I can’t overstate how welcomed this is, and it’s been more and more frequent as I go.

-During those days of positive mood, I definitely felt my brain light up as well.  Memory recall and cognition did indeed hit a different level of function.  It’s not like I gained 50 IQ points or something.  But the combination of feeling quicker on my toes so to speak, along with a happy disposition, made me much more effective at work.  As I’ve become more efficient at burning fat for fuel in the absence of excessive carbs, I’ve also noticed at times that if I eat a nice piece of fatty grass-fed beef, etc., my mind will start to buzz with energy for an hour or two afterwards.  It’s wonderful.

-I feel much calmer eating fats over carbohydrates.  For example, I was hiking the other day and as I walked past a bush I scared a large bird out of it.  It caused a huge ruckus.  Typically that much sudden, unexpected commotion coming from right beside me would give me a slight adrenaline rush.  But the other day I had no fight or flight reaction whatsoever.  I’ve felt that general sense of calm in other areas of my day to day life as well.  It’s stand to reason given the ketogenic diet was originally used to treat epilepsy.  It calms the electrical activity in the brain.

-I bought a Precision Xtra ketone/glucose meter to help assess my progress in reaching ketosis and stabilizing my blood sugar.  When I first started this diet my fasted morning blood glucose was typically 100-120 which is high.  After two months my blood glucose readings are pretty much 80-85 every time which is a whole lot better.  This points to a potential improvement in insulin sensitivity.  Regardless, my morning blood sugar is in a much better range after a short time.

-Despite the warnings out there that max strength efforts require glucose, and despite eating less glucose, I’ve felt just as strong as I did before.  I continue to lift heavy in the 1-5 rep range and my heavy squats and deadlifts feel very explosive.  The bars moves fast, and I also seem recover quite well.  Perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised since the liver can continue to make some glucose out of protein and fats via a process called gluconeogenesis.  I don’t seem to be having any impaired performance from lower carbohydrate intake.

-Along those lines, I was hitting my heavy bag the other day, and my punches were incredibly snappy.  I was hitting the bag really well with a lot of power.

-In the aerobic realm, I’ve been doing a weekend hike most weeks.  One thing I’ve noticed is that my heart rate and breathing stay nice and steady when going uphill at a rapid clip.  Like there’s less stress on my system or something.  And far less pounding in my head.  It’s hard to explain with words, but I feel more efficient.  And I’m hiking in the Rocky Mountains at altitude.  I haven’t done any jogging or long bike rides lately but I’m curious to see how those feel.  I suspect they might feel great.

-Another symptom of keto adaptation I experienced at first was high blood pressure.  I was in for an annual physical about two weeks after I started, and my systolic blood pressure was 151 which is quite high.  It has since normalized to the 120 range on a regular basis.  I could probably stand to get it down a little bit more, but it hasn’t been close to 151 in many weeks.  One explanation for this is that ketones and uric acid both get excreted through the same pathways.  So when the body first starts producing more ketones than it knows how to use, uric acid levels can rise because the body is also eliminating excess ketones.  Uric acid tends to lower nitric oxide levels which can cause vasoconstriction.  Hence higher temporary blood pressure.

-As previously mentioned, I’ve continued to eat quite a lot of calories on a daily basis.  My primary goal was never to lose body fat as I was already pretty lean.  But I’m still noticeably leaner.  The shape of my body has changed a bit, and I can see more blood vessels in my arms and legs.  I still weight 205+ lbs. most times I step on the scale.

-My skin looks better, and is much more moist.  It seems to me that I look a bit younger than I did two months ago.  Maybe, maybe not, but I do look healthy.

-It’s not every day, but many days my afternoon energy levels are more consistent.  This makes sense because even a very lean person stores a huge amount of energy in the form of fat.  A person who burns fat efficiently can stay well fueled for days without eating.

-My body temperature seems to be higher.  Normally I kind of enjoy summer heat, but this summer I can hardly stand it at times.  And I don’t even notice the frigid AC in the office during the work day where it used to bother me in the summers.

-I’ve noticed significantly less bloating after eating.  And my usual room-clearing gas is all but gone.  I’m also noticing that the times I do let one rip it has virtually no smell.  Seems like a pretty good sign to me.  And perhaps my gut microbiome is becoming healthier.

-A girlfriend was visiting last weekend, and I must say that the libido effects of eating plenty of high quality fat was noticeable to me.  Or maybe it was the reduction of carbohydrates.  Or both.  Who knows.  But my soldier was at attention, and that’s all that really matters.

Some Final Thoughts For Now

So far, it seems that a very low carb, high fat diet works really well for me.  I will see if this continues, but it seems to make sense.  I got the results of a 23 And Me genetic test recently, and I’m half Swedish from my Mom’s side.  Furthermore, my maternal haplogroup is common among the people who have historically lived above the Arctic Circle in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and parts of western Russia.  A little research revealed that those people have historically subsisted on animal meat and fat, cold water fish high in fat, and reindeer milk much of the year.  I also have more Neanderthal gene variants than 90% of other people.  Neanderthals were primarily carnivorous.  I still eat a good amount of vegetables, but it stands to reason that eating a ton of grains up until now hadn’t been ideal for me.

Someone who’s ancestry goes back to regions of long term agriculture and consumption of grain might handle sugars and carbs just fine.  But despite having not eaten sugary junk foods for many years, my body still seemed to be suffering from a diet high in whole grains and potatoes.  This really makes me question the notion that whole grains are a health food for all people.  And they probably shouldn’t be the base of some people’s food pyramids.  I’m not saying I’ll never eat any ever again, but unless this diet stops treating me well I can see myself primarily eating low carbohydrate into the future.  The sense of strength, health and well being I’ve experienced thus far is hard to deny.

If you have any interesting experiences with a ketogenic diet, good or bad, please feel free to share in the comments.

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The Pursuit of Excellence Attracts Others Who Are Excellent

Lifestyle and Relationships

I’m a bit of an outlier.  A lot of people I know think I’m a little too hardcore.  A little too disciplined and serious.  Not fun enough sometimes.  Always meticulous about what I eat, what I drink, how I train, what I read, the media and entertainment I consume, always putting my phone on airplane mode when it’s in my pocket.

Dating is tricky because girls always try to break me down with a bite of their ice cream or their pizza.  At least the ones I’ve met.  Just a little test of their powers of persuasion.  And when I hold my ground, and explain that sugar is a net negative and wheat crust doesn’t sit well with me, it seems to be received as a personal insult.

Of course, I’d indulge in a ribeye slathered with butter in a heartbeat, so it doesn’t feel restrictive to me at all.  I actually feel like I indulge all of the time.  I also have no interest in insulting others, I just have my preferences and understand what works for me.  But I digress.

Of course, I have a few friends who completely understand my path, preferences, and discipline.  And this is why we run together.  I respect their efforts to be their best, whatever that may mean, and they respect mine.  On some level we’re all lone wolves doing our own thing and coming together on occasion to share ideas.  This is how real friendships are formed.

On the flip side, people who think I’m crazy and can’t see past it tend to self-select themselves out of my life..

And that’s only natural.  And welcomed.  Because excellence, or at least the pursuit of it, tends to attract excellence.  And mediocrity attracts more mediocrity.  People always feel better cutting corners if they can convince others to as well, and those are the people they want to be around.

Juxtapositions

I’ve been divorced for five years now, and have dated quite a few lovely young ladies.

But most of them don’t know how to deal with me.  They want me to come to their level.  “Come on, eat cookies and watch Netflix marathons with me.”  I have no idea why this is so important to them.  And I get some weird looks on first dates if these topics come up and I’m honest about my views.  It seems to result in less second dates and/or less long term connections when I’m not interested in wasting my Sundays on mimosa brunches with a bunch of random people on a regular basis.

Or maybe I just smell worse than I realize.  But I’m pretty sure mediocrity doesn’t like being exposed or challenged for what it is.  The juxtaposition can reveal a lot.  And people hate giving up their easy dopamine hits and excuses to be indulgent.  It’s much easier to eat the pint of ice cream and then blame genetics for being overweight, unhealthy, and prematurely aged.

*No, I’m not suggesting occasional ice cream automatically results in obesity.  But occasional is very subjective, and for some it’s really not all that occasional.  At least in my subjective opinion…

Would I Be Better Off Giving In?

I recently had the thought that perhaps I should compromise a bit and maybe I’d connect more easily with others.  Maybe eat more chocolate chip croissants and work on my dad bod.  Be more self destructive than self constructive.

I could date online instead of dealing with the multitudes of rejections that come with chatting up strangers on the street or at the store to get phone numbers and dates.

But taking the easy route, or any route that doesn’t move me towards my potential, is unacceptable.

Sure, letting go on occasion is healthy.  I’m happy to slug some whisky or wine sometimes.  Just not every night.  And not every week for that matter.   It’s about being mindful and not blindly feeding urges.  Balance.

Anyhow, I realized upon some reflecting that being a bit unusual and striving for my own personal excellence is more likely to bring more excellence into my life.  Even if I’m actually mediocre in reality, I’m pushing towards more and that’s the point.  It will take an unusual girl to jive with me for more than a few dates, but I’m willing to wait for that.  And I’ll be grateful that my approach to life weeded out all of the others in the long term so that there was room to let excellence in when it crossed my path.

 

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Mind Control

Mind control.  Control of the mind.  Not controlling someone else’s mind, but our own.  Which is arguably harder at times.

The ego wants control.  It wants pain, doubt, and self sabotage.  It feeds on these things.  But the ego must be overcome.  And the fight is waged round the clock most days of our lives.

Physicist David Bohm taught that underlying the physical reality we experience in daily life, there is a soup of energy containing all possible outcomes.  In his opinion, it is our consciousness that pulls one of the potential outcomes out of the soup and into physical matter.  If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is there to hear it, it doesn’t make a sound.  In fact, the tree doesn’t actually fall either if no consciousness is there to observe it.

Maybe that’s true, maybe it isn’t.  But let’s assume it might be.  Then the harmful thoughts of the ego will bring more of the pain and failure it thrives on into our experience.  However, if we learn to mold our thoughts and underlying beliefs, then we can pull outcomes from the soup that are positive and beneficial.

I’ve been watching John John Florence compete in professional surf competitions for a few years now.  He’s a two-time world champion and arguably the best surfer on the planet.  To win surf competitions requires good waves to surf on.  I’ve heard the commentators mention many times how John seems able to will big waves out of the ocean.  It’s said so often that I’m starting to believe it.  And despite his physical talents and experience in the water, his results seem to verify this.  He believes and things tend to go his way.  Sure, he might just read the ocean better than other surfers, but he has somehow created a pattern out of something that would otherwise seem completely random.

Even if the soup of possibilities isn’t real, and we can’t actually manifest our reality, the ability to control the mind brings good thoughts.  Good thoughts are good for health.  They’re good for forward motion in life in general.  They feel a hell of a lot better than bad thoughts and are a much more enjoyable use of mental energy.

Is it foolish to believe in something that might not happen?  To have a potentially false sense of confidence?  Will that just bring more pain in the end?  No.  Because worrying about negative outcomes and constantly preparing the mind for the worst brings more pain than anything else.  It raises stress hormones.  It keeps people awake at night.  it turns hair gray.  It’s a waste of mental powers.  And while it’s nice when doubt is proven wrong by a desirable outcome, it isn’t anywhere near as amazing as when the positive thoughts of the mind materialize into something beautiful right in front of our eyes.

In no way can it hurt us to think positively and not get the exact outcome we desired.  The thoughts will lead us down a path, and the path might take unexpected turns.  But it is better to be on an unwavering path towards something desirable than not being on a path, wallowing in doubt and uncertainty.  So why not adopt an attitude of “what if” and see what happens?

What if coincidences aren’t coincidences at all?  What if the things we can touch and see are nothing more than manifestations of our minds?  How can we prove otherwise?  We can’t.  Everything we experience is a perception.  It seems objective, but how do we know for sure that what objectively looks like the color red to me looks the same to you?  We’ll never know.  My mind registers a keyboard under my fingertips right now, but how can I be sure that isn’t simply an imagined perception?  I can’t.  I could be touching nothing and my brain could still tell me I’m touching a computer.  Because everything we experience is simply the senses feeding the brain, and the brain assuming the senses are accurate and correct so we can go about our daily lives with some sense of stability and continuity.

Can we simply sit back, think about something, and expect it to happen?  No.  Action still has to be taken, and fortune favors those who act boldly.  This isn’t just about magic tricks.  Nobody ever got in shape simply from sitting on the couch eating potato chips.  On some level it’s about changing the mind to change our actions.  The proper thoughts create the proper actions.  The wrong thoughts, the thoughts of the ego, result in self sabotage.

Patience.  Sometimes thoughts require patience to bloom.  The ego will try to make us question our thoughts and derail us.  “My thoughts and beliefs aren’t coming true and I’ve been waiting and waiting, so this must not really work”.  This is where the hard work comes in and effort is required to keep the mind on track.  A person must watch their thoughts constantly, like a boxer watching his opponent in the ring.  The ego will go for cheap shots, and we have to be ready to dodge its attempts all of the time.

So how does one control their mind?  See the ego driven doubts for what they are.  Simply observe them, realize they aren’t real, and laugh at them.  Let them pass.  Speaking affirmations out loud repeatedly might sound hokey, but over time it can slowly shift the underlying beliefs  in the subconscious mind as well.  Only do things that lift your energy and avoid everything that brings you down.  I advise staying away from social media, overly dramatic movies and music, and mainstream media news.  Don’t waste time stroking yourself.  Get up and take a step towards being better.  If you want to waste time, watch something educational or take a nap.  There are constructive ways to unwind.  Never see yourself as reacting to outside events and circumstances.  See yourself as creating the outside events and circumstances you interact with.  And finally, it’s necessary to watch the thoughts and ego constantly like a sniper waiting for the enemy.  Vigilance is required, and it gets easier with practice.  Snuff out any destructive thoughts the instant they surface and replace them with thoughts of strength.  It’s a choice, so choose wisely.

I’ve been putting this approach to the power of the mind into practice in my life and noticing some incredible results and synchronicity.  If you’ve also had success with this approach, it would be great to hear about so please share in the comments.

 

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Dealing With Perfectionist Tendencies

I Can Be a Perfectionist

I have perfectionist tendencies.  I expect a lot of myself.  And when I make mistakes or otherwise fail to live up to my own expectations it drives me crazy.

The other day my boss found some formula errors in a spreadsheet I had updated.  I know he understands these things happen and he didn’t address me negatively in any way.  He just asked if I could make some corrections because he was looking to use my file for some financial info he was compiling.  No big deal.

But my inner critic and ego went to work internally on my psyche which causes some stress and negative emotion.

To be honest, I don’t react in this scenario nearly as hard as I used to.  I’ve lived long enough to know that  these things happen and they pass.  As they say, no use crying over spilled milk.  What’s done is done.  Fix it and move on.

But I still have to watch my mind for a few hours to ensure it doesn’t spiral too far in the wrong direction.  After all, there are ramifications to negative thoughts.

Negative Reactions Can Lead to More Mistakes

From a practical standpoint, negative thoughts and being hard on oneself uses up precious energy in a foolish way and simply takes away from the mindset and energy necessary to do the best work possible.  That can result in more sloppiness and mistakes which creates a cycle.

From a more metaphysical standpoint, what you put out is what you get back.  Assuming thoughts manifest, why put self-defeating thoughts out into the ether?  Even if that’s nonsense, the more practical and logical reasons not to engage in negative self talk are compelling enough.  So just don’t go there.

Also, fear of mistakes holds us back from pushing and asserting ourselves.  It’s better to take some risks, put oneself on the line, and make mistakes along the way, than it is to stay in the zone of lukewarm cushiness just to avoid potential failures.

Mistakes are part of learning and evolving, and often teach us more than successes.  Embrace that part of the process.

How To Deal With a Mistake

If you screw something up and feel the onslaught of the ego coming, trying to tell you that you don’t measure up, there are ways to handle it consctuctively.

First, step back from your thoughts.  Watch them as if you are watching somebody else’s thoughts.  When you simply observe your thought processes in action from a detached standpoint, you’ll see that they are patterns of learned behavior and aren’t truly real.  If you can master this practice you’ll notice that thoughts have less impact on your mood and they fade away more quickly.

It’s also helpful to think about other times when something similar happened.  That reference point is a reminder that last time this happened, it passed and you eventually forgot about it.

And finally…

Remember That Everyone Makes Mistakes

In a turn of fortune, I discovered some mistakes in my boss’s spreadsheet a couple of days later.  It really put me at ease to be reminded that everyone makes mistakes.  We’re human.  It’s simply part of the human condition to inevitably make some mistakes.  Nothing can be done about that.  Through thoughtfulness, diligence, and putting checks in place, we can minimize the number of things that go awry.  And that’s something worth shooting for.  But getting stressed and ruining days over something that’s just going to happen from time to time makes no sense.

So stop beating yourself up, keep an objective eye on your thoughts, know it will all pass in time, and maybe even laugh at yourself.  It’s going to be okay.