Self-experiment
-
Supplementing creatine
One of the talks that caught my attention at the SDA Conference was Dr Tom Doering‘s work on creatine supplementation for master athletes. For those who are not into sports, the term “master” means old. The cut-off age depends on the sport; in my case (weightlifting) is 35. As we age, we lose muscle mass and strength and creatine can be a useful supplement for older athletes, particularly those engaging in weightlifting and other power sports. Dr Doering recommends taking creatine monohydrate with meals or a post-exercise snack containing carbohydrate and protein. The protocol is a 7-day loading phase (0.3g/kg/day) followed by a maintenance phase of 2g per day. I…
-
24-hour fasting experiment
What is fasting? In simple words, fasting = not eating. There are several of protocols used as therapeutic fasting or fasting-mimicking diets (e.g. intermittent fasting, alternate day fasting, calorie/protein restriction). Why fast? There have been many experiments conducted in all sorts of critters (from yeast to humans) to study the impacts of fasting. Results from both non-human and human studies suggest that fasting could extend lifespan, reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, prevent neurodegenerative disease, improve cognition, reduce cancer growth and enhance metabolic function, among other health benefits. The mechanisms behind those effects include the production of ketones and their role as an energy source for the brain, the reduction of…
-
Self-experiment: 7 day carb test
Guinea pig time! This n=1 experiment comes from Wired to Eat, Robb Wolf latest (and greatest IMO) piece of work. Robb Wolf is one of the most respected voices in the paleo/ancestral scene not only because he was one of the early adopters, but because he gets science, both at an academic level (he is a biochemist) and at a philosophic level (he is not afraid of changing his views when new evidence is available, which is the case with this book). I encourage you to listen to a few of the many podcasts Robb has been interviewed in, so that you get an idea of what his book’s message…
-
DNAFit – Genetic information for Fitness & Nutrition
If you know me or have read my blog before you may know I’m very passionate about self-experimentation. As a scientist, I find published research extremely valuable generally speaking, but when it comes to individual circumstances there’s nothing like testing things on yourself and finding out what works. I had been thinking about getting a DNAFit analysis ever since I heard about this company in podcast land. It wasn’t until recently, when I grabbed a discount code from another podcast, that I finally bought 2 kits: one for me and one for my husband using his birthday as an excuse. The process is simple: order your kit on the DNAFit…
-
The oats + AltShift experiment
Several months ago, I blogged about the porridge experiment. I ate rice porridge with black sesame, walnuts and goji berries for a few weeks to make the Chinese doctor happy. I attributed my positive health results to the herbs and went back to eating my normal (irregular) breakfast. Well, turns out that my chi has been declining again and the Chinese doctor gave me another breakfast talk. This time she did specifically mention the word “oats” and “every morning”, in order to boost my spleen chi. She also said to have ginger and cinnamon daily, which I don’t mind because I love both, and, most importantly, a glass of red…
-
AltShift experiment (part 7)
I’m not superstitious but there’s something special about number 7, and so this will be my last bi-roundly update on the AltShift experiment. I’ll post more about it whenever there’s something I want to share but by now I feel results are starting to become predictable. Past updates are available here: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6. This update includes rounds 12 and 13. Round 12 was tough. It was right after Easter and I was trying to reverse the damage done by too much food and alcohol. I had another day of binge eating and drinking the next weekend, resulting on the numbers…
-
AltShift experiment (part 6)
Life has been hectic lately (we moved from the Buddhist centre to a studio unit recently), but I’m still shifting. Past updates are available here: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5. This update includes rounds 10 and 11. We found our new home in the midst of round 9. When round 10 started, I decided to keep things as simple as possible, meaning I did very basic cooking, did not track my food intake and ate out a fair bit. I also took a 1-week break from weightlifting and did a few basic upper body workouts in a gym close to work. The move happened during…
-
AltShift experiment (part 5)
AltShift experiment update! If you missed the previous updates, you can find them here: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4. This update includes rounds 8 and 9. I travelled to Melbourne to visit my sister on the first 2 days of 5S. My initial thought was to stick as much as possible to the protocol, but soon I realised it was better to just eat paleo-friendly. We had a few amazing meals, some great wine and, most importantly, precious time together. Round 8: Lost 8mm off my waist, 3mm off my thigh and 1.1kg. Put 7mm on my hips. I lost my Fitbit on the first day of…
-
AltShift experiment (part 4)
This update #4 of my AltShift experiment (previous posts here: part 1, part 2 and part 3). This update includes rounds 6 and 7. Round 6 started back in Sydney but still with Buddhist stuff going on, involving eating out and partying a bit. This happened during the 5 shift, making it a bit easier to stick to it. I finally got a Fitbit! Based on reviews, I decided to go with the One. I know this gadget can be dangerous for a data junkie like me, but I wanted to know whether I’m complying with the activity and sleep components of the protocol. Round 6: I put on 1.6cm…
-
AltShift experiment (part 3)
As you may or may not know, I’m currently testing a fat loss protocol called AltShift (see my previous posts about it here: part 1 and part 2). This is my update for rounds 4 and 5. As I said before, one of the reasons I started this experiment was to find out how quickly I can go back to my original weight category in the (unlikely) event that I decide to enter a weightlifting competition. I got my answer on round 5: 37 days. See the stats below for more details. Round 4: Lost 9mm off my waist, 1cm off my hips, 5mm off my thigh, and 500g. My…
