Body Hacks and Optimization
March 14th, 2008 | Posted in blog 15 Comments »
In this SXSW podcast — Body Optimization: Why Stop at Health and Fitness? –panelists describe techniques for health and fitness in the language of tech geeks and designers. They share “hacks” you can do to “optimize” your body profile. (Listen directly to the MP3 here, or right click and select Save Target As.)
Although the advice they give isn’t revolutionary, it is inspiring. One panelist explains what it feels like to have more energy. When you finish eating, you don’t lay down on the couch and say ugghhh as you digest for 2 hours. Instead, you say, great, what’s next? You maintain an active level of energy despite having just eaten.
Another panelist recommends carrying healthy snack food with you wherever you go so that when you’re hungry, you’re not grabbing the most immediate thing in site (e.g., hamburger and french fries).
They all say to drink a lot of water. One panelist recommends Omega 3 Fatty Acid supplements. Astoundingly, Ray Kurzweil, the futurist author behind the Singularity theory (where man and machine become one), takes 250 supplements a day.
Another panelist recommends keeping a food journal, and another says to bike to work. The more you bike, the more you bike, he says ingeniously. In other words, as you bike more, you begin to increase the distance that you are accustomed to biking. Kind of like writing — as you write more regularly, you tend to write more abundantly.
Why am I writing about body hacks and optimization on a tech writing blog? In case you haven’t felt it yourself, writing is a sedentary act. You sit in front of a computer all day. (One panelist says he can sit in front of his laptop for 40 hour straight.) The sedentary day job can turn into a sedentary lifestyle, and you know what happens at that point.
After listening to this SXSW podcast, I decided to forego the grilled ham and cheese sandwich with french fries today and instead opt for the cheesy brocolli soup with the sandwich. I also started a food journal on my BlackBerry. Apparently if you’re serious, one panelist recommends beginning with a 48-hour juice fast, presumably to purge your body of high fructose cravings.
Another panelist was a vegan who said that after not eating dairy for 7 years (the body wasn’t mean to eat dairy, he adds), you go into a state of toxicity with dairy. If you suddenly chug a pint of milk, you’ll experience discomfort akin to food poisoning, as your body rejects it.
Whatever you take away from the podcast, definitely add the word “body hacks” to your vocabulary. And start using the word hacks to replace “tips” and “tricks” and other “strategies.” In fact, I’m thinking of changing the word “tip” in my online help to “hack.”
While I’m on the topic, my cohost Heidi said she lost 25 pounds using SparkPeople, a site that allows you to track your food and other goals. And did you know I used to work at a place called BodyHealth, which just joined the blogosphere last week? Apparently triathletes, who are extremely meticulous about nutrition, make an average of 100K a year and are often times company CEOs.
Please share your body hacks with me in the comments below.
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Tags: BodyHealth, hacks, SparkPeople, SXSW, Technical Writing, triathletes
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Body Hacks and Optimization March 14, 2008 169 No CommentsBody Hacks and OptimizationIn this SXSW podcast — Body Optimization: Why Stop at Health and Fitness? –panelists describe techniques for health and fitness in the language of tech geeks and designers. They share “hacks”
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Hello guys,
Its an interesting topic and should be discussed.
Anyhow I enjoyed reading your post and Im glad I found it today! Ill check back soon for your next releases, thanks.
It would be great to get this particular thread really active!
I have trained hard in the past with running etc in thew army but I have to say combining Q10 and swimming gets the best results.
ALso with the latest in mdeical science and wholistic techniques I would not be supprised if life expectancy rose to 90+ years in the modern world.
Your post makes one think! Great article. Thanks for allowing me to comment!
Hey, hope this comment gets through I’m still somewhat new to this whole blogging thing.
nice post! I discovered your blog while
looking for other people’s weight loss experiences. I’ve actually just started blogging about
my weight loss success story – I lost over 30 pounds in a month
with a diet I developed!
I would really appreciate it if you could stop by my weight loss blogand let me know what you think.
Warmest wishes,
-Joan
I read your blog, I immediately subscribed and I’m so glad that I did!!!I’ll be sure to spread the word around about this post..I appreciate your interest, though, nonetheless!
Great !!!!!
Blogger Tim Ferriss has spent over a decade studying sleep optimization and has discovered five effective means of getting the sleep you need when you need it… Right before you go to sleep, you should consume 150-250 calories of low-glycemic index foods.. Treat your meal schedule just as you’d treat your sleep schedule: keep it regular…
When promoting a website, there are many different techniques that can be used… SEO is free and this is often listed as an advantage over the costs involved with Google Adwords and other PPC networks… With natural search, you will not pay every time someone clicks through to your website, but it should not be thought of as free…
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I find overall when I eat healthier foods and workout, I have more energy during the day and don’t feel so sluggish. When I’m eating bad food, drinking, and not working out, I need lots of caffeine to keep going throughout the day.
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