Where do I start? First off, I think I have some valuable information and first hand perspective to share when it comes to practicing the Bulletproof diet and Leangains protocols. I think the first and foremost item to consider before fully jumping in and biohacking yourself is to take an honest look at where you are with your health and lifestyle. Are you already healthy? Do you have any unresolved/underlying health issues that have not been addressed or that you might be silently ignoring? Scheduled a visit to see your doctor. Have a candid discussion about your goals/plan. Tell your doctor you want to find out where you stand in regards to your health. You need to obtain an informative baseline to measure and compare your progress/decline. There are hundreds of tests you can obtain to ascertain your metrics. I suggest you start with the basics for example: cholesterol, general health panel, allergies, and hormones. I was surprised to find that almost all of these tests were covered 100% under my health insurance as preventative services. Secondly, you need to be able to answer the “why?” You need to have a strong reason behind why you want to biohack yourself and what you want to achieve. If you cannot formulate or ascribe to a rock solid answer you will likely give up or loose interest all too soon. Developing a strong “why” will help motivate you to achieve your goals.
I caution that before you embark on the biohacking bandwagon you need all the facts to make a fully informed and calculated decision. Now that we have the preliminary basics covered, the next item to consider is research. We are all too often blinded and easily wooed when we only have one side of the picture when we do not practice due diligence. The biggest mistake or sin you can make in life is to let someone think for you. I agree that we should listen to specialists, but we should not leave reason at the door. Take the time and double check references and studies. In regards, to the Bulletproof diet/Leangains there is an overwhelming surplus of information, often very motivating/inspirational, that boasts amazing results and benefits. If you dig deep enough you can find the stuff that is hidden under the rug.
Now for what you have been waiting for, the results. I was not surprised when I discovered I had high cholesterol. Based on endless hours of research, I knew it was going to jack up my cholesterol and toss some curve balls, while I waited for my body to adapt to my new diet/experiment. My total cholesterol nearly doubled in 30 days! Would you be comfortable with this cold-hearted fact? Your cholesterol is going to fluctuate, so you need to be comfortable with not having the best numbers. What did surprise me was my bad cholesterol or LDL was moderately high. With experimentation it is very important and hard to control for variables to be able to determine cause and effect. I have a few ideas on what might have caused the elevation in LDL, but its all heresy and based on information after the fact.
The next topic of discussion, physical appearance/vanity, is the primary reason why most people are experimenting with Bulletproof/Leangains . I lost a little bit of weight, but I must confess I do not own a scale, so I am just going by random measurements every now and then. The most striking result of this experiment is the stark visible decrease in body fat. Prior to the experiment, I always had low body fat, but nowhere near what I see when I look in a mirror now. I have a defined six/eight pack. I see the outline of muscles I have never seen before. When I look in the mirror its slightly eerie, as if it wasn’t my body (my mind still has not put two and two together yet).
The third topic that warrants discussion is strength/performance. I have noticed gains, but it is hard to state for fact the root cause. During the experiment, in the process I became more cognizant of my mobility. I put more emphasis on proper mechanics with every exercise and movement. This I am sure plays a large part in building strength. Endurance has also increased inside and outside the gym. I went from lifting heavy weights sometimes as much as five times a week to only three. On my two off days during the week I either stretch with a roller/ball/etc or practice yoga. The maximum time I spend at the gym is 35 minutes a day. I got the gym on a consistent basis during my lunch break Monday – Friday.
The fourth area of discussion is cognition/mood. I have noticed significant gains in clarity and less brain fog on a high fat diet. I seem to receive the greatest benefits with the least adverse affects when I consume only MCT oil in my morning beverage. I started my experiment utilizing coffee and ended it using tea/yerba mate. I like the idea of drinking coffee, but it just doesn’t work the best for me. In the end, I have cut out the butter and regular coconut oil. I learned through trail and error the source of my heart palpitations (or bleeding heart chakra) stemmed from ingesting butter. It didn’t matter if it was Ghee or regular butter. I even tried it with caffeinated and non-caffeinated beverages. As a side note, I noticed when I drank coffee loaded with MCT oil/coconut oil/butter I often reacted more aggressively and took things more personally (maybe its just because I’m a perfectionist). Cutting back on the fat has helped with the aggression. Also it should be noted, that prior to the experiment I exhibited “hangry” attributes when I went for long periods without food.
The last point I want to talk about is adrenal fatigue. I could not pinpoint why I was waking up early in the mornings wide awake, unable to fall back asleep. I noticed a correlation with high blood pressure in the mornings and lower numbers as the day progressed. When I was consuming large quantities of coffee/fats I consumed more water than usual. I drank about double the amount I typically consumed. I believe I lost a good amount of salt in the process, helping to fatigue my adrenals due to lack of salt replenishment. My solution involved purchasing herbal pills that were tailored to mitigate the effects of stress on the body. I also increased my Vitamin C intake. The first night I slept like a baby for the first time in weeks. To decrease/mitigate adrenal fatigue I have started to brake my fasts on non lifting days. I will eat a light breakfast in order to give my body a rest.
In conclusion my takeaway is to instill caution and introspection before hacking yourself via Bulletproof/Leangains. Know what you are getting yourself into. Make a calculated decision before casually hacking your body. I am continuing to fast on my heavy lifting days and I use a small amount of MCT oil in my morning beverage of choice. Good luck.
The Layman's Guide to Hacking your Mind & Body 