I finished a new experiment that has to do with food and lifestyle. I have called it The Optimal Performance Food Experiment.
Part 1 – Zero
I wanted to test how a body and mind feel when taking zero sugar. Also, zero aggressive foods, without salt, wheat, dairy, refined products, zero alcohol (this includes my beloved champagne), and zero meat. Zero everything that can be considered minimally aggressive for a prolonged period. What changed your experience, if you experienced it at all? And if that also impacted the emotions and the soul. Noticing if your sports performance increased or decreased. The same is true of mindfulness, the quality and focus of daily work and the relationship with others.
The list of “zero’s” continues:
- No preservatives, no colouring.
- Zero fried food, bread, etc.
It should be noted that most restrictions are no restrictions for me since they don’t affect me. Instead, from time to time, I like to break up my diet with these “pleasures.” Although in these three months, I won’t give myself a single treatment or rest from the experiment because I’m looking for optimal-performance food.
Goodbye to restaurants
On the other hand, I am in an optimal global state, resulting from a customized diet with the foods and superfoods my body needs for my daily life goals *. Despite that, I am not satisfied with the results I get every time I have to eat or dine out. Even though my choice of food is “balanced.” Most cases are not like this when we go out to eat. At least in my case, it’s a disorder and a considerable compulsion.
Sure, it’s a kind of “free time,” but a break I know does not benefit my body. I knew, and I was sure that I could, through food, find much higher results than the ones I was currently getting, which weren’t bad at all. However, I knew that the limit was much further away, and I wanted to get to it, whatever the cost.
Optimal performance food
In summary, putting together these two concerns, I conducted a new experiment, 90 days of zero sugar, zero alcohol, zero heavy or inappropriate meals, zero meat and zero meals in restaurants. In addition, I resumed the most extreme macrobiotic diet from 2012 to today, which my biomedical Juan Rubio made for me. On top of all this, I continued with my weekly fasting day and all the super habits I carry out throughout the day. I intensified the sport I did and maybe a little in my work too.
I monitored all my activity through a scorecard that I’m sharing below. And I intended to verify what could be achieved with reliable and optimal-performance food.
Part 2 – 31 days
Thirty-four days have been gone since I began my latest food / nutritional experiment: The Optimal Performance Food Experiment.
The overall goal was to see how far the body, mind, physique, and emotions could be improved thanks to optimal alimentation performance. Restricting the least harmful, including breakfast, lunch or dinner in restaurants, cafes or similar.
Control panel/dashboard
I created the following dashboard to follow and monitor The Optimal Performance Food Experiment. In it, you can find the parameters I have used to track the day-to-day and measure/compare the results versus the objectives I pursue.
In the same control panel below, you will find the meaning of the types of infusions, breakfasts, and superfoods.
Discoveries
The most surprising and exciting things I have found in these 34 days:
- The absolute sugar restriction in my body gave me more energy than before. Observation: due to my macrobiotic diet, I barely ate sugar. While I didn’t eat or drink anything with sugar or added sugar.
- The food didn’t taste the same without even a pinch of salt, but the body didn’t retain even the slightest liquid. Observation: I compensated the sugar restriction with magnesium chloride, zinc, collagen, and potassium.
- I slept more deeply and for longer. According to my biomedical Juan Rubio, this seems to be due to not eating manipulated or transgenic foods or sweeteners such as sugar or alcohol. At the same time, sleeping more and better helped me make better decisions about my diet and had zero temptations. I didn’t feel attracted to any less healthy food that drew me before — not even what was in the image below. The explanation is in this Harvard study.
- Every night I lost between 1.1kg and 1.6kg. From day four onward.
- I hadn’t been in such a good mood for years; I felt so good that I decided to launch myself into the experiment: Smiling at everyone.
- Also, I didn’t feel hungry or attached to any food.
- And I gained awareness about what I eat and how it affects me.
The Optimal Food Experiment Results – part 1
These are the most relevant discoveries of part 1…
- Better focus, not having so many food distractions, I could be focused on one thing for more time than usual. My average was around 12 minutes per task; then, my standard was increased to 19 minutes per job. I’m talking of a full, isolated and radical focus.
- Higher productivity. I went from 180h in August and 62% productive work to 127h in September and 75% productive work. Data obtained through Rescue Time
- My energy levels increased considerably. I ate only two meals a day, and I felt and gave off more energy than when I ate five or six meals daily.
- On the 27th, I went to perform a complete analytical test. I transcribed the results as my biomedical doctor summarized them: “The best analysis I’ve seen in years, Isra. You are well above average in everything, positively speaking, of course. The results can’t be attributed 100% to The Optimal Performance Food Experiment. It’s been years of work with macrobiotic diets, lifestyle and high performance. I noticed an increase in my ability to make decisions more quickly and directly.
- Zero procrastination. Whatever I had to do as the most critical tasks of the day was the first thing I did when I started working. It had never happened that easily.
Disadvantages
Some contradictory effects:
- When I told people about The Optimal Performance Food Experiment, they were inhibited and limited themselves to not having lunch or dinner. So I didn’t say anything and joined without making much noise.
- There were few public or private places prepared for this way of feeding.
- In the beginning, it required a massive dose of will and discipline.
- You go to the bathroom (urinate) about three times more than usual.
- Having a sporadic date became a little more complicated.
Tricks, shortcuts, and observations
Some aspects to consider:
- I didn’t eat on aeroplanes; I chose to fast on the days I had to travel/fly.
- While in New York and Manhattan, I only ate food I bought at Whole Foods and Juice Press. There were organic glucose-free bars, added sugar of any kind (syrup, etc.) or salt: Lifebar, Wild Thing and then Raw Bite (they carry sugar).
On the 30th (marked in red on the dashboard), I made the only exception, as on my birthday, my grandmother invited me to eat at her house. And I was not willing to say “no” to my - grandparents. Nor to make them change their way of cooking for an experiment. Although we didn’t use salt or sunflower oil or eat fried food.
- My best snack was rice cakes without salt and the organic bars I mentioned. I ate out with friends, family, and colleagues, I went to restaurants, and unless they had miso soup, I didn’t eat anything. I usually acted, and nobody noticed. Everything depends on what your ego wants to show off.
Part 3 – 66 days
Passing the two-month mark of The Optimal Performance Food Experiment that I designed. Sixty-six days of searching, testing and analyzing how to find the best possible way to get the most out of food.
Control panel/Dashboard
I continued to complete the “dashboard” every day that passed, including new parameters such as weight, the percentage of fat, water, skeletal muscle and basal metabolic rate (Kcal). The pressure was something that I had been following day and, every week, the other four indicators. I found much use in this scorecard, as it offered signs to compare everything that makes up the essential parts of the lifestyle I continually redesign.
Progress
This section is about the progress made in The Optimal Performance Food Experiment:
- As the days passed, the body was more balanced than ever — regarding physiological and psychological functions. No discomfort at a physical level, and there were no problems with the stomach, kidneys, bladder or bowel. All organs work, and so do their functions—more agility at all times.
- Mental clarity was the order of the day. Since the experiment began, the tranquillity, perspective, and transparency at the time of reflecting, thinking and executing were increased.
- You can differentiate when you want to eat and when it’s a whim, boredom, procrastination or craving. Fundamentally because by reducing both the variety of foods and being very austere with pleasures, you didn’t have much choice. Then, your mind begins to process the idea of eating out of necessity rather than desire. Which is one of the objectives I pursued?
- At a productivity level, as you can see on the dashboard, I reduced working hours, while I increased the number of tasks/responsibilities — all of this to see if I reached exhaustion. So far, it didn’t happen. I finished my daily work, no matter how hard I had to push myself. 97% of the time, I finished it, and I still had a couple of hours to spare.
- On a more physical level, sports performance. The same experiment took enough motivation and determination to prepare two challenges for the following year. This, at the same time, made me start training. Thus increasing the hours of sport in the last two weeks.
- My weight currently ranges between 66 and 68 kilograms. I had never reached this weighted feeling so good on both the outside and inside.
Discoveries
This section is about anything that I have found in phase 2 of the experiment that has caught my attention:
- The overloads and not in my neck gradually decreased. According to one of my physiotherapists, this was due to the absorption of energy by optimal foods that my body needed. The body didn’t have to work that much, and it was much more relaxed.
- The lumbar pains that I have had since April have also disappeared. Mind you, this was not only due to the food, which helped decrease them, and I still don’t know why, but also to the daily practice on the inversion table that I bought and the psychosomatic effects uncovered in the Vipassana meditation retreat. Not suitable for sceptics, yes, I know, but I have proven it myself.
- On a physical level, I speak of pain or the slightest possible discomfort; I can say that I felt zero, and I repeat zero — lightness, elasticity, flexibility, and control over the body. And I felt all the sensations. You know when something is not going well, but you know when you are 100%. I was back then. So much so that, as I said, I wanted to test the results of this experiment and others that preceded it.
- The emotional level increased, in a positive way, considerably. This was undoubtedly one of the most potent discoveries of this experiment. It was right or seemed natural that they say that heavy, chemical and manipulated food dirties the body, emotions, intellect, and spirit. Sentiments, too, as I said in the first 34 days because my mood improved more than usual. Intellectually also because the ability to memorize, create, think and develop was faster and more decisive. Spiritually because it gave me more tranquillity, it didn’t overwhelm or crave me.
- I discovered that wheat pasta was one of the most harmful foods I could eat. I felt a vital stomach inflammation and, at the same time, decreased energy.
- Within sixty-six days, I almost irremediably designed a new, almost standard feeding plan. One that gave me everything I needed, sometimes including one or two meals a day. We don’t need more.
- Within ten days of the experiment, I learned how much food distracts us. I learned that you have no appetite if you don’t think about it.
Observations
- I did Vipassana while experimenting. There have not been many difficulties since the food in the retreat is very similar. I have only had to avoid things like wheat, dairy, sugar, salt, sauces and a little more.
- In those 66 days, I went to a macrobiotic restaurant once.
I continued with the weekly fast day, even in the Vipassana retreat.
Conclusion about Optimal Nutrition and Optimal Performance Food
The most remarkable and main conclusion is that until today I didn’t find a technique (or experiment) that manages to align and tune your whole being as effective as this one. It’s an inexhaustible source of energy at all levels. Or at least that’s what I’ve felt. Not only was I turning food into my best gasoline, but I was learning the formula with the right kind, quantity, and quality to achieve greater personal and professional efficiency. I seriously considered adopting the preliminary nutrition plan as my standard plan once the ninety-day experimental period ended.
Up to here are the most remarkable parts I can remember. Any questions or suggestions?
Part 4 – 99 days (End of the experiment)
On Saturday morning, I finished the Optimal Performance Food Experiment. It consisted of 99 days of experimenting and looking for the best way to optimize my body, mind, physical and spirit through the best, most optimal and indicated foods.
It has been 99 days without sugar, salt, fried foods, or alcohol — no eating in restaurants, no partying, and no meat or fish. I haven’t been inclined to any of these elements, I’ve followed a macrobiotic diet since May 2012, and I have been improving little things since then. However, it was not until this experiment that I had not noticed such an incremental improvement because of the food I was eating.
Precedents and archive
It is fair to say that before arriving here, I followed previous feeding experiments that have helped me better understand my body and diet.
- 20-day fasting experiment.
- 100 hours of fasting.
- 31 days of extreme macrobiotic food.
- 40-day high-performance fasting.
You can find in the dashboard the following parameters: hours worked, rest, weight, type of food, intake, anomalies, observations and more.
The Optimal Performance Food Experiment: final results
Instead of a written report, I have recorded a video that contains the most essential and meaningful conclusions and findings of the experiment.
Experiments are the best way I know to improve every day. There is always something to try.
If, after reading all this, you have any doubts, questions or comments, do not hesitate to ask me. I will respond.