Chances are, your FB feed is filled with “life hack” lists, showing you better ways to do everything from cutting a mango (who knew?) to folding fitted sheets. But what if we say “biohack”? Sounds a bit, well, freaky, right? Biohacking is a rapidly growing movement for anyone wanting to enhance their life, with ideas ranging from odd (butter coffee?) To downright bizarre (DIY body modification). Think there’s no way in hell you’d ever become a biohacker? Could be that you already are…
Biohacking brings the hacker ethic to your body. Basically, it’s about maximising your biology through a series of investigations, measurements, feedback and action to achieve the ultimate results with minimal effort. Think: creating your optimal self.
In the biohacking world, there are extremes. “Grinders” design and install DIY body modifications like magnetic implants in their fingers to try to pick up electromagnetic fields as an extra “sense”, while “biopunks” experiment with DNA and genetics. Imagine something like Google’s Glass being surgically modified to become a permanent add-on in our bodies… But, in the mainstream world, there are some ideas that may supercharge your approach to weight loss and fitness.
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Biohacks To Try Today
It’s been criticised for being expensive and elitist, but, really, every time you take a vitamin, meditate or get a massage, you’re biohacking. Try these not-too-daunting, low-cost options to extend your range:
Hack Your Coffee
Turn your morning pick-me-up into rocket fuel by adding good fats. The key is using high-quality, low-toxin beans to avoid that jittery feeling. Add one to two tablespoons unsalted grass-fed butter (grass-fed matters because the fat profile is different to that of milk from a grain-fed animal) and 15 to 30ml MCT (medium chain triglyceride) oil – look for it at health food stores. This combo can stimulate fat burning and boost your brainpower by prolonging that precious caffeine buzz. Blitz in a blender until creamy and frothy. Add raw cacao or organic maca for an extra nutrient boost.
Hack Your Body Temperature
Ben Greenfield, author of the New York Times bestseller Beyond Training: Mastering Endurance, Health & Life, says that practising cold thermogenesis can increase the activity of your brown adipose tissue – a kind of fat that burns an enormous number of kilojoules to generate heat. Try keeping your house a bit cooler and work your way up to a five-minute cold shower every day. Or, if you live near the coast, hop in the ocean. As you become more cold‑adapted you’ll barely notice colder temps and might even enjoy it!
READ MORE: “I Tried Cryotherapy — And This Is What It’s Like To Freeze Your Butt Off”
Hack Your Sleep Schedule
“With biohacks to help the sleep process, you can improve the quality of sleep and require less time to get a good night’s sleep,” says Asprey. It’s almost like you’re sleeping faster. Keep your room cool – 18 to 20°C – and dark (use blackout blinds or wear a sleep mask). Turn off all electronics at least an hour before bed and disconnect from Wi-Fi, or switch your phone to flight mode.
Hack Your Workout
Still slogging away on the elliptical 45 minutes a day, six days a week? No man, there’s a better way. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) combined with lifting moderate-to-heavy weights will get you to your bikini body faster. “We see amazing changes in our female clients when they switch to quick (15 to 20 minute), infrequent (once or twice a week) high-intensity sessions,” says exercise scientist Tyler Cosnett.
