Chris DeMuth Jr Unsent A Message

Where I go over the line

God left one commandment out of the Bible. Perhaps the Almighty delivered this commandment to Moses but Moses forgot to bring it down from the mountain. That commandment is Number Eleven: Be strong.

- David Ben-Gurion

Reflecting

I enjoy research and can overthink health and fitness (and everything else).  After training with Jason Khalipa, his advice for me was to not overthink and just train harder.  So today’s Vale Tudo is my attempt to step back from fanatical detail, detach, and refocus on what actually matters (before the last of the Valium wears off from my surgery and I’m back to being a fanatic).   

Training

I’m part of pretty distinct tribes – trail running > road running, jiu jitsu > fantasy martial arts, and CrossFit > Globo Gyms.  But none of that actually matters.  Just move.  Just pick up something heavy.  Train hard.  Make sure you know where your 100% effort is.  It is probably much further than you think. 

This morning’s white board –

EMOM 16:

• 4 Power Cleans HEAVY + Cals on the Bike in the Remaining Time

• Rest

Then next 5 AM run:

Fueling

I love 18 hour per day intermittent fasting and have quite a ketoish bent towards protein and fat.  I avoid all processed sugar and carbs as well as alcohol.  What actually matters?  Just get enough protein and restrict calories to maintain your desired amount of leanness.  Details on when you eat or what you eat after enough protein and before overeating are probably not too important.  What is important?  Don’t eat ultra-processed foods; they are bad for your body and mind:

h/t P. D. Mangan

Supplementing

I’m on 22 supplements.  They’re a mix of non-prescription and prescribed.  The right number is probably 4-5.  I enjoy reading about a subject and some trusted person persuades me to try something and then I have a few months’ supply of it.  I don’t need 22 supplements.  You don’t need 22 supplements.  In terms of over the counter supplements, you need creatine, vitamin D, and magnesium and not much else.  As for scripts, you need whatever is the best fit for you to optimize your hormones. 

Measuring

Bod Pod body composition analysis is precise but expensive, daily percent body fat monitoring with my smart scale is on one side or the other of the line between diligent and neurotic.  A $5 tape measure that you use monthly to measure your waist is all you need.  Just measure consistently and take a few progress pics so you know what’s changing over time. 

Recovering

Cryotherapy?  Acupuncture?  Cupping?  Sports massage?  Graston scraping?  Reflexology?  Electric stimulation?  NormaTec compression massage?  I’ve tried them all.  Just get some rest. When necessary take a whole rest day.

Closing

Small request: please email me at ccdemuth@rangeleycapital.com with short, informal reviews of Vale Tudo — what you like, what you dislike, what can improve, and what I should drop.  Mark the review private (just for me to improve) or public (can use to encourage people to subscribe) and if public how it should be attributed (anonymous or your full name).  Thanks! 

First post-op pic: