up ~7; nuke 16oz tap-cold water 2m30s to well past 140F, dilute with cold back to 130ish; chug
- lesson learned, 2:30 is too long in this 975W microwave; try 2:00 flat
long delay before caf, maybe 9a?
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Some months back I read an article, the tl;dr of which is: athletes reap gains if they poop before performance.
And I thought: short of interventions e.g. laxatives, how does anyone time their digestive cycle like that?
As it turns out, evacuation timing is generally not as mysteriously random as my neurotic avoidance of the topic renders it. Apparently this is actually a well-studied topic in gastroenterology.
Unease around the topic was ingrained in me from such a young age that even the vocabulary evokes ineffable sensations ranging from visceral repulsion ("fecal") to merely cringe ("poop"). I can don my mental lab-coat and transcend that with the euphemism "evacuate" though, and it abbreviates neatly to "evac", so that's that.
The most common pattern, at least for Western workers who are daily-regular, is to evacuate early-morning,
i.e. ~6-9am before work. There are biological mechanisms in play that support that timing:
- Hydrating (16-20oz) after a night's sleep. Very warm (120-140F) or ice cold bevs may help more.
- Caffeine is a well-known GI stimulant; can trigger evacuation within minutes for many people
- Eating solid food also stimulates the gastrocolic reflex
- Subtle daylight influence over circadian rhythm
- semi-subtle posture influence - i.e. standing (while doing routine morning-prep things) enlists gravity
- light exercise - walking, standing stretches, low-intensity yoga moves - can help stimulate GI motility
- Home (as opposed to communal public or workplace restrooms) is a conducive relaxed/private space
The second most common pattern is evacuation due to gastrocolic reflex triggered by a midday meal.
The more prevalent morning evac pattern is the one I'm interested in. Chris Hemsworth did that whole "Limitless" TV series about fighting off age-related decline in general, because Alzheimer's specifically ran in his family. Well, Type 2 diabetes ran in my family: My heavy-drinking paternal grandfather had to have his leg amputated below the knee. My father had a lot going on with the interplay of bipolar disorder, heavy smoking, sugar bingeing, overweight, and genetic T2D risk - the upshot of which all was a predictable decline into heart failure, ischemic strokes, and disability. If anything, it's a bit amazing he didn't die sooner. So, I have that much interest in doing what Gramps and Dad didn't: regular cardio exercise, embracing dietary choices to keep LDL low and blood sugar stable, body recomposition, etc.
So here's the episode of my TV series where we talk about fitting various puzzle pieces together into a daily routine that starts with birds and snakes and aeroplanes a daily workout session, supported by a dietary regimen that ensures glycogen ready to tap at workout time, because we're going to workout "in a fasted state", because the alternative is unavailable in my economic stratum: eat a decent breakfast and then have to wait 2-3 hours before a workout. And while I'm homing in on a glorious morning routine of kicking that genetic curse as far down the road as possible ... then hey, why not wedge in just this one puzzle-piece more to further optimize morning workout energy.
AM Regimen (draft)
6:30a alarm
+10m: nuke 16-20 oz of tap-cold water 2:00? to no hotter than 140F; chug
- evidence is spotty but a pinch of salt or splash of citrus won't hurt, and may aid motility
- leave a mouthful to wash down ...
- 200mg caf capsule, dissolve orally and chase with the last swig
+10~15m: let the dog out, unload shwasher, rinse and load any stray dishes, wipe down counters, etc.
- if no evac in ~15 minutes then move on; don't try to force it
+20m? post-evac shower? if applicable; brush teeth and deo regardless
- gym kit, work clothes+kit, lunch etc. should be lined up the night before
7:15 ~ 8ish: 30-45m workout
- rotating schedule of workout activity is a whole topic unto itself
- Post-workout lukewarm shower to cool off + rinse off sweat; dress for work and go
- hydration check: I bet you could stand 8oz of something cool right about now
Breakfast:
Depending on shift start time and kitchen facilities, the ideal is a 30g protein drink and a high-fiber, complex carb staple e.g. oat bran porridge. (Might need to invent a B-glucan fortified muffin recipe). A dose of active-culture yogurt would also be excellent to complement the prebiotic B-glucan. There's conflicting info out there about whether fiber inhibits or supports mineral absorption, but the consensus is any such effects are weak to negligible - so now's an OK time to pop a multivitamin with a Tbsp evoo to support lipid-soluble absorption.
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Hydration jump-start considerations
- Caffeine strongly inhibits uptake of iron, and possibly other nutrients like vitamin D
- As a weak diuretic taken with ample water, flushing of water-soluble B-complex, C is negligible
:: Take multivitamin later with a meal and healthy lipid e.g. evoo to maximize absorption
- Adding electrolytes to the "hydration shock" also helps counter any caffeine diuretic effect
- Electrolyte adds for people who already get enough (or perhaps too much) sodium ... are a thing
- Ultima, Hy-Lyte, Nuun, coconut water: potassium, magnesium, calcium in balance with or lieu of sodium
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