January always brings a flood of “New Year, New You” inspiration, but research shows that approximately 80 percent of people who make New Year’s resolutions have dropped them by the second week of February. So as the calendar turns to February, we are in need of sustained motivation.
Fortunately, I was recently able to catch up with Dave Asprey — known as the “Father of Biohacking” — to get his advice for living your best life all year long.
Asprey has spent the last two decades working with some of the world’s top doctors, researchers, and scientists to uncover the best methods, techniques, and products for enhancing mental and physical performance. He is the Founder & Chairman of Bulletproof, a four-time New York Times bestselling science author, and host of the award-winning podcast Bulletproof Radio.
Asprey lives and breathes health optimization, but for my interview with him I really wanted to focus on simple tips that are practical for just about anyone to implement. Read on for his best advice for improving your nutrition, exercise, sleep, and overall health in the year ahead.
Nutrition and Supplements
Nutrition is arguably the most important component of overall health. You simply can’t outrun a bad diet. Dialing in your nutrition can do wonders for your body composition, but Asprey points out that eating well is about a lot more than just looking good naked. “A good diet combined with responsible use of supplements builds up your body and brain and upgrades your performance in day-to-day life,” he says.
You can find an overview of Asprey’s dietary guidelines here, but he has two specific recommendations for what to consume now:
1. Omega-3s
Omega-3s have been shown to support cognitive function and heart health. “Get your omega-3s from wild-caught, low-mercury fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, or take a krill oil or fish oil supplement,” advises Asprey. He says you should aim for 1,000 mg of DHA (the main omega-3 in fish) per day. But beware of plant-based omega-3s from foods like chia seeds and nuts — Asprey says your body doesn’t absorb more than 3–4% of them.
2. Tru Niagen
Asprey is an official endorser of Tru Niagen, one of his go-to daily supplements. “It boosts NAD+, a molecule that protects your cells from stress and keeps them strong,” he says. It has been shown that NAD+ levels decline as you age and under metabolic stress, so Tru Niagen works to replenish NAD+ levels and helps you stay resilient at a cellular level. “It’s backed by 11 peer-reviewed human trials and is one of my favorite supplements,” says Asprey. “I feel like I have more sustained energy, especially when it comes to my workouts.”
Exercise
Asprey has 3 specific pieces of advice to follow through on your exercise goals this year:
1. Consistency, not intensity
Don’t set unrealistic goals that sabotage your progress. “When you’re sitting on the couch it’s easy to say you’ll start going to the gym 5–6 days a week,” says Asprey. “But after a couple weeks, you’ll probably get burnt out and quit.”
Instead, he recommends committing to a more modest goal — for example, walking the dog for two miles a day or lifting twice a week — and see if you can stick to it for a month. If you can, then it’s time to up your game by a little bit — increasing to three miles a day, or lifting three times a week. “Create a solid foundation for yourself before you shoot for the moon,” says Asprey. “Gradual improvement over time leads to extraordinary results.”
2. Do things you actually like.
There is no point forcing yourself to suffer through workouts you hate — sooner or later you’ll abandon them and be back to square one. “Instead, pick exercises you enjoy,” recommends Asprey. “Lifting, sprinting, yoga, dancing, sports, boxing, jiu jitsu — whatever keeps you entertained.” He points out that doing stuff you actually like is a lot better than dreading your 40 minutes on the treadmill every day (unless that’s what you’re into, of course).
3. Try an ARX machine
Asprey has been using ARX for years and says he’s never going back to normal weightlifting. “ARX puts you against a machine that perfectly matches your force output through an entire range of motion — in other words, it’s like every rep you do is your max weight,” he says. “With ARX you can do a full-body strength workout in about 11 minutes and be finished with lifting for the week. It also tracks your muscle output so you can see your growth over time.”
You can find ARX machines in most major cities (including Asprey’s Upgrade Labs facility in LA).
Sleep
Sleep is another primary pillar of health and performance. Here are Asprey’s top three tips to get deeper, more restorative sleep:
1. Black out your room
Exposure to light suppresses melatonin, the hormone that makes you sleepy. “At night, try to get your room dark enough that you can’t see your hand when you hold it out in front of you,” says Asprey. He recommends buying light-blocking shades and using electrical tape to cover up any little flashing lights, such as WiFi routers, smoke detector indicators, and alarm clocks.
2. Install f.lux and use Night Mode on your phone
Blue light is especially harmful for melatonin and sleep quality, and yet we are constantly exposed to blue light from our electronic devices. Asprey recommends F.lux, a free program that automatically turns off blue spectrum light from your computer after sunset. You can do the same on your phone by going to settings and turning on Night Mode. “You’ll be surprised by how much better you sleep when you cut out blue light at night,” according to Asprey.
3. Take magnesium before bed
Asprey says magnesium is one of the most inexpensive and effective ways to support your sleep. Most of us don’t get enough of this mineral through our diet. He recommends taking 400 mg of magnesium glycinate or magnesium citrate about an hour before bed. He cautions that while magnesium citrate works great, you may want to start at 100 mg and build your way up over a few days to avoid digestive issues. “Magnesium glycinate won’t cause digestive distress, although it’s a little more expensive,” he says.
…
You’d think Asprey’s life would be all business and optimization, so it was refreshing to hear his final two bits of advice:
1. Schedule time off to have fun.
It’s easy to feel like you should be productive all the time. But Asprey says you should literally schedule time off into your calendar and treat it like you would an important work meeting. He recommends you do things you loved when you were a kid or try out a new class in something you’ve always wanted to do. “It doesn’t matter if it seems like a waste of time or like it’s not furthering your goals,” he says. “Kicking back and enjoying yourself is essential to a good life.”
2. Make small changes over time
Small improvements really do compound over time. “Biohacking is the art and science of taking control of your own biology to be more resilient — mentally and physically,” says Asprey. “It means working toward a stronger version of yourself, step by step.”
Minor, seemingly insignificant, changes in your life can lead to huge improvements in the long run. “Aim to be a little bit better, week by week,” advises Asprey. “It may seem slow at first, but before long, you’ll see major results.”
Hopefully these simple tips will help you become happier, healthier, and more balanced in the year ahead.