All protocols

Avoid not moving enough; choose exercise according to individual phenotype rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

For population-level guidance, about one-third of exercise should be cardio and about two-thirds resistance training.

Use the minimal effective dose for the population, while recognizing that many people may need more.

Especially avoid lots of cardio without much resistance training because it may elevate cortisol; runners, especially marathon runners, were cited as tending to have higher cortisol levels.

Vitamin C can decrease the cortisol effect associated with chronic cardio.

Recommended for people with elevated nighttime cortisol; product mentioned is by Integrative Therapeutics and is described as a combination of phosphatidylserine and ashwagandha.

Get baseline blood work as soon as possible, even if you have to save up for it, so you have a reference point over time.

Recommended as an important biomarker to know early in life, including both fasting insulin and postprandial insulin.

Recommended with fish oil to support resolution of inflammation; described as especially effective in combination with fish oil and also suggested for painful periods. In some cases, used alongside higher-dose fish oil.

Mentioned as something people should hopefully avoid.

Mentioned as something people should hopefully avoid; if they occur, resolve them quickly.

Discussed as a temporary tool to improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic flexibility rather than a permanent diet. She prefers pulsing keto instead of staying on it for years, and gives an example of four weeks of clean keto including vegetables.

Use keto as an N-of-1 experiment for four weeks and compare before-and-after measures, including biomarkers, stool/microbiome, and at minimum fasting insulin and glucose.

Assess stool or microbiome before and after a keto trial. Testing options mentioned include a Genova one-day stool test by default, a three-day stool test if concerned about parasites, frequent travel, or gut symptoms, and the Thorne/Wongevity Gut Bio test as an easier wipe-based alternative.

Recommended for women by age 45, and also for men at 45; do it sooner if there is premature heart disease in the family or other early risk.

A coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is obtained with a chest CT scan and can sometimes be self-ordered.

Know your adverse childhood experiences score as a baseline for trauma burden and future disease risk, ideally starting as a teenager, and actively work with what it reflects.

Use a specific training plan rather than training without a plan; having a plan improves adherence and progressive overload and generally yields better results.

Assess properly before designing training; identify a training goal and baseline fitness first.

Use the previously described fitness testing protocol to identify your weakest area or biggest performance anchor and make that the priority for the next phase, e.g. three months; repeat at least annually, optionally twice per year, with suggested timing such as the third week of December or end of June.

After testing, choose the area where your score is lowest as the priority for the next training block, such as the next three months.

Set goals using the SMART framework: specific, measurable, attainable/actionable, realistic/relevant, and timely.

Include at least one objective measure for your goal, such as body weight, bench press, mile time, sleep hours, or work productivity.

Choose a realistic goal based on age, training experience, and available time, then reduce that target by about 10% to avoid setting goals that are too lofty.

Break long-term goals into intermediate milestones, define the time domain, and work backward from the end date to create interim targets.

Determine what is likely to stop you from reaching your goal, such as injury, burnout, poor movement, lack of time, or inconsistent schedule.

If injury tends to derail progress, first invest in flexibility, movement technique, and/or slower progression before pushing intensity.

For a 2% body-fat reduction over a year, use milestones such as 0.5% per quarter if appropriate.

If injury risk or another defender is limiting progress, spend an initial quarter not trying to lose weight while fixing the limiting factor.

If a structural or pain issue is blocking progress, invest time working with your chiropractor or equivalent support to remove that barrier.