All protocols
5,340 protocols across every category, most recommended first.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsGet Fit First if Conditioning Is Limiting Hypertrophy
If poor conditioning is limiting your ability to tolerate enough hypertrophy work, improve conditioning first.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsAvoid Recovery Modalities During Hypertrophy Blocks if Maximizing Growth
During phases aimed at maximizing hypertrophy, avoid recovery methods that blunt overload signals rather than trying to maximize recovery around every session.
- ▶ 1DietUse Workout Nutrition Matched to Training Type
Use pre-, intra-, or post-workout nutrition depending on the session; mid-workout is a favored option, especially if training fasted in the morning after an overnight fast. For strength work, a sample target is ~35 g protein + ~35 g carbohydrate. For hard conditioning, ~35 g protein + ~100–140 g carbohydrate. For mixed strength/conditioning, ~35 g protein + ~60–70 g carbohydrate. For hypertrophy, keep as many nutrients around training as possible and generally use about a 3:1 carbohydrate-to-protein ratio.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsConsistent Weekly Routine
Maintain a neurobiologically consistent routine aligned with dopamine and motivation circuitry for at least 5 days per week. Consider taking time off on weekends.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsAnchor Attention to External Stimuli
For intrusive thoughts that are repetitive but not especially disturbing, direct attention to external stimuli and engage in activities that strongly capture attention to pull focus away from the thought; the background loop may persist at first but should wane over time.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsStructured Journaling About Disturbing Intrusive Thoughts
To extinguish disturbing intrusive thoughts, write them out extensively in a structured format. Script as much detail as possible about the thought and surrounding context, ideally in complete sentences. Include the worst possible outcome you fear to get close to the underlying basis of the thought, and repeat the exercise multiple times if one session is not enough.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsSufficient Rapid Eye Movement Sleep
Strive for the best sleep possible, specifically including sufficient REM sleep, because REM helps remove the emotional load of traumatic experiences and intrusive thoughts.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsSee a Psychiatrist for Classic OCD
If the intrusive thoughts fit classic OCD, see a psychiatrist; medication may not be necessary, but effective tools exist.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsWork With an Addiction Specialist
For severe alcohol addiction and in some cases opiate addiction, immediate sustained abstinence may not be appropriate; work with an addiction specialist, and tapering rather than abrupt cessation may be necessary.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsBinding Behaviors
For addictions where the goal is not total elimination, set constraints around the behavior in space and/or time so it occurs only in appropriate amounts or contexts, including only engaging in the behavior in certain places and at certain times when context-appropriate.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsAvoid High-Dose L-Tyrosine Used in Studies
Do not use the 100 mg/kg bodyweight dose from the studies; he explicitly does not recommend it.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsMonitor L-Tyrosine Combined With Caffeine or Other Stimulants
If using L-tyrosine, pay attention to whether you are combining it with caffeine or other stimulants.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsMonitor for a Dopamine Crash After L-Tyrosine
After using L-tyrosine, watch for a crash later that day or the next day.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsProtect Intrinsically Enjoyed Activities From Extra Rewards
Guard activities you already enjoy by not attaching extra rewards or additional dopamine-releasing behaviors, substances, or compounds to them, or do so only infrequently, in order to preserve intrinsic pleasure and motivation over time.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsKeep a Short List of 5 Effortful Activities
Maintain a short list of about five safe but effortful or painful activities you can use whenever you feel amotivated or are procrastinating.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse Safe Effortful Activities to Deepen the Trough and Rebound Faster
When amotivated or procrastinating, deliberately do something safe but more effortful or painful than your current state to steepen the trough and return to normal or elevated baseline dopamine faster and more robustly.
- ▶ 1ToolsWater Filter Pitcher
Pitcher-style water filter for repeated use; lower-cost option under $100. Mentioned as able to remove fluoride and other contaminants, with the Clearly Filtered pitcher cited as an example.
- ▶ 1ToolsWhole-House Water Filter
Whole-house filtration system that connects to the home's piping to deliver purified water throughout the house; described as a higher-cost option around $2,000 or more.
- ▶ 1ToolsBerkey Filter System
Intermediate-cost countertop filtration system for larger volumes of water; described as costing roughly $200-$500 and used to remove unwanted contaminants.
- ▶ 1DietPrefer Mineral-Rich Water
Favor water containing more magnesium and calcium rather than less; harder water may taste different but appears better for health outcomes. If tap water contains sufficient magnesium, filtering it and drinking it is sufficient rather than seeking exotic waters. Reverse osmosis water is considered safe if desired, but because it may remove minerals, make sure adequate magnesium and calcium remain.
- ▶ 1DietAvoid Distilled Water
Do not drink distilled water in general because magnesium and calcium have been removed, except perhaps in rare niche medical cases involving unusually high blood magnesium or calcium.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsDo Not Rely on Boiling Tap Water as the Only Decontamination Method
Do not use boiling or heating as the sole strategy for making tap water safer, because some contaminants can be worsened by heating; pair with filtration instead.
- ▶ 1DietHydrogen-Rich Water
If tap water is low in magnesium, hydrogen-enriching water may make it more palatable and more effectively absorbed for hydration. He personally plans to continue using it once or twice a day, but does not say everyone needs it.
- ▶ 1SupplementsMolecular Hydrogen Tablets
Use dissolvable molecular hydrogen tablets to hydrogen-enrich water, and drink it within about 5–15 minutes after the tablet fully dissolves. Use them once or twice a day, and avoid using them in all water, carbonated drinks, or hot liquids.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsUse Molecular Hydrogen Tablets Once or Twice a Day
Use hydrogen-tablet water once or twice per day, possibly up to three times daily. Do not add the tablets to all your water, carbonated water, or hot liquids, as carbonated water may cause gastric discomfort.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsClean the Faucet Mesh Filter
Clean the little mesh/filter at the faucet head regularly because debris and contaminants can accumulate there and affect water quality.
- ▶ 1BehaviorsAlternate-Day Fasting
Eat every other day; discussed as an intermittent fasting approach that showed health improvements in animal studies and has also been studied in humans.
- ▶ 1Behaviors5:2 Diet
Eat normally for five days and reduce calories for two days each week.
- ▶ 1DietEasily Digestible Late-Night Food
If eating late at night is unavoidable, choose something lighter and more easily digestible than a full meal, such as yogurt or something in liquid form.
- ▶ 1DietAvoid Excessive Uncooked Food Intake
Caveat that eating too much uncooked food can make it hard to consume enough nutrients; cooking can improve nutrient absorption.