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physioblr · 5 years

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How to get a 4.0 with ADHD-C and Dyscalculia

(Or, how to survive Uni as a disabled student)

Disclaimer:

This is what has worked for me. I don’t claim that this will work for everyone. Not every ADHD brain is the same. Also other axis of privilege, time of diagnosis, and support are different between people. I have severe ADHD-C and was diagnosed as a young adult and had little support to help me deal with my symptoms until I met my partner. Psychiatrists aren’t trained to help you deal with the range of issues you will face.

Do keep in mind as well that some professors are just ablest assholes. The idea that someone is kind, empathetic, or will always follow federal law just because they are in a profession that gives them a power differential is ridiculous. You may also run into professors that also take pride in their exam distributions looking like a statistician’s nightmare. Keep an eye out for the obvious dog whistles, and do research before registration when possible. If you end up in these situations, drop the class during the add/drop period if you can. If not, be prepared for your GPA to take a hit.

I’m writing this from an American perspective, if you are in the UK/Europe I lived in Scotland for 5 years and would be happy to help if you have questions regarding the Equality Act 2010 and the UN convention of disability rights.

A. Lifestyle:

1. Sleep hygiene. Sleep = study retention.

I had trouble sleeping for most of my life. I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep or stay asleep at the appropriate times. A lot of people deal with this by being “night owls” — i.e. just accepting that our clocks are set later than neurotypicals’. Other people deal with this by sleeping on a biphasic or polyphasic sleep schedule.

There is another option though. You can train yourself to go to sleep at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning. This might take a couple of weeks for your body to adjust. Here is how I did it:

Take your morning dose of medication about 30-40 minutes before you actually need to wake up. This allows medication to kick in. It’s similar to the trick of drinking a cup of coffee before taking a power nap. I have two alarms. One to take my medication, and the other to actually wake up. My medication alarms have a particular tone so that I don’t take my medication twice.

Wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. You can’t oversleep or your body won’t adjust. Do not press the snooze button. Get up right away to start your morning routine. The 5-10 minutes that your snooze gives you isn’t going to make you feel less tired. It will make your feel groggy, which is something called sleep inertia. Your body doesn’t get to complete a full sleep cycle, and it will donk you up.

Add going outside to your morning routine. Even if it’s the winter, or mostly dark. I have an adorable greyhound, and he has to go potty as soon as I wake up. In the very least open your blinds/curtains and open your windows to get some fresh air and morning light. Studies show that light effects our circadian rhythm. I find that even when it’s dark out though, going outside helps due to the cool morning air.

Keep a consistent morning routine. Do everything in order like you are going down a checklist of tasks. Make your bed as your final task. Don’t get back in your bed. Your bed is for sleep or sex only.

Go to bed at the same time every night, no matter what. Medication has likely worn off by the time you go to sleep, and contradictory to neurotypical belief, when your brain wanders it can make it harder to fall asleep. So can hyperfocusing. I find that reading can keep me up as I will hyperfocus, but listening to audiobooks doesn’t cause those problems. I turn off the lights, put a seep mask on, and play an audiobook with wireless headphones to help me get to sleep. I recommend reading/listening to something light like fantasy or science fiction. Save thrillers, horror, and mystery books to listen to during the day.

2. Exercise.

I recommend exercising in the morning everyday, cardio and strength training. Even if you just do some cardio 10-15 minutes, it is still beneficial. Most exercise physiologists would recommend a rest day, but I’ve found that lighter days work better than complete rest days. You will see a noticeable difference in your hyperactivity symptoms. It’s not simply that it gets the fidgets out of your system, it is good for a hyperactive mind and helps with emotional dysregulation as well. It will help you sleep at night too.

Always speak to your doctor before you begin any exercise regimen, especially if you are taking 60+ mg of ADHD medication and have not exercised regularly on your medication previously.

3. Eating.

Eat at the same time everyday. Your body will tell you you’re hungry at those times. It’s also helpful to schedule your food around medication so that you don’t repress your natural appetite. Also, not that it needs to be said, but the brain uses up a lot of calories. You need to eat to retain what you learn.

4. Emotional Regulation.

This is one of the hardest parts of ADHD that no one ever talks about. You may not even know what this is, or that emotional dysregulation is a symptom of ADHD. It’s never mentioned in the DSM or ICD because emotions are hard (and expensive) to quantify. A lot of medical professionals have never even heard of it. If you want to read up on it, I suggest reading work by Dr. Russell A. Barkley. To give you the basics though, ADHD brains fail to self regulate emotions. We have emotional impulsivity. When we take in sensory information for conscious appraisal the pathway goes like this: stimulus —> thalamus —> cortex —> amygdala. Our frontal cortex is not the greatest at giving us context, or telling us to chill out, so our amygdala can be in the driver’s seat often. This aspect can make us really fun people, because it can make us get excited easily and enjoy life to the fullest. It can also cause us problems. For example, expressing anger at your boss or teacher (even if you are rightfully angry) might not be the best—diplomacy may give a better outcome. Our amygdala doesn’t know what is best for our future selves.

So, how does one regulate emotion when you’re brain doesn’t function like you want it? Try practicing mindfulness. And no, I’m not taking about attending to everything coming into your working memory or weird granola hippy garbage. When you are having an emotional response, check in with yourself. Are you feeling overstimulated? Are you feeling understimulated? Are you hungry, are you thirsty? Are you tired? Is your medication wearing off? Notice patterns, notice what triggers the emotion, write it down. Develop a proverbial toolbox that can help you when you are not regulating your emotions well. This toolbox is individual to you, and it may take some trial and error.

Keep in mind that trauma is different than emotional dysregulation, although our emotional dysregulation doesn’t exactly help. A lot of us ADHD brains have experienced severe emotional trauma via ableism and abuse from the school system, from teachers, or from parents. It never gets talked about because it’s usually caused by someone in a position of authority, and we are hardly ever given a voice to talk about our own experiences. Find someone you can trust to talk to about it. Find ways to self sooth in a healthy way when re-experiencing that trauma. You may have complex PTSD. It’s difficult for us to get help for complex PTSD because society doesn’t recognize that disabled people experience trauma in a very unique way. Keep in mind PTSD wasn’t even considered a disability under the ADA until 2008, one couldn’t get social security for PTSD until 2017, and the ADA didn’t exist until 1990. If you do seek out help though, expect push back from some medical professionals, have someone that will support you through the process, and do so when you will not be experiencing new trauma. Also, remember, fellow ADHD brains are here and we all love and support you.

B. Disability Services:

I’m not going to sugar coat this. We are barely recognized as human beings, so our rights are always under fire. Being disabled in this world is like walking through a mine field. Not every university or work environment is going to follow the ADA. The ADA became law in 1990, and the abled have been dragging their feet ever since. It’s difficult to enforce, complaining to the government often leads to nothing, and getting a lawyer is expensive. It’s also hard to prove discrimination in court. The ADA leaves a lot of room for improvement. Ableism is a systemic problem pretty much worldwide. I’m not trying to upset anyone, but you need to be prepared for what you are up against.

1. Keep the nature of your disability private.

Never ever ever tell a professor or TA the nature of your disability. Tell them you have a disability recognized under the ADA which is federal law, do not tell them what disability you have. There are lots of tips on tumblr that will tell you to inform professors that you have x disability, and that they will be empathetic and blah blah blah. Those uninformed tips are putting your legal rights, and your grade, in danger. There are so many biases professors can and do have when it comes to ADHD and dyscalculia. You are just asking to experience ableism if you divulge. Some professors don’t believe that ADHD is a disability, or they believe that vaccines cause ADHD, or that you just magically grow out of ADHD when you turn 18 etc. It isn’t your job to deal with their delusions, their biases, or their ableism — that’s their therapists’ or HRs’ problem. You do not have to tell anyone but your university disability services. Under the ADA you have a legal right to privacy, but if you divulge to a professor you are waiving that right.

I also wouldn’t recommend telling other students the nature of your disability. Unless you are pretty sure the other student also has your disability, but even then internalized ableism is a thing. You never know who they are going to tell, if they are ableist, or how they feel about your accommodations. You never want an abled student crying to a professor because they think your accommodations are “unfair”. If a student wants to know what disability you have, and you want to tell them something because you have become acquaintances/friends but don’t want to tell them exactly, say that you have a neurodevelopmental disability and/or a learning disability.

2. Advocate for your legal accommodations.

Disability services are not going to hold your hand. They are not going to simply offer you all the accommodations that you are legally allowed or would make you successful. They deal with hundreds of other students and likely have accommodations they offer everyone, regardless of the type of disability you have. Request accommodations that actually put you on the same playing field as everyone else. Read the ADA, and understand what reasonable accommodations are.

If you have ADHD, I would recommend requesting extended time on exams and assignments, a private room to take exams in that is free of distraction, handouts/materials and textbooks in text-to-speech capable formats, the ability to take breaks in-class or exams, reduced course load, and the ability to record lectures for note-taking. You may be able to request a memory aid for ADHD, as a lot of ADHD brains have very low working memory (also called short term memory) capacity. Part of our attention difficulties come from low working memory capacity as sensory input goes through working memory before it is stored in long term memory. Anything stored in long term memory must be pulled back into working memory to be used and manipulated. Get a psychologist that specializes in ADHD adults to test your working memory capacity if needed.

If you have dyscalculia, I would recommend requesting a memory aid (used for formulas, constants, equations etc), the use of calculator on exams and assignments, extended time on exams and assignments, reduced course load, and a private room for exams.

3. Get accommodations implemented.

This is a different process than getting accommodations approved. My uni makes me contact professors at the start of the quarter in an ‘engagement process’. Due to re-experiencing trauma, I avoid setting up a meeting with professors and just email. Emailing prevents professors form cornering you or badgering you to divulge your disability, or subtly threatening you about your registration or degree, and puts everything in writing so there is a legal paper trail.

Professors may try to get out of their legal obligations. I have had this happen multiple times. I’ve even had professors tell me that accommodations aren’t helpful for disabled students, or that they are not fair to abled students — I responded with “well it’s not fair that I was born with a disability and that you’re gatekeeping disabled people from getting an education”… they didn’t take that well. Do not try to argue with a professor about your disability rights or accommodations, it will only make you upset and they will likely accuse you of being hysterical or unstable. I’ve even had a professor say that I “threatened” them when I simply reminded them of their legal obligations under federal law as they were trying to not implement accommodations. This is why email is the best choice — you have time to respond professionally and having the receipts is important to keep you legally safe. If a professor is being belligerent about implementing accommodations, tell disability services what is going on (forward your emails) and remind them that accommodations must be implemented in a timely manner under the ADA. If disability services tries to make you argue with your professor, say that you do not feel comfortable doing so. If they push further, tell them you would rather not without an attorney or other representative present — mention you would rather the university handle it internally as you are concerned bringing an attorney or representative into an argument would escalate the situation which isn’t ideal for anyone.

I have a standard email that I send professors during the ‘engagement process’ that I edit slightly to reflect the course. It is professional, polite, and reminds them of their legal obligations as well as university policy. In it I also outline what my approved accommodations are and suggest how they should be implemented.

4. Any paperwork you have to turn in, make sure to do it early.

Create reminders on your calendar, write the dates in your bujo future log, whatever you need to do to get that paperwork in on time. Read everything slowly. These are legal documents. If you have a support system… ASK FOR HELP. Seriously, don’t be afraid to ask your support system for help with legal documents.

C. Studying:

1. Choose two places to study.

I don’t like studying in the library or in cafes. I know it’s not as aesthetic to study at home, but it prevents me from people watching and getting distracted. I have two designated study areas. One is my desk, the other is a cozy couch. Choose locations based on stimulation and comfort. My desk is fairly understimulating, while the couch is a bit more stimulation.

2. Learn to use your hyperfocus.

Most reading this probably know what you need to get in the hyperfocus zone. If you don’t, then note any patterns/conditions when it happens so you will have an easier time using the only ADHD super power you’ve got. When you are hyperfocusing on studying, ride the wave for as long as you can. However, make sure to set alarms to eat, go to the bathroom, stretch etc. Don’t let your hyperfocus keep you from taking care of yourself.

3. Create a study routine.

I know I keep blathering on about routines, but it helps. Treat studying like you would training as a professional athlete. When you have a study routine, you never have to decide to study. That decision is already made for you. When studying for exams, make a checklist of everything you need to cover. Ask the professor in advance about what is going to be covered on exams so that you can make an exam study plan early. If your professor is a garbage person and won’t tell you use the syllabus, textbook readings, labs, lecture slides, and snoop on the internet for past exams. Last minute learning is never a good idea. The human brain simply can’t do it, and your working memory capacity is too low to cram.

4. Accept that everything will take you longer, and that it’s okay.

It sucks, it really does. Those neurotypicals don’t know how lucky they are. It’s going to take you longer to read, to learn material, and to do basically anything in life. That’s okay, you do you. Don’t compare yourself to others, it will only cause you to feel bad about yourself. Guess what though, you are already a statistical anomaly. Only 32% of ADHD children graduate high school. Only 22% of adults with ADHD get into university. Only 5% of ADHD adults graduate from university. You are already punching those statistics in the face by existing. Seriously, do what you need to do and fuck anyone that has a problem with it. You’ve got this!

5. Create the environment you need for your brain.

Sometimes I’m feeling really over stimulated and I need complete silence. Sometimes I feel at a sort of stimulation equilibrium and I listen to lofi study beats playlists. Sometimes I feel understimulated or I’m doing something really tedious, and I need to put on a tv show or a movie in the background. I keep a list of TV shows and movies that I can put on in such cases. Pick things that you won’t really watch and that you are familiar with. It usually helps me transition so that I can start the studying task. Listen to your body and do what works for you.

6. Don’t use the pomodoro technique.

The pomodoro technique was made for neurotypicals. ADHD brains have difficulty transitioning between tasks. It’s better to study for as long as you can maintain focus or hyperfocus than rely on a set 25 minutes. Again, be sure to eat and use the bathroom! You don’t want to be taken off your meds due to weight loss, and you don’t want to get a UTI.

D. Tools of the Trade:

1. iPad Pro & Apple Pencil v.s. Echo Livescribe Smart Pen

I used to use the echo livescribe smart pen but now I use an iPad. It’s cheaper in the long run and I don’t have to worry about running out of paper. Apple has way better customer support as well as iCloud backups, plus they can find your device if lost. Now I only use the echo livescribe pen when taking exams. My university lets me use one from the disability office so that I can make verbal notes when doing long answer exam questions and to keep track of my thoughts if I want to skip over a question and come back to it. I requested it as an accommodation, it had to be approved by committee. They actually thanked me for being so creative and trained the person in charge of accessible technology so that it could be used with other students. It’s almost like asking disabled students about what helps us and our experiences is a good thing!

2. Notability

I use the app Notability for lectures as it can record the lecture and has great organizational capabilities. I usually copy/paste slides into my notes so that I can write on them as well. I also use Notability to read textbooks. It’s got fairly good text-to-speech compatibility, so you can move around if you need to.

3. Goodnotes 5

I use the Goodnotes 5 app for a digital bujo as well as for making mind maps. It’s got some great shape recognition functions. Although Notability has improved their shape functionality, it’s still not as great as Goodnotes 5.

4. iWork

I also use pages on my iPad to make condensed study guides / study notes. It’s also really great for writing essays or making tables. I used to hand-write study notes, but it takes way longer.

4. Omnifocus

Omnifocus is great for breaking down big projects into smaller tasks or making quick checklists. It’s a bit of a pain to learn how to use, but once you do it’s completely worth it.

5. Quizlet Plus

Quizlet Plus is completely worth it. I use it a lot for figures or structures I have to memorize, I draw figures in Notability and take a screen shot or grab it from my textbook. It’s a really amazing flashcard app. Also, if you have your textbook on your device, you can copy/paste definitions right into quizlet.

6. Studybreak

Studybreak is a great app for iphone. It tells you how long you have been studying, nags you if you’ve touched your phone to scroll social media, and can suggest that you take a break. You can program it to set how long you want to study for, how long you want to take a break for etc. You can also ignore the break suggestion which is nice when one is hyperfocusing. It also keeps statistics on how long you have been studying and for which subjects.

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christophervanhorn · 6 years

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Jet Lag

I fly a lot; a ridiculous amount for someone who isn’t a business traveler. In fact, last year, I made 64 separate flights, although one of them was a hot air balloon and another, a helicopter. But the point is that living in the Philippines in Asia, I take advantage of the cheap flights on CebuPacific, Philippine Airlines, and others to hop out to one of the 7,500 islands every chance I get.

I also bounce on over to Thailand twice a year or so to visit Scotty the Body and take part in the Judd Reid Fight Camp, Cambodia to visit one of my favorite countries in the world and see the kids at the Children’s Improvement Organization orphanage, and more. I also make it back home to the U.S. once a year, an epically long journey that takes either 12-hours+ on a plane to California or, like I did this last time, 16 hours and 40 minutes straight from New York to Manila.

And you know what?

It kicks my ass every time.

Not only are travel days exhausting, the germ-laden dry recirculated air on the planes always makes me sick, but the jet lag is an absolute killer. Once I land, I’m a complete and total mess for a week or more form the time change.

Of course, it’s no insignificant alteration to my schedule, like when I fly to Thailand and it’s only one hour different, or even going from New York to Europe, for instance, where the 5-hour time difference only requires you to stay up particularly late but then sleep late the next day.

Believe it or not, it’s also way worse when you’re going West to East like Asia to New York.

No, coming and going from Asia, your schedule is 100% flipped (we’re 13 hours ahead of New York right now) so night is day and day, night. In a perfect world, I’d be able to get in, plop down my bags, take a hot shower, and go right to sleep for 8 hours, waking up refreshed and adjusting very quickly. Some people can do that.

But my sleep pattern is messed up to begin with, and I end up in some sort of sub-human zombie raccoon-eyed state, not really sleeping for a week but taking a series of 1-4 hour naps at random times of the day or night.

I find myself wide away at 3 am (like I just woke up from an afternoon nap) or early evening (my normal wake up time) but dragging so bad all day that I can barely keep my red and puffy eyes open. For most people, it’s not quite this bad, but I have three things going against me: I’m old as dirt, I’m a terrible sleeper to begin with, and I have to work approximately 70 hours a week, so there’s no lounging by the pool, partying all night, and slowly and gracefully adjusting to the time change for me.

But the good news is that, although I haven’t figured out the magic cure for jet lag and adjusting to drastic time changes, I have figured out some tips and hacks that make the process imminently easier.

First off, what IS jetlag? Just a lack of sleep? A figment of our imaginations?

Actually, it’s a real medical condition called desynchronosis where your circadian rhythm(your body’s internal clock and sense of night/day or sleep/waking, etc.) is disrupted.

It’s also no joke or mere inconvenience, as jetlag – or desynchronosis– can contribute to everything from weight gain to high blood pressure and heart problems to triggering bipolar disorder. (Which would explain a lot since I probably have all of those.)

So, the best way to combat jet lag is to do things that will give your body new cues as to what the proper schedule should be, resetting your circadian rhythmbased on the new schedule.

View this post on Instagram

Jet lag is BRUTAL! But All World has some great tips, hacks, and strategizes for you to beat the jet lag blues!

A post shared by AllWorld.com (@allworldonline) on Jan 20, 2019 at 11:35am PST

There are two main ways to do just that and they have to do with sleep and sunlight.

Light in the light (or shut it out) Resetting our circadian rhythms, which are associated with the solar day, means that we have to adjust our internal clock to know that sunlight means being awake and nighttime means sleep again. So, when you arrive and want to stay up (day), get outside, soak in the sun, go to a beach or local park, and open up all of the blinds in your hotel room – let the sun in. At night, do the opposite and make sure it’s plenty dark.

Hot washcloth A lot of times, jetlag feels like you’ve been up all night after a bender with red eyes and dry, pale skin to show for it. So, I love the feeling of a hot washcloth against the face. You can even ask the flight attendant to bring you an extra.

Small nap Sometimes, you’re just going to be too exhausted and need to collapse into a nap. However, try to take a quick 30-minute snooze, not a two or three-hour slumber where your body will be confused into thinking it’s night time again. Set your alarm.

Get yo ass moving Get up, get out, and do some vigorous physical activity. A run, long walk, swimming laps in the hotel pool, or hitting the gym will all get your blood pumping and help you feel much better, aside from adjusting to jet lag. Exercise is especially invigorating and helpful after a long flight.

Don’t fly east, young man Whenever I fly east back to the states from Asia, adjusting to the jet lag is WAY worse than flying the other direction. I mean like hideously worse. There’s actually a good explanation for that, as trying to reset your Circadian Rhythm backward – i.e. to an earlier time – is far more difficult than setting it forward. When you fly east to west, however, you can basically just stay up all night and your sleep pattern will adjust a little more naturally accordingly.

Melatonin Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies naturally produce, in part as a way for our brains to know that it’s time to start relaxing and go to sleep soon. In some countries, you can buy Melatonin supplements over the counter and take a small dose – like three to five milligrams – before you go to bed, which should help you snooze a little better. However, any positive effects of Melatonin will be disrupted by bright light, so you’ll still have to turn off the TV and shut off your phone.

Reduce screen time Unnatural light from our smartphones, tablets, computer screens, and televisions is really doing a number on the modern human, making it harder than ever to fall asleep, sleep soundly, and feel rested. This is exacerbated when you’re trying to adjust to jet lag, of course, so try to turn off all screens and white light devices at least an hour before bedtime.

Arrive late Inevitably, you’re exhausted and feel gross when you first arrive from a long fight or epic travel day, and all you want to do is shower, eat, and sleep. However, that works against you when you arrive in the morning or midday since that’s the time you want to be active and get out sightseeing to start combatting jet lag. So, try to book a flight where you’ll arrive late at night (or just the evening), so you CAN shower, eat, and hit the bed immediately, your fatigue carrying you through the night and helping you wake up ready to go.

Time your meals Another way your body takes cues to what time it is and what it should be doing is through your eating schedule. So, if you can, avoid huge heavy, greasy, rich, fried, and unhealthy meals during the flight and when you first land. (Or, avoid them always!) Instead, try snacking on healthy and more natural or unprocessed meals. When you land, eat a big meal if you’d like but make sure it’s clean and easy to digest. This isn’t just a suggestion, as research by a noted chronobiologist at the Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois found this method to significantly reduce the effects of jetlag.

Take a cold shower or warm bath It may seem like a simple tactic, but when you find yourself so tired that you can’t keep your eyes open, but it’s still the middle of the day, take a shockingly cold shower – it will trigger hormones that tell you it’s morning or time to be active. Conversely, take a long hot shower or hot bath at night before sleeping, which will help lull you to sleep.

Hydrate One of the most significant reasons why flying long distances makes you feel like crap is the fact that the air on planes is really bad, to put it bluntly. In fact, the air is about six times more arid than the driest natural environment on earth and, since it’s recirculated, you’re getting everyone else’s germs to breathe over and over. I know, right? Additionally, jet lag is made worse by being dehydrated. So, drink a ton of water before you fly, while you fly, and after you land. Try to avoid beverages with a lot of sugar or salt, and definitely take it easy on alcohol during the flight and caffeine if you’re trying to adjust to the new time zone (except in the morning when you need to wake up!)

Happy flying!

The post Jet Lag appeared first on AllWorld.com.

source https://www.allworld.com/jet-lag/ source https://allworldus.tumblr.com/post/182243080657

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allworldus · 6 years

Text

Jet Lag

And you know what?

It kicks my ass every time.

Believe it or not, it’s also way worse when you’re going West to East like Asia to New York.

First off, what IS jetlag? Just a lack of sleep? A figment of our imaginations?

Actually, it’s a real medical condition called desynchronosis where your circadian rhythm(your body’s internal clock and sense of night/day or sleep/waking, etc.) is disrupted.

So, the best way to combat jet lag is to do things that will give your body new cues as to what the proper schedule should be, resetting your circadian rhythmbased on the new schedule.

View this post on Instagram

Jet lag is BRUTAL! But All World has some great tips, hacks, and strategizes for you to beat the jet lag blues!

A post shared by AllWorld.com (@allworldonline) on Jan 20, 2019 at 11:35am PST

There are two main ways to do just that and they have to do with sleep and sunlight.

Happy flying!

The post Jet Lag appeared first on AllWorld.com.

source https://www.allworld.com/jet-lag/

0 notes

cristinajourdanqp · 7 years

Text

CrossFit’s Criticisms: How Do I Keep Energy Levels High on Primal?

Over the past two posts in this series, I’ve explained how a Primal way of eating can not only support a heavy CrossFit schedule, but elevate it. Today, I’m going to explain how going Primal can help fix a common complaint among CrossFitters: fatigue. No energy. No pep. A distinct lack of physical and psychological motivation to train, let alone hit PRs. This doesn’t just make it hard to finish workouts and make gains. It bleeds into the rest of your life and makes that worse, too.

Here’s a typical query from a committed CrossFitter suffering from low energy.

I feel like I have been doing everything right lately. Eating clean, working out everyday. But recently WODs that would typically do pretty well at have been killing me. To the point I am the last finished in every class. This came out of nowhere. What could it be? Anyone else experience anything like this?

“Eating clean”: Eating too few calories and/or carbohydrates. We already know what’s wrong with that.

“Working out everyday”: This isn’t just hard on the body, it’s downright counterproductive. Daily workouts will shatter most people, particularly on the level of CrossFit WODs, and have them out the other end in worse shape than before. I’ll be doing a post on CrossFit and recovery soon, but it’s worth noting for today that CrossFit recommends three days on and one day off. That plan may or may not work for an individual based on any number of factors (more to come there…).

Or this one, from the CF forum:

I have gone off my usual oats that i used to have for breakfast. i have reduced my fruit to 1.5 servings a day, nor am i currently consuming anything starchy, like, beans or sweet potatoes (my fave), i eliminated these and all dairy just to see what happens. Now my body is reacting with sluggishness and fat cravings (sunflower seeds, anyone?) Despite that I still go train hard and sweaty but I noticed it’s taking me forever to recover. My leafy salads and eggs and chicken breasts (all i eat basically) are just not cutting it. how do i get over it? please help! grains are disgusting, they bloat me. dairy causes breakouts. no going back. thanks for advice…

The reasons for this person’s lack of energy is even more glaring. “Nothing starchy,” no longer eating “my fave” sweet potatoes, leafy salads and chicken breasts. She’s barely eating!

I’ve said my piece on macronutrient interventions. Since a major reason for fatigue is inadequate food and macronutrient intake, increasing carb intake and eating more calories overall from whole-food Primal sources will give you more caloric and nutrient density.

I’m not here to suggest you modify the workouts. They are what they are. This isn’t about changing CrossFit. This is about working with it. That’s the beauty of this Primal stuff—it applies to everything because it’s all-encompassing, because it’s about making you the best, healthiest, most productive human you can be. And humans do all sorts of different things. Like CrossFit.

So, what does Primal have to offer a CrossFitter who wants more energy for training sessions and normal waking (yawning) life?

Honor Your Circadian Rhythm

Most people think of the circadian rhythm in terms of sleep and sleep alone. Sleep is a big part of the circadian picture, but it’s not everything. Every single cell in your body follows a circadian rhythm. Circadian clocks are attached to every piece of peripheral tissue, embedded in every organ, enmeshed in every physiological system. Even your skin’s resistance to UV damage follows a circadian schedule.

What does this mean? If your circadian rhythm is off-kilter, every cell and physiological process in your body functions differently. Problems arise. Energy production slows. Every standard physiological process runs a little funny. When your circadian rhythm is off, you’re off. Nothing works quite right. You’re not yourself.

Expose yourself to natural light during the morning and daytime. This helps set your circadian rhythm and gets you in tune with the sun’s rise and fall. It also energizes, and that’s great. Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamin-like substances around. But sunlight is also a great source of blue light that keeps us awake at night and alert and energized during the day. It has to be real, natural light. For all our access to artificial lighting indoors, our daytime light exposure is downright pathetic.

Limit artificial light at night. Blue light (from screens, smartphones) tricks your circadian rhythm into thinking it’s daytime all over again. UVEX safety goggles block blue light, are completely affordable.

Get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Miss sleep, miss reps. Lose sleep, lose your footing during the jerk. Sleep is when we recover from past bodily insults, like doing Fran or high rep zercher squats. It’s when we consolidate memories. It’s when we burn fat and release growth hormone. It’s even when we release a large amount of ATPe, a surge of the body’s energy currency. Miss your sleep, miss that surge.

Balance the Intensity of CrossFit with the Tranquility of Nature

CrossFit is stressful. It’s acute stressor after acute stressor, which is a double-edged blade. This is why it works so well but also why some people can burn themselves out. A person simply can’t go hard without resting. There are limits.

Get out into nature every day if you can but at least once a week, preferably twice. Nature is a hard reset for your monkey mind. It’s returning home to the source. Extensive research shows that this kind of excursion can reduce stress, the same stress that’s pushing you over the edge and destroying your will to live. Spending time in nature is an easy fix (if it works, and it often does), providing a quick but effective stanch against the stress.

Nature doesn’t have to be the forest. It can be desert, beach, lake, marsh, swamp, meadow, prairie, bog, jungle. Even a city park can work. Use what you have.

Focus on Micronutrients

The Primal eating plan has always identified and promoted the consumption of otherwise obscure micronutrients, many of which play major roles in energy production.

Iodine: The raw building block for thyroid hormone, which drives metabolic rate. Low intakes can cause hypothyroid, and then you’re lagging. Best sources include seaweed (especially kelp/kombu), dairy, and eggs.

Selenium: We need selenium to convert inactive thyroid hormone into active thyroid hormone, the stuff that actually has an effect on our energy levels. Brazil nuts (just one or two will provide the RDA) and wild salmon are the best sources.

Magnesium: Magnesium is a cofactor in over 300 physiological systems and enzymatic reactions making it a crucial…. blah blah blah. You’ve heard the spiel before. Magnesium is important. For energy levels, it’s almost everything. Without adequate magnesium, we produce very little ATP, the body’s energy currency.

Glycine: Taken an hour before bed, glycine—the primary amino acid in gelatin/collagen—promotes more restful sleep and promotes wakefulness and better performance the next day, even if you force sleep restriction.

If you’re doing CrossFit without paying attention to your intake of iodine, selenium, magnesium, and glycine/collagen, you risk losing energy levels.

Get Fat-Adapted

Though I’ve focused primarily on non-dietary factors today, I’ll close with perhaps the most momentous modification you can make to support your daily energy levels: getting fat-adapted.

Fat-adaptation allows you to easily tap into your own body fat stores in between meals, providing a steady source of clean-burning energy. Fat-adaptation tends to normalize blood glucose readings, so you’re no longer chasing the sugar dragon up into hyperglycemia and down into hypoglycemia.

Fat-adaptation doesn’t imply exclusive low carb eating for life. CrossFit and other intense training regimens give the fat-adapted a lot of leeway with their carb intake. As Peter Attia explains, you can still carb up before and after your training sessions without compromising your ability to tap into body fat for energy as long as you create a glycogen debt that must be refilled and your carbs don’t exceed the debt. CrossFit, with its full-body, high-intensity, moderate-to-high-volume training, just might be the most reliable way to create an economy-rending amount of glycogen debt.

(Note: For those who aren’t fat-adapted yet, understand that it’s a process and will take a few weeks. It will likely require a temporary change to your training schedule to accommodate the metabolic shifts taking place. Let adaptation trump performance for a short time. Results aren’t instantaneous, but they’re worth the short-term adjustment.)

In the end, having adequate energy boils down to support.

Eating enough calories and carbs and protein and fat to support your training.

Supporting your biologically-appropriate circadian rhythm by getting bright light during the day, dim light at night, and having a reasonable bedtime.

Eating adequate amounts of the basic micronutrients that support energy production.

Spending time in nature to support your body’s need for rest, relaxation, and green spaces.

Thanks for reading today, everyone. Have thoughts or questions on energy and high intensity exercise? Share them below.

0 notes

fishermariawo · 7 years

Text

CrossFit’s Criticisms: How Do I Keep Energy Levels High on Primal?

Here’s a typical query from a committed CrossFitter suffering from low energy.

“Eating clean”: Eating too few calories and/or carbohydrates. We already know what’s wrong with that.

Or this one, from the CF forum:

The reasons for this person’s lack of energy is even more glaring. “Nothing starchy,” no longer eating “my fave” sweet potatoes, leafy salads and chicken breasts. She’s barely eating!

So, what does Primal have to offer a CrossFitter who wants more energy for training sessions and normal waking (yawning) life?

Honor Your Circadian Rhythm

Balance the Intensity of CrossFit with the Tranquility of Nature

Nature doesn’t have to be the forest. It can be desert, beach, lake, marsh, swamp, meadow, prairie, bog, jungle. Even a city park can work. Use what you have.

Focus on Micronutrients

The Primal eating plan has always identified and promoted the consumption of otherwise obscure micronutrients, many of which play major roles in energy production.

If you’re doing CrossFit without paying attention to your intake of iodine, selenium, magnesium, and glycine/collagen, you risk losing energy levels.

Get Fat-Adapted

Though I’ve focused primarily on non-dietary factors today, I’ll close with perhaps the most momentous modification you can make to support your daily energy levels: getting fat-adapted.

In the end, having adequate energy boils down to support.

Eating enough calories and carbs and protein and fat to support your training.

Supporting your biologically-appropriate circadian rhythm by getting bright light during the day, dim light at night, and having a reasonable bedtime.

Eating adequate amounts of the basic micronutrients that support energy production.

Spending time in nature to support your body’s need for rest, relaxation, and green spaces.

Thanks for reading today, everyone. Have thoughts or questions on energy and high intensity exercise? Share them below.

0 notes

watsonrodriquezie · 7 years

Text

CrossFit’s Criticisms: How Do I Keep Energy Levels High on Primal?

Here’s a typical query from a committed CrossFitter suffering from low energy.

“Eating clean”: Eating too few calories and/or carbohydrates. We already know what’s wrong with that.

Or this one, from the CF forum:

The reasons for this person’s lack of energy is even more glaring. “Nothing starchy,” no longer eating “my fave” sweet potatoes, leafy salads and chicken breasts. She’s barely eating!

So, what does Primal have to offer a CrossFitter who wants more energy for training sessions and normal waking (yawning) life?

Honor Your Circadian Rhythm

Balance the Intensity of CrossFit with the Tranquility of Nature

Nature doesn’t have to be the forest. It can be desert, beach, lake, marsh, swamp, meadow, prairie, bog, jungle. Even a city park can work. Use what you have.

Focus on Micronutrients

The Primal eating plan has always identified and promoted the consumption of otherwise obscure micronutrients, many of which play major roles in energy production.

If you’re doing CrossFit without paying attention to your intake of iodine, selenium, magnesium, and glycine/collagen, you risk losing energy levels.

Get Fat-Adapted

Though I’ve focused primarily on non-dietary factors today, I’ll close with perhaps the most momentous modification you can make to support your daily energy levels: getting fat-adapted.

In the end, having adequate energy boils down to support.

Eating enough calories and carbs and protein and fat to support your training.

Supporting your biologically-appropriate circadian rhythm by getting bright light during the day, dim light at night, and having a reasonable bedtime.

Eating adequate amounts of the basic micronutrients that support energy production.

Spending time in nature to support your body’s need for rest, relaxation, and green spaces.

Thanks for reading today, everyone. Have thoughts or questions on energy and high intensity exercise? Share them below.

0 notes

milenasanchezmk · 7 years

Text

CrossFit’s Criticisms: How Do I Keep Energy Levels High on Primal?

Here’s a typical query from a committed CrossFitter suffering from low energy.

“Eating clean”: Eating too few calories and/or carbohydrates. We already know what’s wrong with that.

Or this one, from the CF forum:

The reasons for this person’s lack of energy is even more glaring. “Nothing starchy,” no longer eating “my fave” sweet potatoes, leafy salads and chicken breasts. She’s barely eating!

So, what does Primal have to offer a CrossFitter who wants more energy for training sessions and normal waking (yawning) life?

Honor Your Circadian Rhythm

Balance the Intensity of CrossFit with the Tranquility of Nature

Nature doesn’t have to be the forest. It can be desert, beach, lake, marsh, swamp, meadow, prairie, bog, jungle. Even a city park can work. Use what you have.

Focus on Micronutrients

The Primal eating plan has always identified and promoted the consumption of otherwise obscure micronutrients, many of which play major roles in energy production.

If you’re doing CrossFit without paying attention to your intake of iodine, selenium, magnesium, and glycine/collagen, you risk losing energy levels.

Get Fat-Adapted

Though I’ve focused primarily on non-dietary factors today, I’ll close with perhaps the most momentous modification you can make to support your daily energy levels: getting fat-adapted.

In the end, having adequate energy boils down to support.

Eating enough calories and carbs and protein and fat to support your training.

Supporting your biologically-appropriate circadian rhythm by getting bright light during the day, dim light at night, and having a reasonable bedtime.

Eating adequate amounts of the basic micronutrients that support energy production.

Spending time in nature to support your body’s need for rest, relaxation, and green spaces.

Thanks for reading today, everyone. Have thoughts or questions on energy and high intensity exercise? Share them below.

0 notes

cynthiamwashington · 7 years

Text

CrossFit’s Criticisms: How Do I Keep Energy Levels High on Primal?

Here’s a typical query from a committed CrossFitter suffering from low energy.

“Eating clean”: Eating too few calories and/or carbohydrates. We already know what’s wrong with that.

Or this one, from the CF forum:

The reasons for this person’s lack of energy is even more glaring. “Nothing starchy,” no longer eating “my fave” sweet potatoes, leafy salads and chicken breasts. She’s barely eating!

So, what does Primal have to offer a CrossFitter who wants more energy for training sessions and normal waking (yawning) life?

Honor Your Circadian Rhythm

Balance the Intensity of CrossFit with the Tranquility of Nature

Nature doesn’t have to be the forest. It can be desert, beach, lake, marsh, swamp, meadow, prairie, bog, jungle. Even a city park can work. Use what you have.

Focus on Micronutrients

The Primal eating plan has always identified and promoted the consumption of otherwise obscure micronutrients, many of which play major roles in energy production.

If you’re doing CrossFit without paying attention to your intake of iodine, selenium, magnesium, and glycine/collagen, you risk losing energy levels.

Get Fat-Adapted

Though I’ve focused primarily on non-dietary factors today, I’ll close with perhaps the most momentous modification you can make to support your daily energy levels: getting fat-adapted.

In the end, having adequate energy boils down to support.

Eating enough calories and carbs and protein and fat to support your training.

Supporting your biologically-appropriate circadian rhythm by getting bright light during the day, dim light at night, and having a reasonable bedtime.

Eating adequate amounts of the basic micronutrients that support energy production.

Spending time in nature to support your body’s need for rest, relaxation, and green spaces.

Thanks for reading today, everyone. Have thoughts or questions on energy and high intensity exercise? Share them below.

The post CrossFit’s Criticisms: How Do I Keep Energy Levels High on Primal? appeared first on Mark's Daily Apple.

Article source here:Marks’s Daily Apple

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