The Paul Project: Recent Episodes
Rick Tanton
The Paul Project is a monthly biohacking experiment. Join us as we add one major change to our lives, and report on the results.
It’s impossible NOT to hear about the keto diet today. This high-fat, low-carb diet is one of 2018’s early trends, but what is it exactly? Join Alex & Rick as they kick off the year with a keto resolution and throw themselves into ketosis to see if the health and weight loss benefits are legit. Over 10 years ago Alex lost a veritable crap ton of weight and body fat on the Atkins Diet, and three years ago Rick lost weight, waist line, and gained athletic abilities that saw him beat the Spartan World Championship while trying keto the first time. If you’re curious about keto this is the podcast for you, with an action-packed hour of all the info, Q&A, and guidance you’ll need to try it out!
Some of the topics discussed:
- How each guy will approach keto, with Rick using Mark Sisson’s new book The Keto Reset Diet, and Alex using his tried and true Atkins Diet model
- Why you’ll have to re [...]
For their 4th challenge the guys took a cold shower every day for a month in hopes of enjoying a plethora of health benefits including an increase in brown fat, deeper sleep, and an ability to handle the colder winter temperatures starting to arrive. They would take their showers as normal, but once clean, turn the temperature as cold as it would go for anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. But would both guys catching a mid-month cold affect the challenge?
Some of the topics discussed:
- What part of the body is best to hit with cold water when you’re starting out?
- How can you fight the common cold, and when is it time to take antibiotics?
- Why shouldn’t you take a cold shower if you’re fighting an infection?
- What made Alex turn the corner on Bulletproof Coffee?
- What time of year is best for cold showers?
Subscri [...]
Are you ready to join The Paul Project team in drinking between 8 and 32 ounces of bone broth a day for one month? In our introduction episode for December we discuss what bone broth is, the ingredients that go into making it, why it’s believed to be a health superfood, and we even provide a full bone broth recipe to help you make it at home. You’ll get all the info you need to take part, drink your 8 ounces a day for the month of December, and reap the benefits bone broth has to offer!
Some of the topics discussed:
- What’s the difference between broth and stock?
- Has broth’s role in fighting the cold and flu actually been proven?
- What role might bone broth play in fighting the symptoms of fibromyalgia?
- Bone broth’s role in healthy bone formation and healthy hair and skin
- Does bone broth need to be made with pastured animals and organic vegetables?
- R [...]
For our third experiment Alex decided to have us block as close to 100% of blue light as we could every evening for the last few hours before bed. Why? To help us fall asleep quicker, to increase our quality of sleep, and to reap the physical, mental, and emotional benefits we get from a consistent, high quality sleep. The guys both blocked blue light on their electronic devices, and wore amber blocking glasses at night. Would they find a boost in deep sleep?
Some of the topics discussed:
- What’s your ideal bed and wake time?
- How important is getting 7-8 hours in bed?
- Will an afternoon alcoholic drink affect sleep as much as one with dinner?
- Will mental exhaustion and stress during the day affect sleep quality?
- What beer did Rick enjoy with a Jamaican patty the day he earned his highest deep sleep @ 169 minutes?
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Ready to join us in November’s challenge? We’ve now split the podcast so you can listen in if you’re interested in taking part in our experiments, allowing us to focus solely on each experiment in their own podcasts. In this quick intro episode we go through the 7 benefits of taking a cold shower every day, and then go over exactly how long we’ll do it.
For those without a desire to listen, but a desire to take part:
- Nov 1-7: 30 seconds
- Nov 8-14: 60 seconds
- Nov 15-21: 120 seconds
- Nov 22-28: 240 seconds
- Nov 29-30: 300 seconds
Thanks for listening to The Paul Project! Follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/thepaulprojectpodcastfor early announcements of experiments, helpful links and guidance, and always let us know if you’re trying them at home.
Our second experiment was consuming Bulletproof Coffee every day for a month. What’s Bulletproof Coffee? We made a regular coffee, then blended in grass-fed butter and XCT oil or Brain Octane Oil. Coming in at approximately 400 calories it’s meant to assist in pushing you into fat-burning ketosis and improve mental clarity and focus. The experiment? Would we notice this increased clarity and focus?
Some of the topics discussed:
- How important is a blender vs. a frother vs. a spoon?
- Do you really need to buy Brain Octane Oil?
- Can you use regular or store-bought organic coffee?
- What’s the one major side effect of too much oil?
- Could Bulletproof Coffee work alongside intermittent fasting?
In the end, each of them decide if Bulletproof Coffee is now part of their lifestyle, and introduce what they’ll be doing next month.
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For their first official experiment of the Paul Project, Rick and Alexander embark on 31 days of intermittent fasting. The two were only able to eat food between the hours of 12pm and 8pm daily for the month, with minor liquids allowed in their off-hours. The experiment? Without otherwise altering diet would they experience weight loss or lose any inches around the mid-section?
Some of the topics discussed:
- The major issue each met by not making changes to their meal sizes
- The effect the experiment had on IBS issues
- How intermittent fasting impacts a keto (Alexander) and Paleo (Rick) lifestyle
- Results, if any, on athletic performance
- Why Alexander and Rick were sending frantic WhatsApps at 11pm on a Saturday
- In the end, each of them decide if intermittent fasting is now part of their lifestyle, and introduce what they’ll be doing next month.
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Meet Rick & Alexander, the men behind The Paul Project. The two friends compare notes on their past failures and successes as it pertains to their health, some successes they’ve experienced previously, and their individual goals with The Paul Project. Learn where the name of the podcast comes from, and which experiments each person hopes the other never chooses to take part in.