Confessions of a Bio-Hacker: How I Outwork the Kids

As a 68-year-old off-premise catering chef, I understand why employers might doubt my ability to perform on long, difficult shifts. This work is demanding. It means spending 15+ hours on my feet, often working in challenging surroundings. I agree that the average person my age would struggle with the physical and mental demands of this challenging profession.

The fact is, I routinely work these long hours with energy to spare. I am operating at my peak, with better focus and endurance than I had a decade ago.

I accomplish this through a strict protocol of diet, rest, movement, and custom electrolytes.

Here is how I maintain that baseline to set the standard for productivity on site.

Diet

I've focused on a healthy diet for over 45 years, and my biomarkers look like those of a much younger person.

• Steady Energy: I eat little or no refined carbohydrates on event days. Avoiding sugars prevents the energy spikes and crashes associated with simple carbs.

• No Stimulants: The only stimulant I take is a single cup of coffee with breakfast. I do not rely on energy drinks or continuous caffeine to get through long shifts. Stimulants create peaks and crashes similar to that of sugar, and by avoiding both I can maintain a high level of consistent energy.

• The Morning Formula: I start almost every day with a supplement stack and a nutrient-dense cultured oatmeal recipe I developed over several years. This single meal provides more foundational nutrition than most people get all day. (You can find the formula linked here.)

Rest

I treat every catering shift like a physical performance challenge, which makes proper rest a non-negotiable baseline.

• Sleep Target: I aim for a solid 8 hours of sleep and get to bed early whenever the catering schedule allows.

• Professional Prep: You will never find me out partying the day before a shift. When I step onto a job site, I am fully recovered and ready to work.

Movement

My background includes physical disciplines like yoga and martial arts, alongside active hobbies like motorcycle riding and SCUBA diving. I apply those principles directly to the physical labor of catering by turning the work into conscious, positive movement.

• Active Ergonomics: It is common to see me squatting, bouncing, and stretching during a shift. This helps me avoid the stiffness and energy loss that results from long hours on your feet.

• Balance: Maintaining good posture and balance on uneven terrain prevents fatigue and protects joints over long shifts.

Electrolytes

This is the most important discipline which allows me to out-work people decades younger than me. After researching cellular hydration, I learned that commercial sports drinks rarely optimize how water actually moves into cells. They rely on cheap sugars and poorly absorbed forms of magnesium and potassium. Furthermore, drinking large quantities of plain water can flush out vital minerals and actually worsen cellular hydration.

My custom hydration formula consists of clean water optimized with three specific ingredients:

• Taurine: An amino acid that regulates the flow of water and calcium in and out of muscle and nerve cells, preventing cramping and fatigue.

• Potassium Citrate: A highly bio-available form of potassium that protects muscle function and prevents cramping under heat and exertion.

• Magnesium Glycinate: An easily absorbed form of magnesium that prevents muscle tightness, supports recovery, and maintains mental focus.

Summary

By combining these four disciplines, I'm able to maintain superior focus and productivity at demanding off-site events, regardless of the environment or the length of the day.