Optimal Performance

"The opposite of play is not work. The opposite of play is depression." - Charlie Hoehn

Charlie Hoehn is the Head of Author Marketing for Book In A Box and has written several best-selling books of his own: Play It Away and Recession-Proof Graduate, that offer simple solutions that help people get on with their lives. 

Previously, Charlie interned with Seth Godin, Ramit Sethi and was Tim Ferriss’ Director of Special Projects, whom he helped edit and launch The 4-Hour Body. The book debuted as a bestseller — #1 New York Times, #1 Amazon, #1 Barnes & Noble.

When he graduated college in the midst of the recession, Charlie Hoehn found a way to provide value, allowing him to thrive when many others suffered. His unique approach - explained in this interview - has enabled him to rub shoulders with and learn from some of the most powerful minds of our time.

Charlie's own "workaholic" nature drove him to depression and serious bouts of anxiety which led him to discover the power of play and how it can help us increase happiness and reduce anxiety.

This podcast is loaded with lessons from Charlie's mentors (Seth Godin, Ramit Sethi, and Tim Ferris) as well as actionable strategies for you to end the guilt you feel when you're not working, reduce stress and anxiety, and how to build more play (read: joy & happiness) into your life.

Paleo Chef & Phat Fudge creator Mary Shenouda is a true unicorn.

Mary, aka the Paleo Chef, is a private chef to professional athletes and Hollywood celebrities, and the flavor formulator of many of your favorite #Paleo products.

She's also on a mission to help millions eat better, play more, and live a fulfilling life. #EatPlayCrush We sat down with Mary a few weeks ago in Venice, California to decode her secrets of high performance.

The result is one-of-a-kind episode of the OPP, where we talk with the creator of Unicorn Fuel to learn how to embrace your uniqueness, eat like you give a damn about yourself, crush life, being a female entrepreneur, individualizing the Paleo diet to fit your own needs, and using mortality to fuel your mission.

Paleo Chef & Phat Fudge creator Mary Shenouda is a true unicorn.

Mary, aka the Paleo Chef, is a private chef to professional athletes and Hollywood celebrities, and the flavor formulator of many of your favorite #Paleo products.

She's also on a mission to help millions eat better, play more, and live a fulfilling life. #EatPlayCrush

We sat down with Mary a few weeks ago in Venice, California to decode her secrets of high performance.

The result is one-of-a-kind episode of the OPP, where we talk with the creator of Unicorn Fuel to learn how to embrace your uniqueness, eat like you give a damn about yourself, crush life, being a female entrepreneur, individualizing the Paleo diet to fit your own needs, and using mortality to fuel your mission.

The average person SITS 7.7 hours a day, with some people sitting up to 15 hours! By comparison, the average person only gets 6.5 hours of sleep each night. No wonder we're seeing a shift away from health in the average person. After all, 71% of the US is overweight. These statistics tell us a LOT. We sit too much. We sleep and move too little. And you already know we eat more than we ever have in the history of our species - most of that coming from low quality, processed foods. But not you - right?! ;) Back to this sitting thing... The CDC has called sitting the new smoking. Since most of us work from a seated position, commute to work sitting in cars, buses, trains, and planes, and then spend much of our down time sitting in front of TV's, hunched over phones... This podcast is something you need to hear. I'm joined by Aaron Alexander of Align Therapy to discuss how our posture impacts - no, it DICTATES - our physiology. Tune in to find out how you can optimize your sitting time and overcome the muscular, skeletal, and emotional crippling that comes from sitting in submissive, depressive, "douchey" positions for 1/3 of your life (8/24 hours a day). Hack your posture while sitting to optimize your physiology, feelings, mood, decisions and hormonal health. #LiveOptimal

The average person SITS 7.7 hours a day, with some people sitting up to 15 hours!

By comparison, the average person only gets 6.5 hours of sleep each night.

No wonder we're seeing a shift away from health in the average person. After all, 71% of the US is overweight.

These statistics tell us a LOT.

We sit too much. We sleep and move too little. And you already know we eat more than we ever have in the history of our species - most of that coming from low quality, processed foods.

But not you - right?! ;)

Back to this sitting thing...

The CDC has called sitting the new smoking.

Since most of us work from a seated position, commute to work sitting in cars, buses, trains, and planes, and then spend much of our down time sitting in front of TV's, hunched over phones...

This podcast is something you need to hear.

I'm joined by Aaron Alexander of Align Therapy to discuss how our posture impacts - no, it DICTATES - our physiology.

Tune in to find out how you can optimize your sitting time and overcome the muscular, skeletal, and emotional crippling that comes from sitting in submissive, depressive, "douchey" positions for 1/3 of your life (8/24 hours a day).

Hack your posture while sitting to optimize your physiology, feelings, mood, decisions and hormonal health. 

#LiveOptimal

Few things are one size fits all. Especially diets. New research has linked the ketogenic diet to decreases in peak performance for some athletes.

In the first ever OPP solo-cast, I'll discuss this research, what it means for us, and for power athletes, the best applications of the ketogenic diet, and how my 8-month experiment with being keto caused a 20-25% drop in strength. We'll look at the benefits of ketosis and how we can hack the ketogenic diet to reap the benefits while avoiding some of the common drawbacks.

Study Results on Performance

- VO2 Max DECREASED 2.4%

- Peak Power DECREASED 4.1%

- Grip Strength INCREASED 2.5%

Study Results on Biomarkers

- 3% reduction in blood glucose

- 20% reduction in insulin

- 22% reduction in IGF-1

Few things are one size fits all. Especially diets. New research has linked the ketogenic diet to decreases in peak performance for some athletes. 

In the first ever OPP solo-cast, I'll discuss this research, what it means for us, and for power athletes, the best applications of the ketogenic diet, and how my 8-month experiment with being keto caused a 20-25% drop in strength.

We'll look at the benefits of ketosis and how we can hack the ketogenic diet to reap the benefits while avoiding some of the common drawbacks.

Study Results on Performance

- VO2 Max DECREASED 2.4%

- Peak Power DECREASED 4.1%

- Grip Strength INCREASED 2.5% 

Study Results on Biomarkers

- 3% reduction in blood glucose

- 20% reduction in insulin

- 22% reduction in IGF-1

Along with Caveman Coffee, we're helping 3 lucky people optimize their mornings with this bundle.

3 winners will receive:

• 1 Bag Caveman Coffee
• 1 Bottle of Caveman MCT Oil
• 1 Bottle of CILTEP

Along with Caveman Coffee, we're helping 3 lucky people optimize their mornings with this bundle.

3 winners will receive:

• 1 Bag Caveman Coffee
• 1 Bottle of Caveman MCT Oil
• 1 Bottle of CILTEP

Tom Bilyeu is on a mission to end both metabolic disease and generational poverty.

His relentless quest includes the stated intent to deliver people the tools required to live outside the matrix and create meaningful impact on the world.

We're honored to have Tom on the OPP to share his insights on success and top tips to help ignite our potential.

1. Use books to enhance your social circle
2. Do more research than anyone else
3. Find gaps in the existing landscape and fill those voids
4. Outwork everyone
5. Love conquers all. Celebrate transformation to foster a community of support
6. Find your lead domino
7. Master the growth mindset

Listen to the full podcast for the details and blueprint to implement each of these in your life.

Tom Bilyeu is the co-founder of 2014 Inc. 500 company Quest Nutrition — a unicorn startup valued at over $1 billion — and the co-founder and host of Impact Theory.

Tom's mission is the creation of empowering media-based IP and the acceleration of mission-based businesses [like Natural Stacks]. Personally driven to help people develop the skills they will need to improve themselves and the world, Tom is intent to use commerce to address the dual pandemics of physical and mental malnourishment. Tom regularly inspires audiences of entrepreneurs, change makers, and thought leaders at some of the most prestigious conferences and seminars around the world, including Abundance 360, A-fest, and Freedom Fast Lane. Tom has also been a guest on the Tony Robbins podcast and The School of Greatness podcast and has been featured in Forbes, Inc., Success, and The Huffington Post. Tom is currently on the Innovation Board of the XPRIZE Foundation.

• How to stand out from the crowd - even in saturated markets
• Ending metabolic disease
• Execute against your dreams
• Why adaptability beats strength or intelligence
• How to build the right team and support system for success
• Find your lead domino and the right catalysts for change
• The key to reaching the top: do research, fill in the gaps, outwork everyone
• The most crucial part(s) of Tom's morning routine
• Why Tom says "don't trust your emotions"
• Tom's strategies to live-forever - or at least optimize quality of life
• Where you can find Tom and get more of his unique inspiration
• Tom Bilyeu's Top 3 Tips to #LiveOptimal