Most weight loss strategies center around the two conventional approaches—calorie restriction and exercise. While they may yield initial weight loss results, it becomes more challenging to lose weight in the long run due to metabolic adaptations. Biohacking principles offer an innovative approach to breaking through the limitations of traditional methods for enhanced fat loss outcomes. A mix of the latest technologies, scientific advancement, and lifestyle improvements will help you work smarter, not harder, to get rid of excess body weight.
What is biohacking?
The term ‘biohacking’ originates from the San Francisco programming community where it referred to the use of technology and science-based protocols to optimize the body’s chemistry and physiology. Tech entrepreneurs such as Dave Asprey were the first ambassadors of the movement that contributed to its growing popularity. Biohacking focuses on enhancing overall health, increasing longevity, losing weight, and reducing stress levels.
Innovative hacks suggested by experts cover different aspects of life from nutrition, sleep optimization, and exercise regime, to DNA and blood tests, breathing exercises, and cold exposure. Such a variety of techniques facilitates self-experimentation and helps personalize your weight loss strategy to make it more effective.
6 weight loss biohacks for your workouts
These 6 science-backed tips can be an efficient and effective way to help boost your metabolic rate and achieve greater fat loss results compared to your regular training.
1. REHIT—a biohacking shortcut to exercise
Reduced-Exertion High-Intensity Interval Training (REHIT) is a revolutionary approach to exercise that biohacks your cardiovascular health, metabolic function, and longevity.
The unique concept of REHIT is based on studies indicating that short, maximum-intensity sprints yield fitness and health improvements superior to longer, less intense intervals. Moreover, intense bursts of physical activity catalyze cellular rejuvenation processes and trigger important metabolic adaptations, as well as contributing to a significantly greater increased post-exercise metabolism.
A typical REHIT structure requires just 2×20-second all-out sprints making it the shortest, most effective cardio workout. REHIT intervals are much shorter than traditional high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts because most people can’t sustain the maximum level of effort for a longer period. The whole workout will take you up to 5 minutes on CAROL Bike and it’s structured like this:
- Warm-up: 20-seconds – 2 minutes
- Sprint 1: 20-seconds
- Recovery: 1-3 minutes
- Sprint 2: 20-seconds
- Cooldown: 3 minutes
The sole inconvenience of REHIT is that it can be hard to replicate at home because you need to accurately measure and change intensity levels, at the right time and in a fraction of a second. CAROL’s built in AI personalization does this for you and helps you push to your limits during the sprints.
CAROL Bike is the only exercise bike fully optimized for REHIT— making it simple, effective, and safe. It provides the shortest, most effective workouts suitable for any age and fitness level – while offering greater versatility and choice than most other smart bikes. CAROL is the bike of choice at all of Dave Asprey’s Upgrade Labs, calling these personalized workouts on the AI-powered CAROL Bike a “game-changer”.
2. Fasted workouts in the fat-burning zone
Intermittent fasting is one of the most popular biohacking trends for weight loss. This diet promotes healthy weight by increasing fat oxidation, improving insulin sensitivity, and elevating growth hormone levels. In addition to improved body composition, intermittent fasting increases longevity and improves brain function. You need to consult your doctor before practicing intermittent fasting.
Fasted workouts multiply the beneficial effect of intermittent fasting. The easiest way to get started with fasted workouts is to combine a 16/8 fasting plan (an 8-hour eating window) with a morning Zone 2 training. Not only does morning training burn additional calories, but it also suppresses appetite during the day. In a 2016 study, 2 groups of participants did a morning run, one group fasted and the other ran after breakfast. Participants who practiced fasted running reduced their overall energy intake and increased fat oxidation during exercise.
Fat-burning zone training is preferable in the morning since you haven’t replenished your glycogen stores yet and may feel weakness during more intense training. If you want to combine HIIT sessions with intermittent fasting, schedule them in the middle or at the end of the day, right after your eating window.
CAROL burns over twice as many calories, minute-per-minute vs. traditional exercise, largely thanks to afterburn.
3. Use supplements to fuel your body during workouts
Food supplements optimize your exercise performance and recovery benefiting your overall fitness results. If your main goal is biohacking weight loss, start by adding these 3 food supplements to your daily meals.
1. Creatine
Creatine plays a crucial role in the body’s energy and metabolism. It promotes muscle growth, increases your energy levels to perform high-intensity intervals, and helps you faster recover after the exercise. Creatine is particularly effective for improving your HIIT and strength training performance.
2. Essential amino acids
Essential amino acids are the building blocks of protein used in our muscles, bones, skin, hair, nails, and connective tissue. They are absolutely indispensable for metabolic health and cell repair. Similar to creatine, amino acids enhance muscle growth and repair, boost energy levels, and also improve mitochondrial health associated with longevity.
3. Electrolyte Balance
Electrolyte balance supplements replenish your body with mineral salts, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, necessary for optimal recovery. Electrolytes retain water and help you stay well-hydrated after intense exercise.
Remember that even high-quality supplements can’t replace proper nutrition. Make sure you stick to a healthy diet and fuel yourself with enough proteins, healthy fats, and carbs before workouts.
4. Keep your workouts in sync with circadian rhythms
Circadian rhythms are the daily cycles of physical, chemical, and behavioral changes in the human body. This natural clock is influenced mostly by the dark and light but also by our nutrition, physical activity, and daily habits. Staying up too late or eating heavy food can cause circadian disruption resulting in chronic diseases, weakened immune system, and excessive fat storage. A study that compared 2 groups of women who slept 7 hours a night and 5 hours or less, showed that the latter was 15% more likely to become obese.
Though not as powerful as the light, exercise can help keep circadian rhythms in sync and even increase metabolic efficiency during certain parts of the day.
There is no scientific consensus about the best time to exercise. A study in mice has found that late-morning physical activity could be more effective at boosting metabolism and burning fat. At the same time, another research suggests afternoon is the best exercise time for people with metabolic impairments. Based on these findings, you can schedule your workouts between late morning and late afternoon for more effective results. If you prefer evening workouts, ensure they are completed at least 2 hours before bedtime not to impair your sleep quality.
Whatever time you choose, it’s better to stick to it in the long run and keep your biological clock in sync.
5. Use fitness trackers to track your daily activity
Research indicates that even a few minutes of extra physical activity per day significantly contribute to overall health and weight management. Regular 3-4 1-minute bouts of exercise improve cardiovascular health and trigger an afterburn effect for increased calorie burn. Training methods such as Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity (VILPA) and exercise snacking stem from these scientific advancements.
Measuring the caloric impact of daily routine became possible only with the help of wearable fitness trackers like FitBit, Apple Watch, or Garmin. Wearables will help you stick to regular physical activity and track your goals in the long term. You will see that the simple task of ascending the stairs or taking a walk instead of a car ride makes a difference in your caloric expenditure. You can incorporate more physical activity into your daily routine by taking active breaks at work.
In addition to that, advanced fitness trackers will keep track of your calorie intake and health metrics including cholesterol, insulin, and blood sugar.
6. Exercise in cold temperatures
Cold exposure (cryotherapy) is another effective biohack for weight loss. It improves blood circulation, strengthens the immune system, and increases your metabolic rate promoting fat loss.
A 2009 study found that cold exposure activates brown adipose tissue which plays a significant role in the regulation of energy expenditure and adiposity. Cryotherapy improves the body’s production of brown fat and has been shown to accelerate metabolism and promote weight loss. Additionally, the scientists detected improved insulin sensitivity among the participants which reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and the amount of stored fat.
You can create a synergy effect for effective weight loss by combining cold temperatures with exercise. Not only is it beneficial for your weight loss strategy, but it may also enhance your athletic performance and recovery. Cold exposure increases your blood oxygen levels and lowers your core body temperature so that your body can spend more energy on exercise itself. Some studies show that cooling interventions result in additional muscle mass gain which helps burn more calories at rest.
There are various ways of including extremely cold temperatures in your workout routine. You can train outdoors in winter, take a cold shower before training, or put on an ice vest during your CAROL Bike session.
Conclusion
Whilst regular exercise and healthy foods remain the foundation of any weight loss journey, biohacking techniques can truly revolutionize it by helping your body burn fat more effectively. They allow you to personalize your fat loss strategy based on a more profound understanding of your own biology and take into account multiple factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and environment. By incorporating biohacking techniques you will not only achieve sustainable fat loss outcomes but also improve health indicators and increase your life expectancy.
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