Skip Pain to Max Performance

You don’t have to be fit to enjoy awesome physical activity -- you just have to prevent pain from slowing you down! Greetings Everyday Spy, I spent a day walking alone through 24 miles of winding forest -- my own way of saying ‘farewell’ to an awesome summer adventure in Maine. I chose a hiking path known as the ‘Hills to Sea’ trail. The 47 mile route goes from the small mountain village of Unity, ME to the oceanfront paradise of Belfast, ME. My goal was simple; start early and walk as long and far as my legs would take me. The average person hikes between 1-2 miles/hour; fit folks average 2-4 miles/hour in moderate terrain. While middle age (technically), two kids, and many years of marriage have softened me from my operational fitness prime, I was confident I could keep a backcountry field pace of 3 mph with a 16lb pack (and 2.5 mph with a 30 lb. pack). The reason you walk, hike, or run slower than you want isn't because of your fitness level... Your performance in any physical activity is almost exclusively based on how much pain that activity causes you. - Pain in your joints from aging, injury, or extra body weight - Pain in your muscles from poor flexibility, dehydration, or soreness - Pain in your head, lungs, or bowels from exertion, exposure, or altitude Every CIA officer’s pre-mission prep includes steps to offset pain in order to maximize field performance. That's how 120lb female operatives can keep pace with 180lb special operators. It's the reason chunky field officers can operate side-by-side with paramilitary officers. And it's the one thing no weight-loss, fad-diet, or home-fitness salesman is ever going to admit to you. You don’t have to be fit to enjoy awesome physical activity -- you just have to prevent pain from slowing you down! I knew I wanted to hike more than 20 miles during my ‘farewell tour’ on the Hills to Sea trail. But I also knew I hadn’t hiked in years, and I hadn’t run, walked, or done any kind of cardio longer than 5-6 miles since my second child was born. So instead of spending months building up my base fitness (which is nice, if you have the time), I opted to biohack my pain tolerance to boost my hiking range. Here is how you can increase your physical activity by 300%-500% overnight -- to play with your kids, enjoy a pick-up game, or spend some solitary time reflecting in the great outdoors: Step 1: Hydrate the day before The 24 hours before you engage in physical activity impact your performance more than anything else. And between sleeping, eating, resting, and hydrating -- hydration yields the biggest performance returns. Don’t believe me? Ask any long-distance athlete you know and I promise you they sacrifice sleep, food, and relaxation before a race… but never water. Step 2: Skin contact counts Nothing will slow you down and leave you injured faster than what you wear. Wear shoes that fit, socks that breathe, underwear that wicks water, and clothes that block sunlight. Blisters, hot-spots, and chafing can shut down even elite Tier 1 operators. That's why they pay attention to anything that touches their skin. Step 3: The flavor of sweat The day of your planned activity, keep your favorite gummy bears and pretzels close! Simple sugars (like hard candy, gummies, and powders) and salts (aka: electrolytes - the $10k buzzword) are the perfect fuel to keep your body well-tuned the entire time you are out in the field. Skip big meals and channel your inner 8 year-old: eat those gummies, goldfish crackers, saltines, and peanut-butter cups with pride! Your body is gonna turn them into much needed energy in a matter of seconds. Being a parent, business owner, career professional, and care-giver leaves you little time for the gym... But that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the fun by sitting on the sideline. While CIA officers strive for elite fitness, we always lean on these tools to hack our field performance in a pinch. Now you can, too. Godspeed, #EverydaySpy P.S. - [Understanding the difference between willpower and self-discipline gives you an elite edge everyone else is hungry for. Learn how secret operators do it with the Daily Power System.]( Follow @EverydaySpy on Social Media! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Andrew Bustamante, Founder of EverydaySpy.com, is a former covert CIA Intelligence officer, decorated US Air Force Combat Veteran, and respected Fortune 500 senior advisor. Learn more from Andrew on his Podcast (The Everyday Espionage Podcast) and by following @EverydaySpy on your favorite social media platform. This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Don't want to receive these emails anymore? [Unsubscribe]( EverydaySpy, 411 Walnut St. #20309, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043