How well do you think you're managing your stress? If you work in a fast-paced environment, this can be difficult. We tend to power through our tasks and stress, but this can lead to burnout in the long run. Burnout can then result in anxiety and depression that can make it even harder to deal with stress. Stop the cycle by going back to the basics and learn to manage your sleep and support your body with ketones!

In this episode, Damian Porter shares how he has adapted to his busy and high-pressure lifestyle as a firefighter and former Special Forces operator. Even though his training made him relentless, he has also learned the value of working smarter rather than harder. When trying to manage stress, make sure that you're getting good quality sleep. Ketones can also help manage stress and can reduce anxiety by as much as 40%!

If you want to learn more about managing stress in a fast-paced or high-pressure lifestyle, then this episode is for you!

Here are three reasons why you should listen to the full episode:

Discover how Damian can keep up with fast-paced and stressful situations as a former Special Forces operator and firefighter.
Understand that you can manage your stress if you support your body properly. Sleep is the first step.
Learn how ketones, specifically exogenous ketones, can help you lower stress, manage weight loss and more!

Resources

Gain exclusive access and bonuses to Pushing the Limits Podcast by becoming a patron!
Episode 220: Handling Pressured Situations and Making Career Transitions with Conrad Smith
Episode 211: How Sleep Affects Our Lives and Why It's Vital with Dr Kirk Parsley
Episode 206: How to Achieve Metabolic Health with Prof Grant Schofield
Start tracking your sleep with Whoop.
Everything Harder Than Everyone Else by Jenny Valentish
Real Ketone's study on Ketones for Weight Loss and Body Composition
Real Ketone's study on How D-BHB Ketones Lowers Normal Stress and Anxiety
Learn more about Real Ketones: Website | Youtube | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok
Connect with Damian: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Email

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Episode Highlights [03:04] Damian's Experiences before Joining the Special Forces

Damian shares he used to bodybuild when he was around 19 years old, and he was a Pan Pacific champion.
Then, he joined the army in New Zealand. In 2000, he was sent to East Timor for a mission.
His experience in the military taught him to be less selfish. It made him see how people grow up and learn the realities of developing countries.
Damian recounts his time in East Timor in the full episode.

[09:17] How to Cope with Trauma

Seeing terrible situations during his mission taught Damian to compartmentalise.
Talking to others can help you avoid bottling up feelings. You can start with one friend or your partner first, then your teammates.
Sleep is also important. It's where we can disconnect our emotions from traumatic events.
Get the basics right. Have good food, exercise, sleep and connect with others.

[12:34] How Damian Joined the Special Forces

After his time in East Timor, Damian left the military and went into exercise rehabilitation.
After one and a half years, he went back to the military. By 2005, he helped form a counterterrorism team as a standalone squadron.
Selection for Special Forces is different since the job is different. Damian observes that one criterion is people's response and management of physical and mental pain.

[17:05] The Mindset to Help You Keep Going

Damian shares that the Special Forces' tenets are hard-wired into them and help them keep doing their work.
The first tenet is the unrelenting pursuit of excellence. Always be better than your best.
Next, have the discipline to learn and teach.

[18:45] Keep Learning and Evolving

He shares that the Special Forces constantly evolves and now supports people to rest and not go hard all the time. In fact, a regiment in Australia has sleeping pods in their camp.
He also shares that his team is able to relax before missions. Be able to switch on and off before difficult and serious situations.
Damian recommends working and training smarter, not harder. This includes exercise selection and performance.
Keep up with the times and stay humble. Be willing to learn from others, even when they're younger than you.

[23:21] How to Cope with Changes and Transitions

In professional sports, athletes face the problem of transitioning out of their careers.
These athletes tend to be stuck in a bubble that can burst if they get injured and can't play anymore.
Damian shares that this can be similar to those from the military. Once they come back, they often feel like fish out of the water.
Therefore, having a team of people to support you through changes is important.

[29:12] How to Manage Your Thoughts and Actions

Remember that people react to situations differently. For example, if you're prone to be addicted to dopamine, you may find it harder to be satisfied.
Understand your genes better so you won't beat yourself up for things that don't suit you in the first place.
Remember that your biology will create your thoughts. If your body lacks certain chemicals, you will naturally want to fill the void.
If you want to change your thinking, start with self-awareness and reflection.

[34:01] How Damian Started Ketones

Damian is now with the fire brigade in Australia and coaches clients on sleep and nutrition.
Six years after he left the Special Forces, Damian shares he was depressed and anxious. This led him to learn about ketones in 2015.

[35:42] How Ketones Can Help Us

Ketones are a fuel source. In the keto diet, people are aiming to get into a state of ketosis to use ketones to fuel the brain.
It can also help cancer patients, sports performance, depression and mood stabilisation.
A 2019 study shows that ketones can reduce anxiety by 40%.
When you're on a keto diet or in a fasting state, the ketones can change glutamate into GABA. Glutamate is a chemical that can make us excited or anxious.
Ketones can also inhibit seizures.

[39:51] Damian Shares Real Ketones

Real Ketones carry two products. One is a human identical ketone, which is DBHB. The other is an LDBHB mix, which is more effective for anxiety, weight loss, and brain performance.
It's found that the latter mix has a 59.9% drop in anxiety, 159% more fat loss and 10% greater brain processing speed.

[42:18] Why Exogenous Ketones?

Regardless of your diet, exogenous ketones can significantly raise your ketone levels.
Remember, ketone drinks were invented for the Navy Seals because it's more convenient than depending on a keto diet.
Exogenous ketones can also help fat-adapted athletes lose weight and those who are prone to inflammation.

[52:09] The Importance of Sleep

Sleep can help you manage stress better. This is the first thing you need to work on. After that, you can layer on better food, ketones, exercise and other strategies.
Poor sleep for one year can easily lead to being 7 kilos overweight. It can also increase neurodegeneration, diabetes risk, cancer risk and more.
Due to his schedule as a firefighter, Damian shares how he would do Tabata exercises to stay awake. This is 4 minutes of exercise with cycles of 20 seconds of exercise and 10 seconds of rest.
He would also get light exposure and drink caffeine in the morning, as well as take theanine and ketones.
To make up for his lack of sleep, Damian would take magnesium, theanine, tryptophan and GABA.

7 Powerful Quotes

'Sleep is where we disconnect emotions from traumatic events. As if you've been up all night, not able to sleep, of course, you're gonna feel the same the next day.

'Getting good food, getting good sleep, bit of exercise, and having connection with somebody in some way is going to help you out.'

'You're just trying to do your best and then be better than that. Yeah, not just trying to hit a standard—trying to be better than that.'

'Driven people, they can achieve anything. And then they're asking themselves to do it by themselves. And that's where they fall over.'

'Connection is the cure...Build a team before you go. And the team just could be your wife. That's your team. At no point in the military and no point in the org base did you ever do anything by yourself.'

'I'm being self aware, being able to self reflect, and then apply something and if I can't do it, I'll ask someone that can help me identify it or help me throw it off, or get their advice, and then analyze that and then apply it to myself.'

'Your three year old: would you would you let them get by six hours sleep? If you possibly think on that, you think that's insane? Don't do it to yourself because we are the same as the three year old.'

About Damian

Damian Porter has over 28 years of experience in the health and wellness industry. He is a career firefighter, champion national bodybuilder, exercise rehabilitation physiologist, former Special Forces Operator and a police officer with years of experience in both military and civilian applications.

Through his wide range of experiences, Damian is able to help clients achieve their optimal body, health, and performance-based on practical and educated perspectives.

Interested in Damian's work? Check out his website.

You can also reach out to him on Facebook, Instagram, and email (porter.bookings@gmail.com).

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