The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

Why Your Workouts Aren’t Giving You a Summer Body — with Nick Bare : 1294

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Jun 24, 2025

In this chat, performance-driven entrepreneur and Army veteran Nick Bare shares his insights on why workouts sometimes don’t yield the desired summer body. He emphasizes that consistency is key, not just intensity, and warns against the traps of overtraining. The conversation explores the importance of recovery science, sleep optimization, and the role of mitochondria in energy production. Nick also discusses tackling entrepreneurial stress, balancing ambition with recovery, and leveraging biohacking for enhanced performance and focus.

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ADVICE

Use Fear of Mediocrity Wisely

Fear of mediocrity drives consistent improvement and reaching potential.
Avoid burnout by pushing smarter, not harder, focusing on progress not just effort.

ADVICE

Apply Maintenance Cycles to Longevity

Treat your body like a well-maintained vehicle with scheduled, prioritized maintenance.
Focus energy on critical systems to extend longevity effectively within limited time.

ANECDOTE

Regret Overtraining, Train Smart

Mark Sisson regrets overtraining in youth, advocating smarter, efficient training later.
Pushing too hard early can cause long-term damage that requires costly repairs later.

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One More

The Unwavering Belief in Yourself

Ed Mylett

Ed Mylett's "One More" isn't just about adding one more item to your to-do list; it's a philosophy of consistent, incremental progress. The book encourages readers to push beyond their comfort zones and embrace the power of small, consistent actions. Mylett emphasizes the importance of mindset and perseverance in achieving long-term goals. He shares personal anecdotes and practical strategies to help readers develop a growth mindset and overcome obstacles. The core message is that consistent effort, even in small increments, leads to significant results over time.

The Courage to Be Disliked

Fumitake Koga

Ichiro Kishimi

This book unfolds as a dialogue between a young man and a philosopher over five nights, exploring the principles of Adlerian psychology. It emphasizes that true happiness and freedom come from living a life independent of past traumas and societal expectations. Key themes include the idea that all problems stem from interpersonal relationships, the importance of separating one's tasks from others', and the concept that freedom is found in having the courage to be disliked. The book provides practical advice on self-forgiveness, self-care, and mind decluttering, encouraging readers to take control of their life's direction and live in the present[3][4][5].

The bulletproof diet

Dave Asprey

The Bulletproof Diet is a comprehensive guide to achieving better mental clarity, sustained energy, and weight loss through a high-fat, moderate-protein, and low-carbohydrate approach. The diet emphasizes eating organic, grass-fed, and non-GMO foods to minimize toxins and maximize nutrient intake. It also incorporates intermittent fasting and the consumption of healthy fats like avocados, coconut oil, and grass-fed butter. The diet aims to stabilize blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, and support cognitive function. Key components include the use of Bulletproof Coffee, avoiding mold toxins, and a balanced approach to exercise and sleep[1][3][5].

Heavily Meditated

8 Steps to Remove Your Triggers and Upgrade Your Mind

Dave Asprey

In 'Heavily Meditated', Dave Asprey combines ancient wisdom traditions and practices with modern technology and cutting-edge methods. The book is based on his immersive program '40 Years of Zen' and provides an 8-step approach to help readers remove their triggers and upgrade their mental well-being. Asprey draws on his extensive experience in biohacking and human performance optimization to offer practical advice for improving mental clarity and resilience.

You’re working out, eating clean, and still not getting the results you want. This episode reveals the real reason your fitness isn’t translating to the summer body you’re chasing and what to do instead.

Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience:

https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR

Host Dave Asprey sits down with performance-driven entrepreneur and former Army Ranger Nick Bare, founder of Bare Performance Nutrition and the Go One More movement. With over a decade of experience in human performance, endurance, and mindset training, Nick has built a cult-like following by pushing the limits of physical and mental resilience without burning out.

In this episode, you’ll learn why consistency beats intensity, how to spot the traps of overtraining, and how to train smarter by understanding mitochondria function, recovery science, and sleep optimization. Dave and Nick go deep on longevity tactics, cold therapy, neurohacking rituals, and why emotional regulation is the missing link in high performance.

They also break down elite strategies for entrepreneurial stress, parenting under pressure, and how to balance ambition with recovery using tools from biohacking, self-quantification, and functional medicine. You’ll get practical insights into how Upgrade Labs, Danger Coffee, and the principles behind Smarter Not Harder can dramatically boost your energy and focus.

Whether you’re an endurance athlete, a sleep-deprived parent, or a business builder trying to avoid burnout, this conversation gives you the blueprint for sustainable energy, powerful willpower, and next-level fitness that actually works.

You’ll Learn:

• The true cost of overtraining and how to avoid it

• How to create “sprints” in life without sacrificing long-term performance

• Tactical upgrades for training, sleep, fasting, and emotional recovery

• What most people get wrong about motivation and discipline

• How to use nootropics, cold therapy, and fasting to accelerate growth

• Why fear of mediocrity can be fuel if used correctly

• How testosterone, cortisol, and dopamine affect parenting, performance, and purpose

Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade is the top podcast for people who want to take control of their biology, extend their longevity, and optimize every system in the body and mind. Each episode features cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, hacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living.

Episodes are released every Tuesday and Thursday, where Dave asks the questions no one else dares, and brings you real tools to become more resilient, aware, and high performing.

SPONSORS:

- Zbiotics | Go to https://zbiotics.com/DAVE for 15% off your first order

-Active Skin Repair | Visit http://activeskinrepair.com/ to learn more and use code DAVE to get 20% off your order.

Resources:

• Dave Asprey’s New Book - Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/

• Nick’s Website – https://www.nickbare.com/

• Nick’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickbarefitness/?hl=en

• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com

• Dave Asprey’s Website: https://daveasprey.com

• Dave Asprey’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveasprey

• Upgrade Collective – Join The Human Upgrade Podcast Live: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com

• Own an Upgrade Labs: https://ownanupgradelabs.com

• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com

• 40 Years of Zen – Neurofeedback Training for Advanced Cognitive Enhancement: https://40yearsofzen.com

Timestamps:

• 00:00 Trailer

• 00:55 Intro

• 02:59 Longevity & health

• 07:51 Endurance vs recovery

• 20:23 Focus & boundaries

• 23:16 Pain & recovery

• 24:48 Dopamine & motivation

• 25:48 Breath work & states

• 28:24 Endurance as meditation

• 30:44 Curiosity & fear

• 32:22 Purposeful suffering

• 33:33 Vision quests

• 40:18 Nervous system switching

• 45:59 Decision-making

• 47:59 Final thoughts

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