and you want to maximize your efforts, you’re better off doing it in the late afternoon. There is a lot of data that has to do with our circadian rhythm and body temperature, which correlates with the effi- ciency of strength and power improvements.” Portman emphasizes
There actually is a better time to exercise based on our circadian rhythms, and it tends to be late afternoon.
“You have four circuits,” explains
Portman. “You have an energy circuit, an appetite circuit, a stress circuit and a protein turnover circuit. Once you begin to screw with your circuitry, you have problems.”
you can’t beatmother nature Too many people set themselves up for failure because they’re working against their DNA. “Much of the current think- ing about diet and exercise isn’t really consistent with how our bodies really work,” says Portman. Certain modern lifestyle habits, like
lack of sleep (less than eight hours per night), disrupt our genetically pro- grammedmetabolic pathways, elevating cortisol and creating inefficient nutrient processing. Crash dieting is another significant disruption to our built-in circuitry, which is why weight regain is such a common consequence of restrictive, short-termdiets. Portman and his co-author Ivy have
identified precise models that will restore your natural rhythms and propel you into a “red zone” of hyper-efficiency. One example Portman gave us is about exercise: “There actually is a better time to exercise based on our circadian rhythms, and it tends to be late after- noon. So if you’re doing strength training
that it’s important to exer- cise whether or not you can incorporate the late- afternoon workout, and there are numerous other ways to take advantage of your preinstalled circuitry that are easy to introduce into your schedule.With nutrient timing and other techniques that Portman and Ivy have developed, you’ll be better able to control your hormonal responses and increase your energy levels. You’ll learn to work with your body’s endogenous systems
instead of fighting them. Says Portman: “Once you recognize
the interrelationships between the cir- cuits and how they are turned on and off, you can implement a program so that your fitness circuitry is helping you achieve your fitness goals rather than serving as an obstacle.”
GET THE BOOK! “Hardwired for Fitness” is available at bookstores everywhere, or you can order directly fromthe publisher (call 800/575-8890 or visit
basichealthpub.com).
GET ACTIVE! 31
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