I really enjoyed the time I spent with the whoop strap. We sadly parted ways after 19 months of 24/7 interaction. I previously discussed how much data this device provides to you. In addition to providing data, I found the whoop strap gently nudging me to make healthier choices. While the app would offer suggestions with regard to bedtime, it was never intrusive. The true power of the device is in the data it collects, summarized and then presents to you very clearly. Objective data is very powerful. It is not theoretical. It clearly shows the effects of choices you make each day. The best way to study these lifestyle choices is by using the journal function. With only a few swipes on the app, whatever behaviors you are tracking can be logged each morning. A summary of the effects of these behaviors will show up monthly in the app. This objective data will result in lifestyle improvements. Here is what I learned.
Whole, unprocessed foods lead to improved recovery. Veering off my usual low carb, high fat diet resulted in poorer recovery scores. I have written about this extensively elsewhere in this blog.
Intermittent fasting improved my recovery scores. This reinforced what I had been doing for years and had written about earlier. Eating just before bed interferes with recovery, primarily by interfering with sleep. Magnesium glycinate supplement improves sleep performance. This was a supplement I had been using for years. It clearly showed up Resistance exercise (weight-lifting) does not register as much strain. (But it will reduce recovery). The whoop strap is designed primarily to track cardiovascular exercise and the recovery score represents how ready your body is for cardiovascular stress. While a very strenuous resistance exercise workout will not increase your strain for the day very much (since it will not generally create a sustained increase in heart rate), it will show up indirectly with a lower recovery than you might otherwise expect the following day. Thus, the whoop strap is not "missing" the effects of this workout as some believe by not elevating your strain score, it is absolutely registering its effects on your nervous system, and will guide you to optimize your fitness regimen based on the reduced recovery score.
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Dr. GorczynskiOrthopedic Surgeon focused on the entire patient, not just a single joint. Categories
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