What I Read This Week - 5.12.24
Weekly finds from across the internet.
Hey Everyone,
Happy Mother’s Day! To any of the moms reading this (and especially mine!) - I hope you have had a fantastic day and been celebrated in the way you deserve. Thank you everything you all do for us - we are beyond fortunate to have you in our lives.
As we get into this week’s newsletter, some of you all may have noticed a shift in recent weeks. I’ve been experimenting with the structure a bit, trying to find the right balance of sharing resources vs. providing commentary on the themes they reveal. I’ve been enjoying going a bit more in depth on a smaller number of finds over the past couple of weeks, but am not wedded to one approach or the other. If you have any thoughts on what you prefer best - more shares/less detail vs. less shares/more detail - please feel free to shoot me a note or leave a comment. Would love to get some feedback on what you all enjoy most.
Now, on to this week’s edition - featuring finds on:
How to optimize your protein intake
The hidden danger of phthalates in our food
The answer to the question of humanity’s role in an AI era and
High impact tips on public speaking from the world’s best
As always, hope you enjoy! Catch you next week.
- CG
P.S. - As a reminder, you can find the master database of Weekly Read resources here.
Health/Fitness
Optimizing Protein Quantity, Distribution, and Quality - Peter Attia (~9 min)
Protein is one of if not the most critical macronutrients when it comes to human health, and Attia goes deep on optimizing intake in this article. The main takeaways on my end:
Old Recommendations Miss the Mark - Traditional dietary recommendations (~.8g protein per kg body weight) are far too low for those that either (a) want to increase/maintain their lean mass or (b) are moderately to intensely active. Newer research suggests that the optimal intake range lies somewhere between 1.2-2.2g protein/kg body weight daily, with Attia’s aiming for the upper end of this range for his patients.
Distribute Evenly for Ease of Hitting Your Target - Given that a 175 lb person would want to consume ~175 g of protein daily, how that protein is distributed plays an important role. As Attia argues, hitting that target in one sitting is virtually impossible - a main drawback of time restricted eating/intermittent fasting (I have personally experienced this). Instead, it is far more effective to distribute that intake across the day, over 3-5 portions rather than 1-2. In doing so, we make our target protein goal easier to reach by breaking it into small hills climbed over time rather than one massive mountain.
Better Distribution = Better Usability - While the primary benefit of breaking up protein dosages is that it makes hitting targets more feasible, there is an equally important secondary benefit: our bodies use the protein better. Each of us has a maximal rate at which we can synthesize new proteins/muscle that, while highly individual, is strongly regulated by the human body. When the amount of circulating proteins/amino acids surpasses this level, the body simply uses the excess as fuel instead of putting them towards anabolism (muscle building). In other words, the protein we consumed goes to waste. By spreading out our intake more regularly, the body is able to keep muscle building ‘turned on’ without risk of maxing out our capacity.
Minimum 25g-30g Per Serving (If You Want Gains) - The body requires a signal for it to flip muscle building into the ‘on’ phase. That signal comes in molecular form via the essential amino acid leucine - when concentrations in the blood are high enough, the body takes that to mean there are enough protein ‘materials’ for construction to begin. The threshold, though, is important - so much so that muscle synthesis will not occur until leucine concentrations doubles. Research shows that this occurs with around 25-30g of ingested protein, assuming it is a complete source with sufficient leucine composition. Unfortunately that 15g protein bar isn’t likely getting the job done.
Quality and Source Matter - While raw numbers certainly matter, we shouldn’t eschew quality in favor of them. Protein source plays a critical role - we want protein that is both complete (contains a full array of essential amino acids) and usable (is easily digested and reused for protein synthesis). Depending on the food, certain amino acids will be more or less prevalent and those aminos can be either more or less usable. Animal and plant sources present the starkest contrast, as animal based sources tend to have much better amino composition, digestibility, and usability when compared to protein coming from plants. So if you are going to get a large amount of protein from plants, it is important to balance that source with other protein-rich foods that complement the amino profile you are getting.
The Plastic Chemicals Hiding in Your Food - Consumer Report (~4 min)
This was a jarring read. In this piece, Consumer Report pulls back the curtain on the chemical concentrations hiding in well known foods that many of us have likely consumed at one point or the other.
Recent research has highlighted the negative consequences of chemicals like bisphenols and phthalates, suggesting that they serve as powerful endocrine system disruptors. Considering the connection between hormones and health problems like diabetes, cancer, birth defects, and more, it is likely good practice to reduce the presence of these chemicals in our daily lives.
Yet while we are well aware of the obvious role plastics have to play in things such as water bottles and storage containers, it seems we are blissfully unaware of the role it is playing in our food. According to Consumer Report, while BPA and other bisphenols are decreasing in terms of prevalence since they last tested in 2009, phthalates were present in every single food item tested but one.
The most surprising one to me? Fairlife Core Power protein shakes, registering over 20,452 nanograms of pthalates per serving - about the same amount as present in a Burger King Whopper with Cheese wrapped in aluminum foil.
A good reminder that while the macros on the label are a good starting point, there is a lot more to uncover behind the scenes.
The Future (AI, Tech, etc.)
ChatGPT and the Future of the Human Mind - Dan Shipper (~10 min)
This was a great article by Dan that addresses a common question many of us have in regards to AI: what role will humans have to play in the future?
The question is interesting for a number of reasons, but primarily to me because of its lindyness - its ability to endure through time. It is nothing new; we’ve been asking the same one for centuries, each time a new technology threatens to change the world.
But where does it come from? As Dan argues, it stems from a place of insecurity - from a challenge to our sense of self. Each time a new technology comes along and is able to do a formerly human skill at a higher level than the human themself, it is natural that we begin to have second thoughts about what differentiates us as a species.
And while technologies such as writing, the printing press, and the internet have all forced us to ask this same question, none has done so in the way that AI has. Because where others have challenged our skills, AI challenges something else entirely: the thing that we believe makes us most human, our minds.
How do we reconcile the fact that a technology challenges the essence of human thought itself? From Dan’s perspective, we simply answer the question in the same way we always have: not by thinking about what we are, but by thinking about what we do.
AI does not at all change what humans are - but it will certainly have effects on what we do. We are still figuring out exactly what those things are. But regardless of the skills AI comes to possess, the key will remain the same: to detach from skills we priorly viewed as core to our identities whenever a new technology finds a better way of doing it. As an example, we already know that AIs are incredible summarizing tools. We should have no problem subtracting ‘summarizer’ from our talent stack - AI is better at it than we are, and that is perfectly okay.
And while there is much left to unfold in the AI saga, we can take solace in what Dan suggests as the separating trait humans possess above all else: adaptability. Humans have been through this same story in different ways, hundreds of times.
So when it comes to the question of what role humans will play in the future, the answer is simple: we’ll figure it out.
Personal Growth
11 Public Speaking Techniques from the World’s Greatest Speakers - Polina Pompliano (~15 min)
I enjoyed this piece from Polina at the Profile as it hits on a topic we all can benefit from and one I’ve become intensely interested in over the past few years: public speaking. In order to help herself level up and overcome her nervousness, she sought to create a practical guide of techniques borrowed from the best speakers in history.
This resonated with me as I see myself in her story. Early on in my professional career, I struggled heavily with confidence in public speaking settings - so much so that I could feel my body shaking when I talked in front of large groups. I knew those nerves were not sustainable in order to accomplish what I wanted to accomplish, and so I set out determined to find a solution. My attempted remedy was the same - to study the best and figure out what made them tick, in the hopes I could borrow some of the most successful strategies to level up. In the aftermath of a 5+ year process, I can thankfully say those days of jitters and nerves are long gone.
The main lesson I took from the journey is this: public speaking is an entirely learnable skill. And there are many people out there that have already figured it out, people that can serve as models to help you along in your own evolution
So with that, a couple of my favorite insights from Polina’s piece, including one suggestion of my own:
Address the Group As If You Are Addressing an An Individual - This is one of the most common pieces of advice given to new writers, and I can say with 100% confidence that there is direct transfer to the art of public speaking. Speak to an audience of one, even if you are speaking to an audience of one million. Doing so pays dividends on a number of levels - it builds intimacy with your audience while giving you a clear vision for who you are trying to reach (and what you need to say to do so). Oh yeah, and it has the added benefit of making you forget how many people you are actually talking to.
Slow Down (Or Speed Up) - Speed dictates a great deal for how a speech lands, and it is important you know what your bias is. Do you move too quickly, leaving your audience in the dust behind you (me!)! Or do you move too slowly such that your listeners lose interest and move on to other things? Once you know your bias, you can craft a plan to avoid it. If you move too quickly, build mental line breaks into your speech. Force yourself to draw out your words. Too slowly? Find a way to elevate your heart rate prior to speaking so that you’ll pick up the pace. Ultimately this one is about self-awareness: know thyself, and you can strike the proper balance. Fast enough to be captivating, yet slow enough to be understood.
Say Yes to Opportunities - As Polina suggests, the best way to get better at public speaking is to build a portfolio. I personally ascribe to this as I am convinced I became a better public speaker as a function of having to do a couple of wedding speeches (including my own). I had no clue what I was doing going in, but somehow figured it out each time. I learned that when you come out on the other side to people telling you “good job” - and meaning it - it’s a hell of a confidence booster. I also quickly figured out that if I could speak in front of 200 people at a formal then it should be far easier to speak in front of 15 people for a presentation in the office. So take it from me: don’t shy away. Say ‘yes’ when asked, volunteer when no-one else will. Small wins accumulate quicker than you think.
Ditch the Script. Use a Notecard Instead. (Personal Lesson) - Ever listened to someone reading off of a piece of paper for a speech and thought they sounded like a robot? Yeah, me too. It’s a tempting strategy to reduce the anxiety of a stressful situation - write down everything you want to say, and simply read it. But there is a big problem that results: your audience starts to feel like there is something fake about what is being said. Why? Because the script is perfect, and humans are inherently not. When we listen to others speak, we don’t expect 100% execution. We know there will be some “umms”, some pauses, some filler words. But that’s perfectly okay - to an extent - because it makes us sound less like a robot and more like a person. So instead of a script, I find it far more helpful to use a notecard. Mark down the big ideas - the points you can’t miss, the roadmarkers for your talk. Then let your mind and mouth do the rest - if you know the material as well as you should, you’ll be surprised at how easy the in-between pieces flow. Don’t shoot for perfection - ditch the script and simply be good enough.