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Zero-Two-Lomond

Zero Calories | Two Brothers | Swimming Loch Lomond


**Swim Challenge Update**
On the 19th September 2024 both Neil and David completed the 22 mile/36km swim in 11 hours and 55 minutes (a longer distance than the English Channel and Catalina Channel swims!).

Neil completed the swim totally fasted from the prior evening, consuming only water and electrolytes: 
9,632 calories burned, zero consumed! More data/insights in Updates

David decided in the end not to do the swim fasted. His training had not gone to plan and the swim has been a dream of his for 5 years. One thing we agreed when we created the challenge was that for Dave, completing the swim was the most important
(more context in Updates).

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​​What, Why, When!?

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WHAT!?

Two brothers, swimming Loch Lomond (36km, 22 miles), ZERO calories (only water and electrolytes).

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WHY!?

To raise awareness and donations for mental health, metabolic therapy and chronic disease causes. The purpose of taking on zero calories during the swim is to demonstrate the metabolic flexibility of our bodies to utilise fat as a fuel source, highlighting the potential of metabolic therapy as a natural lifestyle and nutrition based approach which is proving to reverse and prevent many chronic diseases (cancer, depression, bipolar, heart disease, diabetes etc).

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The impact of chronic diseases on us, our family, friends, and the realisation that everyone on the planet will be impacted by these devastating diseases, either directly or through loved ones prompted us to combine a love for outdoor swimming with raising awareness/funding for some amazing charities and research. ​The not so well known fact is that many of these diseases can be prevented and reversed by taking a Metabolic Therapy approach which awakens the much forgotten ability of our bodies to utilise fat as a fuel source.

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As well as raising awareness and donations for great causes, our hope is that we help people to understand that our bodies have different fuel sources, optimal health and energy comes when our bodies can utilise all fuel sources and to start their journey towards metabolic health and flexibility. 

 

WHEN!?

The swim challenge will take place on Thursday 19th September 2024

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Disclaimer: We are not advocating anyone to undertake such a project themselves. Neither are we advocating that this is an optimal or desirable form of activity. It is an experiment in metabolic performance. This is not a test to assess the limits of human performance. Nor is it an experiment in starvation. There are significant differences between fasting and starvation. Fasting is time delayed eating in well-nourished individuals, as opposed to starvation which results in nutritional deficiencies and malnutrition. Safety during the challenge is also paramount so we will have a safety boat/crew with us at all times.

Our Stories

Dave's Story

Having struggled with depression in recent years, and actually a lot longer albeit without realising it, I want to be open about my experiences in case it might help others and given that I have found open water swimming to be a very good tool for coping with depression I figured why not use a slightly ridiculous challenge as a way to help raise awareness of my mental health and some of the lessons I have learnt as a result. Looking back, depression was one of the best things that ever happened to me, it woke me up and reminded me that we need to make conscious choices in life, ultimately, we are the only ones responsible.

Neil's Story​

My health journey began with a profound realisation during my daughter's christening. At 118 kg (260 pounds), I was far from the active and fun father I wanted to be and was on a fast track to an early grave. This moment of clarity ignited my determination to change and set me on a journey towards better physical and mental health (largely through ultra-endurance training/endeavours). Over the last few years, I've witnessed the devastating impact of chronic diseases on family and loved ones. This led me to dive deep into research, searching for the root causes and exploring ways to manage and reverse these conditions. I discovered the startling yet relatively unknown truth: our mitochondrial health is the root cause of chronic diseases. Remarkably, much of this is within our control and often can be reversible and preventable. Inspired by this revelation, I embarked on a new life mission: Help 1 Billion+ People Become Metabolically Healthy.​

This challenge is to help raise awareness for mental health, chronic diseases and metabolic therapies. The zero calorie approach is to demonstrate that we don't need to load our bodies with carbohydrates and sugar for athletic endeavours (and therefore also every day life!) in the hope that people realise that we can (and were designed by evolution to) utilise fat as a fuel source and more people will be curious, research and start their own metabolic health journey to optimise their energy, life and healthspan.

Fat as Fuel and Metabolic Therapy

Our bodies evolved to have two primary energy pathways (fat and carbohydrates). You can think of our bodies as hybrid cars, the fat burning side (electric) and the gasoline side (carbohydrates). For the vast majority of our time as a human species, the fat energy pathway has been the predominant pathway. Our bodies (through gluconeogenesis) can produce the relatively small amount of glucose that our bodies need internally - it's sadly a little known fact that carbohydrates are the only NON-ESSENTIAL macronutrient! We cannot survive as a species without fat and protein! 

One of the aims of this swim is to demonstrate that (if trained) the body can thrive off using fat as a fuel source. Our natural fat stores have hundreds of thousands of calories to keep us going without food (designed through evolution to see us through times of food scarcity).

A significant component of Metabolic Therapy is utilising the ability to burn fat (through significantly reducing carbohydrates and shifting to a ketogenic nutritional approach) and ultimately restoring the energy equilibrium within our mitochondria (the energy powerhouse of every cell in our body - making up 10% of our total body weight!). Doing this can help reverse and prevent chronic diseases. 

The purpose of this challenge is to demonstrate the metabolic flexibility of our bodies and to encourage people to learn more about metabolic health and hopefully start their own metabolic health journey.

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Learn More:

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Challenge Day Fuel: Water, electrolytes and the 100,000+ calories of body fat (we estimate we should need around 10,000 calories of fat/energy to fuel the challenge)

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Inspiration:

After deciding to do the challenge - we found that similar feats to raise awareness have been done previously:

  • Zero-Five-100 (which inspired our Zero-Two-Lomond challenge name!): Zero Calories, 5 Days, 100 miles - and the majority of the team (Dr Lake included) are Type 1 Diabetics. There is a great documentary about this challenge and read/learn more on the Zero-Five-100 website

  • Fat Chance Row: In 2014 Sami Inkinen and his wife Meredith decided to row across the Pacific Ocean (2400+ miles) non-stop to test marriage, fight against sugar and break records! They did so on a strict ketogenic diet and raised over $200,000 for the fight against sugar and inspired strangers to change diet based on today's science. Read and learn more on the challenge website

There are also a number of incredibly inspiring stories about people who have reversed serious and life threatening conditions using Metabolic Therapy.​ A couple examples of these:

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Charities We Are Supporting

The following charities/foundations are all doing amazing work to support mental health, chronic diseases and natural metabolic therapies to help people with management, treatment and prevention of chronic diseases. ​​

Please choose which of the following charities/foundations/research institutes to which you would like to donate. If you would like to support a charity not listed - please reach out to us in the contact form at the bottom of this page.

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Charity/Foundation Details:

  • The Charlie Foundation for Ketogenic Therapies [US Based - Ketogenic Therapy for Chronic Disease]: The Charlie Foundation has been at the forefront of ketogenic therapy to manage/treat chronic diseases since 1994. Donate (please mention Zero-Two-Lomond when donating)

  • Matthew's Friends [UK Based - Ketogenic Therapy for Chronic Disease]: Matthew's Friends are a UK registered charity (since 2004) specialising exclusive in medical Ketogenic Dietary Therapies. Donate

  • Macmillan Cancer Support [UK Based - Cancer Support]: Have provided amazing support for family members battling with cancer. Donate

  • Brain Energy Fund [US Based - Mental Health & Ketogenic Therapy]: Dr Christopher Palmer (author of the great book Brain Energy) is at the leading edge of the research into the role of metabolism and mental health. Donate (please mention Zero-Two-Lomond when donating)

  • The Noakes Foundation [ZA Based - Ketogenic Nutrition Research]: Since 2014 the Noakes Foundation has raised funds to research the Insulin Resistance paradigm, low carb high fat lifestyles and academic free speech. Donate (please mention Zero-Two-Lomond when donating)

  • Dr Richard J. Johnson Research Institute [US Based - Research on Sugar/Fructose & Healthy Alternatives].The research institute supports clinical and scientific research on the harmful impact of sugar/fructose that is crucial to understanding its effects on public health. Donate (please mention Zero-Two-Lomond when donating)

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Training & Challenge Partners

Training Approach

We estimate that the swim will take us ~12-14 hours so training for this is going to be interesting! Our approach to training will be a mixture of:​

  • Foundational pool swims: 2-4 per week and 1-2 hours

  • Long pool swims: 1 per week and between 3 and 6 hours (and ideally at least one 8 hour swim before challenge day)

  • Strength sessions: 1-2 per week (and some VO2 max work)

  • Mobility sessions: 3-4 per week to help with flexibility and injury prevention

  • Outdoor swims (ideally in cold water!): as many as we can feasibly do before the event

Coaching Partner: Ikonix Coaching

Training Fuel Partners​

​Training will involve a mixture of swimming fasted, as well as sessions with nutrition. It's critical that nutrition supports the body to be as efficient as possible in utilising fat as a fuel source. Whilst the foundation of our nutritional approach will be whole food based - practically (with busy lives, travel etc) products that align with our approach/requirements are a huge help. Our nutrition partners all have natural/minimal products specifically formulated for ketogenic nutrition and metabolic health:

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Challenge Gear Partners

We might be a little crazy, but some gear to help manage the cold Scottish water will help! We have both used Sailfish gear ever since our first outdoor endurance adventures and love the mixture of comfort, innovation and laser-focus on swimming.

Challenge Metabolic Insight Partners

Whilst undertaking the challenge we are aiming to learn as much as we can about metabolism. The following partners are generously supporting the challenge as metabolic insight partners. Neil will be undertaking blood tests before/after, wearing a GCM and taking regular ketone readings (weather/conditions permitting!).

  • SiPhox Health: Proving blood testing kits for before/after the swim

  • Genova Diagnostics: Providing microbiome testing kits for before/after the swim

  • Levels: Providing a CGM (Continuous Glucose Monitor)

  • Keto-Mojo: Ketone and glucose blood testing before/during/after

  • KetoAir: Ketone testing before/during/after

Metabolic Therapy Awareness Partners

All of the organisations listed below are doing amazing work to advocate and educate for Metabolic Therapy approaches to chronic diseases:

Zero-Two-Lomond Swim Challenge Course (22 miles/36km)

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Be conscious to live more in tune with your evolutionary biology

Get in Touch

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