Zev Taublieb is a 22 year-old professional soccer player currently playing in the USL (United Soccer League, the second tier of American Soccer). Zev began testing with InsideTracker thanks to the recommendation of his coach, Christopher Malenab… and hasn’t looked back since! What follows is Zev’s story, written by him and sent to us as a testament to his amazing experience using our platform.
As a professional athlete, it is imperative that I do everything in my power to perform at the highest level possible. In order to apply the best of myself to becoming an exceptional athlete, I need to address my nutritional habits. Thankfully, I have the guidance and expertise of those who work at InsideTracker.
InsideTracker has changed my life both inside and out. My energy levels are now higher and I am less prone to injuries. I am able to exercise for twice as long and I am performing at an exceptionally high level. Most importantly, I am genuinely a happier person.
InsideTracker is not just a blood test, but an organization with a team of individuals dedicated to helping you reach your potential. Jonathan Levitt, one of the many kind personnel at InsideTracker is my personal nutrition guidance counselor, if you will. If I have a question, he will get me to a person who has the answer. If I need a specific type of vitamin or mineral tested, he makes it happen. The service I have received from InsideTracker has been 11/10. Ashley Reaver, their expert dietitian, has spoken to me for hours on end about what my blood test results mean and what I can do to improve my body.
I have spoken to Carl Valle, Director of Innovation at InsideTracker, and he has given me invaluable advice, offering his time and expertise specifically for my needs. Being able to become personal with the InsideTracker staff has made my experience all that much more wonderful. I have no doubt that the expertise, constant availability, and the powerful science behind InsideTracker has contributed to my enhanced performance.
Your body is the greatest instrument you will ever own. I would like my instrument to be as fined tuned as possible and thanks to InsideTracker, I can now make that happen.
Prior to taking my first blood test, I viewed myself as a very healthy conscious individual. My mother and aunt are organic-crazy, in a loving, justifiable way. So naturally, I grew up in an environment where eating healthy was important. I have not had white bread, gluten, soda, or any sweets in years. I eat 4,500 calories a day, which is a lot.
As a professional athlete it is important to eat often and eat food that helps you rejuvenate your energy. My daily diet consisted of whole grain toast and chicken in the morning, peanut butter and jelly for lunch on whole grain bread, or beef stew, and organic chicken, potatoes, and mixed greens, with fruit for most dinners. For snacks I would eat rice crackers or whole grain crackers with avocado or salsa. I thought I was a healthy eater and that InsideTracker would confirm that.
However, when I took my first blood test on June 8th, 2015 I saw how wrong I was. When the results returned I learned I was malnourished, stressed, and overworked. To my shock, my InnerAge was the equivalent of a 40-year-old’s!
The test opened my eyes. It revealed to me that while everything I ate was healthy, my meals were not diverse enough. In addition to eating the same things every day, the blood test revealed that no matter how much I could eat, I would need the help of supplements.
Food today does not contain the nutrition it once had, and the additional vitamins and minerals found in capsules would be essential for me. Perhaps even more important than revealing that my nutrition was poor, the test also showed that my testosterone and cortisol levels were extremely low. This meant that I was stressed and not getting enough rest or sleep.
How could playing the sport I love cause me stress? Well, like with anything we love, it means we care about it. I care about my job so much it consumes me 24/7 and ultimately, that was taking a toll on my mind and body.
InsideTracker not only showed me I need to change my diet, but that I needed to change my lifestyle.
I took my second blood test on August 8th, 2015. My results improved tremendously. One of the most concerning things about my initial blood test was my vitamin D level. I started taking drops every morning and instantly my levels rose. As I target each item tested, I will gradually become healthier and healthier. InsideTracker gives me specific foods to eat and vitamins to take so I can take action steps.
I am happy to report that since my first blood test on June 8th, my InnerAge improved from 40-years-old to 32-years-old. I will not change overnight, but steady improvement that I can see visually through the easy access website of InsideTracker is welcoming.
I noticed InsideTracker’s true impact on Sunday, October 10th. That may sound crazy, but this Sunday was different then all the other Sundays. As a professional athlete I train nearly everyday. On Sunday there are a host of games being played where I live. I usually play two games, equaling to about two hours of playing. After that my body gives me warning signals to stop before I get hurt.
As an athlete if you are injured you may as well be dead meat, so I was always weary of the warning signals. However, after playing for two hours I still felt great. I was receiving no warning signals. I decided I would play one more and I still felt good. I played one last match and after the fourth game, the equivalent of four hours worth of exercise, I was finally receiving my warning signals. I was certainly sore the next day, but I have not been able to play that long that hard since I was 12-15 years old.
Why was able to play so much longer than before?
The chart below explains why:
As you can see, my testosterone and cortisol levels were very low when I had my first blood drawn on June 8th. This particular test revealed I was stressed both physically and mentally. I now don’t just work hard, but I work smart. I make sure I get adequate sleep. I make sure I have enough rest between training sessions. I also meditate each day. Based on the results InsideTracker gave me, I am changing who I am, both inside and out. Thank you to InsideTracker for everything you have done and will do for me.
To see Zev in action, check out this YouTube video:
Just like Zev, we want you to have the most optimal body and life you can have... That's why we've created this handy FREE guide to help you get an Inner Edge!
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