I feel really good today, and I’m wondering why. I have an infant at home, who wakes up at all hours of the night – and who woke me up at 0530 this morning. I had an early workout, which probably helped. I am also in ketosis now, which certainly helps. Another reason why I have so much energy could be that I had my first bulletproof coffee in a long time. These used to be a staple of my diet back when I first tried keto in 2018. First thing that entered my body every morning. And it felt great.
If you’re wondering what bulletproof coffee is, it’s just a fancy name for a really greasy cup of coffee. I just add a tablespoon of butter, a tablespoon of MCT oil and a packet of stevia to my coffee, blend it up and obtain a wonderfully creamy, delicious beverage. There are tons of resources out there that will explain the origins and benefits of bulletproof coffee, so instead of beating a dead horse, I will share my own experience.
I drank bulletproof coffee very regularly before work when I was employed as the Deck Officer onboard HMCS Ville de Québec. That was a demanding job, and having the extra boost of energy to get me through the day was extremely helpful. My wife used to drink it in the morning as well, and she reported it kept her satiated until lunch time. Even then, she wasn’t really hungry, but she would still eat (because it was lunch time).
I found it even more useful when I was deployed onboard that same ship. Being the Deck Officer meant that I had to oversee an entire department of sailors (20 or so), as well as stand watch on the bridge of the ship for 4 hours at a time, usually twice a day. That means long days. Like, really long days. In order to enjoy the energy boost and mental clarity derived from consuming bulletproof coffee, I brought a tiny, 10$ piece of crap blender onboard for the trip. I would use it in my cabin whenever my cabinmate, the ship’s Navigating Officer, wasn’t asleep. The biggest challenge was to not spill this all-important nectar onto my not-so-tastefully carpeted cabin floor. I guess it would only add to the collection of questionable stains that could be found on the 20-year-old carpet. It would probably be one of the least dubious substances that were spilled in there during this poor carpet’s lifetime… Regardless, this was mostly challenging due to the small capacity of the blender and the whole “ship’s motion” thing.
I learned from my mistake when I next deployed with HMCS Glace Bay. My right hand man on the Naval Boarding Party had brought to my attention that I didn’t need to bring a blender onboard. “That’s stupid” is what he said. He was drinking MCT oil all the time, and just shook it into his travel mug. I thought that would be disgusting, but he explained that he was using a special kind of oil, that had been emulsified. I did a bit of research and found a few companies that sell it online. That was a game changer. I started drinking the stuff all day, just mixing it into my coffee or matcha tea with a bit of stevia before I went on watch. As the Operations Officer, I was even busier than I was in my previous employment, so this was really a life saver. I don’t think I could’ve done anything, short of developing a cocaine habit, that would’ve helped my energy levels and work performance this much. Emulsified MCT oil is expensive but, if you can afford it, it’s extremely convenient.
So this is my individual, anecdotal experience with bulletproof coffee. I have found a tremendous increase in my mental clarity on days that I have consumed it, coupled with a stronger energy boost than when I drink a regular cup of black coffee. Your results may vary. Cheers!
Jo Gets Jacked 