Harry Sheezel

Yeah, so, um, obviously Harry Sheezel. I'm 20. Um, play AFL football for North Melbourne. Um, yeah, got drafted...

No. Um, I got drafted in 2022 and yeah, I'm just really passionate about wellness to be honest. I, um, I've always trained pretty hard. But then since I've gotten into the AFL, I've just kind of taken it to the next level. And, um, I guess with the people around me and the support I've had, just yeah, really enjoyed it. Um, I love the wellness side of things. Always finding little edge to get better. And, um, yeah, the older I get, the more passionate I feel like I'm getting. And I'm doing more research into new ways to, I guess, improve my overall overall wellness, but then for performance as well.

Yeah, my diet is probably my number one that I've probably taken to a new level since I've gotten drafted, especially in the last 12 months. Um, so I eat purely whole foods, um, all organic produce as well.

Yeah. So chicken, steak, like chicken, beef, fish as my proteins. A lot of eggs every morning. Same thing every morning. Four eggs with fruit.

Avocado, I've actually moved to lunchtime now. I'm getting, getting enough fats through the eggs and sometimes smoked salmon. Um, so I'm getting my saturated fats there. So then I thought if I moved my avocado to lunchtime...

Well, on top. I don't do it on top. I cook with olive oil, extra virgin. Um, not too much though.

I'm more when I'm, when I have a big training session, I'll have sourdough bread, organic sourdough bread. But carbs. Um, yeah, I went a while without it. Um, and do purely fruit, um, for breakfast, my carb source. Um, so I have a banana every morning, um, and then either like a kiwi, papaya, um, apple. Like I mix it up with the fruit.

I try and make it as perfect as possible. Um, throw in some spinach there sometimes. Um,

Oh, yeah. All myself. I don't let anyone else touch my food.

No. Yeah, I'm just so passionate about it. And I enjoy it. Um, so yeah, that that's breakfast. And then lunch would be like I said, um, beef, chicken, or fish. Um, with a carb source. Either white rice, Jasmine white rice, organic. Um, you know, if you add, um, coconut oil to white rice, it doesn't spike your glucose.

Yes. So add some coconut oil to it. There you go. I'm doing that. Um, always cinnamon on my fruit to not spike my glucose and blood sugar levels. Um, and then yeah, so a bit of veg as well. Um, I used to eat way more veggies than I do now. Um, now I just get like a minimum amount 'cause I'm getting enough vitamins and minerals in anyway. And then a lot of sweet potato and pumpkin. They're like my main carb sources as well.

I don't not eat out at all, but um, very rarely.

Yes. So I'm I was recently away in South Africa, um, with my family. And um, I did everyone's head in and the waiters, um, when I was just ordering, always having like, you're always making changes and adjustments to the menu. Um, like, yeah, just try and make it as plain as possible. So like protein by itself in minimal oil. Yeah. Um, and then I'll get like a plain carb on the side.

100%. It's, it's more, it's not a physical or maybe or is it here? It's both, I think. So I definitely feel better internally and and cognitively for sure. Um, so it's kind of like a, it's so it's a micronutrient maxing diet really, I think. So I'm getting the most micronutrients out of the foods that I eat, rather than focusing on macronutrients, which is more for how you look and how your body like puts on muscle and stuff. So, um, which I'm sure you know, I, you know, I'm fanatical about this crap, which is actually leads me to my next question because you become so fanatical, you become stressed about it.

Yeah. And I don't think you and I are finding that balance at the moment.

But the thing is I, I enjoy it as well. So it's, I'm sometimes get stressed about it if I'm not eating the perfect diet, which I need to get better at. But I also get so much enjoyment out of doing it. So I think there is a trade-off.

I've so only recently, I've, I've always taken like creatine and, um, take beta-alanine for football in football season. Um, and a few other ones I've taken here and there. But only recently this off-season I've really like started doing more research into supplements. And, um, trying to find ones that work better for me. And I've got like blood work done and trying to be more specific with that. Um, because I feel like you can just blind just follow whatever someone says online.

Yeah, it's pretty, pretty flattening, pretty, I was pretty rattled. Like I especially with like the testosterone measurement. Like that's something I feel like my diet and the way I live according to whatever, un says, that you should if you eat, uh, meat, protein, your testosterone should be. Yeah.

Good sleep, training hard, low body fat percentage. Um, I'm off my phone at night. Blue light blocking. Like all that.

Oh, yeah. Yeah, tell. Yeah. I got like, um, organic underwear as well. It's all that stuff. Like cold bath, sauna therapy, like everything I'm doing and then you don't get the results you want.

Four, four or five times a week. So they also say, um, before you go in the sauna or when you're in the sauna, you should actually put an ice pack on your balls.

With with the profession that I'm me, um, you do have to train so much. And I enjoy training so much. I, you know, when you, when you train so much and you feel guilty when you're not. Yeah. So yeah, definitely need to get better with that. Um, but it's weird though, 'cause like people say, "Oh, weight training is the best for testosterone." So then I do more weight. But then am I overtraining? So it's so hard to know the balance. Um, and that's why I'm really getting into like that blood work type thing and finding actual measurements and testing new things. And maybe supplementation's a way to go. Um, just work out the best thing that works for me.

Yeah, Superyoung's a cheat code. Um, hyperbaric chamber. I'm in there minimum two times a week. Um, red light therapy. I feel like is, I've loved that. I think I, I always loved hyperbaric, but now red light therapy, I feel like it's having more of an effect for me, especially on my sleep. Like, you know, my Whoop data says red light therapy plus 6% for my sleep. Um, each night. And then I do, um, cryotherapy in between as well.

It is. But that's what I love about it. Like, 'cause I'm so passionate about wellness and recovery and getting the most out of yourself. But it actually like is for my job 'cause it's making me a better athlete. So it's perfect thing is you you treat AFL and footy as a business.

Probably wouldn't say the same. I don't know from, from what I've gathered and who I've spoken to, they probably, they, they are passionate about it, but probably not to the same level.

No.

Yeah, I just enjoy it. I still, I still have a lot of fun outside of football. It's not like it's my whole life. And I'm too hell-bent on it. Like I have a lot of good relationships with mates. And, um, yeah, I still go out and have some fun.

Yeah. So I make sure I stay as balanced and as possible. I'm still working at that. But um, yeah, I just love it.

Yeah, moving out soon though.

Yeah. Okay.

Yeah, it's going really well. Um, we're in the off season obviously now. Um, back preseason training. Going to a Gold Coast Camp tomorrow, which we really, which I'm really excited for. Um, we did it last year and it's just so nice up there. Good bonding time with all the boys and coaches. And, um, nice weather. Um, training's a bit hard over there. But it's good. And yeah, so we'll have a bit of a break over Christmas and then back into it. And before we know what, the season will start.

Yeah, feeling really good. Um, had a really strong, yeah, had a really good offset season. Focusing a lot on lower body power and acceleration. Something I'm not naturally or genetically gifted with is speed and power. Um,

Yeah, so at the club we train at the moment, our we have two big sessions where it's like 12 K high intensity with football drills obviously and and running in between. Um, so that they're on Monday, Thursday. Okay. And then Saturday a lighter session. It's still decent. So it's probably like 7, 8 K. Um, and then on Tuesday we have upper body weights. Wednesday I do upper body weight. Friday upper body weights. Sunday upper body weights. And then on the days where I'm training, I do lower body. So...

Yeah, I think the overtrain is definitely a factor.

I wouldn't say I know more than them. I just, I think I know different stuff to them. Like the, they're the dieticians at the club. Um, and who I've like worked with, they're very performance-focused. So it's quick carbs around training, which isn't like organic whole food. So I've kind of managed it in a way and spoken to them. And they've been unbelievable about it is how how we can like match the two together. So I'll eat the way I eat still with whole foods and organic produce. But with a performance mindset. So high carb around training. Um, and we have a chef at the club that cooks lunch and, um, breakfast for the boys. I opted out of that just because I just love the way I eat. And, um, I just find it easy to cook extras and bring it to the club. It's easy. Um, but yeah, the dieticians are, are really good at the club. And they've helped me, I guess, bring what I know and what I enjoy and matched it with I guess a performance-based mindset.

Yeah, so win more games essentially. We've had a rough couple years since I've come into the league. And even a few years before that. Um, we've won three games both years. Finish down the bottom two of the ladder. So it's been tough definitely. But um, we've got a really young exciting list. Um, up and coming. And we got a few new guys, experienced guys into the club this year. So yeah, there's a lot of belief and excitement around next year. And I have no doubt we'll hopefully climb the ladder and start getting some success.

Yeah, we've got, I think we've got too much talent now and too many good people in our club for it not to turn. Um, yeah, we got another high draft pick this year. And a lot of experience guys from other clubs who have had success, which have they've been incredible since they've come in in this preseason. So and we have a lot of people already at the club and a great great people and um great coaching staff. So yeah, the belief's definitely there and now we just need to get it going.

Football was always my number one focus. And, um, I guess I was always the best at it. And it was the priority. But I did play a lot of basketball growing up. Which I think really, yeah, which complimented my football a lot, I feel. Um, gave that up around 15 years old. And yeah, always knew football was hopefully the path and was fortunate enough to get drafted.

Yeah, how does that make you feel? Yeah, it's pretty cool. Um, it's...

Yeah, it's a weird one because like the Jewish community where stereotypically they're probably not that athletic and that good at sport. But like from when I grew up, like football was so big, um, at school and in our community. Like I played football at AJAX, um, which is a local Jewish, um, football club. And like everyone loves football. Everyone trains hard and everything. So it was a bit of a surprise. And um, I have no doubt there'll be a few more to get drafted in the near future. And hopefully they do. But it's kind of cool being the only one. Um, hopefully I can set an example for kids to follow and um, be a bit of a role model for them.

Yeah, so a few sponsorships, um, which I'm very fortunate to have. So Whoop's a big one that I, I love because it, I'm trying to match up your Whoop here. There we go. New band. Very good. Um, yeah, and Nike. So like, I'm trying to match up the brands that I kind of align with to the person I am. And trying to keep that pretty, um, I guess organic and, um, natural. And not kind of just promote brands that I probably don't believe in. So yeah, I'm really passionate about that. Superyoung obviously is one that, um, is great and also matches up with me. Um, Essendon Mazda. Um, they're aligned with the club.

No. So Mazda's a big sponsor of North Melbourne. So a lot of the boys have some deals with, um, Mazda dealerships, which is awesome.

Yeah, BT50. So yeah, roll around in the Ute, which is great.

So yeah, pretty fortunate to have those sponsorships. And, um, outside of that, I'm, I'm not doing too much in business. Um, I'm just studying at the moment. I'm doing a business sports management course at Deakin online, um, part-time, which is going to take some time, I'm sure. But, um, yeah, I'm definitely interested in looking that side of it. And maybe growing something.

Yeah, so in school, I was always really passionate about I guess the business side of sport. And, um, I loved like the role of a player manager when I was younger. I'm not too sure that's the path I'd go down now. But I still think just having a business degree and understanding of how that works is very beneficial in this day and age still. Um, just going forward and maybe life after football or even during football if an opportunity presents itself, that it is really important to have that degree.

But I think you worked out all right.

Yeah. Yeah. Um, not a specific idea. Hopefully it's not for a little while. But um, you never know, something could come up during football that I could maybe manage on the side. Um, personally, I am so passionate about something in the wellness space. Um, so if an opportunity presented there, I'd definitely look at that.

I just, yeah, I just love it. And it matches my, my values, the way I live my life. Even with my football. Um, and I am so passionate about it. So maybe something in that space or in the business space or something still involved in sport. I'm not too sure.

Yeah. Yeah. So did you check sleep, HRV, HRV, resting heart rate, strain, REM sleep? What's your resting heart rate at the moment?

Um, it's low 30s at the moment. So it fluctuates between I reckon 31 to 34 at the moment. Yeah. I have a pretty low resting heart rate naturally.

I think so. Yeah. I haven't really monitored my whole life. But think since I've had the Whoop, um, it's always been low. And HRV is relatively higher as well. So that usually is like 150, 150 plus.

I don't. I, I, I just kind of take it in, factor it into like how my day. And then how I structure my next day. Really? So if I have, let's say I don't really go off the sleep score 'cause that kind of includes the debt and stuff. So it's I don't 100%.

Yeah. So let's say one night you have five hours of sleep. Um, you'll probably be three hours of sleep debt because I think it goes based off eight hours. And your strain, it takes that into account. Yeah. Um, and because I'm, well, it is probably right because I have such a high strain lifestyle that I probably need more sleep. So that's why I'm in sleep debt. But um, sleep debt's essentially, yeah, the sleep that you're not getting based on what they recommend. So they give you a score out of that. So let's say you slept six hours and recommends eight. You get a what, 80% sleep score or 70%? Um, so my my sleep score is always lower than 100%. I haven't been able to get that up because of the debt. But I look at more the hours I've slept and then my HRV and because of that, because that's how much you have recovered.

Yeah, remove sleep debt. Okay. But I'm, I don't really ever get 10 hour sleep just because, um,

More I don't have the time. Um, and I feel like my functioning well on my seven, eight hours. Okay. Um, yeah, maybe I'll just do one day where I just all I do is sleep and just get a full reset.

Yeah, he sent me a screenshot. He wanted me to tell you. Yeah, his stats were always like one better than me. So mine's 20.7. His highest strain was 20.8. My highest recovery was 95, his was 96. My highest sleep hours was like 9:23 and his was like 9 something or 10.

Yeah, so I think it's, it's a measurement out of 21, I'm pretty sure. The maximum strain is, um, I don't know exactly how it's calculated, but I'm sure the formula is based on your heart rate, how high your heart rate is throughout the day, um, and the loads that you put on your body essentially. So, um, you do more exercise, you put more strain on your body, your strain score is higher. If you have a more rest, recovery type day, less intensity, um, it'd be lower. So and then your recovery's factored in off that. So they give you a recovery percentage score based on how much strain you put on your body. And then how much sleep you get. And then how much, how high your HRV is, which is the main indicator of recovery.

Bridge. Yeah.

The same. It's the same thing, isn't it?

Yeah, I think it's definitely a good point because I'm almost at the stage of the same where it's like other people, because you drive yourself crazy. Yeah. And other people are getting the same, if not better results from much less work. So yeah, it's hard to grapple with that idea because we're always, we're naturally inclined to just think that do more equals better results.

I used to, not, not him, but I follow a lot of those accounts.

Yeah, a lot of the diet ones. Um, so that the James didn't or I don't know what their names exactly. But, you know, Paul Saladino. Carnivore with fruit. And that's sort of similar to my, my, the way I eat. But I probably eat more carbs than him. And, um, he has a raw milk kefir.

I don't, I don't do that. Um, like how very high cheese. And it's a lot of high, it's high saturated fats and high protein diet. Um, so yeah, I follow all that. I follow like a few supplement type people. Um, yeah, recovery. Um, Huberman obviously, I listen to a lot of podcasts. Um, Peter Attia. Yeah.

No.

Well, he gets all these different people on in different, um, fields that have done some successful things. Mainly in the health and wellness and performance, um, side of things. So, yeah, I love just scrolling through there and finding different ones that interest me. Um, one recent one that I really enjoyed was, um, the CEO of Momentous, the supplement company. Have you heard of that company? So they're like the leading supplement company for sports teams in America. So a lot of the NFL teams and NBA teams use them as their supplement. Um, and he was a former NFL player himself. Um, and he just speaks about his journey post NFL career. And how he got into that. And and what type of supplements did they offer?

So everything basically. So like foundational health, cognitive. Um, they have performance, sleep. Um, and then just your everyday. Um, so like creatine, collagen, um, Tongkat Ali. Like all those.

A day. Wow.

I think it definitely gets to a, it's too many. So I, I like, I said before, I haven't really been big in supplements. I've only really just taken creatine and as a constant. Yeah. Um, but now I'm starting to do a bit more research and try and find ones that would be good to add into my life as well as making sure that they're batch tested and, um, informed sport. That's, that's the big thing. 'Cause I would never risk obviously getting banned, um, through a banned substance.

Yeah, so I wouldn't never risk that. So I'm very careful with the pro. Like I don't drink. I don't have protein powder, not because of the supplements, because there's a lot of, there are a lot of, um, tested supplements for protein powder. But just because I get all my protein organically through food. Um, but yeah, I make sure if I was able to take a something like the creatine I take, I make sure it's all Banded Up. Uh, Banded Ups are tested. And, um, they have like logos on it that you you can look for and test it on an app. So, yeah, you got to be pretty careful because like there's been athletes that, um, fall...

Yeah, well, you need to 'cause if you get tested and, um, there's a banned substance, you get banned for, I think either two or four years. So...

Unless I've done the research and it's batch tested, but magnesium's usually fine.

Yeah, so I've started magnesium, an informed sport one. Um, that's the only one really. And then, um, turmeric. I take. That's more anti-inflammatory.

Yeah. I just take it with my magnesium.

Yeah. Do you take it in the morning?

You take magnesium in the morning?

Uh, I've got low magnesium, I don't know why.

Uh, Vitamin D for me. I take 10,000 IU per day, which is quite high.

Uh, it's one capsule, but it's with a, it's Vitamin D, K2 and spirulina.

Uh, yes, I have. I should I'm not sleeping well at the moment and I know it's something I'm taking. So I've started taking things out of my, uh, regime. And I'm going to add things slowly back in once my sleep improves. So that's a problem when you do so many different things, which is what I do. If something's impacted like your sleep, then you're like, "*[expletive]*." What could it be? Yeah, yeah.

Yeah, well, so something's going on.

Really?

I do. I have a tea with my magnesium.

Have my my tea. My organic tea with my magnesium and turmeric before bed. Um, but what I have noticed is helping my sleep a lot is not eating after dinner. So I'll only, I'll have four meals a day now where it's dinner's being my last meal. Whereas I used to always eat right before bed. I used to have like a yogurt before bed. Yeah. No, it's the worst. You think you do.

Yeah. So I've, I've definitely found that if I eat now at 7:00, 8:00, rather than eating at like 6:30 and then again at 9:30, that if I eat just my last meal at 7:00, let's say 7:30 as dinner. Um, go for a little walk after. My digestion is much better. Then I'll have my tea, which helps me settle down. My magnesium get off my phone before bed. That, um, it's really helping. And, um, I'm sleeping through the night much more.

Oh, yeah. And my, my stomach is rumbling right now because I'm so used to having breakfast.

Yeah. I don't fast just because of the the loads my body goes through. And I need fuel. And I lose weight anyway based on what I do. So...

Um, at, well, I got done at Superyoung. I think it's like six or something.

Yeah. Um, and I'm trying to get my muscle, muscle mass up. But what was your percentage muscle mass?

Oh, same. Yeah, exactly the same.

Literally, I just did my score, um, two weeks ago. My body fat mass is five.

Yes and no. Like it's not a particular focus. Like they're saying, "Oh, you need to put on weight or you're not going to play." Like it's not like that.

Yeah, naturally. Yeah. You want to always increase muscle mass. But then also not get too fat. So, um, my body fat percentage is obviously low. So I, I think I can, I'm can afford to let that come out a little bit and put on some more muscle. Um, which I will, I think, do towards the start of the season. Whereas now I just leaned up and been, um, got my running to a good stage. So it's hard because we have such AFL is such a all-round versatile sport where you need to be fast, have an elite endurance. Yeah. Be strong, be agile. The whole package. Skills. And, um, yeah, it's probably one of the hardest sports in terms of the actual game. Not making the AFL, but the actual game itself is probably one of the hardest, more diversified sports. So you need to be good at everything, really. So it's so hard because, yes, you can put on muscle. But then your running is going to go back. So it's about having the perfect balance between speed, endurance, and strength.

Yeah. Wow.

I haven't had one yet.

Wow. I didn't know that.

Maybe. Maybe post, post footy. Post footy. Hopefully. Yeah.

Yeah. No, I'm a massive. It's banned here in Australia. Stem cell therapy.

Yeah.

Spotify.

That's kind of my jam at the moment.

Yeah, modern technology.

You're fanatical.

Uh, was it? Geez, was it 21 or something? Yeah, crazy low.

I know he took his son's blood and did a transfusion. I stopped following him.

No, I actually learned stuff from him. Yeah. Maybe I'll very follow. The reason I, the reason being, I was losing my hair about a year ago. I had a little bit patch there. I did his routine of resolving the hair loss. I was red light and minoxidil and a couple other things. Grew back. Really? Yeah. So I actually learn. I do learn bits and pieces from him. Yeah. It's amazing how much knowledge there is out there and how little we know. I guess a lot of people just don't have interest in it. Yeah, like you're fanatical about it. I'm crazy about it. And a lot of people, a lot of my friends just don't give a *[expletive]*. And that's fine. But I always just, just stay alive. It's all you got to do. It's, it's all coming. It's exciting for sure.

Oh, yeah. So 'cause I'm trying to work out why I'm not sleeping that well. And I thought my glucose might be dropping or even spiking. No, it's constant. *[expletive]*. It's constant. It's perfect.

Uh, low fives. Yeah.

It's constant.

No.

No, no, no. Just I'm too lazy for that. Yeah.

See, I'm all, I'm all about diet and how you can get it through food. No, no. I'm like, I'm like I even bought my own lunch for example.

Um, and it's like meat, veg, olive oil, a dash of olive oil. But it's I still think popping pills is actually the worst. I don't. Can't don't it at all. 37, 37 pills a day. I'm trying to try it back.

Yeah, it's hard to narrow it down to five. Um,

No, no. You can just whatever you feel like. So I think sleep. Everyone says sleep is the number one. Yeah. Um, I'm trying to actually get into napping when after on big training days. So in the afternoon nap, I, I can't do it. So I'm really trying to get better at that. Um, taking a little micro nap. I've seen LeBron James does it pregame. So I've seen that. Yeah, yeah. Um, need to get into napping. Diet for sure. Um, eating whole foods that, I guess, make you feel the best that you can feel. And getting the most out of the nutrients that you you get. So micronutrients.

True.

No, actually, I'll say both.

No, no, you know, you know as well. Um, exercise and more specifically weights, I think are the most important. Doing weight training as much as possible. And then your basic cardio. So like even a walk is important. So I'll say, um, I'll put that together. Exercise, obviously. Um, number four would be sauna, I reckon.

Just just because of the, um, the relax, well, if, if you include the other three. So if you're exercising as much as you can, I think a sauna is as important because it relaxes you and it helps with that sleep.

Yeah, that's true. It's true. I think it all, it's all relative. So if you, how much you train depends on how much recovery you do. Or what recovery you do. Um, ice baths definitely are important for if you have a high inflammation, you need ice baths more than saunas, I think.

Yeah, but for an energy, like so if you offset it with the right amount of hydration, it works well. Um, so yeah, I'll chuck that in. Just hydration.

Thank you. I was talking about you on the way here with, um, Jared. I said, I said you're an old soul. You've got to your, you've turned your AFL career into a business. Like it's a business for you. And as it should be. Like it's your passion. It's your career. It's a business. And when you finish footy, I think you'll be an absolute weapon.

Oh, thank you. Yeah, I appreciate it. Definitely love the chat. Thanks for having me on. Um,

No, no, I just need you or maybe say we'll get something going. But um, yeah, I, I, I see it as a business. But I also love it. That's what's the key thing. And that's what makes me want to work so hard towards it. And put so much effort in is because I love what I do. Um, so it's a business, but I love my job. If that makes sense.

Thanks, Nick.