2:30 am, 4:00 am, cryotherapy, ice baths, grueling iron sessions. You name it, somebody is doing it.
The morning routine of superhuman celebrity gods and the fitness gurus who inhabit the domain of Instagram, Facebook and the rest of social media remind us that while we are tucked in our warm blankets, someone else is out there getting a jump on the day. They are out there kicking butt and taking names.
Hey, don’t get me wrong, many of these pre dawn warriors are definitely doing it. In fact, if it inspires you to get motivated, healthy and fit, go for it!
As an entrepreneur, athlete and student of longevity science, I hit it hard too and to each their own. You have to find out what works for you. With so many interesting variants out there, I figured I would toss my routine into the morning mix. So here you go.
The key to my morning routine actually starts the night before. It all begins by setting myself up for success ahead of time. I track my sleep patterns with my Apple Watch and look to optimize my sleep so I can detect any odd patterns. I always put my watch in airplane mode so wifi and cellular is turned off. I also installed amber colored light bulbs in my bedside lamps to eliminate blue light as this helps get my body faster into a natural sleep rhythm. I grab my foam roller and do a full body routine to get out any muscle kinks to help relax my body. After I’m done with that, I place an ice pack on any sore muscles for about 15 minutes. The cold has the benefit of reducing some inflammation and elicits a cold response that burns a few extra calories.
Yes, the cold will wake you up but after it’s done it I feel more relaxed. I then drink some electrolytes and call it a night. Wake up early? No. You won’t see me up for any pre dawn workouts here. Maybe occasionally if I can’t sleep but my typical day starts by waking up naturally with no alarm clock about 7:00 am.
7:00-7:15 a.m. Now that I’m up I grab a cup of decaf coffee and a dash of cream and take my morning supplements. Usually Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, B-Complex, Co-Q10 and some L-Theanine. I wash it down with about 16 oz. of electrolytes and head to my home office. * Even more recently I’ve been substituting Turmeric Milk (This powder mixed with warm goat’s milk) in place of decaf coffee.
7:15-7:45 a.m. I check emails and handle any pressing issues. As the leader of a national company, there’s usually activity already going on that I need to tend to. I respond to emails and begin to make a list of key tasks I want to accomplish for the day. I then post any new marketing announcements or articles on social media such as Linkedin, Twitter, etc.
7:45-8:30 a.m. Next, I head out for a 45 minute hilly walk. This is when I often make business calls to my team going over issues, strategy and the mission for the day. Sometimes I will just take in the walk and relax but more often than not, I get a good 45 minutes of business tended to.
8:30-9:00 a.m. Now that I’m back home, I drink some water and do about 15 minutes of a boxing workout then shoot baskets outside for another 10 minutes to wind down.
9:00-9:15 a.m I make a quick shake with 1 cup of goat’s milk and 3 scoops of goat whey protein powder and a little Bulletproof Collagen Protein and some ice. (Some days I fast and won’t eat until lunch. It just depends on the day.)
9:15-9:30 a.m. Shower up, dressed and off to the office for my usual meetings that begin around 10am. I find that my best time for meetings, strategy and creativity begins around 10:00 a.m. I then power through the day and work until 6:00 p.m. Between 7:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., I have handled 75 minutes of work, completed 70 minutes of exercise, rehydrated myself from the prior evening and have given myself the nutrients to power myself up for the day.
Stay tuned for another future article where I cover my evening protocol that covers strength training workout, meditation, cold water immersion, and red light therapy.