In this podcast, recorded at Spartan World Championships in Lake Tahoe, I got put in the hot seat for an hour by a former podcast guest of mine: Will Ahmed of WHOOP.
Will is a two-time previous guest of mine, appearing on the episodes, “The Go-To Self-Quantification Wristband Now Used By The Navy SEALs, Pro Sports, Top College Teams, Olympians & Beyond” and “WHOOP: The Performance Enhancing Wearable That Tells You When To Sleep, How To Exercise, Your Strain Levels & More!“
On today's episode, Will grilled me about every step of my day, and my exact morning, afternoon, and evening routines—from sleeping to pooping to sex and more.
During this discussion, you'll discover:
-How Ben first got involved with performance and fitness [5:00]
- Always had a desire to teach; consummate learner
- Write for kids magazines, teach what he learned to other kids
- Love for nature immersion and movement
- Constitutional assessment labeled him as a mover
- Began playing tennis at age 14
- This began the search for optimizing his game, which led to a focus on exercise, nutrition, etc.
- Endurance sports are more appealing due to the importance of physiology, nutrition, etc.
-Ben Greenfield's routine [9:20]
- Christian Gratitude Journal
- One thing grateful for
- One truth
- One person to pray for, help, serve
- Read for 15 minutes
- Book: Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
- Wash face with an oil cleanser
- Oil pulling for the mouth
- The Dirt (it's an oil pulling brand)
- Make coffee
- Kion Coffee
- Wilfa Precision coffee maker
- Spend 15 minutes taking care of body – self love
- 20-30 minutes Morning reading: Twitter, research digests, emails
- Learning vs. reacting/responding
- No creating at this point
- Giant glass of water w/ hydrogen tablets
- Water and Wellness tablets
- Off to the toilet, take care of business
- Coffee enema once a week
- Two types of activity per day:
- Full workout (high-intensity interval training)
- Light workout: walk in the sun, a swim
-What Ben thinks is underrated when it comes to fitness [20:45]
- Minimal effective dose of training
- Time under tension vs. sets and reps
- Vasper machine
- ARX Fit machine
- Focus on mindfulness and breath at the gym
- No phones
- Exercise your spirit as well as the body
-Thoughts on breathwork through the nose [24:00]
- Breathing through the nose increases Co2 levels
- Focus on the exhale, should last slightly longer than the inhale
- Book: The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown
- Exhaling through the nose humidifies the air
- Exercises the diaphragm
- Regulates the sympathetic system
- Opti O2 device
- Meditation: Be driven by your prana (life force)
-What Ben eats for breakfast [27:30]
- Family meeting, planning future activities
- BGF podcast on unschooling
- 9:30 eat a morning superfood smoothie
-A typical day at the office [32:45]
- Beginning at 10 am, hyper-focused on tasks for the day (podcasts, articles, consults, etc.)
- Book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
- Non-reactive work
- Reactive work can wait (emails, small tasks)
- Brain enhancement supplements:
-How to eat meat the right way [36:00]
- Organic wild meat
- Hunt whitetail deer, elk, turkey, with a bow and arrow
- Train to Hunt
- Petersen's Bow Hunting magazine
- Nock on Archery podcast
- Nose to tail
- Coffee in the morning, wine in the evening
- Raw honey
-More on Ben Greenfield's routine (Mid-afternoon) [38:20]
- Have lunch around 3 pm
- Take a nap 20-40 minutes
- 2-3 more hours of work (small tasks: emails)
- No coffee after noon
- Nicotine gum for a cognitive pick-me-up
- Hard workout (if not in the morning)
-What Ben dedicates his evenings to [42:30]
- Belongs entirely to family
- Family dinner, games
- Play music: piano, guitar
- Read, review gratitude journals
-Getting ready for bed [43:45]
- Red incandescent bulbs (close to fire light) no blue light
- RA Optics red and clear blue light blocking glasses
- ChiliPad
- Essential oil diffuser
- Reading, chatting w/ wife
- No TV in the bedroom
- Supplements used:
- 60 mg of CBD
- Sleep Remedy
- Quicksilver melatonin
- 4-7-8 breathing
- MindFold sleep mask
-Under the radar hacks to improve your life [49:45]
- Sunlight exposure first thing in the day
- ReTimer glasses (use BGF30 for $30 off of your purchase)
- Human Charger (use BEN20 for 20% off)
- Red light at night
- Self-quantification
- Whoop (use BEN for a $30 discount)
- Test for inflammation and blood glucose
- Dexcom G6 blood continuous glucose monitor
-And much more…
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Resources from this episode:
– Book: Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday
– AnneMarie Skin Care products
– Water and Wellness tablets (use GREENFIELD for a 10% discount)
– Vasper
– ARX Fit (use BEN for $500 off shipping and installation)
– Book: The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown
– Book: Deep Work by Cal Newport
– Walking treadmill (use BEN10 to save 10%)
– Ultimate Longevity Grounding mat
– JOOVV Red light therapy device
– TrueForm treadmill (BEN10 to save 10%)
– NuCalm Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation Device
– Biomat Infrared Sleep Mat
– NormaTec Pulsing Compression Recovery Boots
– RA Optics blue light blocking glasses
– ChiliPad Sleep System
– Quicksilver melatonin
– MindFold sleep mask
– ReTimer glasses (use BGF30 for $30 off of your purchase)
– Human Charger (use BEN20 for 20% off)
– Whoop strap (use BEN for a $30 discount)
– Dexcom G6 continuous glucose monitor
Episode sponsors:
–Kion: My personal playground for new supplement formulations, Kion blends ancestral wisdom with modern science. Ben Greenfield Fitness listeners, receive a 10% discount off your entire order when you use discount code: BGF10.
–Organifi Glow: A plant-based beverage that helps support the body’s natural ability to produce collagen, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and protect the skin from sun exposure and toxins. Receive a 20% discount on your entire order when you use discount code: BENG20
–ButcherBox: Delivers healthy 100% grass-fed and finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork directly to your door on a monthly basis. All their products are humanely raised and NEVER given antibiotics or hormones. For 2 lbs of 100% grass-fed beef FREE in every box for the life of your subscription PLUS $20 off your first box go to ButcherBox.com/BEN OR enter promo code BEN20 at checkout
–Native Deodorant: Safe, simple, effective products that people use in the bathroom everyday. Native creates products with trusted ingredients and trusted performance. Get 20% off your first purchase when you use discount code: BEN
Ben, For those of us who preordered you Boundless book on Amazon. Will we still have access code to read your unpublished chapters ?
Dear Ben, Please stop tormenting rattlesnakes and stop throwing rocks at cows, especially a2 jerseys. They don’t like coffee enemas either! We care about you.
Ben, you don’t even use a Whoop, bro. You know the Oura Ring is superior.