October 19, 2019

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
  • BGF podcast w/ Ahvie Herskowitz on constitutional assessments
• 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
  • Foam rollers
  • Nasal Breathing
• 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
  • Bone broth
  • Collagen
  • Coconut milk
  • Sea salt
  • Cacao nibs

-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:
  • Four Sigmatic
  • Qualia Mind or Focus
  • Nicotine Gum
  • Zevia sparkling water
  • Grounding mat
  • JOOVV panels
  • Walking treadmill (BEN10 to save 10%)

-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
  • NuCalm
  • Biomat
  • Normatec boots
• 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 (use code GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)
• 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

– RumbleRoller Foam Roller

– 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%)

– Opti O2 device

– Ultimate Longevity Grounding mat

– JOOVV Red light therapy device

– TrueForm treadmill (BEN10 to save 10%)

– NuCalm Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation Device (discount applied at checkout, 65% off the first month of any new monthly subscription)

– Biomat Infrared Sleep Mat

– NormaTec Pulsing Compression Recovery Boots

– RA Optics blue light blocking glasses

– ChiliPad Sleep System

– Quicksilver melatonin (use code GREENFIELD15 to save 15%)

– 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

Do you have questions, thoughts or feedback for me? Leave your comments below and one of us will reply!