A Full Day Schedule
Many people have asked me what a day in my life looks like. How I structure and maximize my time, what I do and why, what exercises I do on what days, and so forth. So, by popular demand, let’s take a look at one of my days.
Morning
The start of your day is the most important part of any schedule. To that end, here is here is my morning on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday:
First Alarm - 4:45 a.m.
I set this alarm to give myself 15 minutes to properly wake up. If you are the kind of person that can immediately spring out of bed on your first alarm every day, I salute you. I know from experience that this is not me.
Second Alarm - 5:00 a.m.
Time to get up. If I am still in bed when this alarm goes off, I immediately stand up and begin walking. I do not give myself time to think about how tired I might be (I shouldn’t be that tired if I got proper sleep. If I didn’t, it’s my own fault), I just start moving. For an additional wake-up, I hold my breath until my heart rate goes up (credit to my girlfriend for finding this tip).
To-Dos
Water
I immediately go to the fridge to pull out and drink cold water. Hydration is important throughout the day, and it is important to start off with it immediately.
2. Stretch
Since most of us are largely inert during the night, it is important to loosen your body up with some basic stretches. This is doubly important if you work out in the morning like I do.
3. Meditate
Another daily staple, I meditate for a minimum of 5 minutes each morning. The benefits of this cannot be overstated.
4. Lift
One of primary pillars of my morning routine. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I lift heavy using barbell free weights. For those who want to know more, I follow Mehdi’s Stronglifts 5x5 program most of the time. I will occasionally cycle off of it for specific reasons, but this is my go-to for structured lifting. It is important to note that I am hydrating frequently throughout the workout.
5. Sprints
High intensity activity immediately following heavy lifting has been shown to increase fat loss. 10 minutes of on off sprinting, roughly 30 seconds sprinting and 1 minute walking.
6. Stretch
Very important to prevent soreness after heavy lifting followed by sprinting.
7. Breakfast
In order to take advantage of the anabolic window, I eat a protein rich breakfast immediately after stretching. 5 eggs + 4.1 ounces of chicken breast and 8 ounces of mixed vegetables.
8. Cold Shower
An ice cold shower each day is an excellent addition to any morning routine. Firstly, it will wake you up the rest of the way if you somehow are still feeling groggy. Secondly, cold exposure has been shown to increase fat loss. Lastly, forcing yourself to face the cold water is good for your mental strength.
9. Personal Hygiene
Taking pride in your personal appearance is an important part of your mental health. To this end, I always shave, brush my teeth, and groom myself before leaving in the morning.
10. Leave For Work
Much as I would like to spend all of my time working on Strength Per Second, I do currently have a day job.
Afternoon
To-Dos
Lunch
The second half of my food intake for a non-cheat day. 8 ounces of chicken breast, 8 ounces of mixed vegetables, and 100 grams of almonds.
2. Work on SPS
My lunch breaks and evenings are when I work on this website and community.
Evening
To-Dos
Prep Meals For The Next Day
Doing this in the evening the day before keeps my morning routine quick and un-rushed. I keep the mixed vegetables frozen until they need to be portioned out, and a safe amount of cooked chicken in the refrigerator to be portioned out during the week. Eggs are made fresh each night and refrigerated with the rest of the next day’s breakfast. Both meals are placed in separate containers for quick grab and go.
2. Work on SPS
If there is any work that still needs to be done that day.
3. Rest
Relaxing is important. You can’t go full blast all the time. I am the type to only rest once everything else is done, which is why this is the last thing you see.
How Is Your Day?
As always, I want to hear from all of you. What is your daily schedule like? Share any tips, tricks, and hacks that you use to make things better.