My Exact Morning Routine Unveiled Step-By-Step (feel free to copy, modify or comment)

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It’s been about 5 years since I posted a bunch of videos of me doing strange poses in my backyard while wearing teeny-tiny black shorts (at The Exact Stretch Routine That Ben Does Every Morning, No Matter What)…

…so I figured I may as well give you the latest update of my morning routine, since when I step back and think about, my morning routine has progressed way beyond the level of just a few silly stretches in my underwear (as you can see in the photo above, I’ve moved on to pink swimwear). My morning routine has, in fact, morphed into an absolutely epic series of moves, twists, oils, supplements, pooping techniques and an entire host of other ridiculously complex self-care techniques.

But I’m not complaining.

Not only do I absolutely love my morning routine, hopping out of bed each day with a big anticipatory grin, but I also know, that a morning and an evening routine are a great way to bookend your day, and the morning routine in particular allows you to prioritize all the things necessary to take care of yourself and your body while your willpower is high, while grounding your body and mind, and even giving you something “old and reliable” to use when you’re traveling or starting your day in strange, new places. As my friend Brett McKay notes at the Art of Manliness:

“…as secretary of state and president, John Quincy Adams skinny dipped in the Potomac River in the morning, always trying to see how long he could swim without touching the bottom (he got up to 80 minutes before his wife told him to stop). After putting his kids to bed, President Obama goes over briefing papers and does paperwork, and then reads a book for pleasure for a half hour before turning in…”

As a matter of fact, I don’t know any successful people who do not have some kind of a relatively structured and occasionally elaborate morning routine. So without further ado, for your entertainment and education, here is my current morning routine in occasionally disgusting detail.



Ben Greenfield’s Morning Routine


Wake. Unless I have a flight to catch, I do not use an alarm, and ensure that I only book appointments, calls and work after 9am, so that if I do sleep in, I’m able to follow my body’s natural clock and not get “fired from work”. I remove my huge, wraparound Sleep Number eye mask and ear plugs (get the kind you’d use on a gun shooting range – something that really drowns out the noise).

I then roll over, strap on a bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor (most models work but here’s an exact list of compatible ones), smear conducting gel all over the monitor electrodes, and do a 5 minute measurement of my heart rate variability (HRV), nervous system readiness and stress using the NatureBeat app. While I monitor my HRV, I complete a morning entry into my Five Minute Journal, practice box breathing meditation, read my Bible and pray.


Walk downstairs to the kitchen. I pour 20oz of water, into which I add 10 drops of lemon essential oil and 5 drops oil of oregano. As I drink this water, I take my morning supplements and there’s currently quite a few – specifically:

-5g CREO2 Creatine
-2 capsules NatureCleanse
-4 capsules NatureColostrum
-2 capsules Caprobiotics Advanced
-1 capsule Aggressive Strength Testosterone Booster
-1 capsule Aggressive Strength Estrogen Control

After swallowing this small drugstore’s worth of capsules, I put on the water to boil for coffee and head down to the basement gym.


In the gym, I flip on the lights, which powered by a special kind of bulb called “Awake And Alert“. These bulbs crank out massive amounts of blue light, and if the day is gray, I’ll head to gym rather than the backyard patio for a massive dose of light.

Then, I proceed to do my 10 minute morning stretch routine, which frankly, is still pretty dang close to what I was doing 5 years ago. Some things never change. The only major difference is that I add 10 dead-hang pullups at the end of the stretch.


I charge back upstairs and grab the coffee, which is always caffeinated for 3 weeks, then decaffeinated for 1 week, allowing me to only be nursing a caffeine habit 75% of the time (and allow for resensitization of the adenosine receptors). I use Kion Coffee, and no, I do not use butter or MCT oil. Just black coffee, thank you.

Coffee in hand, I head to the bathroom.


So I’ll let you in on a little secret: I only poop once-a-day. That’s right – I get it all out of the way with one massive dump first thing in the morning. There’s just something I don’t like about walking around during the current day with the previous day’s majority of solid waste still inside me.

I’ve pretty much got the morning poo down to a science. I stroll into the bathroom, hop onto my Squatty Potty, then shift, shimmy and shake until everything is out. Typically, I have a few sips of coffee, scroll through emails and Facebook (yep, you know it), read any of my bathroom books and magazines, and just chill until everything is expulsed. This is generally an oh-so-glorious 15-20 minutes, I walk out of that experience with a big goofy smile on my face, and yes, anytime I return from a big bout of travel (and about every two weeks as a rule) my morning bathroom routine includes a Kion Coffee Enema.


Hang out with my two boys before they head to the bus stop. We talk about their sleep, their dreams, their morning journal, breakfast, and the day’s activities. Then they’re off until 3:30pm, which gives me 8 hours of extreme productivity. The day’s goal is always to be finished up with all the hard work by the time the boys get home, so we have plenty of time for afternoon workouts and father-son activities.


Do 30 minutes of morning movement. This varies a bit from day-to-day but generally is setup as follows:

-Monday and Friday mornings: yoga. I’ve been through enough yoga routines to where I have my own hybridized version, but it’s usually basic flow yoga with an intense focus on deep breathing, often in the cold, and often wearing an elevation training mask.

-Tuesday mornings: 20-25 minutefull body foam roller a la “Becoming A Supple Leopard” and 5-10 minutes hanging from inversion table.

-Wednesday mornings: 30 minute cold water swim at 55-60F. Finish with hot tub and warrior breathing.

-Thursday mornings: 30 minute breath hold walk (hold breath every 2 minutes for as long as you can) or 30 minute kettlebell walk (just what it sounds like – carry a kettlebell however you want for 30 minutes).

-Saturday and Sunday mornings: 30 minutes Core Foundation training.

I always finish any of these routines with my signature cold shower (see video below). Post-shower, I slather my legs with magnesium lotion and I slather my face with extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil.


Breakfast. With very little exception, 7 days a week breakfast is simply a green smoothie. You may want to take a deep breath before diving into this. Ready? Here we go:

-A huge bunch of greens. I prefer kale, but spinach, bok choy, mustard greens, etc. also works.

-Some kind of herb. Cleansing herbs like parsley, cilantro or thyme are nice. Get ‘em fresh.

-Half an avocado, or a whole one if it’s a high calorie day.

-4-6oz of full fat coconut milk that is BPA free. The less you use, the thicker your smoothie will be. I prefer an extremely thick smoothie that I have to eat with a spoon, so that the digestive enzymes in my mouth can work on pre-digesting before the food even makes it to my gut. Like my mom always said, “Chew your liquids and drink your solids.” Didn’t you always wonder what that means?

-2 teaspoons organic cacao powder.

-2 teaspoons cinnamon.

-1/2-1 teaspoon sea salt (I use the fancy Colima stuff).

-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil.

OK, stop there. Blend everything above for 60 seconds-ish. You don’t want to pulverize things like protein powder, collagen, etc., and you also don’t want to pulverize the chunky chunks of goodness you’re about to toss in.

Now, let’s keep going. To your blended green goodness, add:

-20-30g of a “clean” protein powder (I have been primarily using Thorne Vegan Chocolate lately).

-2 teaspoons of a good organic collagen hydrolysate.

-1 large handful of unroasted, non-vegetable-oil coated walnuts or almonds.

Now blend again. Quickly this time so that you don’t pulverize the chunks. About 15 seconds will do.

Finally, stir (don’t blend) in the following ingredients:

-1 small handful organic dark cacao nibs or very dark chocolate.

-1 large handful organic unsweetened coconut flakes.

Boom. That’s it. You’re now ready to begin consuming your smoothie, preferably with a spoon or a spatual. I personally use an enormous mug that I won in a triathlon, although I have been known to simply eat it straight out of the blender container when in a hurry or when I’m too lazy to make the transfer into a civilized cup. Depending on how exact your measurements are, this smoothie is going to weigh in at anywhere from 700-1000 calories, so scale yours accordingly if you copy me.

The morning supplements that I currently take with this smoothie (all are best taken before or with a meal):

-2 capsules digestive enzymes
-4 capsules SuperEssentials fish oil
-3 capsules multi-vitamin

During breakfast, I surf through blogs, read research, plan my day, and wipe green smoothie goodness off my face.


They work day officially begins.

And I’ll go ahead and close the curtains there (game for a future Part 2, anyone?).



Do you dig this kind of “inside-the-life-of-Ben” stuff?

Then you may (you creepy stalker, you) enjoy this article too: A Day In The Life Of Get-Fit Guy. Another place where you can find the routines of some famous folks is the blog Daily Routines. And remember that I post every one of my workouts and many photos of my meals inside the BenGreenfieldFitness Inner Circle.

If you have proposed modifications to my morning routine, you want to describe your own morning routine, or you have questions, thoughts or aggressively good-humored ridicule, then feel free to use the comments section below!



Here’s the Snapchat version of my morning routine…find more at

Also published on Medium.

Ask Ben a Podcast Question

148 thoughts on “My Exact Morning Routine Unveiled Step-By-Step (feel free to copy, modify or comment)

  1. Carlos dos Santos says:

    Hi, Ben. In your super morning smoothie, could I replace the walnut and almonds for peanuts?

  2. Zee says:

    Hi Ben,
    In the Snapchat you mentioned Baking Soda, but you didn’t mention it in the narrative. Is baking soda any good in the morning. Or did you switch to oregano oil on purpose?

    Thank you

  3. Devin says:

    Bluetooth-enabled heart rate monitor? I thought you keep bluetooth, wi-fi, etc., out of your home? You use this on yourself? Daily?

    1. I think the benefits of something like knowing my HRV outweigh the risks of a few seconds of bluetooth exposure. I minimize it as much as I can in other areas so I don't have to feel bad about instances like this.

  4. Richard Barclay says:

    I like the morning routine Ben. Very good. I never thought of doing the chocolate.

    I’ve been doing the following:

    Half avocado, celery or cucumber, handful of spinach, 2 tbspns coconut oil, 1 tspn turmeric, pinch of sea salt, cup of unsweetened organic almond milk, blended not too much.

    It’s a weird taste sort of Thai in flavour. It really hits the body and the brain, hard!

    Never stick to it though, my body just tells me to change up later – cacao/ghee smoothie, or bacon and eggs, or bulletproof coffee etc. It changes.

    Yours sounds even better than mine though. I’ll give it a try ingredient for ingredient and let you know.

    Thanks for that.


  5. Elizabeth says:

    Oh my goodness!! I couldn’t stop lauging …no no no.cold showers for me…only in the summer!!!! That’s just too much…lol…you are quite the genius I must say…I hope your cult following gives you blessings….lol..kidding…

    I understand stress all too well….customized by the Lord… are very interesting person…God bless you and yours!!!!!😆

  6. Karlmann says:

    I’ve been trying to look up your Morning Ritual Podcast for about an hour now… I wanted to listen to the audio version so I can recall my memory better!

    I love what you do and appreciate your work!

  7. Daniel says:

    Ben I just found your blog. It is great so far. I cant wait to read the rest of the articles.

  8. I am MOST GAME for a part 2.

  9. sebastian says:

    Hello Ben,

    My cousin Mike spoke very highly of you.

    Please recommend 3 supplements I can take to return to my ideal weight of 140, Im currently at 115. Im 37 and 5′ 11″

    I came off morphine 4 months ago and Im still as skinny as i was on it and i was told by GI alls well but I did see a PT doc who said its probably my metabolism and thats all I know now.

    Really appreciate your input. Keep changing the world.



    1. If I could choose my top 3 supplements, I'd choose Superessential fish oil:…
      EXOS multi:…
      and a good greens supplement like SuperGreens:…

  10. maciej says:

    Hello Ben,

    Thank you for writing this amazing article!

    Im 36 male, active daily – yoga, SUP, free weights, sprints, sports, etc.

    I’ve been doing AIP for about 2weeks – same as from your podcast (feeling awesome)

    Im currently taking living fuel omegas and order your multi vitamins rec.

    What two supplement you recommend next ? for muscle recovery and growth and/or overal health (AIP friendly)

    thank you!!!!

    1. Here's what I recommend:
      5 g of creatine per day (for enhanced neural and muscular function):…
      one packet of Tianchi per day (for hormones):…

      1. maciej says:

        Thanks B! Feeling amaxing!

        Beyond Training – is one of my favorites. Total Package!

        If you have any fitness events or conferences please keep me posted – [email protected]

        Keep on changing the world brother!

  11. Chris says:


    You mentioned a box breathing meditation. Do you do any other type of meditation in the morning? I know you are doing some TM, but was wondering if before you went through the TM training if you did much mindfulness or any other type of meditation to start your day.

    1. Gratitude journaling, and bits and pieces of meditation, and box breathing prior to TM and now TM an box breathing mostly.

      1. Chris says:

        Ok, thanks. Do you do the 4-4-4-4 box breathing or increase it a lot? If so, whats your regular cycle?

        1. I'll typically primarily just use that number four method, yes

  12. Jeff Wildenboer says:

    Hi Ben, I really appreciate your insights! Any suggestions for someone who works early, 6am. I get up at 430am but don’t get to bed before 10pm. I’d like to ramp up my metabolism and control my sugar levels. I was at peak fitness for the Tahoe Beast but knee surgery has erased those gains. Any suggestions?

    1. Hey Jeff, either call this into the podcast –, or book a consult at and choose 20 or 60 mins and we'll get you scheduled to answer all your questions!

  13. Massi says:

    Hi Ben, great article! Love the series!
    Just one question, I thought you consumed Kimera coffee. Do you prefer Upgraded instead?
    Thanks Ben.

    1. I bounced between coffee quite often. I consume everything from Kimera to Upgraded to Laird Hamilton's coffee and beyond.

  14. Mark says:

    Hi ben,just a quick question about morning green smoothies,is it best to have one before or after training and how long can i store one in the fridge if they are in bpa free bottle and ive filled it to the very top as im extremely busy,would 2 days be ok,i also use spirulina,chlorella,grasses etc aswell thanks for really best podcast out there,and good luck with your fight,as i follow you on instagram,can you still follow a keto diet while your kickboxing/boxing i do mma/bjj myself and im curious to see if it would be better,thanks again ben????

    1. It's going to really depend on exactly what's in the smoothie. 48 hours should be fine but I would stick with 24 if you can.

      1. Mark says:

        Hi ben,in my smoothie there is 1 large avocado,200g of kale,1 small apple,175g frozen blue berries,2 garlic cloves,5 sticks of celery,mct oil or avocado oil,with loads of grasses,camu camu,moringa,spirulina,chlorella and acai,i use liquid egg whites for my protein but i drink those separately.i sometimes throw a tianchi in there of a morning for added boost.thanks again ben????

  15. Angela says:

    I know this is an older post, but…I am making my own bcaa drink and wondered if I add ACV to it if it the acidity of the vinegar will dilute the bcaas? (I am using ACV to basically help mask the taste of straight bcaas. I’m avoiding all sweeteners).

    1. Vinegars and proteins are fully compatible. There should be no issue here!

  16. sdeg says:

    I’ve read much conflicting information on ingesting that much essential oil (lemon and oregano) daily. Could you speak/link to your thoughts on that? Thanks for the podcast.

    1. Go listen to the Young Living Essential Oils podcast on iTunes. They have two podcasts regarding essential oil myths, and that is addressed there. Short answer is *no* as long as they are properly diluted.

      1. Ben says:

        Hey Ben! It’s Ben here! I love you’re work and attention to detail. Is this the podcast you’re talking about?

        Essential Oil Revolution “005: Part 2 |Myth Busters: Essential Oil Safety and Myths” with Dr Jim Bob Haggerton

        1. Ben says:

          errrr… last ~15min of part 1 (episode: 004)??

  17. Greg says:

    Hi Ben,

    I’ve just recently been introduced to your blog and I love it. I have been on a Ketogenic diet for about 8 weeks now and struggle a little with my morning exercise. I typically have a bulletproof coffee in the morning (love it) and then ,4 days a week, head out for a 128 to 180 minute cycle. While I feel great on my off days with bulletproof coffee, I feel rather sluggish half way through my ride on my training days. Would this type of smoothy give me the energy I need to get through a ride and build some muscle mass.

    Thanks Greg

    1. Yep, would help tremendously. But you may need to eat DURING your workout, in which case you should review this:…

  18. Mark simcox says:

    Hi ben,can i use adaptogens in a smoothie?,and does ashwagandha contain high levels of arginine?,i also heard nuts and seeds contain arginine,what would be a good alternative for someone who had herpes?thanks ben,TOP MAN

    1. Lot's of questions. Yes, you can use adaptogens in a smoothie. No ashwaganda not super high in arginine (listen to my to learn what is!). Finally re: herpes, diet, etc. I'd be happy to help you via a personal one-on-one consult. Just go to and then choose a 20 or 60 minute consult, whichever you'd prefer. I can schedule ASAP after you get that.

  19. Dan Kalis says:

    Hey Ben…

    1. Do you blend in raw kale or do you wilt it first? I’ve heard raw kale and spinach can be harsh on the digestive system.

    2. Why don’t you use oregano essential oil (in a capsule with carrier oil) versus the one you have listed?

    3. My wife doesn’t like morning sex either. The struggle is real, bro :-/

    1. I blend in raw kale AND YES to reduce oxalates I should boil or steam first and discard water but I am a lazy SOB. If I had big thyroid issues I'd be more careful to do that. Oregano liquid way more potent than capsules AND more versatile for cleaning house, topical application, etc.

  20. JakeSwick says:

    I'm liking it! I love the fact that you pray. and read your bible first thing in the morning. That is an essential part of my day too. Gotta keep that focus. I like the idea of doing Yoga first thing in the morning.

  21. GriffinLLC says:

    Thank you so much for the detailed and transparent info! I am finding it very useful. ~ Quick question: Are there ANY reasons to avoid using specifically: Bananas – Blueberries – Strawberries – Goji in the morning shake? My father is thoroughly convinced he wants this in his shake simply for added taste/enjoyment benefits and I am not so sure it's necessary or beneficial.

    1. Well, you only have X amount of carbs/fructose you can take in before your liver glycogen levels are full and the fructose will instead serve to jack up your triglyceride levels. I recommend saving any fruit until the evening, post-activity OR if you do have them in the morning, not eating any more fructose the rest of the day.

  22. Marielle says:

    Valerie, you may wanna look at Ambronite (I think it’s It was a very good lunch solution to me. They have very similar ingredients to what Ben uses in his drink.

  23. JackieJ111 says:

    why do you opt for a chest strap heart monitor? Can you get similar results from the wrist/watch heart rate monitors?

    1. Those are notoriously inaccurate. Technology does not yet exist for an ACCURATE wrist reading…

  24. Dan says:

    May have just answered my question in finding one of your postings.

    “In any of these cases, after your workout simply eat a big meal real food in the form of a smoothie or any of the quick and easy-to-digest meals from Chapter 11 and you’ll be set. Contrary to popular belief, the fat content in these meals does not slow down amino acid or glucose absorption. Ideally, you can combine any of those meals with my comprehensive recovery tips in Chapter 8”

    Does this apply to strength athletes that lift in a fasted state? Perhaps the Kale Smoothie with extra amino’s may be the answer…..? Thoughts?


    1. The kale smoothie is almost 1000 calories, dude. There's no way you'd be fasted. Better approach in that case would just be a glass of water with 10g or so of essential amino acids. Check out That would be a good one.

      1. Dan says:

        Ben my thinking is the smoothie would be post fasted state workout not pre.

        As a recovery meal.

      2. Dan says:

        Would this make a good post recovery/ growth shake for post workout?

        Thanks again Ben.

      3. danco1212 says:

        My thinking was post workout and not pre. Workouts are done fasted.
        Smoothie good for post workout recovery?

        Thanks Ben. I love your content and insights.

        1. yes for post workout…

  25. Dan says:

    Also any postings on your evening routines?

    1. Not yet! Patience, man. ;)

  26. danco1212 says:

    Ben, love the Keto Kale Smoothie. For one that is running Keto full time would the smoothie be a good post workout recovery after a lifting/ strength session? Or should I eliminate some of the fats and oils for more protein? I am thinking add in a bit more whey and or BCAA's.

  27. Billy T. says:


    Are you still taking the Tianchi everyday?

  28. Jimmyjames23 says:

    I'm having some inflammation problems in my feet and knees and would like to increase tumeric and ginger consumption. What's the best way to add these in effective amounts to my morning routine?


  29. Jimmyjames23 says:

    Hey Ben!

    Thanks for all of this its great. Whenever i do the Foundation workout from the youtube video it bothers my back. I believe I'm doing it all right but do you have any suggestions?

    1. Do you have the book? You may need to reread and make sure your form is solid.

  30. HowieFox says:

    Hi Ben,
    I just came around to this post after watching your interview on London Real. Very cool btw!
    Wow, I'm completely new to this biohacking idea and as you can imagine your routine is quite overwhelming for a newbie. Maybe I can ask you a question just regarding the smoothie to start with: Until now I've been eating oats with nuts/raisin and soy milk for breakfast. Is it possible to tell me briefly why your shake is a better decision? Or referencing me to a related article would also be awesome!

    Thanks in advance!

    1. This post would be a good place to start… make sure to follow the links included in it too!

  31. dustin_ says:

    Just curious Ben, on the morning stretch routine – do you head straight into the stretches and pullups? Or warmup with jumping jacks, pushups, etc – like you mentioned in a comment on the 5 year old post?

    1. I ease into it (with a hundred jumping jacks) but I don’t spend a ton of time “warming up”. This is my warm-up… for my day!

  32. ZHawki says:

    Thanks for sharing Ben! Great stuff! I recently purchased the CREO2 Creatine (via affiliate link) and was wondering if I'm reading the label correctly. To get 5 grams, are you taking about 7-8 tablets? And why no tapering? Are you careful not to dehydrate prior to endurance events like a Super or Beast? Thanks again!

    1. For CREO2 you only need 3-4 tablets, and there’s no evidence that for the nootropic effect you need to do anything past 5g per day. Plus, the loading is what can cause the cramping and the potential movement of water into intramuscular space causing that “dehydration” effect you’re alluding to.

  33. Josh Hiller says:

    Thanks Ben for going into detail, especially with the great decaf rotation tip!

    I am curious about what you use as a shampoo and conditioner? I have used EVOO on my face as well but after cleansing with soap. Do you wash your face with anything before applying it?
    I recently came across young living's frankincense essential oil(and the benefits of it ) thanks to your link for lemon essential oil. I have read both can be great for the face – lemon being diluted 4:1

    Looking forward to your evening routine. Keep up the awesome work! ;)

    1. That is exactly the kind of stuff we get into in the Inner Circle. You should check it out – <a href="” target=”_blank”>

  34. bmicic says:

    Thanks for the article Ben.

    Do you recommend taking creatine before or after a morning workout?
    Also, I tried the green shake and it's delicious. Although, the fibre seems to be quite high with that meal, should this be a concern in any case?


    1. I take the creatine first thing in the morning for the cognitive benefits. Why are you worried about fibre?

      1. bmicic says:

        I was just getting worried if large amounts of fibre daily would affect my workouts, but I would usually have this kind of shake post-workout after a post-workout supplement regime.
        As for the creatine, In my case I currently take EAAs+MCT+Taurine pre-workout and L-Glutamine+EAAs post-workout, so if I was to add the creatine for endurance & cognitive performance, would it be best to include it during the pre or post workout routine?


        1. Your plan is pretty dang solid. If you would like to really dive in to your regime, feel free to book a one-on-one consult at

  35. damdamdam says:

    15-20 minutes Ben, really ? You gotta work on that ;) My once-a-day bathroom stop takes about 30sec, with no squatty potty, digestive enzymes or montly enemas…

    1. I also get a significant amount of work done while I am in there… and I doubt you are completely eliminating the previous day's solid waste in only 30 seconds.

      1. damdamdam says:

        Oh thrust me it's all gone in one shot, usually within 5-10min after getting up, like a clockwork. I'm known for regularly blocking the bathroom, I have a high-fiber vegetable-based diet.

  36. Lenvi Skin says:

    Thanks for finally writing about > Ben Greenfield’s Morning Routine < Loved it!

  37. aimeedivis says:

    Hey Ben!
    A couple questions:
    Re creatine-do you cycle it or just take 5g daily? What would you recommend for a 45 yo female ex-endurance athlete who now lifts heavy 4 days/week, walks daily & sprints 1x/wk

    Showers-so at which point do you wash up? Is there any disadvantage to ending with a warm shower in order to bathe?

    I don't like to drink my calories either-so how does your green smoothie fit in?


    1. I take 5g daily, year round and my smoothie is so thick that I could eat it with a fork! If you want to dig into more of your questions, feel free to book a one-on-one with me at

  38. Michelle Everett says:

    Hi Ben, can I ask the purpose of the use of essential oils in water? I take the juice of held a lemon first thing in the morning. Is the oil just easier?

    Thanks, Michelle

    1. Oil is easier, more convenient and the same as lemon juice, would be used to alkalize and as a digestif – just way easier than using a crapload of lemons each week. ;) Check…

  39. bmicic says:

    Hey Ben, how would you adjust your routine above if you had a longer endurance workout (ex/ 1-1.5 hour swim) bright and early in the morning? Cheers.

    1. I would be more likely to adjust the swim than the routine. Besides, I am the minimalist training guy! 1.5 hour swim?!?!

  40. Ben W says:

    Allow me to double dip on comments here please; is there a particular reason you don’t include fresh ginger in your smoothie, or does it fall under the herbs category here?

    Thank you

    1. Yeah… it depends on my mood ;)

  41. EarthRunner1987 says:

    Stoked to see you are wearing your Earth Runners!

  42. timorme2152 says:

    I've been doing a very similar ketogenic shake (the Kale shake you made a video of) in the morning and boy it's been great. The only problem is, it's making me feel dehydrated in ways that water doesn't seem to help. Any idea why that might be? And would something like psyllium husks or water soluble fiber help? Or would it pull me out of ketosis?

    1. If you are in ketosis, you need to up your sodium intake. Take a look at this…

      1. tdolanguage says:

        Thanks! Sometimes I put BCAAs in it, so I'm glad to see I'm on the right track!

  43. vegjenn says:

    Thanks for a great post Ben! I am curious about your thoughts on oxalates and raw kale/greens that you use in your morning smoothie?

    1. Pretty mild unless you eat TONS of Kale! Literally bushel fulls. Ideally, you would boil or steam to completely reduce oxalates but I feel that's only really necessary if you have thyroid issues. Adding something that can bind the oxalates (such as a calcium-magnesium supplement) can be useful, and some people do that!

  44. hej!człowieku says:

    Ben, really insightful post, thank you!
    Your routine seem to undertone "human factor" though. I can't imagine sleeping next to my wife in huge sleeping mask on and then waking up and doing heart tests, journaling and so on, 15-minutes toilet breaks and so on…
    You have two young boys as well. Who takes care of them (breakfast/dressing up/packing etc.), don't they visit you in your bed in the morning for hugs and good mornings?
    How do you copy with that without becoming Terminator-style dad/husband?

    1. By having your morning routine set up the way mine is you must also be willing to be a little selfish in the morning, and then shift a huge priority to family in the afternoon/evening…which is exactly what I do. I snuggle with and chill with my kids for only 10-15 minutes in the morning, and mom gets them all ready for school. But then we are all together for 3-5 hours when they get home in the afternoon, and there is tons of snuggle time in the evening.

      I'll be frank: my wife doesn't like morning sex. So we save sex for the afternoon, early evening or late evening. And the mask is really not a big deal because I only put it on at last minute before we go to bed. As for single long morning toilet break…it just works quite well to not need to visit the bathroom the rest of the day. Don't knock it till you've tried it. ;)

  45. fittenor says:

    HI Ben,

    I've stayed away from decaf because of many articles in the past (i.e. a decade to five years ago) that say decaf is bad. But it looks like you're not concerned with it. Has the decaffeination process improved now. I am indeed picky with my coffee (locally roasted, organic or well-sourced) and my regular supplier does seem to have a better than average decaf option ” target=”_blank”>( Should I give decaf another chance?

    Thanks for sharing all these!


  46. Vicki says:

    How do you brew your coffee? I’m sure there is a podcast on it!! Also, what are your thoughts on the black seed cumin oil you were trying out? Thanks!!

    1. I sometimes use an aeropress and sometimes use a Wilfe Precision Coffee Maker. Those are my two weapons of choice. And yes, I've still been putting the black cumin seed oil in my morning smoothie. I don't think I included that. But I'll rotate between that, olive oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, etc.

  47. Ben W says:

    Makes me feel good when I see I use a few of the same products as BG.

    Excellent post, super packed with useful info and links.

    As far as your green smoothie, I noticed you don’t include berries or any other fruit. I put frozen organic berries(blue, black and occasionally strawberries), and sometimes about a third of a banana.

    Any reason you do not, something I should know?

    Thanks as always BG.

    1. I don't need/want to added sugar/carbs in the morning so I leave that stuff out. The majority of my carbs happen later in the day, after my hardest workout.

  48. trilady11 says:

    Hi Ben ~ I don't see Enerprime in your routine ( or your smoothie), have things changed?

    1. I still take Enerprime sometimes but it can be redundant when I'm already putting a boatload of greens into my smoothie. I *definitely* use Enerprime when traveling or when sick…

  49. glees22 says:

    OK; good to know. Thanks!

  50. mao428 says:

    Interesting stuff dude. Looking forward to seeing your evening routine in the near future. Is there a benefit or better option over using room temperature fresh squeezed lemon water versus apple cider vinegar? I use to start my morning by having a big glass of room temp ACV, but am a little worried about potentially damaging the tooth enamel long term. Any thoughts on this?

    As always really enjoy your content. Thank you!


    1. ZERO issues with diluted ACV. But apple cider vinegar is highly acidic. You should always dilute it with water or juice before swallowing. Pure, straight apple cider vinegar could damage your tooth enamel or the tissues of your mouth and throat, and I've made that mistake before.

      I personally like the taste of lemon much better.

      1. mao428 says:

        Ok cool thanks for the tip. Same here after switching to lemon water. It's way less intense compared to ACV.


  51. Joe says:

    Hey Ben,

    Is the idea that fish oil is best when taken before a meal apply to all fish oil? Just curious about the reasoning, I always take mine after a meal. Think I would benefit from the simple switch?



  52. glees22 says:

    Thanks for sharing your morning routine, Ben. I have a question about the oregano oil: I recently started taking oregano oil capsules and noticed on the bottle the recommendation to only take it for a couple weeks at a time. Do you know why this is so and/or do you cycle your use of oregano oil in any way? Thanks!

    1. Some argue that overuse could also kill good bacteria, but that's not the case. Oregano is selective. My Dad is an avid oregano user and has fermented multiple batches of oregano yogurt – which would be impossible if it were having deleterious effect on good bacteria. I use as a daily "tonic", much like many use apple cider vinegar.

  53. hawkins6289 says:

    If this is your breakfadt every morning what does the rest of your day in terms of number and size of meals? Thanks!

    1. Stay tuned for more "day in the life" details and you'll find out! But yes, I have this for breakfast every morning.

      1. hawkins6289 says:

        Ok thanks! I normally go by the high fat low carb diet but do allow myself two slices bread in the morning for Peanut butter and jam (my addiction). Looking to finally cut out breads completley though.

  54. Beni Gifford says:

    Dude that was kickass thanks so much for putting in the time to be so detailed and specific.

  55. lealjm says:

    Hey Ben great article!! I have a question about your Creo2. I looks like a great product. I am very sensitive to caffeine and things like that and am not supposed to ingest it. Does Creo2 speed you up? If so do you know of any pure creatines that don't speed you up? THanks for your time!!!

    1. You won't get much central nervous system stimulant at all from CreO2 so you should be just fine. That's what I would use!

  56. Christine says:

    Ben forgot to ask : collagen hydrolysate from grassfed cows? How is that even possible. I don’t think that is traceable. Can you enail me the proof please, cause if true, I’d be really happy to use that collagen.


  57. Christine says:

    Hi Ben,

    Thanks for this post. Without sharing my full routine, I must say that I use to take my supplements on an empty stomach also first thing in the morning, but after some research (can be found on pubmed) I changed. This because most supplements are isolated components that normally in nature function with other nutrients + co-factors present in foods. When taken alone your body, with most supplements, must use it’s own ressources to reconstruct the complex found in nature. Made me think: I am I adding good by depleting some of my own ressources? I found it best to take them with food, unless they are whole food supplements.

    I also see that you take collagen hydrolysate and you write organic. What do you mean by that? Have you found a certified organic collagen hydrolysate? I have never found one.

    Thanks for all the great info you give.

    1. You should probably check out what I have to say on gelatin vs. collagen here:… – and yes it is certainly possible to get gelatin from organic, grass-fed sources! In the meantime, regarding a "case to be made" for taking supplements, that's an entirely different discussion, but if you're a hard charging athlete, have specific medical/health conditions, don't have access to pristine, organic food, etc. it's usually a good idea.

    2. Christine says:


      Thanks for responding. Better to take supplements than not in most cases, especially if an athlete like you say. I just take them with food.

      As for my question for organic or grass fed collagen hydrolysate, I would much rather take that than plain simple collagen hydrolysate but have not found any.

      I don’t want to start a debate between gelatin and collagen hydrolysate, as you say in the podcast you refered me to, they are different.

      Collagen hydrolysate is supported by some randomized studies to help with joint pain reduction and joint health. It is mainly because the hydrolysis cleves certain amino acids. These amino acids are found in joints (hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline). These are not found in high concentration in native collagen nor in gelatin.

      No need to buy gelatine supplements when it is found in lots of foods already. Collagen hydrolysate is not in food and also has a higher concentration of proline and glycine than the others.

      Now back to grass fed collagen hydrolysate. Can you send me some source that shows it is really grass fed.


      1. Take Great Lakes for example (a form of collagen I use)…

        …on their FAQ page…

        How are the cattle raised?
        Our cattle are grass fed and slaughtered in Argentina and Brazil which is controlled by their respective Department of Agriculture. These countries have the same type of rigourous tests and inspections as the United States. Beef hides are the only product used to manufacture gelatin in these countries.

      2. Christine says:

        Yes thanks Ben. Had seen that. I am skeptical, cause collagen is my specialty. I will look into it.

        Keep up the great research and back up as much as you can with sound evidence.

        Love all the new stuff you come up with and experiments.

  58. bingbang01 says:

    Hi Ben, wondering how much cost all those supplements per month?

    1. Around in the range of $150/month…

  59. notjustpaleo says:

    I would be careful with that testosterone supplement. Mucuna pruriens down-regulates dopamine pretty quickly. Any L-DOPA precursor like that isn't necessary more than 1 or 2 times a week in my experience.. unless you're treating a parkinson's patient or something.

    1. This is likely based off side effects with L Dopa drugs like what Parkinson's patients take. There is something (currently unknown) in mucuna plant that makes l-dopa work better then the actual drug alone. It works better and is safer then the drug. Trying to apply one to the other doesn't work. Also I am not recommending taking the product forever without a break.

      This study shows the advantages of mucuna over the actual drug.

      This study shows improvements in all parameters when mucuna is given to men with infertility.

      In addition, speaking subjectively, I have taken AS on and off for a couple years now and have never noticed a drop off in mood during off cycle periods. Anyone that has concerns can do 5 days on 2 days off and use for only 4 week then take 2 week offs.

      1. notjustpaleo says:

        Good stuff. Moderation is the spice to life.. except for toxins… I don't think those are good in moderation.

        Talk soon!

  60. Rebecca says:

    a couple of questions for you…

    Would you suggest the test booster for women with the goal of bodybuilding?

    Also was wondering what you suggest for someone who is anemic?

    1. Rebecca says:

      Sorry another question

      I get horrible Charlie horses all the time does the magnesium lotion you use help with that? I have looked into my labs and all electrolytes check normal just low hgb and iron which I can’t take the supplements due to Malabsorption issues. I do ketogenic diet and eat read meat a few times a week, but weight train heavy on daily basis. Any suggestions would be so appreciated… Love reading your articles!

      1. Yes, you can totally use magnesium for that, and I'd check this out too:…

    2. For women testosterone/drive, I'd check this out:…

      For anemia, you'll need a good non-constipating form of iron. I like this stuff:

  61. vickeree says:

    Hey Ben what's the benefit of breath (holding) walks? and what do you think about infused water (where you put a bunch of fruit and herbs in a glass jar of water and let it sit there overnight and drink it first thing in the morning) instead of the lemon and oregano oil?

    1. Listen to the latest episode #28 at or read the book 'DEEP" by James Nestor to learn more about the benefits of brief, intermittent hypoxia and breath hold walks. I like the idea of infused water as long as you're able to keep the fructose content low. Oils are concentrated and convenient however.

    2. Eric Collins says:

      Hey ben, a bit late to responding on this article, but thanks a bunch for it! Pretty awesome to see, and is a great skeleton one can use to create their own!

      So anyways, why am I replying to this comment in particular? Well I just bought myself an elevation training mask with some Christmas money! I tried finding info and googling, but couldn’t find anyone talking about it or doing, but I thought such a mask would be awesome to use during yoga, and then here I find out in this article that is exactly what you do once a week!

      Also I am going to listen to podcast 28 you linked above in a comment on the book DEEP. Question though, do think frequent use of an elevation mask is sufficient to produce the benefits of intermittent hypoxia you reference?

      1. An elevation training mask is much different then hypoxia. I get into that here:… — Enjoy!

  62. Mike_Georgalas says:

    Great article Ben! I think I'm going to add some of your routine to my own… though I'm not sure about the Bulletproof Enema yet.

    Meditation and deep breathing are staples to my morning routine. My home is usually cool (60 degrees) in the morning. I'll take a hot shower, throw on some shorts, no shirt, and meditate for 10 – 15 min using the Headspace app.

    Quick question about your routine, why do you take digestive enzymes with your smoothie? Shouldn't it be pretty easy to digest?

    Keep the excellent content coming!


    1. The reason I'm using the digestive enzyme rightnow is that I did a gut test and turned out to be a little deficient in pancreatic enzyme production, so it's just better living through science. I don't NEED them but they give me a slight edge when it comes to digestive support.

  63. bbuchl says:

    Love the taking of time for a good poop, still think a great book would be something like "Ideas While On The John" (Or Squatty Pot)….Being a nurse I have the luxury of working 3 (12-14hour) shifts a week allowing me to do a morning type routine like this 4 days a week, but this is definitely extensive (although obviously beneficial)….Ben would you say a good morning routine is as important as one before bed?

    1. Yes, a good morning routine is as important as one before bed, and at some point in the near future I will outline my evening routine too!

  64. Joe Gates says:

    Out of curiosity, why don’t you do the butter coffee? Personal preference or do you have thoughts that it may not be good for you?

    1. First, I'm not a fan of drinking my calories. Second, the time of day that I have coffee I like to be fasted, and if I dump 500-1000 calories of fat into my coffee, I'm definitely not fasted.

  65. jbmacluckie says:

    Hey Ben,

    Again an excellent blog post! Your routine is pretty interesting & I was wondering if you had any tips on how to implement new habits in order for me to construct my own?

    I usually wakeup arount 7(-ish) am on gym days & around 8:30am on normal days and the few habits I tried to implement failed completely (meditation / qigong routine / etc.). The only one which are still working are "taking my supplements" & the cold shower (thanks again for your video about it btw).

    1. The One biggest tip I can give you is the same tip I use with my kids for habit implementation: get out a giant calendar, and give yourself a big red X or checkmark for every day you complete something. Goal is always 30 days. That's my simple secret.

      1. jbmacluckie says:

        Awesome, thanks :)

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