Morning makes or breaks the rest of the day.
A good morning makes it a good day.
A bad morning makes it a bad day.
So always start your day in the right way.
How do you have a great morning?
A great morning starts the night before.
You have to wake up at a reasonable time to have a great morning.
You cannot wake up at 1pm and have a great morning, because morning is already over by then.
One should get to bed at a reasonable time if one expects to wake up and kick butt.
I'd like to be able to say I go to bed at 9pm every night and that I'm not dicking around on the internet like everyone else, but that would be a lie.
However, I do two things to make sure I get the best sleep I can:
- I don't take my laptop into the bedroom.
- I sleep in the darkest room possible.
Sleeping in the dark can be a dual edged sword.
The lighter it is in the morning, the earlier you will wake up. The darker it is in the morning, the later you will wake up.
I find it impossible to sleep past 7am in a light room. In a dark room I can sleep much later.
(I can remember staying in a pitch black villa in Bali and not waking up until 12pm, the latest I have slept in in at least 8 years.)
I try to get the best of both worlds. I try to sleep in as dark a room as possible and wake up at a reasonable time.
I could just wake up early every day and take a nap in the afternoon, but I do not like taking a nap during the day.
A nap feels like defeat, so I try to get adequate sleep.
I simply try to go to bed at an adequate time to get enough sleep to not require a nap.
I typically get to bed anywhere between 10pm-12am and I find this time satisfactory for waking up before 8am.
When to go to sleep / When to wake up
- To wake up at 7am I'd get to bed no later than 11pm.
- To wake up at 6am I'd get to bed no later than 10pm.
- To wake up at 5am I'd get to bed no later than 9pm.
Figure out your needs and adjust accordingly.
Left to my own devices with no time schedule, nowhere I need to be in the morning, and no partying at night - I end up going to bed between 10pm-12am.
I always wake up the same - tired!
Now this is just my experience, you may wake up as refreshed as a daisy and I'd be happy for you.
I personally have sleep apnea and wake up repeatedly throughout the night.
I haven't had a full night's, refreshing sleep in 15 years.
Boo hoo for me, but I wake up and kick ass in spite of not sleeping, not because I sleep well.
And my 3C morning routine plays a big part in it.
The first C - Coffee
The first thing I do when I wake up, after I visit the restroom, is brew my coffee.
I always, always, always do this. The only time I don't have coffee is if I'm catching an early morning airplane or I'm in some crazy hotel that doesn't have coffee.
Making and drinking coffee is a great morning ritual. I enjoy the routine, the taste and the smell of morning coffee.
Coffee for me is more than a “waker-upper”, because it does much more.
Coffee has been my most abused tool for productivity.
Each and every great article I have written has been with the help of a lot of coffee.
I have tried and would try every productivity tool or drug in the world to make me better, and the best has always been coffee.
Each morning when I wake up, I brew my RED Coffee.
Start with an idea and add coffee.
A lot has been made of the supposed ill effects of coffee, but I tend not to believe the coffee hate and there are many reasons why coffee is healthy.
Benefits of drinking coffee include:
- Caffeine blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter called adenosine in the brain, which leads to a stimulant effect. This improves energy levels, mood and various aspects of brain function.
- Drinking coffee enhances mental performance.
- Drinking coffee enhances physical performance.
- Coffee has shown to have a positive effect on depression.
- There is clear evidence that caffeine is very beneficial on attention span.
- Coffee has shown positive effects on long term memory.
- Coffee has shown positive effect for assisting with weight loss - increased metabolic rate, energy expenditure, lipid oxidation, and lipolytic and thermogenic activities.
- Several studies show that coffee drinkers live longer and have a lower risk of premature death - coffee drinkers get less diseases.
- Many of the compounds contained in coffee help fight cancer - these compounds are known as polyphenols, lignan phytoestrogens, and flavonoids.
Long story short? Drink your morning coffee.
The second C - Cardio
The next thing I do, after I drink one mug of coffee, is think of reasons why I should skip my morning cardio.
I've never been a big believer in cardio for weight loss, so I never did regular cardio.
Big mistake.
Cardio doesn't do much for weight loss, but it has many other benefits that I was ignoring.
Cardio makes you feel, in a word, “ahhh”.
You've probably heard of “runner's high”, well, you don't quite get that from morning cardio but you do get a similar, peaceful feeling we'll call “runner's high lite”.
Reasons you should do cardio:
- Cardio reduces stress and gives a great sense of well being and “zen”
- Cardio relieves depression and anxiety
- Cardio can increase mental clarity (especially when used with coffee)
- Cardio can help to relieve soreness in muscles
- Cardio increases your endurance (she'll thank you)
- Cardio improves heart health
- Cardio increases metabolism (I have never been a big eater but doing regular cardio makes me very hungry)
- Cardio gives you more energy for the day
- Cardio can help you sleep better
So when I wake up, I know I'm going to do some morning cardio so I can start the day in a feel good way.
And each morning is the same…
On the one hand I know that I always feel great after hitting 30 minutes of morning cardio, but on the other other hand “I'm tired right now and don't feel like doing it“.
After going back and forth in my head I simply get dressed and make myself go to the gym.
And I'm always glad I did because I always feel alive after I do.
I love to get that morning sweat out of the body, I love to get the blood pumping, I love to get the lungs burning - I love to wake up.
What type of cardio should you do?
I personally use the exercise bicycle or the eliptical treadmill.
I don't run because I'm not built for running.
I have the flattest feet in the entire world, my feet are enormous like a clown's feet, I have tiny calves, one leg is shorter than the other, and I have a big upper body.
Running actually makes me hurt, so I just don't do it.
Bicycling is great and I endorse cycling 100%.
I don't often cycle because I live in a filthy city and I don't want to breathe the nasty street air.
If you live in a clean city I would wholeheartedly suggest picking up a road cycle and hitting the road each morning.
[If you're interested in cycling here is a good video about bikes for beginners.]
Running works fine if you like running. Swimming works just fine if you like swimming.
But then again, a gym works just fine. Pick what you like and do it.
Each morning I go do my 30 minute session and I come back home covered in sweat.
Should you eat before or after cardio?
I can go either way.
Sometimes I have fruit before I hit cardio, sometimes I hit cardio on an empty stomach.
Just be sure not to eat a big, heavy meal before your cardio session.
You will definitely be hungry after cardio and you'll likely need to eat a meal then.
Should you listen to music during your cardio session?
I don't tend to listen to music when I'm doing cardio, I prefer a light, “talk radio” style to have a little fun.
Cardio can be monotonous so I like to have something to take my mind off of it.
I put on a podcast before I leave the house to get myself into a good mood.
Podcasts I like include:
- The Fighter and the Kid
- You're Welcome with Chael Sonnen
- The Mike Cernovich Podcast
- Mohr Stories with Jay Mohr
- The Joe Rogan Experience
I listen to podcasts only when I'm doing cardio, so I'll only listen to 30 minute chunks at a time.
If the podcast is good I leave it on a cliffhanger and it gives me added motivation to hit cardio the next morning, because I'll be able to continue the enjoyable podcast.
Do you need a rest day from morning cardio?
No, a rest day is not necessary.
Cardio is easy, you don't need a rest day from easy.
The human body should do something physical each and every day.
The third C - Cold showers
After I hit my morning cardio, I come home covered in sweat.
Just in time for a cold shower.
The cold shower is the simplest thing in the world to wake your ass up.
Cold showers don't even hurt when you're covered in sweat, they feel great.
They wash away all the sweat and grime off of you and prepare you anew for a full day of kicking ass and taking names.
If you have a hard time jumping into a cold shower you can turn on a warm shower and gradually change the water to cool, then to cold.
Cold showers are a big part of the reason 30 Days of Discipline works so well.
Cold shower benefits include:
- Increasing your will power and resilience
- Increases immune system strength
- Increases testosterone levels
- Improves mood and alertness
- Helps to burn fat and increase metabolism
- Improves blood circulation
To put it bluntly, cold showers just make you feel f*cking good when you get out of them.
And that's the 3C morning routine.
- Coffee
- Cardio
- Cold showers
The 3 Cs boost mood, boost metabolism, increase well being, increase mental clarity…
And they wake your sleepy ass up and make you feel good.
It's impossible to not feel great after you follow the 3C morning routine.
Wake up, grab some coffee, get your cardio in, hop in a cold shower and kick the day's ass.
Rinse and repeat.
Until next time.
Your man,
-Victor Pride
Although i am pretty sure you know this,have you ever tried a mask for sleep apnea?*bane heavy breathing*
The CPAP, yes I have one (somewhere) and it hasn’t helped.
Agian ,you probably know this too.My brother had apnea but he wasn’t big and the CPAP didn;t do much,so doctors told him that the only thing that could work is a surgery on his nose.It has something to do with his big nostrills .For some people,they are really big for some really small.But you can;t tell,unless you get examed
So he did get through with this and he is good ever since.
Hmmm. I do have a wonky, messed up nose.
Man,if you do you should pay a visit to the doctor.They said that even if your nose seems ok,the problem maybe ‘hiding’ inside the ‘tunnels’.
Great article Victor. If the weather is cold, do you take cold shower? What do you do in winter?
Weather is never cold where I live. But no, I don’t take cold showers in the dead of winter. I froze in China and a hot shower was the only time I ever got some warmth.
Also you are the owner of that supplement company, right? Do you send coffee to Turkiye?
Yes and yes.
Are you runnig it via MLM or in the conventional way?
Conventional bubba. We make it, customers buy it.
It sounds like you don’t have good opinion about MLM?
Who does?
Once you have told me when I asked you should I join an MLM company you told me that its not worth it because the only one who makes money in MLM is the owner. And many supplement compnies are running it via MLM so I thought that you do it like that as well…
Nice; a good start is half the work. For cardio I use a portable bluetooth speaker; logitech ultimate ears boom. Great sound, very durable and it’s waterproof - good for continuing things in the shower. http://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/ueboom2
Very nice. Good for saving your ears from being deaf later in life.
Nice post Vic.
What are the reasons for you not getting up as early these days?
Everything comes in cycles, sometimes I wake up at 6, sometimes 7, sometimes 8. Depends on the week, month, year etc.
You forgot the fourth C: crapping.
No one needs to be told that they should shit when they need to shit.
This is my first time seeing the Red coffee brand. I’ve been drinking Death Wish Coffee for a while now. Would you say that it’s as strong as D.W.C or just taste better?
RED Coffee is brand new. Tastes better than DWC for sure.
Ordering it right now, thanks Victor.
That explains why ‘taking a dump’ never got on my to-do list.
But neither is breathing.
I’m on the right track.
I definitely agree with the importance of sweating it out early morning and the cold showers have become a daily for me ever since I tried 30 DOD but the coffee…is a different story. Coffee for some reason tends to produce anxiety in me, especially on an empty stomach. This actually sucks quite a bit as I too love the smell and very much miss the taste of a nice morning coffee. I’ve investigated my health, even gotten bloodwork done on the matter and all seems normal, which makes me believe that it might be a mental thing. I’m unsure but lately I’ve been relying more on kratom.
Does it happen with caffeinated sodas? It could be caffeine intolerance.
It does! Not nearly as bad as coffee but yeah it certainly kicks in a bit if I have diet coke or something. Thanks man! Now I can further research caffeine intolerance and learn more about what’s messing me up.
Glad to be of help.
Not an expert here, but I would be very careful in drinking anything that is caffeinated as your intolerance (if proven) could be a symptom of something else (e.g ADHD).
You could also experiment a little bit with herbal teas, coffee (or caffeine) is not the only choice available to get a morning kick. They might be less effective, but they’re still good enough.
Thank you.
I’ve heard peppermint helps with alertness. You might try that.
I’ve also had success with ginseng and ginkgo biloba supplements.
Have you tried taking a capsule of L-Theanine with your coffee? It is an amino acid naturally found in tea that can help prevent the anxiety that caffeine can cause. It sort of acts like the “Yin” to balance out caffeine’s “Yang.”
Search l-theanine and caffeine stack if you are curious to learn more.
TY Matt, I will look into it.
I get the same reaction with caffeine and all other stimulants/adrenaline producers. You can deactivate that feeling willfully. What I’ll recommend sounds funny and even bogus but it works… learned it from a brain expert at a health symposium. DO KEGEL EXERCISES. This activates your parasympathetic nervous system/relaxation and deactivates your sympathetic nervous system/fight or flight. Do this with deep breaths to make it feel more natural. Simple and effective.
VP doing what he does best - the finishing push when I’ve been on the fence about an exercise bike.
Also, going to order some of that coffee. I’m looking for a staple brand.
Great article. I call making coffee the quick and dirty version of the “ancient tea ceremony”, as it requires a little ritual and I see it as a direct competition to the quick-fix non-ritualistic “5-hour energy” bullcrap.
Hey Vic,
First, a big congrats, as I know at this point you’re now closing in on the 5-year mark since B&D began. I just wanted to ask, what city was this video was filmed in?
Thanks!
Bangkok.
Are you still planning on moving back to the States?
Off and on. I don’t plan to buy a forever home but I will spend more time there.
Great article!
It´s really amazing, you can choose “office” anywhere in the world.
I feel like a super Saiyan when I drink that fasted coffee in the morning. Usually allows me to go until 1pm at the earliest till I need to eat.
Great article Vic! I live a few blocks from the beach so I think for me at least I can knock out the cold shower/ cardio in one blow!
“I live a few blocks from the beach so I think for me at least I can knock out the cold shower/ cardio in one blow!”
Bam! I’m thinking about getting a place on the beach in Santa Monica/Venice.
That’s so sick man, that’s a nice breezy beach, so nice to sleep at night with that cold breeze running through.
I live in South Beach and the water is warmer but the air is hot and humid!! Might remind you of SE Asia too much haha!
PS: I dig the youtube video, I would love to see more of those.
Too much hot though! When I leave here I need a cool breeze. Will be doing more videos. I laid awake in bed last night thinking about all the crazy places I’ve been in the past 5 years wondering why I didn’t film them. Doh!
Hey Vic, great post! I like how your adding a picture and video to your posts now, gives me more motivation. What do you put in your coffee? I’m trying to cut out dairy and sugar completely but I still need a cream in my coffee to make it taste good.
I drink it black. Love the taste of strong black coffee.
Do you get down with espresso? Love the stuff..
Indeed. Love espresso.
BLACK! coffee is black. No sugar, no creamer. nothing. Smell it, taste it. enjoy the aftertaste.
Stop with this no milk no sugar posturing. Just put sugar and milk in it. Nobody will know.
your taste buds will.
Your taste buds like sugar, because you’re human and you evolved to, because there was originally a scarcity of fructose-containing foods in your environment. There’s nothing gay or effeminate about liking the taste of sugar.
As for milk, it’s contains animal fat. You need this if you are male.
“I bought a large coffee — taken with milk and sugar, because men who drink black coffee are just trying to be badasses” - Gavin Mcinness
A - you’re taking this too seriously. You’re reading stuff that I never wrote or even implied, and adding your interpretation. Where the heck I said that a Latte is effeminate? I simply (strongly) believe that the best way to enjoy a coffee is black, no sugar, no creamer, no milk. that’s it. Then do what you seem fit, as far as I care you can eat pizza with strawberry jam topping.
Remember: de gustibus non est disputandum.
@Wes; consider making Toddy cold brew coffee. It tastes better than normal hot brew coffee (less bitter) and it seems to blunt hunger more than hot brewed coffee in my opinion. Also the concentrate from a cold brew batch lasts two weeks in the fridge - very convenient when you are in a rush. In the summer I love putting cold coffee over ice - so refreshing.
https://toddycafe.com/
http://www.techtimes.com/articles/8324/20140611/keep-the-dentist-away-by-drinking-a-cup-of-strong-coffee-heres-why.htm
I’m so glad that you like Mohr Stories.
He’s one of the best. Great for road trips.
I like it. Simple and effective. With winter coming, I’ve been getting back into the cold showers routine and I’ve been pondering some light cardio in the morning to get the blood going. I’m determined not to pack on the winter insulation this year and this would definitely help.
If you are doing cold showers, then you should consider stacking it with Turmeric/Curcumin.
As you might know, cold showers improve Brown Adipose Tissue expression. Brown fat is a healthier, more metabolically active fat that can help lean you out.
It just so happens that turmeric/curcumin lowers the bad, white fat, while increasing levels of the good brown fat. So stacking these two should work in great synergy.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25760477
Great article as always Vic!
Why the hell should you track cold showers? Just take them.
The only times i do not take them is when I shower with my girlfriend.
Hmm, interesting. I’ve known for a while that turmeric and black pepper synergize really well and allow a more complete absorption, but I did not know that it helped with the reduction of white fat. I use turmeric and black pepper pretty regularly in my meals but I’ll look into adding both into my morning CCC routine. Thanks for the info.
3Cs. Fuck yeah.
That video ending lol
I’m just like you Victor huge upper torso, gotta get extra long shirts, also size 13 clown feet too.
*Uncle Vic, do you recommend doing the cardio before or after hitting the weights?*
I’ve been doing a cardio warmup before weights, about 12-20 minutes. Otherwise, I lift and do my cardio at different times of the day.
thank you good sir!
Awesome article,
Just started taking cold showers and your right, they are fucking awesome.
I’ve found I prefer to do cold shower > run > then coffee & food, but your way probably makes more sense as I have to shower twice. I just love the shock of a cold shower first thing, before you’ve had a chance to warm up the body with cardio etc.
Anyway, your site is the shit sir!
Thank you Tom.
Hey Vic!!! Love your posts. I read a lot about morning rituals as a way to get rid of anxiety and foster a sense of well being but never really thought about making coffee as a morning ritual. I usually get up at 5 am, slam half of a recovery drink on my way to the gym and then half after. Then I have coffee later on when I get to the office. I am going to try swapping coffee back to the first thing. That is a really good idea. It amazes me how much you analyze and collect data on daily routines and then report what works back to us. Keep up the good work!!!
Thanks Gerald.
Nice post Vic! One recommendation: Drink the Crystal water, of all the other water brands in Thailand it is the best and cleanest, we have checked it in labs.
Did you check Evian? I have a fridge full of it.
We didnt check Evian, just the main thai ones. But Evian is quite good and safe has it doesn´t contain fluoride.
The water comment came after seeing the Aura water brand you took with yourself before doing cardio (that water is really bad)
Good news, that was the last Aura bottle I had. I also have a bunch of Mont Fleur from France, they should be good to go (I can taste the difference).
Nice Vic. Listen, I live in Bangkok too. I spend most of my day working online at my condo and havent got time to “have a beer” or just “chill” but it would be nice to meet and have a coffee somewhere near. We could exchange some ideas, I am sure we will both get VALUE from an hour or two of conversation over a coffee.
I would be willing to have a coffe somewhere near from where you live, so if at any time you think the “networking” isn´t beneficial for you, we drink our coffee, a handshake and you walk back to your condo 1 minuite away.
What do you say?
I have a similar morning routine. I wake up between 5-6 am, drink coffee (I am going to try Red Coffee), then I do a full body workout for 30 mins. Once I’m drenched it sweat I turn on some music and hop into a cold shower.
I was never a big fan of the cold shower until I bought 30 Days of Discipline. All I can say is I will never go back to a normal shower unless it is crazy cold.
I enjoyed this article Victor.
Talk soon,
Dylan
When do you fit in the weight training? Is there a set time for that or is it just random? Also I use the cross country skier elliptical like you, it is with a doubt the best bang for your buck when wanting a simple full body workout
I hit the weights whenever I feel like it. Sometimes morning, sometimes afternoon, sometimes (less often) night.
Great Article. Straight and to the point. Well done.
Uncle Vic,
Like you, I’ve achieved great results from using and abusing coffee. Recently, I came across some information that further helped me amplify the benefits form coffee.
Rather than consume coffee first thing upon waking, I defer it now to about +1-1.5hrs after waking. I have found this to provide me with both increased energy and mental clarity.
The science behind it seems to make sense, however I am no scientist and can only attest from my first hand experience.
You can check out the full information and scientific reasoning here, at this blog: http://mikaelsyding.com/caffeine-and-adenosine/
The content regarding coffee/caffeine intake is about 50% of the way down, or I pasted the key information here:
“A chronopharmacological coffee break
If you’re interested in optimizing the power of caffeine, while protecting your sleep, you should take into account research on chronopharmacology.
In short, limit your coffee intake to times when your cortisol levels, and alertness, aren’t naturally high anyway. The typical person that rises at 7 am, should hold off having their morning coffee until at least around 9:30-10:30 am, or even 11:30 am if you are a late luncher, and have time to take advantage of the caffeine effect before leaving your desk.
I personally stop at that one cup – and only every second day (before my workout), but if you want a second cup, schedule it for between 2-5 pm, which corresponds to a circadian natural dip in cortisol levels.
Drinking coffee this way maximizes your alertness during the day, while increasing your caffeine response and limiting your caffeine desensitizing and addiction. If you constantly drink coffee the number of caffeine receptors increase, which reduces your sensitivity. The insecticide side of caffeine may not be that relevant to humans, but why drink more than you have to?
As a mindfulness side note, remember to savor every cup, let the aroma engulf your senses, and pay attention to the texture and taste, rather than absent-mindedly gulping it down while reading and then getting another one.”
Interesting. I’ll have to give that a shot.
I have been doing this kind of routine one and off with few variations. My routine would usually consist of this order run first, and then cold shower and then drink coffee. I think other people do it in different order as long as it works. Some days, I will just do cold shower and drink coffee without running but I, too, underestimated the importance of cardio. Sometimes I will use Kettlebells to substitute running and I usually do kettlebell swings and snatches and it also gets my heart pumping. I like to run outside when it snows a lot and do it bare chest naked and I don’t see many people doing that.
How about run outside when it’s freezing cold in the rain, while drinking coffee at the same time…. All three of them done in one sitting.
I also like to point out contrast bath and doing sauna session after cold shower. It has some benefits. Cold shower also allows me to breathe more deeply too.
If you have knee or joint problem, I wouldn’t recommend sprinting but I usually include them to get the spike of testosterone released. Make sure you get a good running shoes though and wear some jogging clothes.
All good advice in the article. Nothing beats the cold showers.
“The human body should do something physical each and every day.”
Isn’t that the truth Victor. I’m confused when I read or watch “experienced” trainers recommend at least 3x a week. Not nearly enough physical exertion.
I have the coffee part down, and I cycle in contrast showers. I’m naturally lean, so doing cardio is a mental struggle, but I try to stay focused on the long term and know the health benefits are immense.
Great post and I love the bonus video.
-Axel
Personally, I think the 3x a week thing makes sense when you think of the target audience. They’ll hit a much bigger audience of semi-committed people who will buy their program/supplements if it only demands 3x a week compared to committed people who do their own research so aren’t as easy to bullshit and know they need to exercise more to perform at a competitive level.
I to have sleep apnea but I to get up at 5 and do 100 squats 100 situps 100 press ups then go to the gym consistency Monday to Friday
My man.
Hi Victor,
have you ever heard of Shawn Stevenson?
He discusses deeply about spleep and other health related topics and has a top rated podcast in iTunes (over 2,5 Mln downloads).
I’m not related to him in anyway, just heard him often speak about sleep and thought it might be of help to you.
Here is one of his articles on sleeping problems: http://theshawnstevensonmodel.com/sleep-problems-tips/
All the best,
Val
Never heard of him, but I will check it out. Thanks.
Vic do you cycle off caffeine(coffee) to not lose its effects?
That’s a great question. Sometimes i don’t take caffeine for days to make it work even more.
No, I never do. It’s my ritual, my routine.
I love all of your posts!
Thanks Jamo.
Hey Victor. 22 year old college student from a German speaking country checking in. I have a history of abusing superdrol heavily and for some time I thought this was the root of my permanent fatigue but it had nothing to do with it and blood tests were Okay.
I think I really am addicted to Caffeine. (I usually dont drink coffee because I am scared I might get brown teeth from heavy abuse?!) I usually get about 1,5 grams of caffeine per day. 5 portions pf 300 mg in Amazon white caffeine powder form. Sometimes it works- sometimes it doesnt- and then I am really fucked. I recently bought some really expensive modafinil (I couldnt buy it from your recommended site because it doesnt accept euro). I hope this stuff will change my life a bit when it arrives soon and I ask myself- why do you post about caffeine when you already wrote that modafinil is your favourite productivity drug? And do you have some guidelines for maximum daily intake of caffeine ?How much do you use and how often (Maybe I should switch to coffee for a more steady caffeine release idk). Your 3c method works for me but only for like 2-3 hours in the morning, then I am tired again…)
Probably Important Edit: When your cup of coffee is ready-do you drink everything within lets say a minute or do you use one cup of coffee on your work desk and drink from it for hours?
I drink one mug of coffee fairly quickly, then I fill a thermos with coffee and spend several hours sipping from the thermos.
If you want to avoid staining your teeth from the coffee, you can drink it with a straw.
What’s your diet like Dave? I’ve started eating more fruit and carbohydrates, this had made a difference in my energy levels. (I don’t drink that much coffee, about the equivalent of 2.5 cups per day).
Thanks, Vic. Needed this. I just bought 30 DoD a couple days a go. I’m changing my life and I’m excited to see what I can do.
This is essentially 30 DoD Lite.
My man.
When you wake up in the morning you are are in a fat burning state to supply energy, so when you eat carbs you switch back to carbs for energy. So what I do Is take a shake with only protein and add coffee powder in it (delicious) then hit cardio. I believe you burn more fat this way. Then I eat carbs afterwards if I’ll need it for job/gym later and be active. It is the same as doing fasted cardio but with the protein in your system you eliminate catabolism and regulate blood sugar.
Coffee + protein powder is actually quite delicious.
cold showers are freakin awesome. should i change my treadmill for a stationary bicycle? i am trying to lose belly fat and lose weight overall.
Treadmill is fine. Do what you like and it makes the cardio much easier to do. Lose weight is a matter of diet.
thanks victor
I’m sure having a large neck contributes to your sleep apnea. Same thing with me. Blue Heron Health created a program for sleep apnea. It’s a list of neck and throat exercises(sounds gay ha) to strengthen the muscles that flop during sleep. I went from sleep apnea to light snoring.
I had sleep apnea when I was rail thin actually. I’ll check them out though.
Coffee is great in the morning and earlier in the day, and it apparently confers many health benefits. It may even increase longevity, if we’re to believe the studies out there.
But I wouldn’t drink coffee in the evening;unless I’m going out to a nightclub, or doing something else where I have to be wide awake. And that’s because caffeine increases your cortisol levels, which will interfere with sleep at night, or anytime.
Cortisol is your body’s primary stress hormone, and it can really wreak havoc on your body, if levels get too high.
In fact, that’s why cortisol has become known as “the kiss of death” for bodybuilders. The fact is, cortisol, in excess amounts, actually breaks down muscle tissue. It does this to convert the muscle to sugar, to give you more energy, so that you can function more effectively and survive, when you’re in a potentially dangerous or life-threatening situation.
Like when you’re being chased by a band of Mayan Indians, who are out to sacrifice you to the gods at their temple. Then you climb up a tree to escape, and come face to face with a black jaguar, ready to attack!
So cortisol, in excess amounts, is actually catabolic. But although it will break down muscle tissue (causing your muscles to shrink), and break down brain tissue (leading to dementia), and break down bone tissue (leading to osteoporosis),cortisol is also an essential hormone for physical well-being and survival.
It’s the hormone that wakes you up in the morning, getting you ready to take on the new day. So normally, cortisol levels are highest in the morning, then they gradually lower as the day goes on. Then cortisol is at it lowest levels at night, before bed, and while sleeping.
And that’s how it should be, in sync with your Circadian rhythm (your sleep-wake cycle). And that’s why morning is the best time to drink coffee; because morning is when your cortisol levels are supposed to be at their highest. And the caffeine in coffee will boost your cortisol levels.
I also find that drinking coffee before working out gives me a better workout. However, I don’t drink coffee before working out, because the increase in cortisol will lower your post-workout “testosterone: cortisol ratio”. And a “higher” post-workout testosterone: cortisol ratio is what you want, for greater muscle growth.
So cortisol is actually a double-edged sword. You want to have enough of it at the right times of the day (as in the morning), for the vital functions that it fulfills. But you also want to avoid excess amounts of cortisol (as when you’re under chronic stress), which will just break down your entire body (including your muscles) gradually, and cause you to age faster.
That’s why I’ve written an article on 30 ways to lower cortisol levels naturally. Some of those cortisol-lowering strategies are actually fun, and may not be for die-hard moralists. But it’s good to know that there are that many ways you can keep your cortisol levels in check,and at their optimum levels.
How do I find this article please?
Also, one of the best things you can do to start the day off and wake you up in the morning is this: go out in the sun, first thing in the morning, and expose your eyes to indirect (not direct) sunlight.
Isn’t that what our Paleolithic ancestors naturally did, as they went out searching for food and water? Of course!
Studies have shown that exposing your eyes to indirect bright light (as from the sun) in the morning increases your cortisol levels. And that’s ideal first thing in the morning, because that’s when your cortisol levels are supposed to be at their highest.
And that’s because cortisol is the hormone that wakes you up in the morning, getting you ready to take on the new day.
Don’t ever look directly at the sun, though. That can be harmful to your eyes.
Paradoxically, exposing your eyes to indirect sunlight first thing in the morning will also help you sleep better at night. And that’s because it gets your body to produce more serotonin, a neurotransmitter that’s needed for the production of melatonin. And melatonin is the hormone that you produce in response to darkness at night, which induces sleepiness, resulting in better quality sleep.
Victor,
Like yourself, I have sleep apnea and I suffered for many years because of it. I tried CPAP and threw the stupid machine away after using it for three nights. Last year, I found a doctor in Dallas that developed the original oral appliance for sleep apnea (he has patents on it). Its been nothing short of a life-changer for me. If you’re interested in getting this doctor’s information let me know. His oral appliance is expensive (there are a lot of cheap knock offs out there but they suck - I know because I tried a few before I bit the bullet and paid up for the original oral appliance).
Tony
Yes, please send his info to me. https://boldanddeterminedarchive.com/contact/
Taking cold showers is great, because it’s been found that “freezing your balls” actually increases your testosterone levels.
That said,I always take showers at night, before bed; not usually during the day. And that’s because I believe in the health benefits of sunbathing (for vitamin D, nitric oxide, and testosterone production).
And according to Dr. Nicholas Perricone, taking a shower, a bath or swimming within 8 hours of sunbathing washes the vitamin D from your skin, before it has time to penetrate the skin and get into the blood. He also claims that if you take a shower or bath (or go swimming) before sunbathing, it washes the oils from the skin that are needed to make vitamin D.
So a lot of sunbathers, and even sun-worshippers out there, are actually deficient in vitamin D, in spite of all the sun they get on their skin. They bath, shower, or swim before sunbathing, or they do so too soon after sunbathing.
Of course, you can take vitamin D3 supplements to remedy that problem. But then sunbathing also increases your nitric oxide and testosterone levels, which is desirable. And I don’t know what effect showering, bathing and swimming too close to sunbathing has on those.
Wow, that’s very interesting. I had my bloods done several weeks ago and I am low in vitamin D.
Interesting, I’m not a fan of sun tanning to change my skin color but I do take Vitamin D pills sometimes. I don’t go out of my way to avoid Sun just for avoiding sun but I don’t purposely go in front of the sun just to tan. If I happen to go to the beach in July and get tanned then so be it but I do take consideration of Vitamin D for the calcium intake purpose. Hmmm I didn’t know that until now that I read your post. Does sunbathing really increase your testosterone? How many minute duration do you have to be under the sun? Is there a maximum peak before diminishing return? What is the max time to be under the sun and increase testosterone peak at the same time? I’m not too much anal about skin tone but if it’s anything to do with increasing testosterone, I”m all for open ears.
Getting more Vitamin D in your system will raise testosterone only if you have a deficiency. If your levels are normal it won’t give you a boost. considering that most people are deficient you should take supplements. I take a single gel of 5000iu a day.
Thanks for the note there. I just took the Vitamin D two capsule (500 IU)x2 as of now.
Agree with it all completely except coffee.
Man, I lived my whole life without coffee and I still kick-ass everyday. You just gotta stop. I see my friends in the morning drinking coffee because “they need to wake up” while I am just standing there all ready to go.
A cold shower is the best coffee you will ever need.
Great article, thanks! Ever since I started 30 DOD I went off my contrast showers into completely cold showers every morning. I used to spend forever in the shower, it made me lazy in the morning.
Thanks to cold showers, no time wasted anymore.
The first thing I do is drink 1litre of water then coffee stretching cold shower
Haha, I always think of reasons not to do cardio too.
Wake-up light alarm clocks that gradually brighten and mimic the slow rising of the sun are a good way to get the benefits of a dark room while also waking up to light. You can completely shut the blinds or curtains at night, then the clock will brighten your room in the morning.
Here’s an example from YouTube. But this is only 90 seconds. There are better ones that truly mimic a sunrise by taking 20 minutes or so to reach full brightness.
http://youtu.be/gFeEEiEZHVI
Already doing all 3. The CCC Morning Routine cool name and enjoyed the post really much!
Thank you Marcello.
Are you still planning to sell a B&D coffee tumbler?
and btw I think there are words missing on your third bullet point:
“Cardio can mental clarity (especially when used with coffee)”
Yes, looking for the right one now. Thanks for the typo tip.
Vic, I have/had sleep apnea as well. Try taking 1-2 grams of Vitamin C with 500mg- 1g of Magnesium before bed. First time in in years I’ve slept like a baby. For more info just to a Google search “Vitamin C Sleep Apnea” for more info.
The cold shower habit was the one which helped me most. I already had the other two C’s – the third one was the biggest push of the all
Great stuff Vic, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
I’ve been following your Body of a Spartan program for about 4 months now and am already seeing great results even though I finally understand weight lifting is a lifelong thing.
I was wondering and I’m going to ask Cernovich the same Q, given the importance of a solid morning routine do you also believe in a solid wind down routine at night and if so what do you recommend?
I like to plan my following day, go through my mantras and read (normally fiction). I also drink herbal tea.
Thanks for sharing Victor,
The biggest stumbling block for me is during the weekend since I work every other weekend and on off weekends I have a tendency to slack-off a bit. I’m adding Mike’s mind warmup exercises he outlines in Gorilla Mindset. I wake up, check email related to the business I’m starting, lift heavy weights, do intense cardio, drain some raw eggs, liver tabs, espresso, go to work and kick some ass.
I always forget to do those simple mindset exercises Mike talks about but when I do them, I feel calm and focused. The morning really does set the tone for the entire day, that little bit of discipline and effort in the morning pays off big time.
Haha, great post!
The video made me laugh, but the article is on point! I’m stoked to see you’ve launched RED coffee, that is exciting.
I feel you on that Saigon air. It’s nasty out here, but I personally love to walk to the park before 6 and then get some serious reading done before coming back to kick ass all day. Breathing in the freshest air by the trees in District 1 by that church!
I’d love to try a bag of that RED Arabica while I’m here in Saigon brother…
- Evan
Vic,
You said u drink about 2.5 cups per day….about what time of day do u stop drinking coffee?
Thanks,
Tim
I don’t have a cut off time, I finish when I finish.
WOW, great post.
It really struck a note because I already do all of that!
Am I a bit of a hardcore runner, but I totally get that some people are not built for it.
Long story short…If you are on the MUSCULAR and HEAVY side, I would advise against running. The reason is it will WORK AGAINST YOU in the area of heavy weight training, and your weight will create a not so optimal running stride, which blows out your knees (I know, nobody cares, but you will in 20 years).
Finally on cardio types…
Cycling, swimming, etc… = Great.
But my personal favorite…BOXING.
Holy fuck…You want some real cardio, go boxing. Of course gotta be careful because if you go too hard, you will be immobilized for the rest of the day :D
Victor Pride I think should know this (you been to Thailand right?), training boxing in the morning @ 7AM for 2-3 hrs. That shit kills you.
Yeah, Muay Thai training in the Thai heat is some of the best (maybe the best) cardio I’ve ever done.
I second this, boxing (and shadowboxing) is a fantastic way to sweat some heavy buckets. Plus you get to practice your punches and footwork.
I will order a bag of your RED coffee, and maybe I will review it.
One question: shipping times? any special treatment to protect it from the weather/temperature changes while in transit?
thanks!
Shipping times standard shipping shouldn’t take more than a couple days US. Shipped normally.
Uncle Vic-
Long time reader, love your work man. One thing I’ve found that helps me with cold showers is to use box breathing when first exposed to the cold water. By consciously controlling my breathing, I find that I adapt to the cold that much quicker.
Victor,
Great post! Video at the end was amazing. I didn’t expect it. You should do it more!
Hey Victor, is john doe your dad? you guys look similar.
moron
X2. Moron.
Thanks for the compliments.
Vic,
You’ve previously stated that you prefer Kratom over coffee.
What changed? (besides the obvious financial interest in promoting your own coffee brand…)
And on that note - when you live in Bangkok…why are you drinking Peruvian coffee? The coffee in northern Thailand is some of the finest in the world.
Unc Vic why did you remove the build a better beef body video? if you don’t want to put it up again wld you please send the video to my email for private use. To me since I grew up following this website. Its Nostalgic! Lots of respect!
Those goofy videos kill sales for some reason.
This is just my opinion but I think it’s because people usually think of you as that successful and serious business man type so when they saw video like that, they were surprised and taken back little bit.
I thought the video was good especially the quality… seems like a good camera. And the subtle humor was there too. Your other video about the Cambodia 2014 trip was quality work too especially when the music blended in with the background pretty well.
Yeah I personally really liked the video and had an increase in respect for your brand after watching it.
The video told me that you have a good sense of humor to go along with your serious side and focus.
That’s just my opinion.
I know that sales numbers don’t lie though.
Cheers,
D
Thanks for the great post
I also have apnea like symptoms. I found what helps me is to increase the air humidity in the room and fresh air intake. Since I live in a relatively rural part of town in cold ass Canada, fresh air isn’t exactly a scarce commodity. Also have you tried nasal rinsing? All you really need to do is put a teaspoon of salt and soda in a deep bowl filled with warm water and inhale it through your nose.
I enjoy running but usually at night. It’s more peaceful with less people and vehicles, it’s cooler outside making it comfortable. I don’t know how much running really does for body fat and such but I find it easier to relax and sleep at night.
Hey Vic,
I couldn’t agree more that brewing your coffee in the morning is really exhilarating.Personally,I either brew strong turkish coffee in a cezve or 1-2 shots of Italian espresso.Needless to say,I only drink it black.I hate drip coffee because the plastic leeches BPA into the coffee and it also tastes like shit.
Anyways,strong coffee before a heavy lifting session makes the workout so much enjoyable and productive for me.
Another thing is that I drink valerian and st john’s wort tea before bed because these herbal teas help me sleep deeper,you might want to check out some herbal teas for sleep.
Do you vary the amount of coffee you drink prior to heavy lifting and cardio?
Hey Vic, I know you said you left Real Estate Investing long time ago and you are open to coming back to States.
If you ever come back to the states, are you interested in getting back into the real estate investing?
I mean if you still have contact lists and you still have the experience and expertise in the method choice of your real estate investing, then you can probably make some decent amount. I heard real estate is going to go back up again and it’s booming.
http://reversemortgagedaily.com/2015/08/27/coming-decade-could-bring-best-housing-climate-in-history/
I’m going to assume (based on reading some of your past comments) that you did wholesaling and subject-to.
Have you done short sales before?
are you doing real estate investing in South East Asia as of now?
I will flip some houses in the midwest next year. I won’t be getting back into wholesaling or sub2. No, I don’t do any real estate in Asia.
4th C to incorporate: Coconut Oil. Amplifies output on those other Cs. Blend it in that fresh brewed coffee. It makes everything just a little more zen, plus you’re less hungry and get your body in fat burning mode.
Good article VP.
Phytoestrogen?
I’m loving your new videos, Vic. Captures your personality a lot better, and makes us all decide we should stop being time-wasting bastards on lazy weekends and hit the seventh floor instead.
I always get pumped and inspired when I read all of your info Vic. God Bless you.
Vic,
Graduating medical school is my #1 priority. Typically, I lose muscle mass/strength during the school year, only to re-gain in the summer, when I adapt a Charles Poliquin type split for skinny guys: lifting twice a day (30-40 min sessions), where morning workout is high-reps, and evening is strength. What are your thoughts on this type of training? And how would you fit cardio into that schedule? Only cardio I enjoy is walking, jumping rope, boxing or sprints.
I’d hit cardio before the morning lifting session.
“Moreover, people are examined using “standard test batteries” in order to further identify parts of the brain that may be adversely affected by sleep apnea,[7] including those that govern:
“executive functioning”, the way the person plans and initiates tasks[7]
paying attention, working effectively and processing information when in a waking state[7]
using memory and learning.[7]”, Wikipedia.
You better fix this shit or you’ll lose your king status.
Thanks for the interesting article regarding the Three C’s.
I personally have found that the best three C’s for me are.
1. Spending time with Christ & reading the Bible or a good Christian book. in the morning and showing my devotion and appreciation to Him.
2. Hot Tea and ginseng with local natural honey
3. Stretching, foam rolling and mobility exercises. Also Chi Gung exercises.
Give this a try it just might change your life!
Hey Vic,
I just drunk a cup of coffee, and run at Guarujá beach São Paulo, Brazil. After jump into the sea.
I felt amazing! My energy level reachs the sky!
Tks to share with us.
I always add some mental exercise to my coffee first thing in the morning.
Something like 15 minutes of French on duolingo or sudoku. Something relatively challenging to get the synapses firing.
I find it makes me a lot more alert for the rest of the morning.
Hey Victor,
what if you did the 100 PU, 100 squats and 100 sit-ups routine mentionned in 30 days of discipline instead of cardio ?
This workout is also cardio-heavy and leaves you sweating and breathing heavily.
What do you think ?
Yes, that’s fine.
Hey Victor,
Do you own strong supplements shop.com?
I do not.
Reading this article yesterday has gotten me back to the gym this morning for the first time in months. black coffee, cardio, cold shower. thank you brother.
Hey, another question, did you work as an English teacher when you first started out in a China?
Why do you need TRT at the age of 30 xyz whatever age you are? Do you have diagnosed hypogonadism (>1 in 400 males,( >500 (ng/dl), or did you have an incident when you were younger which crushed your testicles? What is so special about you and Mike from gorilla mindset or whatever, and tweed and iron that make you a 3/1200 phenomenon? Did yous find each other on low testosterone reach out forums? Are yous just trying to blur the lines between high test, but below levels for bodybuilding or something? Another thing your test is going to be shit if all you do all day is mediate an IT business (late hours). You’ll find men with high testosterone are out there building skyscrapers, and doing hard labour, or leading board rooms (not lifting heavy weights for an hour or so in an airconditioned gym, then ahving a coconut water, yay!). I have a theory that many of these youths or young 30’s getting on TRT is due to no heavy/hard labour in their youth which builds no psychological resilience /or physiological pre-set frame and comprimised endocrinology for a life with decent test. Obviously, intra-individual variability is huge, but still. If you want off it, why don’t you just kickstart your own balls through PCT and start an authentic life, where decent testosterone is actually a result of living life an anabolically healthy lifestyle, or is it too late? I really just don’t get it. You must of had levels below 70 ng/dl, so doesn’t it feel weird when you pose and show off muscles when you know thats no more real than a chick with fake tits?
Thanks for being a fan, John.
I gave up smoking yesterday a pack is $25 US in Aus now (but that isn’t why, only took it up again over exam period)…. Forgive my post, ha. I’ve been in the worst mood-state (anger) When I posted I thought, nah there’s no way he’ll put that up anyway. There is a reason I come back to this site again and again (quality, authenticity). I’m just caught up wrapping my head around the low-test thing, I had a friend suffer from it recently, and his Dr reiterated (like yourself), that it is becoming more common. That post is embarrassing, i’d probably prefer you delete it, haha. I am a fan, I bought 30 days of discipline, back in its hay day ; )
But you still evaded the question of whether you were diagnosed with hypogonadism? And it just seems strange that you and all your buddies are in their 30’s and need TRT. You don’t think there is a connection between your lifestyle and your original low T?
On average how long do u leave the water on cold the whole shower or just the begining…
Hi Victor. What do you think about Calisthenics? I’ve seen videos of Frank Medrano on youtube. I’m thin and want to give everything I have to follow your plan. Should I include calisthenics alongside your programme?
Calisthenics are great.
As always great motivating article Victor. What caught my attention was the fact that you have apnea. I’m also healthy, not overweight and have it. I’ve been using a CPAP for 8yrs now. Hated it in the beginning but now I’m used to it and my rest couldn’t be better…but only after the pressure was increased because I wasn’t getting any benefits at lower pressures. Problems with the nose can be the culprit for some and surgery will work (deviated septum, polyps, chronic tissue inflammation), for me its genetics, I have a narrow upper airway. Don’t know your cause for apnea but if its the same as mine my friendly advice would be to never consider throat surgery…has 20% semi-success rate. Personal tip if not using CPAP, elevate the head of your mattress to a comfortable level. You’ve lots of upper body muscle/weight so by sleeping with some elevation you’ll ease your body’s work of breathing and perhaps make you feel more rested. To a better night sleep!!
I think it’s nose issues. I had apnea when I was lighter. CPAP didn’t do anything for me, and we had that thing on mega blast. I will try elevation.
Oh, man. Cardio without an ipod, Who are YOu!
Sometimes I walk the dog up to a total of like 4 miles per day, just almost don’t know what to do with myself, I need to kill the tension with my ipod, better than netflix, at least.
Victor….
Great post. Have you tried burpees out for cardio? If you ever have taken a look at our American prisoners, many of them say burpees are the number one exercise in their “arsenal.” Not only do you keep your wind up but you build size and strength also. They can be done anywhere too. Doesn’t matter if you’re at home or thousands of miles away on vacation. Indoor. Outdoor. Great exercise overall!!!
Victor,
Loved your inspiring post. The 3 C’s are just right ones for having a healthy lifestyle. Red coffee? I never heard that one before though !
Uncle Victor - is it OK to drink coffee on empty stomach? If I google drinking coffee on an empty stomach the entire google page is filled with articles why it is disastrous for your body.
I started following Body of a Spartan and having two meals a day,which fits my schedule as I got classes in afternoon and I come in at night— so i will wake up really early,have a coffee,go to gym,come back from the gym and have a huge meal then go to college and return at night and have another huge meal.
Personally I have water first.
Thanks for answering.
I completely forgot about water.
After reading your article about drinking 3 litres water I started incorporating it daily and would start the day by drinking close to 1 litre of water.
According to google water can pass through the stomach into the large intestine and enter my bloodstream within 5 minutes so by the time I start drinking my coffee I would have nothing in my stomach -unless I drank immediately after,but so I would not be enjoying it.
Don’t want to sound so paranoid but when I was 9 years old I had gastritis and had to follow some sort of diet for around 6 months and I’m trying to do everything I could to prevent that.
Regarding your sleeping problems I will post here what worked for me.
I woke up 2-3 times a night for years.
Bought some transdermal magnesium and rubbed it on my skin right before I went to sleep.
I slept like a baby for the past few days.
One time I rubbed it on my skin but didn’t go right after to sleep and I still had sleep problems. If you buy it do it exactly before going to sleep.
I have only followed this for a week so I cannot tell you whether it works in long run or not.
It is a little more complicated than that. I wake up more than 100 times per night.
who knows.,maybe you’ll wake up 98 times per night.
Seems that all the articles on sleep+bb were wrong as you were able to gain muscle while having bad sleep over the years.
You know the ones saying-you must sleep 8-10 hours having quality sleep. Otherwise you won’t make any progress in the gym,build no muscle and destroy your immune system blahblablah
I recently discovered bold and determinated and I have to say that this article is incredible valuable! I’ve been aplying those principles and it will definitely help to increase willpower and resilience in a practical way, no bull shit
I have coffee straight black and this coffee has to be the smoothest I’ve ever had.
I read recently a book called the Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod. The author define six step to do each morning to become successful and think he should add also cold shower :)
This routine seems like one would do to lose
fat in a short time. Coffee increases the calories you burn
at rest, cardio on an empty stomach burns A LOT of calories and cold showers also burn a little bit of fat.
If these all fails, still have the fourth C : COCAINE !
Yours,
Vic,
Sleep apnea is no joke. It is an evil condition. Can cause stroke, heart attack, death, etc. i have it and was miserable and tired for 20 years. It took me a while to get used to CPAP…..but it works when used. It changed my life for the better. I’m not tired all the time. You should really give it another go.
Vic -have you ever tried L-Theanine with coffee? It’s a powder that somehow has a synergistic effect with the coffee and makes you calmer and more focused.
I get the powder from bulk supplements, dose is 200mg per cup of coffee.
Great article, by the way. Never been super into cardio, but trying to get into the stair climber or HIIT sprints.
Hey Victor,
Out of curiosity, what company manufactures the badwear shirts and the RED supplements? Do you own the manufacturer?
this is golden. explained perfectly, thank you so much. I will try this and see how it goes!