Lately, I’ve been getting up at 0415 every day without fail.
Why?
Six days per week, I go straight out for a 45 min – 1 hour walk/run, and on the seventh day, Jess and I enjoy a quiet coffee before we get going in earnest. (ProTip: Having a lie-in on your rest day will mess with your body clock making it harder to wake early when you need to, in my experience).
But why so early? Have I become one of those insufferable “rise and grind” types?
No. I have not.
Rest assured, I still believe those people are losers with all kinds of personal, professional, and probably mental issues who are best ignored.
The reality is, I wake up at crack-fart o’sparrow because I prefer to start my day with some cardio, so it’s my only option. (Jess needs me around to help with the kiddos first thing, and once they’re sorted I have to get on with work).
You might be surprised to read that I actually feel *less* tired for getting up so early – a phenomenon I attribute entirely to kicking off most days by pounding the pavements.
I can’t remember the last time I suffered from a “mid-afternoon slump”, and, best of all, bodyfat is just melting off despite eating more than I have in years.
The catch?
Twofold.
Firstly, I’m *only* eating healthy, homecooked stuff, so don’t go getting ideas that starting your day with cardio is some cheat code that lets you eat whatever you want because it isn’t.
And secondly, the wife and I (Jess rises at the same time as me) are in bed by 1930 with lights out at 2000, latest. Although, I can’t say we’re missing much considering there’s only garbage on television these days and neither of us has ever found doomscrolling late at night especially alluring.
Anyway, if you know you need to do more cardio – and, let’s face it, you probably do because most men do – give some thought to getting up a little earlier, so you can make it a fixed, firm part of your routine.
Another reason I’ve been getting up so early to do cardio is that it’s something I recommend in my new book, Shift, and I would never, ever ask someone to do anything I’m not prepared to do myself.
Shift is written with people who work shifts in mind (hence the title), but men who are busy and stressed for other reasons (e.g. they have young children or run a business) will also benefit enormously from the material.
The deadline to pre-order is tomorrow at midnight (Friday the 16th).
The only “bonus” for pre-ordering is that you’re guaranteed to get a copy this year. (I don’t know exactly when I’ll do another print run. I do know it will be a long time away as I’ve other books in the pipeline).
Here’s all the info you need to decide if it’s right for you:
https://philtyreman.co.uk/shift/
Thank you,
Phil Tyreman