Own the Day, Own Your Life by Aubrey Marcus

I first heard about Aubrey Marcus through the Tim Ferriss Show and the Joe Rogan Experience podcasts, both of which I listen to rather religiously. As you probably know by the content of my blog posts, I’m very much in to lifestyle performance tips and tricks when it comes to either diet, fitness, sleep regimen or routines to get the most out of your day.

When I heard about Aubrey Marcus’ book “Own the Day, Own Your Life” my first thought was wow, that’s a cheezy-ass title. But my second thought was that this book was made for someone like me. It basically has the ingredients of what I crave the most – how to optimize your day to live your best life.

It’s a pretty dense book, but it’s not like the typical fitness or nutrition books that demand strict discipline, no drinking, no cheating and the workouts are made for freaks of nature in ridiculous shape. Aubrey writes this for the average person who is looking to make better changes in their daily routine.

It all comes down to momentum. In the now-famous commencement speech from Admiral William H. McRaven at the University of Texas stated “If you want to change the world, start by making your bed.” While that sounds trivial, he’s saying it comes down to the momentum of starting your day off with a completed task that will eventually snowball and lead you to want to accomplish more tasks. “If you can’t do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.”

Here are the notes I took from the 16 chapters of the book. I took out the most useful pieces of information and jotted them down in my notebook for future use. It goes in chronological order from right when you wake up in the morning to winding down before bed.

Water, Light, Movement
- First things you should get when you wake up in the morning
  - Have a glass of 12 oz water, 1/4 lemon, and 3 grams of sea salt
  - 5-10 minutes of sunlight
  - Either go for a walk or do some variation of burpess, pushups, yoga
Meditation & mindFILLness
- Meditate for 5-10 minutes
- Take 30 seconds to focus on one area in your surroundings and take in the periphery. Live in the moment
- Cold water exposure – end your shower with an icey 10 second blast
- Breathing exercises – Wim Hof method
Breakfast — more fat, less suar, or don’t eat
- If you’re going to have a breakfast high in sugar or carbs, you’re better off skipping breakfast an getting the benefits of Intermittent Fasting
- Foods you should eat for breakfast
  - Whole fat yogurt, avocado, bacon, butter, eggs, coconut oil
  - Smoothie with water, almond milk, 20g protein powder, MCT oil, blueberries, organic peanutbutter, chia seeds, and ice
  - 2 free-range eggs with spinach, 3 strips of bacon, half an avocado
Supplements
- Greens blend
- Magnesium
- Krill oil
- Vitamin D (and maybe Vitamin B)
- Probiotics
Listen to a podcast or read a book during your commute
If you need Caffeine: Green/Black Tea or Coffee with cream, butter, and MCT oil
1. Bulletproof Coffee
  1. I use Kerrygold’s unsalted butter and any store brand Coconut oil
Write down your plan, own your work space, and get shit done
- Write down your goals for the day
- Clear your workspace clutter and fill your desk or workspace with things that will give you energy such as plants or an oil diffuser
- Start your day with the most difficult task(s)
Lunch: Calories are bullshit, macronutrients matter
- Don’t worry about how many calories you’re ingesting, worry about the nutrient properties of your meal
  - Protein (grass-fed beef, wild salmon, eggs, pumpkin seeds, hemp seed
  - Fiber (chia, flax, avocado, beans
  - Carbs (yams, sweet potatoes, sprouted grains, some fruits)
  - Fat (coconut oil, avocado, grass-fed butter, olive oil, MCT oil, eggs)
  - Microbiome-assistive (blueberries, almonds, pistachios, artichoke, dandelion greens, onions
  - Probiotics (miso, kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, dark chocolate, greek yogurt)
    - *Random tip* take Garlic supplements for colds
Take a 20-30 minute mid-day nap if possible (around 3 or 4)
- If you have trouble napping, like me:
  1. Listen to Binaural Beats
Workout (build your own with this formula)
- 15 mins of durability (mobility + flexibility)
- 10 mins of cardio (running, bike, eliptical)
- 8 mins of muscular endurance (rowing, kettlebell swings)
- 5 mins of strength (one arm kettlebell shoulder press)
- 3 mins of power (box jumps)
Reset and reconnect
- Have a glass of wine or a puff of cannibis
- Play an instrument
- Connect with your tribe (listen to music, play with your pet, get silly)
Dinner
- Goat cheese, sourdough bread, cocoa, popcorn
- Drink warm water for digestion
- Nitric oxide-rich foods (salads and popcorn)
- Cheat when you want
Sex
- Try one new thing every month
- Take porn fasts
- Try a “sex every day for a week” challenge
- Communicate, control the squeeze, and watch comedy movies for foreplay
Turn off all electronics one hour before bed
- Journal, cuddle, play a game, read (Netflix is allowed)
- Keep phone in a separate room
- Have a tea
Sleep (start with cold temperature, wake up warm for an easier transition)
- Sleep on your side with your dominant hand on top
Bring it home
- Visualize success
- Create your mantra (Speak, smile, abolish fear, be curious)
- Positive self talk (Let’s go champ!)
- Get support from your tribe