Gideon Akande
Gideon Akande is a celebrity trainer, fitness and wellness coach, and the winner of Men’s Health Next Top Trainer. He currently lives in Chicago, Illinois.
What is your morning routine?
Every morning, my alarm goes off between 4:30 and 5:00am. I wake up early because I see my first client at 5:45am. I need this time to get myself alert and active, and I have to factor in my commute.
I check my phone for any important communications that may alter the course of my day and plan accordingly. I then proceed to shower and dress with minimal distraction (avoiding social media, the news, and other things that could slow down my morning), before heading out of the house to my first client.
How long have you stuck with this routine so far?
I’ve had this routine for the past eight years. There have been slight adjustments to the timing, but the result has always been the same: I wake up early!
How has your morning routine changed over recent years?
Over the course of several years, my morning routine has changed in many ways. For instance, I used to wake up and exercise to start the day. Now my mornings start with training clients before I get to my own workouts. Now that I’ve moved much farther from where I work, my mornings include a forty-five-minute commute, which I use to mentally prepare for the challenges of the day.
I mentally prepare by checking messages (via email, social media, and text) and getting back to the most pressing ones. Then I map out where I need to be and when, so I’m aware of exactly how tight my schedule is that day.
What time do you go to sleep?
There are always obstacles in getting to bed (catching up with my girlfriend after a long day, unwinding while watching a sports game, reviewing text messages and emails), but my goal is to get to bed by 10:00pm.
Being an entrepreneur, I rarely have “down-time”—I’m usually putting out fires or working on goal-specific tasks longer than I’d like to be, but I still realize how important rest is. On average, I make my 10:00pm bedtime 75 percent of the time.
Do you do anything before going to bed to make your morning easier?
Before heading to bed, I like to situate a few things to make my early mornings more manageable. First of all, I situate my wallet, keys, and phone. Then I pack my training bag with any equipment and workout gear I’ll need for my clients and myself. Lastly, I set aside what I’m wearing for the day. (I want to avoid it being obvious that I dress in the dark.)
Do you use an alarm to wake you up in the morning, and if so do you ever hit the snooze button?
I set three alarms every morning and they’re always two minutes apart. This is to ensure that I don’t oversleep. When I’m up, I’m up; snooze isn’t in my vocabulary.
How soon after waking up do you have breakfast, and what do you typically have?
Because my mornings are so early, I typically don’t have breakfast until mid-morning. Once my morning client sessions and personal workout are complete, I take the time to fuel. I keep my breakfast options simple—I usually have water and half a cup of orange juice to accompany an omelet with peppers, onions, spinach, and sausage.
Can you tell us more about your morning workout routine?
I’m a big fan of morning cardio. It’s a great way to get the blood flowing and the mind focused. Additionally, it gives me my first “accomplishment” of the day. My go-to workout is a run or hike on my NordicTrack X22i. The workouts are curated by iFit trainers who virtually coach me through exotic locations across the world! I’ll grab my adjustable dumbbells for strength work if I’m feeling ambitious!
My advice for how to get started (and stick to) a morning workout is to get a good night’s rest. The less sleep you get, the easier it becomes to hit the snooze button. If you really hate mornings, go to bed in your workout gear. This way, you have no excuse but to get up and go. Lastly, remind yourself that if you get your workout out of the way in the morning, you’ll have the whole day to yourself and you won’t have to do it later.
How soon do you check your phone in the morning?
First thing in the morning, I check text messages, email, and social media in case there are any urgent schedule changes or important matters to attend to. If there is nothing pressing, I’ll glance at it throughout the course of the day and respond when I’m able to sit down at a computer and be more productive.
What and when is your first drink in the morning?
My first drink in the morning is a glass of water before leaving the house. During my workout and throughout the day, I like to stay hydrated with electrolyte water, my favorite being kiwi-flavored Propel water.
Do you also follow this routine on weekends, or do you change some steps?
Weekends are a time for me to recharge and disconnect. I try to sleep in, spend quality time with my girlfriend, check in with my family, and travel. This is all part of keeping myself balanced.
What do you do if you fail to follow your morning routine, and how does this influence the rest of your day?
If I fail to follow my morning/pre-morning routine, I usually find myself rushed and unprepared. I end up having to sacrifice my workout or my breakfast, or alter the scheduled workouts for my clients because I don’t have everything necessary to complete those tasks. Additionally, I feel somewhat defeated before the day has even started. Therefore, I try to avoid that scenario at all costs!
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