If you had to describe Joe Rogan’s typical day, it would be intense. All of that physical activity and mental learning adds up to a life filled with lots of laughs, loud music, and big ideas. This is exactly how Joe Rogan keeps his body and mind in top condition.
Joe Rogan is an American podcaster, television host, and stand-up comedian. He hosts “The Joe Rogan Experience” where he speaks with guests about topics such as health and fitness, movies, music, technology or anything else they want to talk about.
Rogan has a long list of credits to his name including hosting Fear Factor, performing in the comedy group Upright Citizens Brigade, playing Joe Garrelli on the sitcom NewsRadio and starring on the NBC reality show “Fear Factor.” Now he’s taking his unique brand of comedy to live shows around the world.
In his 20s Rogan trained in taekwondo for six years before moving on to mixed martial arts cage fighting. It was at this time that he discovered his love for stand-up comedy when he performed at the world famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles. He is also a performance analyst and color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Rogan’s podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience, is ranked #1 on iTunes and averages more than 500,000 downloads per day. In the podcast he interviews big names in business, entertainment and politics. He also has a large YouTube following with over 7 million views for his videos on stand-up comedy, martial arts, MMA fighting and more.
It can be said that Rogan is a Renaissance man because he excels at so many different things. In this article we’ll take a look at what fuels Rogan’s body and mind.
Rogan’s Schedule on a Typical Day
At around 9 or 10 PM, Rogan takes his dog for a walk in the Hollywood hills to help lower his adrenaline and reduce the stress of the day. He also likes to meditate before bed to relax his mind so he can have quality sleep.
He wakes up at 7 AM to take a multivitamin and do some form of cardio such as Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He then eats breakfast at 10 AM and spends the rest of the morning getting ready for the work day. He goes to work and typically gets off between 2:30 and 4:15 PM because of his TV shows, podcasts, standup comedy shows and other obligations throughout the week. He has found a way to balance his life by working the right amount and taking time out for himself.
Rogan doesn’t stick to strict meal times because he’s always on the go, but he tries to eat one or two meals per day if possible. He will also drink black coffee in the afternoon if it is too early in the day for a meal. He has been known to snack on sweet potato chips, nuts or bars but only eats when his body tells him it needs food. His goal is not to over eat.
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Throughout the day Rogan snacks on nuts, protein bars, sweet potato chips (like Kettle Chips sweet potato chips) or fruit. These foods are loaded with nutrients and healthy fats that give him energy for his seemingly nonstop life.
His typical diet consists of grass-fed red meat and eggs with some fish if he can afford it. He also likes to eat fermented foods such as kefir or yogurt and takes a daily probiotic supplement. He also tries to drink a glass of water before bed, but if he isn’t able to do this, he drinks some during the night or hydrates in the morning.
Rogan avoids processed foods and tries to avoid refined sugars in his diet. Many people who eat this way tend to have blood sugar issues and become preoccupied with being perfect about everything they eat. Rogan doesn’t worry so much about maintaining strict dietary rules because when you allow yourself the freedom of not stressing over eating, you realize that it is far less important than what you’re eating is healthy for your body.
Rogan doesn’t feel he needs to eat 5 or 6 meals per day and he doesn’t eat the same meal every day. He tries his best to give his body the nutrients it needs on a consistent basis, but when he isn’t able to, he gets creative. He also eats all different kinds of foods on holidays since good food is part of the holiday magic. He enjoys eating foods that taste good but are not as healthy for his body as other meals. Joe Rogan eats food that tastes great and is enjoyable and people can keep eating them for years if they want to while still getting all of the health benefits they need.
He has found that listening to your body is the most important thing when it comes to treating your health. If you eat something and don’t feel well, stop eating it right away and try another meal. Don’t worry about doing things a certain way because you’re reading or hearing about them in books or magazines. Find what works for you and stick with it!
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Joe Rogan’s Diet
Is Rogan a Vegan? Of course not! Rogan is a meat-eater. His diet consists of chicken, turkey, steak and lamb which are all healthy sources of protein. He has never been interested in cutting all animal products from his diet to be vegan. If he ever does try that, he says the most difficult part would be adding dairy back into his diet because he doesn’t tolerate dairy well anyway and its high Omega 6 content makes him feel drowsy.
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As an avid fitness enthusiast, Rogan follows a ketogenic diet to help him maintain his physical performance. He also credits his personal health to the benefits of intermittent fasting.
Popular author Tim Ferriss described a recent dinner with Rogan in his book The 4-Hour Body: “Joe made me breakfast the next morning, some scrambled eggs with bacon. I was impressed by how good the eggs tasted – so much more flavorful than regular supermarket eggs. He told me he buys pasture-raised organic eggs from Vital Farms and that they really make a difference in taste. For lunch, Rogan made me a burrito bowl with chicken, spinach and avocado. He said he had been filling out the recipe for a while, tweaking it to get the flavors right. I was impressed by how much flavor there was in it – I’ve had some terrible burrito bowls in my day.”
Rogan buys all of his beef at Vital Farms. This is because the company has a “no antibiotics ever” policy and also ensures that its cattle are grass-fed. Grass-fed beef is more healthy for our calves. It is also more beneficial for the environment and our health because we don’t need to feed them genetically modified food.
Rogan himself has said, “I don’t know if being vegan is right… I’m not a vegan and I’d never sacrifice my taste buds, but then again I’ve never felt like milk or cheese are optimal. With that, liquid calories are very important to your physique.”
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His keto diet consists of healthy fats from Onnit MCT Oil, grass-fed red meat and high quality pastured eggs. He says that he gets 100% of his protein from quality sources. The quantity and quality of the protein consumed both influence the nitrogen balance. Protein intake may be beneficial for weight management, as it decreases hunger and decreases
He also thinks that alcohol is very detrimental for your health and recommends drinking alcohol only in moderation. When asked about whether or not he drinks beer, Rogan said, “I try not to, but I’m getting a little bored with gin. I’m always sad when I wake up the next day and I know I had a few too many beers the previous night because my body doesn’t allow me to perform as well until I give it a rest.”
To stay lean, Rogan recommends a diverse diet consisting of healthy fats, vegetables and fruits. He also focused on protein and carb sources to control hunger and cravings. His typical day begins with a breakfast of grass-fed red meat and eggs followed by a snack.
His diet is high in fat, moderate in protein and low in carbs. It consists of 75 percent fat, 20 percent protein and 5 percent carbs. Rogan’s diet is designed to keep him lean and energetic throughout the day. He typically eats once per day but will go up to twice per day depending on his schedule. He doesn’t count calories or macros but instead focuses on eating the right foods at the right time.
When Rogan’s diet first began he primarily followed a Paleo diet. It only took about one year for him to realize that his body wasn’t thriving on it. This is when he gave up dairy and adopted a ketogenic diet to help improve his overall health.
His diet uses MCT oil as his main source of fat, grass-fed red meat is a major source of protein and pastured eggs are used for added protein. He tries to buy as much pastured meat as possible since it contains more Omega 3s and will boost your metabolism faster than other meats. Using the paleo diet will make you feel sluggish throughout the day (to counteract this you can make sure that your carbs are high enough).
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The Rest of the Meal
Rogan drinks coffee caused by his job as a color commentator for the UFC. He used to drink more but has since moderated his intake because of the health risks associated with caffeinated drinks. He has been known to drink Four Sigmatic Mushroom Coffee, which has the natural nootropic Lion’s Mane Mushroom, giving a clearer focus than just pure caffeine. His diet is also low in dairy and soy. These foods have a high inflammatory effect on the body and he doesn’t want to take these nonessential risks in his physical performance. He does, however, include probiotics and fermented foods such as kefir or yogurt which help him maintain good intestinal health.
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Daily Supplementation: A Little Bit of Everything
Rogan supplements for mental energy and muscle repair throughout the day. He tries not to take too many pills because he doesn’t want to be a “walking pharmacy.” He has taken supplements such as 5-hour Energy in the past, but recently stopped using it because he thinks it is toxic and contributes to physical and mental problems. He recommends researching supplements carefully before taking them.
Rogan’s Supplement Schedule
- Protein Powder — ON Gold Standard Whey or Plant Fusion — 2 Scoops a Day
- Creatine — 5g a Day
- Fish Oil — 1,000mg a Day – Joe has said many times that he only uses Carlson’s Norwegian Fish Oil. This may sound like a small amount, but you want your fish oil to be as fresh as possible and not rancid. For this reason, the less fishy and more watery the better! Some people even choose to take less than this amount. If you really can’t handle eating more fish, then consider supplementing with krill oil or walnut oil instead of cod liver oil. They are good sources of omega-3s and are far less disgusting.
- Pre-Workout — Alpha Brain & Shroom Tech Sport
Rogan takes fish oil every day, sprays wheatgrass on his food when he can and uses a high quality multivitamin as well.
Supplements such as vitamin D3, CoQ10, carnitine for brain function and potassium citrate for blood pressure support are also crucial for his health.
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With regards to intermittent fasting, Rogan eats every other day and fasts 24 hours each day. He follows this schedule because he feels it has many benefits including slowing down aging and increasing mental clarity. There have been many studies that show how fasting improves memory formation and slows down cognitive decline. Several studies show that frequent fasting has many anti-aging effects as well as improving 21st century longevity. Intermittent fasting also improves body weight, inflammation, diabetes and cardiovascular health. The best time to fast is in the morning because it is easier to get your brain and body ready for a day of fasting. Fasting at night is more challenging as your body is more apt to wanting to eat.
The best way to break your fast is by consuming high protein with some fat in it. Protein and fat keep you from getting hungry and cravings low so you aren’t tempted to binge or over-eat. Mid afternoon snacking will also help you feel energized and less hungry later at night. This will help you stay off the midnight munchies!
Rogan suggests that people start their day with a breakfast burrito or Greek yogurt instead of a sweetened cereal like California raisins, sugar cereals, or Fruit Loops which are all loaded with sugar and no nutritional value.
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Joe Rogan’s Workout Routine
Rogan is very driven to stay in excellent shape and believes it’s important for an individual to become their physical best. He has said many times he would prefer to be in decent shape even if he was going to die tomorrow rather than die fat and out of shape.
Rogan does Krav Maga three times per week, a martial art known for its practical applications in real life situations. It is a great workout and increases physical conditioning as well as mental preparedness for the unpredictable situations of life. He also does five or six boxing or kickboxing workouts and one-hour sessions of cardio such as jiu-jitsu cardio mixed with some stretching exercises every week. He likes to mix things up on his training days to keep things fun. He doesn’t like doing the same thing for 60 days in a row, so he adds variety and intensity to his routine every few months.
Rogan works out every day but doesn’t follow a rigid workout regime. He tries to do exercises that target every part of the body for balance and symmetry. He avoids exercises such as running because they put stress on his joints. Instead, he prefers compound exercises that work several muscle groups and joints at the same time, such as squats and deadlifts.
Rogan also stays away from isolation exercises and focuses on big compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, cleans and military presses. These leg exercises make him more explosive while his upper body is able to perform pushups in a fasted state without losing strength or weight because it is supported by all of the muscle on his frame. He also does a lot of cardiovascular work and HIIT workouts such as burpees and mountain climbers. Rogan has a philosophy that you can have a workout routine or be a couch potato. He prefers the challenge of keeping himself fit and healthy. He also feels more energized and has better sleep when he doesn’t train too often.
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Working Out in the Morning Before a Day of Fasting
Joe Rogan avoids long workouts and focuses on exercises that allow him to be dynamic and explosive rather than pushing the limits of his body whenever he likes. He prefers mornings to evenings because he needs to be productive when going about his day, but is able to spend more time with his family during the evening when relaxing is at its best. Rogan used to exercise with a mix of strength and cardio workouts, but prefers to switch things up and work out when he can. He has said that he switches things up so he doesn’t get bored with his routine.
Rogan also trains to feel good. He doesn’t have a trainer and prefers to work out by himself. He believes that fitness should be fun and enjoyable rather than stressful or painful. If you’re not having fun, then you’re doing something wrong, so take a break for a while and try out some new exercises. Go back to your beginner routine and see if that helps. Try out crossfit or HIIT workouts as well if you are interested in these types of exercises.
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Joe Rogan’s Training Philosophy
The best way to understand Joe Rogan’s training is to first understand the work he has done previously. This is because a lot of the work he has done other than his work as a comedian and TV talk show host turned into some of his most valuable life lessons. He spent 7 years in United States Navy SEAL training and joined the military for 4 years after graduating from college because he felt like it was something he had to do. When he became a SEAL, his life changed and changed dramatically for the better. He says that most of his life lessons come from these experiences and that a lot of what he believes in are things that were passed down to him during training. He knows the value of being in shape and being prepared for life. He says that you can train your body and also be ready for anything.
The Last Leg of the Triathlon: The Mind
Rogan believes that the last leg of pulling himself up from his early days and becoming a full-fledged life force is his ability to think. This is why he focuses so much on mental health in his daily routine. He tries not to make any decisions or have any opinions unless he can be 100% confident in them. He thinks this way because he knows that too often the decision parameters are biased by emotion, which makes bad decisions more likely.
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Conclusion
Joe Rogan is proof that you don’t have to be vegan to live a healthy lifestyle. Even if you love cheese, dairy and meat, there’s no need to neglect your mental health. Mental well-being cannot be neglected as much as physical health, since your brain controls how you feel physically – all the way down to the smallest details of life. Besides being a great motivator and an example for many people who felt like they couldn’t do it before, Joe Rogan is also a successful businessman who has made millions of dollars. Many people can’t say that about themselves. So, if you want to change your life and get healthy – don’t be discouraged by society’s pressure on what you should eat. Instead, change your mind and learn from other people who’ve been where you want to go.
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