Today is a work day for me, as it often is on the weekend. I’m going through photos from people who completed my previous Trainer series to select winners. I’m so inspired by what people have achieved that it’s hard to call this work. Although the selection process is very difficult, it’s a pleasure to see such amazing results. I want everyone to win, but I have to eliminate people, narrowing down to those who are still in the running.

Luckily, I only need to perform two short cardio sessions today, one of which will be a swim.

Don’t forget that you’re starting your 16-hour fast to cleanse your body and encourage autophagy. Let me explain this again: All complex creatures have cells that replace themselves, but original cells die. The process of autophagy is the body’s natural removal of these dead cells. Fasting is one way to encourage your body to shed this dead matter more quickly.

We’re working hard to create new and vibrant cells, but it’s also critical that we allow our bodies the time and space to clear the old out of the way. The 16-hour fast you’re beginning is crucial to this.

TIP

As a bodybuilder, I used to believe in waking up in the middle of the night to consume additional protein. But eventually I noticed that it was beginning to disturb the circadian rhythms of my sleep. Now I don’t think it’s healthy to consume food in the middle of the night. I think you can get in all the nutrients you need when you’re awake, and then you should use your sleep time to fully recover from both activity and digestion. While digestion is crucial to survival, it’s also a tremendous stressor on our systems. That’s why my Trainer series organizes meals and workouts so carefully.