Dr. Peter Attia is a well-known Canadian physician with expertise in the fields of longevity and health optimization.
His medical diploma from Stanford University and his background in surgery opened many doors for him in the medical field.
He founded Attia Medical in 2014, a practice that focuses on the applied science of longevity and optimal performance.
Some interesting facts about Peter are:
Dr. Attia reveals his productivity peaks during morning hours: “I just find that golden time from 4 to 7 am to be the most productive hours of the day.”
That’s why he commits to waking up around 4 am to make the most of this productive morning time.
“It is not uncommon for me to wake up at 4 a.m. and go to bed at 8 p.m.,” he says.
Shortly after waking up, he does his morning meditation for about 20 minutes.
The benefits of meditation are well documented. An eight-week mindfulness meditation program has been shown to reduce stress-related brain regions like the amygdala and improve overall mental health.
Dr. Attia mentions that only 20 minutes of morning meditation sets his mindset for the day: “If I meditate for 20 minutes in a day, I’m not meditating for those 20 minutes. I’m meditating for the other 23 hours and 40 minutes.”
Dr. Attia believes nutrition is one of the pillars of longevity. However, he is concerned about the difficulty in getting adequate nutrition on a daily basis.
That’s why he advocates for AG1 supplements, which help fill the nutritional gaps in his diet.
AG1 is a supplement powder that contains multivitamins, multimineral, gut-friendly bacteria, antioxidants, fiber, and high-quality mushrooms.
I take a scoop of AG1 every day, regardless of what else I'm eating. I just know if I'm taking AG1, I'm getting exactly, if not probably a little bit more than what I need.
Here’s the rest of the supplement list that Dr. Attia includes in his everyday morning routine:
Dr. Attia loves a high-quality French press coffee to energize himself in the early mornings.
Here’s how he prepares it:
The go-to protein-packed breakfast for Dr.Attia is eight whole eggs with toast and butter.
To track his goal of consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, he uses Layne Norton’s app, Carbon.
Dr. Attia mentions that it’s difficult to maintain lean mass when you’re not eating enough protein:
“One of the biggest things we certainly see here in the US, but I suspect that this is true across the world, is that people are not getting sufficient amounts of protein to preserve lean mass. And the consequences of this are actually devastating.”
In fact, low muscle mass has been associated with lower physical function and poorer quality of life.
The “golden hours of productivity,” as Dr. Attia calls them, are usually from around 5 am to 7 am.
During this time, he focuses on deep work, like writing or research, and starts his day with a strong foundation of productivity.
Dr. Attia’s exercise routine is diverse and focuses on four pillars:
These are the basics, but we’ll discuss Dr. Attia’s fitness routine in more detail later in the article.
For lunch, a standard choice is a chicken salad mixed with vegetables and dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
To mix things up a bit, Dr. Attia also chooses these lunch options when he feels like it:
Dr. Attia has created a nutritional framework to help people keep their nutrition goals on track.
The framework I use to explain eating is based on modifying three parameters or “pulling 3 levers” in various combinations. It comes down to three forms of restriction. Whether it’s what you eat or don’t eat (i.e., dietary restriction or DR), how much you eat (i.e., caloric restriction or CR), or when you eat and don’t eat (i.e., time restriction or TR), virtually all of the dietary schemes you can think of can be distilled into these three elements in some combination.
Dr. Attia eats his dinner around 5 pm.
These are his usual go-to dinners, filled with protein, fiber, vitamins, and healthy fats:
His diet has constantly changed over the years, and according to his February AMA, his current goals are to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat.
He tracks his calorie and protein intake with the Carbon app and aims for:
Although previously an advocate for intermittent fasting, Dr. Attia discovered that despite exercising, he lost about ten pounds of lean muscle mass over three years of intermittent fasting.
He now emphasizes a more holistic approach to health and advises caution with fasting.
“While there are clearly some benefits of [fasting], it’s very difficult to measure what’s happening cellularly,” he says.
The benefits of fasting also come with some negatives, including losing muscle mass, which is why Attia doesn’t do multi-fast days anymore.
“Today, I just don’t feel that that trade-off is worthwhile, at least at the extreme level that I was doing,” he reveals.
Dr. Attia’s evening routine starts with taking sleep supplements:
He reveals: “I keep a few sleep aids by my bed to use when needed. I occasionally take phosphatidylserine, to lower adrenal output.”
Dr. Attia makes it a habit to read historical nonfiction or self-improvement books as part of his evening routine.
Reading can help him unwind and shift his focus from the day’s stresses. In fact, a study from the University of Sussex found that reading just for six minutes can reduce stress levels by up to 68%.
One factor that helps Dr. Attia maintain a healthy lifestyle is his attention to sleep hygiene. He understands that quality sleep is essential for overall health and wellness.
To maximize his sleep hours, he optimizes his sleep environment with the following devices:
As we already mentioned, Dr. Attia’s workout schedule is based on four pillars: stability, strength, aerobic efficiency, and anaerobic performance.
Here’s how his weekly workout plan looks:
When it comes to strength training, Dr. Attia highlights something essential about muscle management:
We were surprised to find out that, unlike other longevity experts like Bryan Johnson, who takes around 60 supplements daily, Dr. Attia’s supplement list is quite reasonable.
Electrolytes and hydration products:
Pre- and post-workout supplements:
Daily vitamins and minerals:
Other recommended supplements:
While Dr. Attia’s supplement regimen is thoroughly designed for his own body and health goals, it’s important to remember that each person has unique nutritional needs.
Before making any changes to your own supplement routine, consult a healthcare provider.
Dr. Attia’s daily routine aims to maximize health, longevity, and productivity. Here are some key benefits you can reap from following this routine:
Now, it’s time to see how Dr. Attia’s routine might affect you negatively.
No routine is perfect. Like all things in life, Dr. Attia’s daily routine comes with positives and negatives.
Some of the potential risks of his routine are:
These are the potential risks of following Dr. Attia’s daily routine. It’s up to you how you weigh the pros and cons. But remember, you always have the choice to adapt this routine and make it more your own.
If you want to start crafting your daily routine, you can use our free daily routine template to speed things up.
Let’s be honest. Committing to any daily routine that gets you out of your comfort zone can be difficult.
Dr. Attia’s routine is no exception. With an early-rising schedule, intense exercise, and specific dietary practices, it can be challenging to follow through.
It gets even harder if you have a busy schedule or differing health needs.
Plus, staying committed to this kind of routine is not only about time. It is also about the cost, especially when it comes to the food situation. High-protein diets and quality supplements can be expensive.
To wrap it up, how hard this routine is for you, only you can know. Assess your needs, your budget, and your availability and then you can reach your own conclusion.
Dr. Attia acknowledges the benefits of intermittent fasting, like improved insulin sensitivity and cellular repair. However, he has concerns about the potential loss of lean muscle mass when fasting.
His advice is to be careful with intermittent fasting, especially if you don’t have significant body fat to lose.
An appropriate word for Dr. Attia’s approach to longevity and anti-aging is holistic. His routine and protocols focus on nutrition, exercise, mental health, and sleep hygiene in a balanced way.
To improve health and well-being, Peter Attia recommends books like The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, How to Change Your Mind by Michael Pollan, and 10% Happier by Dan Harris.
To improve cardiovascular health, Dr. Attia recommends regular cardio exercise, a diet low in processed foods and sugars, and specific supplements like Omega-3 fish oil.
