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Kreatures Of Habit Podcast
Rock Bottom to P90X: How Fitness Helped Waz Ashayer Reclaim His Life | Kreatures of Habit
01:11:41
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- [00:00]
Host
We have an epidemic with addiction in this country. The highest death toll is drug overdose. It is the number one cause of death from males in the United States 18 to something like 35.
- [00:14]
Waz
It's always going to be there unless you confront it.
- [00:16]
Host
And what do you do to confront it?
- [00:18]
Waz
There's like this old Buddhist philosophy. To solve the problem, one must not turn their back on it, they must go into it. I tried, I failed, I tried, I failed, I tried, I failed. But you won't break the code until you go into it. You're always going to fail if you try and run away from something. At the time, I thought there was no way out. But there is a way out, and it's called stacking your habits. It's day by day by day by day, because that's how I got out.
- [00:46]
Host
And then it becomes your lifestyle.
- [00:48]
Waz
It's one of the hardest conversations you have to have. It's not with you, it's not with him, it's not with her, it's not. Everyone has a dream and it's finding out that person's why. And I will sit with that person until I find out what their wires. And then we will use that why every day to remind them that it is worth waking up. And you'll be surprised what people's wise are.
- [01:12]
Host
An entrepreneur straight out of New York City. Michael Chernow. What's cracking? I just want to hear about the day everything changed.
- [01:28]
Waz
It's, it's embedded in my, in my, in my brain. I can recite it with my eyes closed. It's August 11, 2016.
- [01:37]
Host
And what happened?
- [01:38]
Waz
I woke up. This is wild. Like, I woke up after being asleep for like two or three days. Like, truth be told, I, I didn't have like the guts or the, or the balls to like end my own life, if that makes sense.
- [01:56]
Host
I know exactly how that feels.
- [01:58]
Waz
Right. And it just, you know, and it's not to be like dramatic or anything, it's just, it's this deep feeling of like, I don't want to wake up.
- [02:07]
Host
Like, you get on a plane and you're like, I wouldn't be upset if.
- [02:10]
Waz
It didn't land 100%, like day to day scenarios. And it's just like, I just wanted to be like rubbed out, like erased out, but like caused no pain to people around me. And I just. And that doesn't exist?
- [02:24]
Host
No.
- [02:24]
Waz
Right. That doesn't exist. So what you do, you just, you have a pity party and then you, and then you try and push yourself over the edge every night. And for me, that was. That was trying to overdose. That was trying to take as as much drugs as possible, you know, and that was, you know, know, that is such a. I can talk about it now, but at the time I was just. You get this mix of feelings. You've been through it, I'm sure, but it's like the embarrassment, the just, you know, the shame that's. And. And the conversation around it. I mean, it's going to be 10 years in August, and I. I don't even recognize that person. You know, that's how freely I can talk about it now. But, yeah, the goal was to not. To not wake up. And I did wake up on August 11, 2016. And I think. I don't know what your journey was like, but I obviously previously tried to be sober. You know, I tried to stop. At the time I was working in nightlife and it was an occupational hazard, but there was always an excuse. I tried that whole thing of like, I'll do it once a week. I'll only do it for birthdays. You know, I'll do it for. If it's my mate's party, I'll do it. But it was just like, you could just pull an excuse from under the rug every time. And then. And then you're back into that cycle and it's that grip. It's the. Because what was enjoyable for me, I. E. Partying and, and, you know, drinking, taking drugs, doing, you know, I did it all then became like, it. It was like habitual. It wasn't something I enjoyed. It was like, I can't go out unless I do this. I. You know, or the first time I had a drink, it was always like a trigger point. So you'd have a drink and then it was drugs, then it was smoke, cigarette. So it was like a chain, you know, and it's like I just, I was just barbaric.
- [04:20]
Host
You know, it's so interesting. So it, you know, I got sober young, I got sober at 23. And I can't tell you the amount of people that don't understand what it means to have addiction. And I want to distinguish that. There's a big difference. There's a. There's a perspective shift that people that are listening to this that don't have addiction or don't have people with addiction within their. Right within their tight network of people, family, friends, responsive. Yeah.
- [04:50]
Waz
So.
- [04:50]
Host
So addiction is actually a brain disease.
- [04:56]
Waz
Okay.
- [04:56]
Host
Studied, proven. It's a brain disease. When we, when, you know, I. I'm. I'm not sure. You actually went into the 12 steps. I went, I started, you know, my journey in the 12 steps when I got sober. And they would say it's a disease. I for years really didn't believe that, but I was okay to, to co sign it because of where I was at in my life. Right. Like, I didn't think that it was actually a disease.
- [05:19]
Waz
Right.
- [05:19]
Host
I just thought that that was the way that they were this devastating, catastrophic way to live life. And so the facts are that, that addiction is, is a disease like getting diagnosed with being bipolar or multiple personality, or severe depression or severe anxiety disorder. Almost like cancer. Right. And so when someone, when someone has cancer or has heart disease, they don't say I am heart disease as an addict. We say I am an addict as, or an alcoholic, I am an alcoholic. But for someone with heart disease or someone with cancer, they don't say I am cancer, they say I have cancer. And so I have changed the perspective in my brain because I had a double board certified neurologist and addiction specialist on the podcast that said, by the way, I just want to, I just want to stop you and, and just let you know. You say that you're, you're an alcoholic or you're a drug addict. And the fact is, is that you are not that. You have that you are not that. And that is the problem.
- [06:28]
Waz
It's an identity, isn't it?
- [06:29]
Host
It's an identity.
- [06:30]
Waz
People were formed to an identity. And I just like you mentioned the word disease and it's like, you know, I think one of your, one of your greats says this as well. Break down that word. What does that mean? Your body is at dis ease. So it's like it comes with this taboo that it's like, oh, he has a disease. And it sounds dramatic, but it's really not that dramatic. As long as I think awareness is like the first step. I think awareness of stuff is definitely the first step.
- [06:57]
Host
So I, I was. Anybody that, that sees a picture of you or follows you on social media and sees what your life is like and has no idea about your history, would never in a billion years looking at you, a fucking Adonis, like looking at you would ever say that this guy spent years of his life wanting to die.
- [07:20]
Waz
Like, yeah, do you think you were.
- [07:23]
Host
Born with this problem or do you think that this was a trauma induced or a combination?
- [07:30]
Waz
I think I lean into addiction in all areas of my life. Like in terms of like more is more. Right. And I just think, and you know, whether that's in the gym or whether that's, you know, with, with my history with it, with the drink, drugs. And I just, I just. It's never enough. And it's the same with work. You know, it can, it. You can channel that energy and put it into positive things, or you can channel that energy and it can have a really negative effect on you. And I think that, that the first step is, like I said before, it's the awareness, it's understanding, like oneself. And quite rightly before you said some people are just foreign to it. Some people have never experienced it. They don't have it around them. They, they can mediate. They're very good in moderation. And then there's other people who are all in.
- [08:20]
Host
But I want to distinguish something for them for that person because it's very easy to pass judgment on what you see in the street with people that are, you know, at the, at the, at the bottom of the barrel. Right. Like, by the way, you know, I know a lot of people that were there that are wonderfully successful today. Right? So like, you pass judgment on this human being that is battling this actual disease and you're like, oh, that person's a deadbeat. That person's a drug addict. And the fact is, is that that person has addiction. They have a. I want to clearly define that for the listener because we have an epidemic with addiction in this country. The highest death toll from males in the United States of America from like 18 to 35. And I could be wrong on that in the age bracket, but is drug overdose. It is the number one cause of death from males in the United States, 18 to something like 35. And, and it's because they have a disease, they have an actual biological brain disorder. And, and, and a lot, for a lot of us. And I know for, certainly for me, like that disease manifested in negative self talk for me, right?
- [09:39]
Waz
100%. 100%. And it's just like, I mean, it's always going to be there unless you confront it.
- [09:47]
Host
And what do you do to confront it?
- [09:49]
Waz
There's like this old Buddhist philosophy and you know, that you. To, to solve the problem, one must not turn their back on it. They must go into it. And I got obsessed with that. I got obsessed with that, like that notion because I, I think if you, I'll ask you, you're. You, you've been addicted or you, you have addiction or you had addiction. Did you try to be clean before and fail?
- [10:17]
Host
Yes.
- [10:18]
Waz
Right. So it was this, it was this whole thing of like, I tried, I failed. I tried, I failed, I tried, I failed. But you won't break the code until you go into it. You're always going to fail. If you try and run away from something, it's going to catch you or it's not.
- [10:34]
Host
It's certainly not going anywhere.
- [10:36]
Waz
Well, yeah, it's like the elephant in the room, isn't it? It's like the thing I want to ask you.
- [10:40]
Host
I want to ask you to tell us a story about one of the worst experiences you had while death, the depths of addiction. And then I'm going to. I'm going to counter that with a win of yours today just so people can understand the juxtaposition of the addict who or the human with addiction that ultimately ends up addressing it and then finding success in sobriety.
- [11:04]
Waz
Yeah, I think it's a great question because at the time, I'll tell you the scenario, but the time it's so dark that you're like, you don't see any light and you don't think you can get out of it. So I think the lowest I was. Was when you do a lot of drugs, your body starts to decompose, to put it nicely, right? So you just, You. You are. You are withering away. If you've ever seen anybody that, that. That has taken a lot of drugs and stuff, their body doesn't look healthy, right? It starts to eat itself. It starts to sort of. It starts. Looks, malnutrition stuff. There was a point in. In my life where I, you know, my. My skin was very, like, thin and it would. It would like, tear, basically. Like, I would have, like, cuts under my armpits and like, even to like, have a shower would be painful with hot water. So I would. I can remember being sat in my shower and just being in so much pain because I had like, cuts and open scars and stuff on my body from just. I had, you know, I'd go days without eating and like. Like, I'd be severely embarrassed. I mean, I weighed hardly anything. I was like feather, feather featherweight. I mean, I was something like 66 kilos. I don't know what that is in pounds. Times it by 2.2, but. And I have that picture. I have that picture on my phone. And I used to look at that picture and I still look at that picture and I'm like, whoa. Like, whoa. And that's like. That was the rock bottom for me, you know? And then I have another video that I actually had to mute the audio from. And it was exactly the same sort of time. It was Just, just before, ironically, just before I actually sorted myself out and was able to clean my act up. But I actually, in apprehension of not waking up, I left a selfie video to, well, hopefully my mum, my. My dad and, and my twin brother, you know, my immediate family. And on that video I was apologizing, but I was in floods of tears and I was extremely sort of under the influence. And I, I look back at that video and I just like, now I can watch all of it, but I couldn't sit there and watch all of it. It was, and it's not that long, it's just. But it was me just apologizing, just saying, I really just don't want to be here and I'm severely unhappy. And you know, I, I watched that now and I'm like, whoa. Like, who is that guy? Like, who is that guy? Wow. And I just think that, like, at the time, and this is a message to anyone that might be listening or watching or like, I can't tell you how in my head I thought there was no way out. Like in that very moment. The best way to describe it is there's obviously yourself and then, but then you have this like out of body experience where you're like talking to yourself when you're that high and you, you're like, you, you just, you just don't see a way out. And I can't describe that, like, unless you're in that problem or you're. You're currently in that position. But there is a way out. And I just want to, I want to drum that message through to somebody who might be listening, who might be suffering, but they're, they're like. At the time I thought there was no way out, but there is a way out. And it's called stacking your habits. It's day by day by day by day. Because that's how I got out. It was one day at a time, one day at a time. And it was to the point where I would like, I would annoy everybody on my Facebook. I was like, day 16, day 17, because it was the day of Facebook where you put the statuses up. And then it was like day 150 and then I would like mess up. I'd like up. I'd be like, oh, day one, day two, day three, day four. And people would be like, just quit, man. Just like, stop. Just stop annoying us. Like, we don't care. But I cared about. And it wasn't, I wasn't doing my statuses for other people. I wasn't Doing in the same way that I don't post my, my gym efforts on Instagram for other people today. I don't do that for other people. It's not to fulfill. It's not to show off. It's not to. It's for myself and it's stacking habits every single day, and that's all you need to worry about.
- [15:30]
Host
So you're, you're, you're. You just finished telling us that you were using so much that you literally felt your skin thinning out, like tearing.
- [15:38]
Waz
Like, like really, like drying out, like tearing like really poor condition. I can remember, especially underneath my armpits. I would like lift, lift up my arms and it would be, it would just be like really, like torn and, and just painful. Like really painful.
- [15:55]
Host
Lying on the shower floor.
- [15:57]
Waz
Absolute pain, like hugging my knees. And I was. Yeah.
- [16:02]
Host
Tell us about the most recent win you've had.
- [16:07]
Waz
I don't know if they're letters. There's one letter and two numbers. Actually, there's two left. Three. Two letters and two numbers.
- [16:13]
Host
Two letters and two numbers.
- [16:15]
Waz
There you go.
- [16:15]
Host
P90X.
- [16:17]
Waz
Yeah.
- [16:18]
Host
So you came from a hopeless human with, in the depths of addiction, literally hoping to not wake up and then, boom, flash forward nine years later after, after completely turning your life around. And I want to hear about the journey and the habits that you've instituted in that journey, because I think this community that listens to this podcast really appreciates hearing habit routines from people that have either transitioned from a dark place or just are killing it in life in general. You happen to be doing both. But now one of the most, one of the all time, most successful first of its kind at home fitness communities spanning millions and millions of people globally thought that you for some reason would be the right guy to take the reins and lead that charge in the newest version of P90X. What, like, what does that feel like?
- [17:20]
Waz
I mean, you can see it in my face. I mean, when somebody talks about I, I will forever say this. I feel like I'm watching somebody else have a really good time. It's just, it's an honor, isn't it? It's just like such an honor. And it's just, you know, and I, I don't take it lightly and I just, I throw everything into it. I throw the kitchen sink at it. And I just like, you know, I'm just, I'm just super grateful. I've had some great people in my life, you know, some great people in my life, direct me, mentor me. I think that's super. Important that you attach yourself to. To the greats and then you learn. As I always. I always say, like a really, really, really loudly that the best coaches are the best thieves. And what I mean by that is that people that are really good have taken great things from other people, put that into their own practice, and then move forward. I love that. And it's. The best coaches are the best thieves. And it's so true, because nine times out of 10, no one's reinventing the wheel, you know, Like, I. I love taking other people's classes. You know, I could name lists of people that I've taken, and I'm like, yo, they kill it. They crush it. And there's. There is room for everyone. You know, as long as you're not trying to plagiarize or copy someone's style, you're not trying to be somebody else, then there's so much faith in just turning up and just seeing what other people do. You know, I always say as well, like, you can't throw rocks at the throne. If someone is doing well, they're doing well for a reason. You know, so find out what that reason is, learn it, and then go, can I. Can I incorporate any of that into my practice? Can I be malleable? Can I change slightly for the better? And I think that's what's got me to where I am. I was just so intrigued. Like, I used to fly over to New York when I lived in London. I came to New York in 2022.
- [19:19]
Host
For the first time.
- [19:20]
Waz
No, no, To. To move and work. I mean, I'd been over for a couple of just random trips that.
- [19:25]
Host
You moved here in 22?
- [19:26]
Waz
Yeah.
- [19:26]
Host
Okay.
- [19:27]
Waz
Everyone's done, like, a Christmas trip to New York.
- [19:29]
Host
Why do I feel like we've known each other prior to that?
- [19:31]
Waz
I don't know.
- [19:32]
Host
Okay.
- [19:32]
Waz
I don't. I don't know. But I just. 20, 22, I was working with Equinox in London, and I was presented with a great opportunity to move over here and. And manage the Hamptons group fitness for. For Equinox. So from May to September, that's a seasonal gig there. And then I work in Manhattan outside of that frequency, and that's where I teach in real life. But, yeah, I used to. Before that, I used to come over and I just used to be obsessed, like, taking people's club. New York was like 30. I mean, it still is. It's the hub of. Of group fitness, of classes, of studio fitness, of innovation. And I. Yeah, I just. I got obsessed with it. And I came over and I used to spend whatever spare money I had on a plane ticket, take loads of classes, go back to London, try and change my style of it, and learn.
- [20:21]
Host
Was fitness a part of your life prior to getting sober?
- [20:24]
Waz
Always. Always, always, always, Always. I. I was always. I'm a. I'm a twin. And my parents, maybe because they wanted us away from the home, used to just throw us into every sport. I've done every sport. Like, I used to go on summer camps. I used to do. I've done water sports. I've done windsurfing, sailing, kayaking. You know, I grew up in a countryside place called Marlborough in Wiltshire, in. In southwest England. And it was. It was all outdoorsy. I played, you know, I played competitive sport. I played hockey. Field hockey, not ice hockey. I know Americans get upset.
- [21:03]
Host
Can't call it.
- [21:04]
Waz
You can't call it an Olympic sport, by the way.
- [21:09]
Host
I played hockey. That was my sport as a kid.
- [21:12]
Waz
Field hockey?
- [21:12]
Host
No, no, no, no.
- [21:19]
Waz
It. I'll tell you a funny story.
- [21:58]
Host
I was.
- [21:58]
Waz
I was. When I was dating somebody here, I, you know, they said, are you sporty? And I was like, yeah, yeah. I'm like, I used. I used to play, like, hockey. And they were like, whoa. And I was like, yeah, I played like, you know, Premier league teams and stuff. I said, you know, it's Olympic sport. And she was like, hold on. She was like, ice hockey. And I was like, no, no, field hockey. She was like, okay. She was like, you go to the gym. So I know, I know Americans don't take it seriously, but. But yeah, I've always been into sport. And when I was. When I was 17, and I think a lot of the listeners can sort of align with this because I think this is what happens to a lot of people when they're younger. When I first went to a gym when I was, like, 16, 17 years old, I'd go with my dad. I'd go on every machine once, jump on some cardio, and then go out and be like, yeah, smash the gym. And then, like, all the guys would, like, lean into the biceps and try and do all that sort of stuff.
- [22:57]
Host
And.
- [22:57]
Waz
And I did that for, like, I don't know, six months. I thought, nah, this is. This is not it. This is. There has to be more better system. I'd be like, looking at my body, and I'd be like, where's the abs at? Where's the chest at? Where's the arms at? So when I was 17, I. I decided to take my qualification. I Didn't know I was going to use it extensively later in my life. But I qualified as a personal trainer when I was 17 years old.
- [23:23]
Host
Okay.
- [23:24]
Waz
And that's, that, that was my like my foot in, I didn't go on a family holiday in the summer. They went on the family holiday. I went to get, to go back. You had to go to school. I say back then, like I'm 80, but way back then you had to go to school because you can do it online now. And it was like an intensive like six, eight week course. You'd go to a classroom, sit in there, do all the practical, do everything. And I, and I, I came out and I qualified, I qualified as a, as a personal trainer and that was in my back pocket and that was, that's what I, I pulled out my back pocket in 20, 18, 19 and I've, and I've ran with it.
- [23:58]
Host
When did you, when did your addiction like really start to impact? Like were you using drugs in your teen years and drinking a lot or.
- [24:07]
Waz
So I, I, I got. So basically, you know, my, I previously said this on another, another interview. My mum was very upset when I was, I was a geek at school. I was like very, very like studious. Like I was extremely sort of academically astute. Do my, my law, my business. I did media which is like, you know, not so serious but I did law business and media is my A level is what they call in the uk. But I actually dropped out my last year. Go on a reality TV show last.
- [24:38]
Host
Year of high school or college or university.
- [24:41]
Waz
It's so A level. So I would have been 7, 17.
- [24:44]
Host
Okay.
- [24:44]
Waz
Yeah. I don't know what that, that is over here, but this is not advised. It was a TV show called Make Me a Super Model and it was before the days of Instagram and Facebook. It was 2006 and it was a modeling thing like America's Next Top Model. That type of vibe. You live in a house. There was like, you know, there was variety there and it obviously created great TV and it was like every week you'd get voted off and had to have like walk offs and catwalks and this and stuff. But like GQ were a part of it and, and was, you know, it was run by a really big modeling agency called select and then off the back of that I got signed to select and I spent my years modeling. I spent my years going around the world literally modeling. And that's when it started to start, started to creep in because I mean that lifestyle is. Yeah, yeah, that Lifestyle.
- [25:43]
Host
So like you'd say like around 18 years old is 17.
- [25:46]
Waz
18.
- [25:49]
Host
So while you were in that and you were traveling around modeling, were you also training?
- [25:58]
Waz
I was training, but again it just like, with zero direction. Just like, you know, I had my qualification, but I wasn't, I mean I wasn't actively training clients at that time. I wasn't. You know, I think that's where you learn. It's like driving a car, isn't it? You don't learn to drive a car once you pass your test. You learn once you've been on the roads. And I wasn't on the roads, I wasn't training people. I was just.
- [26:18]
Host
But were you training yourself in the gym?
- [26:20]
Waz
Like, I just, I was just extremely active. I just think, you know, I just, I, I just loved the discipline of doing something, of getting stuck in and you know, I just absorbed that, like that habit of just going to the gym. And again, you have to attach yourself to people. So like, for people listening as well, that like, go and work out with someone, you'll go and learn something. Because that's how I, that's how I started to learn and learn and learn and learn. You know, you'd be foolish to think you've got the answers on your own. And that's what I did. I just, I buddied up with people. I started to learn and then like you, the fitness industry I think is great for that. I think the fitness industry is great. Like the modern day meeting is let's go and have a workout session together, you know, And I think that is, that, that is a great way to bring two people together and do something positive and healthy. And that's what I did a lot. I just used to catch up with people, do a workout, learn some stuff, learn some more stuff, learn some more stuff. And then I started moving in those types of fitness circles.
- [27:19]
Host
And so the, the addiction though wasn't like hindering your abilities to do that. You kind of did them together.
- [27:26]
Waz
Did them together. When it kicked in is. And all the models can relate to this. You're not always busy. So I, I pursued a career in nightlife. Dun dun dun. And I specialized in celebrity hospitality. And I basically did public relations. So I did public relations for our brands. And the whole gig was that I would basically do hospitality. I'd look after people that were in town. I take into restaurants, clubs, bars, and then I worked very closely with certain nightclubs. And then, you know, I even opened up a nightclub in Dubai, for instance, you know, when. And I did all sorts of stuff. But nightlife, because of all the people I met through modeling, it was like a gateway into, okay, let's bring those people into nightclubs. Let's bring those people into restaurants. Let's bring those people. And it. And it worked wonderfully. It was like a. It was the same circle of people.
- [28:31]
Host
It's such an insidious industry, that nightlife business, you know, I mean, I got my first job in a nightclub when I was 15, and it was a club called Life.
- [28:42]
Waz
Nice. The opposite of what he gave you.
- [28:44]
Host
Exactly. However, look, you know, I was. I was young, right? I got a job as a bag check kid.
- [28:50]
Waz
Okay.
- [28:51]
Host
And so I've got a similar story. Oh, really?
- [28:53]
Waz
I started in the cloak room.
- [28:55]
Host
Ah, same thing. So when I. So it's funny, I was like 13, 14 years old, and I was like this kind of, like, born entrepreneurial dude. Like, I was just getting after it. And so I was delivering food on the Upper east side on rollerblades. I was delivering weed at the same time. And then I got hooked up with the nightclub promoters. And back in those days, this is prior to email. And, you know, like, back in those days, it was all flyers.
- [29:20]
Waz
Well, you tout on the street, so.
- [29:22]
Host
You towel on the street. And then the. The club promoters had these massive mailing lists. So I would stuff envelopes for all the club owners. I mean, promoters. And I had like a little posse of like five of my friends, and I. They'd pay me 20 bucks an hour to stuff envelopes. And I was. They were like, you are so fast doing this. How is it possible you're so fast? And it's because I would pay my friends like, three to four bucks an hour. So I would get 10 promoters to pay me 20 bucks an hour. I'd pay my friends like five bucks. And then we're just plowing these guys. Mailing, mailing list. Anyway, that led me to. I. I was introduced to this guy, Steve Lewis, who was like a nightclub legend here. And. And he was like, you know, we keep seeing your flyers come in. And I was like, yeah, that's because I stand outside of chaos at, you know, midnight. And when people are, like, waiting online for an hour and a half, I'd be like, yo, here's my flyer. Go over there. It's a discount at the door. Don't wait on this line out here. This will get you right in. Just go to. And so they were like, we keep seeing your flyers. Like, how is this possible? You're a fucking child. And I was like, well, why don't you give me a job in the, in the club? And they were like, how old are you? And I was like, I'm 18. And they're like, you're not 18. I was like, I am. And in those days I used to.
- [30:34]
Waz
Wear, I'll tell you, I'll tell you a little trick. Oh. I mean, it works sometimes. I used to wear loads of layers to try and look bigger than I.
- [30:40]
Host
Oh my God, that's hilarious. But in those days, in the early 90s, 93, 94, 95, like in New York City, there were no rules. You know, the way me and my 13 year old friends used to get into the Limelight was there was a guy, a door guy named Kenny. Kenny, okay. And he was a, he was a drag, you know, he was a drag queen, but he was like a legendary door guy. And so it was Kenny, Kenny and Richie Rich. These two guys were just like at every door that was worth being at and they would, they would just like lean over and kiss him on the cheek. Boom. 13 year old kids, just right into the club, no problem. Limelight, tunnel, wherever you want to go.
- [31:14]
Waz
Yeah, I mean, you didn't have ID scans, you didn't have like all this crap. I mean, now it's like four knots. You can't get in. You know, and quite rightly, but back in the day you could, you could finesse the system. I remember I was, I was in clubs to match a similar story. I did something cheeky. I hope they're not listening, but I, I worked in a cloak room. And the winter months, well, I mean, it's always winter in the uk, right? But the winter months especially was great. It was great to be in the cloak room because people would come and it'd be like, it's supposed to be £1 a coat, like stick your coat away. And I thought, no one checks on me in here. Like, no one. I' ma charge two and put one pound on the floor. So I had like a bucket on the floor. And then I'd be like, you know, because there's a point where people would put one item in, like a scarf, and they'd be like, my scarf cost me eight. I was like, okay, it's two pounds. So then every time it'd be like, you know, come in, drop the pan, come in, drop the pan. And I'd walk out. I mean, on average you're looking at like 300 pounds.
- [32:15]
Host
Oh yeah, me too.
- [32:16]
Waz
Right? So there'd be like 300 quid on the floor. Like, take the coins, stick in my bag, go home. It got so bad to the point where they were like. I think they sort of knew something was going on when they were like, we want to, like, put you on the front door. Like, we want you to put you on as a door guy. And I was like, nah, I really like the cloak room. I was like, it just. There's something about the cloak room that I just. I get to meet everybody, you know, like, on the door, you would meet everybody, and you'd also turn people as. I don't like confrontation.
- [32:42]
Host
I would just like, I'm making a killing here.
- [32:45]
Waz
I would just love to be, you know. You know, and also, it's cold outside, you know, and then, I mean, they. They. Yeah, I was quickly moved out of the cloak room, let's put that way. And then I was. I just found opportunity and sort of, like. I think that's the thing as well. There's so much opportunity in nightlife. And I think one of the positives. I think it gets, like, a bad rap is. Well, I think one of the positives about nightlife is, is that you meet everybody.
- [33:09]
Host
Yeah, 100%.
- [33:11]
Waz
The biggest positive of nightlife is you meet everyone. Everyone I know today. I. I'm. There's, like. I would say about 75% of them I have a story. 80% of them, I have a story to do with nightlife or going out, you know, and it is, you know, like I said, I. It gets a bad rap all the time, you know, and that's because we've had severe experiences there. But I just think that that is one of the biggest positives out of working that job. You know, it's not. It's not like. It's not, like, daylight friendly, but it's. But you meet everybody.
- [33:49]
Host
If you are a person that can connect with humans easily and organically, it is an environment that really enhances that skill set. And, like, you know, I mean, I went from clubs to restaurants because ultimately I was gonna die if I. You know, I was.
- [34:07]
Waz
I hear that.
- [34:08]
Host
So rough for me in those clubs.
- [34:10]
Waz
And when you work clubs, I think people don't understand this as well. People look at it as, like, weekend warrior stuff. It's like Friday, Saturday for us. When you work it, it's every night.
- [34:18]
Host
Five, six nights.
- [34:19]
Waz
Yeah, yeah. Because in London, like, Monday night was one of the biggest nights. My friends are like, what are you doing on a Monday night? I'm like, yo, it's massive night.
- [34:26]
Host
Well, I used to. So, I mean, I. I ended Up. I ended up bartending over time. But, you know, I'm 16 years old, bar backing in these places and they loved me because I was just like cute kid and like, you know, I was just like, I was just like this street smart New York City kid.
- [34:43]
Waz
We call it a cheeky chap.
- [34:44]
Host
Yeah. Basically, that's what I was. I'll take that. And. But you know, every night at this club in the Sullivan room, which was the VIP room, didn't matter what night it was. Prince would be walking through the doors, Madonna had come in with her entourage, you know, Jay Z and you know, like every night it was just this like awe inspiring experience that is hard to find in any car.
- [35:11]
Waz
Yeah. You can't. It's this rotation of like, you know, of just everything you see.
- [35:16]
Host
And I would. And the exposure, even if you're not communicating with them on a, on a, like, on a friendly basis, like, even if you're just. But like the exposure to that. Right. Like they say, you know, you are a representation of the five people you hang out with most. Right.
- [35:34]
Waz
Those people have changed in my life. Oh, there's people who sort of changed, I think for the best, I think. But yeah, you are. I believe that very, very truly.
- [35:43]
Host
I think when you're developing what those five people are. Right. Like, having exposure to these really interesting people.
- [35:49]
Waz
Yeah.
- [35:50]
Host
Was a part of my journey, you know what I'm saying? Like, I became like in the Hamptons where I would, they would, you know, at life would send me out to the Hamptons in the summertime. You know, I, I was like basically befriended by a lot of these people. Right.
- [36:07]
Waz
I mean, I'm, I'm out there every season. I'm there from May Memorial through labor. And it's just, it's. It's such a. I call it a fruitful environment because it's just anything is possible. You're meeting people that you just don't have exposure to anywhere else in the world. And people can snob it and say.
- [36:24]
Host
It'S roll their eyes.
- [36:26]
Waz
Oh, God. Yeah. Yeah.
- [36:27]
Host
But the truth is, is that you're actually, you're cultivating.
- [36:29]
Waz
Right. But yeah, but, you know, and I just, it's that, you know, that's another famous saying as well, that it's just like, you know, somebody said to me, you know, what's your favorite place? And I said, I don't have a favorite place. I have favorite people. You know, so it's just like, it's not like if I look back in my life, I'm like Oh, where did you have the most fun? It wasn't. It's the people. So it's like. I think that's why I, like, search for now. It's like, where's the people?
- [36:53]
Host
I think you and I are very similar in the sense that, like, it doesn't necessarily matter what you're doing in life, as long as there is a dearth of human or a wealth of human beings that you can connect with. Like, I. That is. That is ultimately my superpower.
- [37:09]
Waz
And you're the king of it. You're the king of it, you know? And I just think you, like, that's. That's how I know of you. It's how I know of your brand. It's how I know. I mean, I think I. I met you. Don't know if you remember, but I met you at a Jack Taylor PR event, and I'd seen one of your adverts on Instagram about oats and protein. And what did I say to you? I walked up to you, I never met you before, and I went, yeah, I love your product. But, like, oats and protein. I, like, recited your. Your, Your. I recited your advert back to you because I was it just like, I literally. And it's no plug, and I know that you're. It's your company. I have that every single morning.
- [37:55]
Host
I love that. So do I.
- [37:56]
Waz
No, but every morning. Like, every morning to the point where my friends are like, please stop posting that you eat oats. We get it. We get it. Was you have oats in the morning that has protein in them. We understand. But I was. I was just. I. I picked up the product. Where was I. I picked up the product at one of the very first fitness events I went to in. In New York when I got here in 2022. And I was just like, oh, like, this is going to be an absolute mess to me. Yada, yada, yada. It's like, I do it now, my eyes closed. It's rip, pour, milk fridge. Nailed it.
- [38:39]
Host
You haven't tried the bar yet. So let's. So let's do this together.
- [38:43]
Waz
I haven't.
- [38:43]
Host
And then I want you to walk me through your morning routine, and I want to hear about that.
- [38:48]
Waz
Of course. So this one is.
- [38:50]
Host
This is the chocolate peanut butter banger that you have. I'm eating the cookie dough dazzler.
- [38:54]
Waz
Okay. And do you have a favorite? Have I got your.
- [38:57]
Host
I gave you my favorite.
- [39:00]
Waz
Huh? I fucking love peanut butter.
- [39:15]
Host
Me too, man. I'm so happy.
- [39:18]
Waz
You know how bad my addiction was to peanut butter. I won't eat the whole thing. I know it's gonna be all in my veneers. The rest of the podcast, I have like chunks of chocolate in my teeth. I used to take a spoon total a jar of peanut butter all the time. Like I get in. This is why I have to plan my meals. Like I have to plan my meals because I'm just like, there's like an inner, you know, inner pig inside me when I get back from the gym. This is actually a health hack. This is like a serious conversation. If you set up your home to have healthy things in the right places, you always stay on course. I think whenever I exert any energy, I, I do a massive gym session or I, or I do something where I'm just like, I'm in serious need of food. If I come home and I don't have things in place, that's when the wheels come off. That's when I'm just start doing random eating. And one of those random eating is spoon in a peanut butter jar. And I could, I could finish the whole job in like two minutes. So I don't. It's got to be like in bars or it's got to be.
- [40:34]
Host
Yeah, I mean that's, I mean there's two things that you said there that I've been talking about for a long time. One is a habit that I have found to be one of the most successful. No brainer, easy to implement. It's a two to four minute self awareness check. And I call it leave it the way you want to find it. That goes for mine.
- [40:57]
Waz
Leave it where you want to find it.
- [40:58]
Host
Leave it the way you want to find it. You are at the gym. I mean you, you rack your, you rack your weights, right? Like you're at the gym. You rack your weights. I have, I'm lucky to have a home gym. And if I walk into my home.
- [41:13]
Waz
Gym, I get you.
- [41:14]
Host
And it's a mess.
- [41:15]
Waz
I get you. I'm lost. What's that? Your bedroom. If your bedroom's a mess, you can't sleep.
- [41:19]
Host
If you walk into your bed, like if you walk into somebody and I, I posted about this and I've taken a lot of heat, but I've got a lot of people that also agree. If you open up someone's closet tells.
- [41:29]
Waz
Me everything I need to know about you.
- [41:30]
Host
That's it.
- [41:33]
Waz
Nailed it.
- [41:34]
Host
Nailed it.
- [41:34]
Waz
That's it. The words out of your mouth.
- [41:35]
Host
100%. If you open up your closet. That is a great depiction of what's going on in between your two ears.
- [41:40]
Waz
Well, also I say, just show me your home and I'll tell you about yourself. So show me your home.
- [41:47]
Host
And by the way, there are people that will say things like, I know.
- [41:49]
Waz
You'Ll get rid of.
- [41:50]
Host
Oh, creative people are messy, blah, blah, blah.
- [41:53]
Waz
Yeah.
- [41:54]
Host
You know, I was talking the other night, I was sitting on a panel and I was. And I was talking about, you know, my. I think the greatest habit anybody can implement that is just getting going on this journey of better living is setting a go to bed alarm. Right. For me, going to bed early is the key to success.
- [42:13]
Waz
Because a habit I haven't. I need to, I need to, I need. That's a, that's a habit. I need sort of lock into 9:30.
- [42:20]
Host
Even though I'm so used to. And the habit is like such a part of my rhythm now. But at 9:30 every single night, my phone. No, an alarm goes off at 9:30 and says, Go to bed every night. And what I've committed to is when that thing goes off, I stop what I'm doing and I start my wind down routine in the bathroom and I'm in my bed by 9:40 and typically I'm asleep by 9:45.
- [42:48]
Waz
I'm gonna try and steal that dude.
- [42:50]
Host
So you, you know, there's a, there's a really cool.
- [42:53]
Waz
Do you not still think you're nocturnal, like inherently? Why? Do I. Yeah. From the nightlife stuff or do you think you've overcome that?
- [43:00]
Host
I hate, I hate, I hate being up late. I mean, you know, I used to, I used to work until 6 o' clock in the morning.
- [43:06]
Waz
Right.
- [43:06]
Host
I loved it then. But you know, for people that are like, oh, I'm a night person. Well, yeah. Tell yourself that story. Right? Oh, I'm not a morning person. Great.
- [43:14]
Waz
Tell yourself that story then go and live it. Yeah, yeah.
- [43:16]
Host
Like, no, but like, it's like, I am not like, oh, I'm not. I'm a night owl. Well, you are right now. But like, try not being a night owl and stop telling yourself that you're a night owl and watch your life change when you're crushing it at 5 o' clock in the morning when everybody else is asleep so that by the time they wake up, you've already won a thousand times.
- [43:36]
Waz
Yeah.
- [43:36]
Host
You know what I'm saying?
- [43:36]
Waz
Yeah. Yeah.
- [43:37]
Host
So let's hear your morning routine.
- [43:39]
Waz
Morning routine. I love cardio in the morning. Just love it. You know, I get a lot of stick. Oh, you go to the gym twice a day. You Do I just, I just make it happen and if, you know, I just, that is what I do.
- [43:53]
Host
Fasted?
- [43:55]
Waz
Yeah, like not fasted. I have, like, if I, I've got, if I've got time and I'm not being rushed out the door, I'll have a little black coffee, I'll sit there. As I'm getting older, I'm trying to sit with my thoughts, whereas before I don't, I didn't really, I didn't really care what's going on up here so much. But now I just try and I try and be as calm as I can and do stuff with intent instead of just go through the motions. So if I can. My ideal blue skull, we call it a blue sky schedule is you'd wake up in the morning or I'd wake up in the morning.
- [44:25]
Host
What time are you getting up typically every day?
- [44:27]
Waz
4:45. Okay, 4:45.
- [44:30]
Host
And what time are you going to bed? You gotta fix it.
- [44:34]
Waz
I need help on.
- [44:35]
Host
You gotta fix that. That's why I need help on.
- [44:38]
Waz
So 11, 12 o'.
- [44:39]
Host
Clock.
- [44:39]
Waz
So you're getting, that's me being honest and vulnerable.
- [44:41]
Host
Yeah, yeah, no, that's good, that's good.
- [44:43]
Waz
No, I, I, I need to, the, the nighttime routine is, is year 2026 is the year to sort it out. But, but yeah, I'm up, I'm up early. I do my, Sometimes I have clients, I actually have clients at 5 o' clock and all that sort of stuff sometimes. But generally speaking, wake up, black coffee, go and do some cardio.
- [45:05]
Host
And what is your cardio typically?
- [45:06]
Waz
So I cycle in the moment of like how I feel. But typically I love doing anything like zone two super important, like aerobic, aerobic threshold. So that is basically 60 signal more than like 65 effort over a sustained period of time. So anywhere from like 30 minutes, 30 minutes to like 60 minutes, light jog, uphill walking. The best thing about it can be solicited on any machine. You can do it on any machine. You know, I always try not to have a barrier to entry to anything. Oh, I can't do that because I'm, because the gym doesn't have this or I can't do that because my, you know, I don't have access to this or there's always a way, you know, and I just, and I've always been like that, you know, I won't ever, ever let something, you know, be an obstacle. And if there is one, we'll just figure it out, we'll work around it so it can be A walk, it can be a jog, it can be a, you know, if you've got a nice fancy gym, it can be ski eggs, it can be rowers, it can be, you know, and then, you know, I love running as well. I do love running and if I feel like, you know, I'm raring to go, then I'll do like an interval style. I'll do like more of like testing my VO2 and that's sort of like sitting more in the zone 4, 5 area and then coming back down and zone 45, coming back down and working on my, just on my, on my cardiovascular health. I think that's super important. I think cardio is super, super important.
- [46:18]
Host
And so you just take that out of the way first thing in the morning.
- [46:21]
Waz
First thing in the morning, out, done. And then I feel great, then I'm buzzing. Right.
- [46:25]
Host
Because if nothing else happens, fitness wise, you're good.
- [46:28]
Waz
Yeah. You know, I always, I always try and double up. I love my weights and that'll happen in the evening and then I can look forward to that in the evening. And it's not a chore. I love it. I'm all in. And I, I love it.
- [46:41]
Host
Me too.
- [46:42]
Waz
I just, I cannot describe that feeling of. And it's not like I love being in pain. It's not painful for me. It's just this feeling. It's like this, it's like this endorphin rush and, and I call it a legal high. And it's like, it is the best feeling and I wish everybody could experience that. And it doesn't have to be the gym. It can be any sort of movement for your body. Everybody's heard movement is medicine. It could be tennis, it could be, it could be anything. It could be whatever that feeling is that gets you in that zone that gets you psyched. And it's like I close my eyes and I don't know what day it is, I don't know what time it is. I'm like, I'm in love with it.
- [47:18]
Host
Yeah, I, I, I identify totally with that.
- [47:20]
Waz
I mean, I, and, and some people probably listening, oh, this guy's, this guy's a freak. But, but, you know, I just, it's a gift and I wish that everyone could experience that gift because it is proven, you know, it's, it's the key. Everyone's massive on longevity these days. That's like the number one buzzword, you know, and everybody wants to live longer because they want to be around the people they love, you know, longer. So I'm telling you now, that is. That is one way where you can tick the box, you know, doing that. And then the biggest thing as well is obviously strength training, which I do in the evening. So after I come back, I have everything set up. I've learned that, like, preparation is key because like anybody, I'm ambitious and then life gets in the way. I always say that to people. I'm ambitious and then life sort of has a different plan. So if you don't prepare, you know, you're starting on the back foot. So my. My oats are ready. I literally. Everywhere I go, I literally take those. We can. We've got sachets in there. I literally take the sachets out, I stick them. If I'm going abroad, I take them on the plane. If I go step. My mum's. I take them everywhere. Like, I literally take them everywhere. And I. I have. I have that once. Once every day, once every morning. It is literally meal one. It's called meal one. It's my first meal. I have that and then I'll go. And then I'll go on. And I'll. It just. It's just stacking. Stacking the habits. Stacking the habits. Once you do one thing, it's like that. Make your bed, isn't it? You make your bed, then you're on to the next thing, then you're on to the next thing, then you're on to the next thing and it becomes this game of momentum and then it.
- [48:51]
Host
Becomes your lifestyle and.
- [48:54]
Waz
And then you're like, great. It's like dominoes, isn't it? Let's knock them down. And that's the way that I treat every day. Obviously, I look forward and I'm like, I'm looking into my future and I try and plan stuff and, you know, I want to be ultimately successful in what I do. But it starts with this, like this domino effect of knocking. Dominoes.
- [49:10]
Host
So you're up at 4:45. You're typically either getting after cardio or you have a client and then. But traditionally you're getting your cardio done.
- [49:18]
Waz
Yeah, and if I have the client, I'll just. I'll just do my cardio at that place where my client is or I'll come back home and, you know, I'm fortunate enough to be renting a place now that has a gym downstairs. So I just go back home and I do my cardio. My gym.
- [49:31]
Host
You have meal one.
- [49:33]
Waz
Meal one.
- [49:33]
Host
And then what.
- [49:34]
Waz
What is your favorite meal that I also bore people with? Can you.
- [49:39]
Host
You Know what? You know what's interesting about this, this thing is it's just it, it. It really does simplify life. Right. Like, so I think at the. In. In the first place, the reason why I created Meal One was because it was something that I was doing every single day for 16 years. When I got sober, this guy, Marcus Antebi, who was my first real sober mentor, he basically told me to eat oatmeal every day, day one. He was like, this is what I want you to do. And so this is from. This is a byproduct of that.
- [50:08]
Waz
How old is it?
- [50:09]
Host
How old is the company? Four years. Four. Four years old.
- [50:15]
Waz
So when I tasted in 2022, it was like, brand new, hot out the shelf, day one.
- [50:19]
Host
Yeah, basically we just launched it.
- [50:21]
Waz
No, yeah, yeah.
- [50:24]
Host
This is four years old. And so I, you know, the idea for me was like, what is this meal? One thing to me as a human being that has been successful in. In sobriety, but. But also, like in my life. And basically what I boiled it down to is a win. It's a nutritional win. That really was something. It was something that I needed at the time. I didn't have any wins in my life outside of the thought that I was winning by being able to control my decision, like, control my emotions and mute out my emotions with drugs and alcohol. So I needed a nutritional win. That was something that I could ingest into my body that actually made me feel like I had done something good. And so Marcus knew that that was what he was preparing for me, but I didn't know. And so I just started doing it. And over the years, I was adding to it and making it. You know, it was like a 25.
- [51:12]
Waz
Minute one ever did it because you.
- [51:14]
Host
Got to add all sorts of stuff also.
- [51:15]
Waz
It's just. It's a huge lift. Yeah, it's like the protein pouch. And then it's like if you want to get techy with it, you start putting all these other things in it.
- [51:23]
Host
And that's what I did every morning for years.
- [51:25]
Waz
God bless, I did.
- [51:26]
Host
And, but. But you said it was your favorite meal, quite frankly. It was. I did that because it was my favorite meal of the day. It really was. It fueled me. I really enjoy the flavor of. Of it. I love the texture of it. I love the crunch of the nuts and seeds that I put into it. And when I was like, thinking about what the hell I was going to do next, I was like, oh, my God, I'm going to figure out a way to make this oatmeal available for everybody.
- [51:48]
Waz
I just have such fun memories of it. I mean, obviously, when I filmed for P90X, I was like, it was the one thing that I just look forward to every time I look forward to my cardio. And then it was just. It just like, set my day up. And it sounds stupid. And you hear this with, like.
- [52:00]
Host
I know it sounds ridiculous.
- [52:02]
Waz
It sounds like you hear it with, like, sports players, right? Like, you. You get into, like, the lifestyles and habitual stuff that players do. I think it's Nadal that, like, does this thing where he touches him, you know, before he serves. He does this, like, whole routine, but it's like the habits that people do to become successful or like, that. You look at what they do and that is cues.
- [52:18]
Host
They're cues.
- [52:19]
Waz
And that is one thing. And if it's not in my schedule now, I'm going to feel like out of whack. And that sounds so stupid, but it's like, I doesn't. I don't feel quite right. So the second thing that follows that after the oats, is always sourdough, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon.
- [52:37]
Host
I see it. I see it on your eyes. I impress it a lot.
- [52:41]
Waz
I probably got mercury poisoning, I. E. He smoked salmon. Like, he's going out of fashion. I actually was so lucky. This is, again, leaning on great people. I was so lucky to one of my really, really close friends, I went to school with him since he was eight. His name's Lewis. He actually played hockey. Again, field hockey. We played together. Let's just.
- [53:04]
Host
Let's just start calling it field hockey. You're here. We got to distinguish this.
- [53:08]
Waz
He's. He was the Welsh captain. There you go. He's. But he. He was very serious about it and he played for team gp. It's now turned nutritionist. And I never really, like, thought to even reach out to him because he just, like, loves. That's all he does is nutrition. That's his game. I mean, I was getting ready for P90X. He was like, look, man, you look phenomenal. But he was like, let's. Let's. Let's get that extra percent out. Let's get like. Because he goes, I know with, like, insight into nutrition, you just. You'll be another animal. And I just locked horns at him and he's. I mean, he's done me wonders.
- [53:49]
Host
And so. So is that what he prescribed you?
- [53:51]
Waz
That? Was he persuaded? And I love it. And I love it. And then he's obviously prescribing other stuff. It's not Just that. But I'll, I'll eat. And I'm actually eating more now than I've ever eaten. And this, this whole misconception of like, oh, he must be on a, you know, a drip diet is just crap. I eat six meals a day. I eat six times a day effortlessly. Don't even have to think about it. First one's your one. Second one is at scrambled eggs. Then I use a meal prep company when I'm on the go. There's a company called Made Meals that do like pre prepped food and I love them because it's local, it's organic, it's fresh. I've tried loads of meal prep stuff and it doesn't travel well, it doesn't taste well. The meats aren't sourced properly. Love what Jesse does over there. So I take two of the two of those meals. So that puts me up to four. Then when I get home, I will either cook my own food because I love. I know you like cooking. I see you in the kitchen. Love cooking. Favorite things like a tuna steak for me. I love that with some sweet potato and some great veggie in there. Like some asparagus. Like super locked into the micronutrient side of things now, which I never used to be. And that's something I've learned off Lewis. And then my last thing before I go to bed, it's like a dessert, but it is so good for you is the Greek yogurt. The fire Greek yogurt with a scoop of my favorite protein and then berries. I love the berry, all the berries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries. And I have it, whisk it up and it's like a chocolate mousse if you put, and then you put the berries on top. I'm eating six times a day, so.
- [55:30]
Host
I need to add something to that last meal because you struggle with, with wind down and you probably haven't tried or I don't know if you've tried the Creature Sleep product.
- [55:40]
Waz
I've seen it.
- [55:41]
Host
Okay, so we got to get you some and I got to get you some bars. But I do the same thing with yogurt with Greek yogurt. 00% fat Greek yogurt at night. And basically the sleep product that we have is 30 calories. And it's designed to be a hot chocolate or you can shake it on ice and make like a delicious chocolate milk. So I designed this product to be a melat and free sleep support. That would be a sweet tooth quencher because that's When I struggle at night, 8:30, 9:00 clock at night, like I want something sweet. It's just the facts, right? And, and a lot of people struggle there, right? Our body is kind of like, you know, kind of craving calories. And typically when the body craves calories, it, they want fast burning calories.
- [56:20]
Waz
But also programmed if you think about it, right? You go out to eat, you go for dinner. What do they always ask you after you had your main course?
- [56:25]
Host
They want dessert, you want, yeah, but.
- [56:27]
Waz
You'Re programmed that way. So it's just like you're, you're naturally thinking whether you're like a sweet tooth person or not. There's always going to be that inquisitive thought at the end of the day.
- [56:35]
Host
Well, most people from, and I can't make a generalization here, but this is kind of what I've witnessed. When I, prior to getting sober, I never had a sweet tooth. I just didn't, I didn't think about it because I was drinking alcohol on it.
- [56:46]
Waz
I just didn't eat like appetite suppressed.
- [56:48]
Host
But, but even, even as a kid, like I just never had this sweet tooth. Once I got sober and I removed all of those calories, that fast burning, you know, bourbon and what a whiskey, whatever the hell, drinking like, I immediately just developed a fast sweet tooth.
- [57:03]
Waz
And would you, sorry. You know what, you know what somebody once told me about habits? So they were like, your body doesn't differentiate between good habits and bad habits. Your body doesn't go, oh, that's a good habit, that's a bad habit. Your peer group, your society will tell you if I, if you tell me smoking, I'll tell you it's bad habit. Shouldn't do that. If I tell you working out, that's a good habit, you should do that, right? Your body just exchanges habit for habit. And that's the way that I looked at it. It's like if I stop doing this and I push back on it and I kick that over there, it creates a huge void for a new habit. So what habit are you going to pick up?
- [57:48]
Host
I totally agree with that.
- [57:49]
Waz
So there's never a gap. You don't just get rid of, you don't just exert any of your time. It's like when people stop smoking, people like, oh, you, you eat and you put loads of weight on. No, it's because this, like when you stop doing this, it's like you're picking up another habit or what's the other habit? 9 times out of 10 is gonna be Picking up food and shoving it in your mouth. So I just think that. So, so it's, it's you, you. Once you understand that you are just replacing habit for habit. It's the amount of time and effort you spend on these things. And it's like there's a whole pool of habits you've pulled in. All these habits, these are your habits. If I kick one back, one's coming. The ones coming in.
- [58:24]
Host
When is P90X launched?
- [58:27]
Waz
P90X launched on Tuesday the 3rd. February, this month. Wow.
- [58:33]
Host
So you just launched this.
- [58:34]
Waz
Yeah, I'm like, on a high.
- [58:36]
Host
You just launched this new thing. Yeah, for people. We have to wrap this. I. This conversation has been so I, like, I could sit in here and talk to you for three, four, five days, legit. And we probably would have been great party friends. But. So you've totally changed your life, man. I mean, you've totally changed your life. You are one of these guys that they call a miracle, right? Like, you wanted to die, and now you're like, you're leading a charge in a massive space for the person that's like, really struggling, that just does not believe. Like, you and I did not believe.
- [59:20]
Waz
That there was a day I. I legit didn't believe. What.
- [59:24]
Host
What do you want to say to that person?
- [59:31]
Waz
Take control of your life. It's that simple. It's. Take control. I can want it for somebody. Like, I could want it so badly. Like, everyone's had a loved one they want something for. They want them to do something so badly. Like, and it's that whole saying of, like, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make a drink. You have to. You have to, have to, have to, have to. It's one of the hardest conversations you have to have. It's not with you, it's not with him, it's not with her. And it's like. And it's like a real come, come to moment. Like, you need to like, be like, yo, what's up? What we doing? You know, I always, I always talk about it all the time. It's like, take yourself for a coffee, which isn't like coffee. Take yourself for a tea, you know, but there's so many distractions out there. There's so many distractions out there. And it's like, you have to take yourself out for a tea or a coffee with weekly, you know, to get control of your life. But for people that are really struggling, it's like, you got one, you got one go at this, man. You got One go at this thing called life. You get one shot.
- [60:48]
Host
So if, if you're literally talking to this person right now, just tell them what, tell them what, what you think they need to hear.
- [60:56]
Waz
Just, what, what do you want? What do you want right now? And I'll be like, oh, I don't want anything. I don't want to be here. I don't want to do this. I don't want to do that. But it's nine times out of ten it's not true. Everyone has a dream, you know, Everyone has a dream, and it's, and it's finding out that person's why. And I will sit with that person until I find out what their why is. And then we will use that why every day to remind them that it is worth waking up. And you'll be surprised what people's whys are. Sometimes you and you, that's when you need to listen. That's when you need to listen to that person. When someone's trying to explain something, can't rush them. You can't try and tell them what they should be doing. Your idea of what great is, is not their idea of great. You need to find out what their why is. If somebody doesn't have purpose, they will. They will always fail. What drives you, man? What gets you up in the morning? What, what, what makes you do stuff every day? And everyone's why is different. Some people, sometimes it's a person, sometimes it's a thing, sometimes it's achieving success. But people have wise and it's why, why, why? And it's like, what is your why? Because once I know what your why is, then we're good. Then I can get behind it. We can build structure around it, and then we can achieve it. But it's like, tell me your why.
- [62:22]
Host
Dude. This is such a great, such a great conversation, man. I mean, I, I, you know, I love being able to sit across the table from, from people that have come out of the darkness and have really built, built structure. That is just inspiring, you know, I mean, you've, you've come out of a place where you literally, you know, wanted to be quote, unquote, rubbed out.
- [62:44]
Waz
Right.
- [62:44]
Host
And, and, and not, not alive. And, and now you are so alive and so many people look to you as the guy that's going to keep them alive. Yeah. Where can everybody find, first and foremost, you and follow along your journey, but then, then also P90X and how can people get on, you know, on board with that?
- [63:02]
Waz
So no one's called wise that I know was actually means going for a piss in England, going for a waz Washiah. So my handle is my name. So his W a Z was. And then Ashaya A S H A Y E R so was Ashy is my handle. Instagram, you can find me on there posting my eggs. And then p90x.com and they can, they can subscribe, they can do that monthly. It's through body. They can get all the P90X content that's ever been created, plus my new program, which is Generation NEXT for 9.99amonth or if you're really like a fitness fanatic and you love all the other programs, they do like 21 day fix insanity and stuff. You can, you can subscribe for 1999 and you get all 140 programs on there. But it is a digital subscription, it's online and it's p90x.com.
- [63:59]
Host
Dude, congratulations, man. I just can't wait to see what's going to happen here. Like, I'm like, you know, I had Carl on the show like a year ago.
- [64:07]
Waz
Genius. Yeah.
- [64:08]
Host
And we, I don't think that we talked about you on the show because he was keeping it a secret. But, but you know, we talked about you and he was like, dude, this guy is like, this guy is the living embodiment of this thing. And, and it just made me so happy because I just know where you're from, dude, I know where you're from. And I just want to say to the people that are listening, I know that there's an audience of people here that are either sober or either sober, aspiring or, or struggling. Like, it's just, it's, it, it happens to be in, you know, there's a lot of people in the community.
- [64:41]
Waz
I call it a silent killer. Yes, it's a silent killer, you know.
- [64:47]
Host
And there are people that are suffering in silence, you know, because, you know.
- [64:50]
Waz
And I know we've got to wrap up, but I remember you said, you know, you went, you went through it as well. But at the time, if I ask people around me, is he okay? Everyone's like, yeah, he's thriving. He's fine. Because it's that on the surface, I mean, it's all okay until it's not okay. But on the surface, everything looks fine. Everything looks fine.
- [65:11]
Host
I just want to say I think it's important for the people that are listening that are struggling. And I'm going to look right at the camera here. I am not unique. Waz. He's not unique. God did not like, pluck us out of the crowd and say, you're going to be the one today. What he said, you have to take control of your life, unfortunately, is the facts. No one is going to do it for you, and that is why it is so hard. But the thing that I think was, and I want to brand into the mind of someone with addiction or suffering from addiction right now, is that it is 100%, absolutely, totally, unequivocally possible for you to be sitting on this side of the table with us. Hear me loud and clear. You actually are already here. All you need to do is fill in the pieces.
- [66:16]
Waz
Just come and take a seat.
- [66:18]
Host
Don't fucking die.
- [66:19]
Waz
Just come and take a seat. Come and sit with us. That's all I'd say. Like Michael said, there is a chair here for you. Just come and join us.
- [66:29]
Host
This is a powerful episode, man. I, I, it makes me so happy to know that there are people that are just not living, thriving in sobriety and, and doing things that they never in a million years thought was possible ever, you know? And I mean, dude, you're, you're, you're leading a global brand right now. I mean, it's crazy, right? And you're going to impact what you, you know, it's, I, I can't imagine, like, you know, being on social media, having an audience is great, but, but something like what you're doing is you are literally going to be impacting millions of people's lives. They're going to be looking to you to actually give them more life, which is crazy.
- [67:08]
Waz
I've experienced it already. Like, people have started to take the program. We're like, day two, day three. Today, yo, I did it with the test group. Like, we had a test group of people. And the test group of people, the biggest, the biggest win was somebody, like, lost 40 pounds, right? And, and, I mean, there's loads of wins. It wasn't just, like, physical. It was mental transformation. But, like, I have this, like, Cheshire cat grin every time that I open up my inbox. Because it's like, these people are like, they're, they're like real people, I think, with real stories. Like, and I'm like, yo, like, I voice noticed somebody on the way here, somebody who's 63. It was called Keith. He was like, when, if, when I heard they were doing a reboot, I snubbed it. That she was like, I've just done your workout. This is going to change my life. And I'm like, I don't even, like, what, like, how Did I reach this guy? He's like, in Minnesota. I don't even know what that is. You know, like, it's the power of. It is. And it's like, I'm like, that will forever. And I said this. That will forever, like, amaze me. The power of fitness. That will forever amaze me. I'm just like. It's like a new discovery every time. I'm just so, like, dumbfounded by it. I'm just crazy. And I just. I love it, and I do it for that. That's why I do it.
- [68:25]
Host
Yeah, dude, you're. You're. You're bringing. You're bringing life to people that have been less living.
- [68:31]
Waz
It's the same thing with nightlife and hospitality and helping people. It's the same set of skills. I used to get a kick out of putting on a good dinner for people or like a nice table in a nightclub of people. Now I just get a good kick out of putting out good couple of squats. Like, you know, like, it's the same thing. Like, I'm just providing and I just, like, that's my thing. Like, I just love being like the Pied Piper of all that. And I just. That is. That's where I love helping people innately. And that's just what I'm doing with fitness. And I'll end it very quickly on, like, again, to the user that might be listening, but it's like somebody said, describe your journey. You know, it's obviously coming up to 10 years. I said, what does it look like? And I said, well, if you're not a creative person, you can't imagine things. I'm going to draw a graph. And it looks like this, right? So here's a graph, here's time, here's productivity. Okay? From the moment I went sober, like, opportunities, like, obviously I'm in America, which is crazy, but, like, it looks like this. It's like the productivity graph is crazy. It's not. It's not like a gradual. I didn't, like, go like this.
- [69:48]
Host
Mine too.
- [69:49]
Waz
My opportunities, the amount of opportunities that have come my way, and I am so blessed and grateful for. But it's like this. It's like someone is just like throwing me opportunity to be, go take this, go do this, go do that. And I'm like, yo, guys, I know.
- [70:08]
Host
That you got value out of this, and I am. It just. It just. It literally just drives me to do more and more of these episodes on people that have come through war and, you know, and not necessarily war on the battlefield physically, but war on the battlefield emotionally and mentally and specifically with addiction, because it's so close to home. But it means a lot to me that you've been on this journey with us and that you subscribe to this podcast. And if you don't subscribe to this podcast, it would mean a lot to me that you do hit that subscribe button. A five star rating and a review would be incredibly generous. But really, the only rent I ask you to pay to be a part of this is just share the podcast. Share this one specifically with someone that you think needs to hear it, whether that's someone in your tight friend group, whether that's someone in your family, or whether that's someone that you don't really know too well, but know that they are struggling. Share this podcast because there is going to be light from this podcast and. And I know Woz is going to share it with his community. And, you know, it just. I'm. I'm grateful for you guys. I'm grateful for you being here, for the years that you've been here. So you know the drill until the next one, y'. All. Peace.