There are several ways you may have heard of Laird Hamilton. The most likely is from his big wave surfing days, when the 6’3”, 215 pound blond Hawaiian native tackled the world’s largest breaks, from the Pipeline in Oahu to Tahiti’s Teahupo’o, where he’s on record having ridden the heaviest wave ever. He’s also a pioneer and icon in kite surfing, paddle boarding, stand-up paddle boarding and foil surfing.
If you aren’t familiar with Hamilton from his exploits as a “waterman”, you may know him from his numerous documentaries, his acting roles, his environmental activism or his marriage to volleyball icon and media star Gabby Reece.
If none of this rings a bell, but you’re into wellness and regenerative medicine, then a final way you’d have heard of Laird is through his bestselling supplement brand, Laird Superfood, which offers everything from coffee and super creamers with coconut oil, turmeric and cacao, to functional mushroom blends, prebiotics, energy bars and more.
How has Laird Hamilton managed to accomplish so much? In a word: energy. In two words: functional foods.
Here are a few tips from Laird Hamilton to help you tap into more energy today!
- Get Outside Early: Laird Hamilton is a huge proponent of being active, outdoors, as early in the day as possible. For Hamilton that often means surfing or a workout in his pool. For you, that may mean a run, a workout at a local park or even a simple walk. The key is, start your day with sweat and sunshine.
- Try Yoga: A stressed body is a tired body. Too often we associate high-energy with a go-go-go mentality. But occasionally, taking time to slow down, breathe and stretch (especially if you work at a desk) is just the antidote you need to move faster later.
- Eat Foods with One Ingredient: Processed foods are full of chemicals and additives that slow down digestion and thus, slow you down. Try eating foods taht only have one ingredient for a day and you’ll notice a real difference in energy levels. Oats. Eggs. Tuna. Blueberries. Spinach. Salmon. See how easy it is?
- Hydrate: Hydrate? Yes. Too many people start their day with coffee (dehydrating) then maybe another coffee or a soda or an energy drink…all with the intent to chase away the feeling of being tired. And more often than not, if you’re getting enough sleep, you may not be tired at all…you may be dehydrated. Make sure you drink 16 ounces of water when you wake up and then at least 8 ounces every few hours to stay hydrated, especially in the summer.
- Be Passionate About Your Projects: Needless to say, if you’re bored with how you’re spending your day, then the boredom will sap your energy. We all can’t spend our days surfing and teaching fitness classes like Laird, but if you’re suffering from an overall malaise, take a look at where you spend the bulk of your time. If it’s work, is it exciting work? If it’s a project, is it something you’re genuinely interested in? Having something to work on that excites you when you get up in the morning is a true energy hack.
- Use Nootropics and Adaptogens: Even when you’re maximizing your diet, exercise and sleep, you may still want a natural boost to kick things into high gear. For this, Laird offers a variety of options with his Superfood supplement line, from mushroom coffees to turmeric creamers and MCT oils. All of these may improve energy, memory and focus either mixed with coffee or tea.
