Cheating Death: Brian Johnson’s Unique Approach

You might call it an odd sort of early bird special—it’s all about evading death.

Brian Johnson, a notable figure in biohacking, is on a quest for immortality. His methods? An intense fitness regimen combined with a 14-step morning routine aimed at combating aging.

Among these practices, one particular aspect of his extreme longevity strategy, dubbed Project Blueprint, stands out. Each day, Johnson employs this technique in hopes of outsmarting death.

At 47, this tech entrepreneur turned biohacker starts his day bright and early at 5 a.m.—well before many of us even think about hitting snooze.

His primary rule? To give yourself the best shot at staying alive, simply avoid eating right before bed.

Instead of just cutting back on his last meal, Johnson refrains from eating at all for at least four hours prior to bedtime—no snacks or dinners between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. are allowed.

He believes that eliminating late-night eating is crucial for enhancing overall health.

Late-night snacking can really mess with our bodies; studies suggest that eating too close to sleep can impact your energy levels—and not in a good way. It’s often linked with increased appetite and weight gain. Plus, indulge in late-night meals at your own risk—there are serious health concerns, including potential links to diabetes and even cancer.

But it’s not just older folks and biohackers who can benefit from a 5 p.m. cutoff for dinner. Experts claim that early dinners can actually help with weight management, digestion, and sleeping better.

For those who finish their meals early, taking a brief walk afterward—sometimes dubbed the “fart walk”—can aid digestion and keep everything running smoothly.

Johnson’s reasoning behind this late-night eating rule seems pretty relatable. We all contend with those cravings as midnight draws near, right?

He’s reflected on these struggles, sharing, “That night, I realized that the version of Brian that occupied my consciousness from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. was trying to do the right thing. But he can’t effectively stick to that unless I strict him from all eating.” One bite, he thinks, can easily snowball into many more.

Interestingly, science has something to say about those after-hours cravings. Our body’s clock, known as the circadian rhythm, influences our desires for sweet, starchy, or salty foods later in the day.

This hunger may trace back to ancestral survival tactics, where conserving energy during food shortages was essential. Today, though, we might not need to burn as many calories as our ancestors did.

Research even indicates that having two or three meals a day is optimal, with the last meal ideally occurring between 3 and 4 p.m., followed by a fast lasting 12 to 16 hours.