1. Up and at it - what is your morning routine?
In theory, I am a morning person... I would like to get up around 6am and take the dog for a walk and then get home in time to get the kids’ breakfast and do the school run. But, if I’m gigging the night before, it’s an excuse to ignore the alarm. Then, usually one of the kids wakes me and it’s a mad, stressful rush to be at school on time. I can’t have these people who say: ‘Get up at 4am, write your goals, meditate, write in your gratitude journal’ etc. That’s just pie in the sky stuff for people who have too much time on their hands.
2. What might you eat in a typical working day for...
Breakfast? Most days I would have either porridge or scrambled eggs for breakfast – always with black coffee.
Lunch? Lunch would be an omelette or a tuna sandwich.
Evening meal? For dinner I might have some sort of chicken/vegetable/pasta creation.
3. Is nutrition important to you – do you take health supplements?
I’m in my late 30s now, so I take all the help I can get. Vitamins C and D, zinc, a greens shake and Cialis are on my daily list.
4. Ever been on a diet – if so, how did it go?
I’m never off diets, but I found intermittent fasting worked best for me. I don’t know if it was the science behind it or the fact I wasn’t allowed to eat anything after 7pm... but either way, it worked.
5. Weekend treat?
I live for a ‘cheat’ meal when I’m on a diet. But trying to stop it from turning into a cheat day and then a cheat week is where I really struggle. I love a good pizza and I am a sucker for ice cream, so, if I am having a treat, they will both definitely be on the list.
6. How do you keep physically and mentally fit?
I try to walk as much as I can. Even when I am busy, I still try to make sure I get at least 10k steps in every day, which for a man who loves a wee ‘lie down’, isn’t easy. I definitely feel better mentally when I am more active physically, though, so it’s definitely worth all the effort.
7. Best tip for everyday fitness?
Think less and do more. If you’re thinking about going to the gym or going for a walk, don’t ponder about it, just do it. And make sure you move more than you eat, or if you’re eating loads, make sure it’s at a buffet.
8. Were you a fan of school sports/PE or do you have a memory from those days that you would rather forget?
I loved sports, but wasn’t as mad about PE. Whoever invented the beep test should be tried for war crimes.
Worry less about hairstyles because you’ll be bald before you’re 40
— Dave Elliot
9. Teetotal or tipple?
I am somewhere in the middle - I like a drink, but it’s few and far between these days. Most weekends I am gigging and then the kids have no respect for a hangover, so it’s sometimes just not worth it.
10. Stairs or lift?
I am a sweater. So, if the stairs are just one or two floors up, absolutely... Anything more, then it has to be the lift or I end up drenched.
11. What book are you currently reading?
I am reading Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki at the minute, because I am wick with money.
12. Best Netflix/streaming TV?
I love a good series. Top Boy, Gangs of London, The Walking Dead, Blue Lights and Dexter would be up there. But I’ll be all in on House of the Dragon for the next few months.
13. Any new skills or hobbies?
I would have some cheek to claim to be into gardening… but I like cutting the grass and digging about the place.
14. How do you relax?
I never like to just do nothing, so I would say listening to a podcast whilst pottering about the house is my favourite way to relax.
15. What would you tell your younger self?
Be more patient – things work out – and worry less about hairstyles because you’ll be bald before you’re 40.
16. What are your goals for 2024?
I would love to get something I’ve written on the telly.
17. What time do you get to bed and do you think you get enough sleep?
I try to get to bed by 10 o’clock and then read, but I am terrible at keeping to that timetable. If I have been doing stand-up, I find it hard to switch off.
Most weekends I am gigging and then the kids have no respect for a hangover, so it’s sometimes just not worth it
— Dave Elliot
18. Biggest gripe or regret?
I get annoyed when we waste time worrying about things that don’t really matter.
19. Have your priorities in life or perspectives changed?
Yes, since I’ve had kids, my priorities have definitely changed. They are the most important thing and anything else comes after that.
20. Has coronavirus – or any health epiphany or life event - changed your attitude towards your own mortality?
Yes. I was pretty sick around Christmas with flu and it made me realise that I should take better care of myself. I am definitely a wuss though, so overthinking that would give me a panic attack.
