The Liver King Lied — But Was He Completely Wrong?

All right, so you've probably heard of Bryan Johnson. He's better known as the Liver King. He blew up the internet a couple of years ago by eating raw organs on camera, dragging weights through the wilderness, and claiming his ancestral lifestyle was the secret to his absolutely mutant physique. He didn't eat junk food, he didn't wear shoes, and I'm not sure I ever saw him with a shirt on. He was all about liver, lifting and living like a caveman. Now he built his brand on what he called the 9 ancestral tenets. These are things like sleep, eat, move, cold, sun, etc. And honestly, most of these are really, really solid. I agree with a lot of them. But then came the scandal. Despite constantly, and by the way, very loudly claiming he was natural, leaked emails revealed he was spending over $11,000 a month on steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. So it turns out the liver and the Nine Tenants didn't build the body, the steroids did. So what followed was an apology video and a sharp fall from grace. His supplement empire completely fell off a cliff, and then came a series of extremely strange, ran-filled videos on social media. And actually, most recently, things got even weirder. He challenged Joe Rogan to a fight, and he got himself arrested in Austin. So here's what's interesting in all of this. Yes, steroids helped build his bodybuilder physique, but it's easy to dismiss everything because of the deception. But if you look past the liver and the lies, there was actually a really solid foundation underneath it all. Daily movement, whole foods and nose-to-tail eating, good sleep, no alcohol, and a ton of discipline. So if you strip away the steroids and all of the social media circus, what you're left with are the same kind of foundational health habits I talk about all the time. Now, they won't make you look like the Liver King, and honestly, you might not want to look like the Liver King, but they will help you build a strong, lean, capable, healthy body and mind without all of the drama. So today I want to set the record straight. And maybe right a bit of a wrong. Because while the Liver King did cheat, the message he buried under, underneath all of the steroids was actually really worth paying attention to. And to prove it, I'm going to walk you through a handful of people who live those habits out. People with real, natural, impressive physiques and lifestyles. No steroids, no drama, just the basics done really well. All right, cool. So let's get into it. Number 1 on the list is a guy called Rich Froning. Now, Rich is a 4-time CrossFit Games champion, and he's an absolute machine well into his late 30s, and his physique is super, super impressive. Actually, let's, uh, we'll take a quick look at Rich Froning. So this is Rich taking part in some type of endurance running event. As you can see, very athletic physique, nice and lean, not overly big, but he's a guy that just looks in super kind of good and athletic shape. If we go back here. So yeah, super impressive physique. But what's more impressive is actually how he lives. So he trains hard and he stays active every single day. And he continues to compete in epic endurance events, mountain biking, triathlons, and even some team CrossFit. And his life just seems super simple, structured, and clean. It's built around sleep, whole foods, and foundational, uh, health habits. But it's not extreme either. He'll still enjoy a beer or a slice of pizza here or there, but that's clearly a 10% thing and it's not the norm. And that's what I love about Rich. He lives a sustainable lifestyle and he's been living this way for decades, and he's clearly in amazing shape and health because of it. And he also finds a way to balance this with being a grounded family man, a man of faith, and a very successful entrepreneur. And he's proof that you can be world-class without living like a lunatic. Alright, number 2 on the list is Josh Bridges. So Josh Bridges is a former US Navy SEAL, and he's also like Rich Froning, an ex-CrossFit competitor. And he is living proof, living proof, sorry, that you can be lean, strong, and athletic well into your 40s. So this is Josh Bridges' Instagram page, and you can see Super athletic physique, a little more bulky than Rich, but basically pretty much the same, right? Athletic, very lean. And, you know, Josh Bridges is into his 40s now, so he looks incredible shape for a 40-year-old, and you can see how the lifestyle is benefiting him. So his YouTube channel also gives a great peek into how he lives— very tough training, clean eating, and disciplined structure. But what really stands out is how Hardy pushes the nutrition angle, which obviously becomes even more crucial when you get into your 40s. Now, Josh also brings a sort of grit and consistency component to it, also qualities that he honed in the SEALs and CrossFit, and he now channels into everyday life as a dad, a husband, and a seriously fit guy. And like the others, he's built success outside of fitness too, running a thriving business. And he proves it's possible to keep pushing hard well into midlife without sacrificing your family or your values. Number 3 on the list is a guy called Paul Saladino. Now, Paul is a little bit more extreme than anybody else on this list. He's a doctor, bestselling author, and he's actually the guy that many credit with pioneering the animal-based diet. So that's meat, organs, raw dairy, fruit, and honey.. And yes, whilst he's pretty controversial, if you strip away the ex— sorry, if you strip away the extremes, what you're left with is unmatched discipline. Now, he lives in Costa Rica and he's all about morning sunlight, cold plunges, long walks, and surfing. And of course, he also lifts weights, a lot of bodyweight stuff, doesn't drink alcohol, and is all in on whole animal protein. And he is just relentless about stacking clean habits. He's close to 50 and he's in phenomenal shape—lean, athletic, and natural. And in fact, his physique is one I often aim for myself. So let's take a look at Paul Saladino. I think here he's doing some type of bodyweight, uh, workout in some sort of park in Costa Rica, climbing ropes. Um, look, you can see again, not like overly muscular but a muscular, athletic, lean physique. And for somebody, um, that I think is in his 50s now, Paul is in phenomenal shape. And like I said, actually, this is probably the, the perfect example of a physique that I would like to aim for— somebody that just looks in super good shape and is in super good health. So like the others, actually, Paul was also a successful entrepreneur, um, and he's built a very, very successful supplement company. So whilst Paul is intense, he shows what's possible when you take your health seriously every single day. Number 4 on the list is Peter Attia. So Peter might not be the first guy you think of when it comes to aesthetics, but if your goal is to age well and stay capable for decades, he's your blueprint. Now, he's a doctor, bestselling author, and a podcast host who lifts consistently, walks a tonne and does a lot of endurance work. I think actually he's an ex-cyclist. Um, and he's known for tracking his steps religiously, strictly eating whole foods, and prioritising his sleep. And he just lives and breathes longevity. So with Peter, you're not going to see shirtless selfies, but you just know he's got the big foundational elements of health dialled in better than almost anybody else. And he proves that real health isn't always flashy, Sometimes it's just consistent, quiet, and long-term. All right, last person on the list, Chris Williamson. So Chris Williamson is probably actually the most relatable on this list. He went from UK club promoter to one of the most successful podcasters on the planet, and along the way he has transformed himself physically and mentally. Now, Chris lifts super hard and he walks 10,000 steps a day. He eats clean, and he's talked about now abstaining from alcohol. And he's well known also for leaning into self-care things. So stuff like cold showers, meditation, and sunlight. It's all foundational stuff stacked day after day. And what I love about Chris is he just seems like a normal guy who chose a better path and then he stuck with it. And his podcast Modern Wisdom is one of my absolute favorites, and He's built a thriving business from supplements to clothing to content. So let's take a quick look at Chris, and this will be the last one. So Chris is a great example actually of somebody who more masculine than say Paul Saladino, probably a bit more like Rich Froning. You can see here, obviously very, very muscular and lean. You can see here he's training, um, he's in the green shirt, so like, you know, again, pretty muscular. He's got a good pump on there. Um, here he is with, uh, with the kettlebells as well. And also here he is in the gym. So yeah, again, I think Chris Williamson is a great example. I mean, he's quite young, he's probably in his early 30s, but muscular, lean, in great health. So let's stop sharing for a second. All right, so Chris Williamson, here's a reminder that you don't need to be extreme. You just need to be consistent and committed. Now what these 5 guys show is there's a better way. There doesn't have to be gimmicks. There doesn't have to be hacks. And there doesn't need to be any sensationalism. These are just real lives built on real habits, and more importantly, lifestyles that actually last. And they're lifestyles that most of us can look at and take something from. So I'll wrap the episode with this. Yes, the Liver King did use steroids, but he also pointed to something deeper— that discipline, routine, and simple ancestral habits do work. You just don't need to go full caveman. Instead, take a page out of Rich, Josh, Paul, Peter, and Chris's book, and maybe even mine. Go all in on the basics and do it for years, not weeks. Make it a forever lifestyle. And lastly, I'll just point one more thing out because it's something I want to talk a lot more about this year. Did you notice that when you dial in foundational health habits, there's a level of capability and confidence that starts to show up in your life? And it doesn't build a— it doesn't just build a good physique and good health. It spills over into every other part of your life. Every person I've talked about today lives a real grounded life. They have strong character. They look after their families, and they've all built thriving, successful businesses. And I don't think that's a coincidence. I've said this before. Building foundational health habits will rewire you as a human. It's kind of like an operating system. It builds discipline, consistency, and follow-through. And those are the exact same traits that help you succeed in every other area of your life too. Alright, I hope you found today, today's episode inspirational and useful, and I will see you on the next episode.