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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Sarah Manavis

A benign, perfectly sculpted picture of vitality… or the palatable face of toxic masculinity?

Ashton Hall promotes a Christian, puritanical way of life
Ashton Hall promotes a Christian, puritanical way of life. Photograph: Ashton Hall/Instagram

How does the perfect morning begin? With gentle stretching, a coffee in bed? It could be a walk in the sun, a hot breakfast or simply managing to spend the first 20 minutes off your phone before spending the next 20 on Instagram. Lately, it may feel like the answer is being more productive.

The optimised morning routine has become a near-mythical ideal for young people, sold by fitness influencers posting obsessively about their 5.30am starts, claiming to finish their weight training, macronutrient-rich meals and emails before our first alarm – promising that everything in your life would be better if you, too, had the discipline to just get up early.

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