Saturday with Mr Motivator: I started embracing social media to get my message out to younger people

07.00

I do a live event on TikTok and Instagram at 8.30am for 45 minutes. During the week I do one at 6.30am. I won’t have breakfast. I’ll drink some hot water and lemon and get the class going for as many people as I can.

A lot of older people already know me but I had to start embracing social media as a way to get my message out to younger people and my following is growing every day. I work a lot with older people and too many retired people are sitting around waiting to expire – you don’t know how long you’ve been given and the way to improve those later years is to exercise. I have lots of classes on MrMotivator.com. The greatest gift you can give your friends and family as you get older is an independent you.

09.30

I’m talking all the way through the class so afterwards I’m zonked. I’ll have to lie down and have a good old stretch and a shower.

11.00

Usually we eat around 11am and don’t eat again until 6pm. I’ll have homemade vegetable soup – it’s a great way to break your fast. We’ve all been conditioned into thinking we need to eat breakfast first thing – wrong! After my soup I might have some eggs with fish fingers or smoked salmon and some baked beans. I’ll add onions, garlic, spinach and mushrooms to them and that’s the perfect brunch. I don’t drink coffee or tea – I drink lemon and hot water all day.

12.00

I’ll go to the office to work on my new charity Bed Bank. Over one million children in the UK go to sleep every night without a bed so we are raising awareness and money to donate to charities who can identify children who need support.

Two years ago I did a series for the BBC about bed poverty. I interviewed a family whose child of 15 had been sleeping on a beanbag for three years. That inspired me to set up my own charity to help combat this issue – you have young people going into school, falling asleep in the afternoon and the teacher thinks they’re lazy but the reality is that they don’t have a bed at home.

14.00

Most of my personal appearances tend to happen in the afternoon and they all need planning. Some of the organisers don’t want people to know I’m coming so they’ll hide me around the corner somewhere and then I’ll jump out. I do a lot of music festivals. I could have 10 to 15,000 people moving at the same time in the crowd – the atmosphere is incredible.

I could have 10 to 15,000 people moving at the same time in the crowd – the atmosphere is incredible.

WellFest is a totally different story and a great way to introduce people to lots of different exercise disciplines in the space of two days. My messaging hasn’t really changed over the years – exercise needs to be safe and effective but it also needs to be fun. You could be turning on the radio and having a dance – it doesn’t have to be high intensity and involve a physiotherapist and a heart specialist. I love seeing the stream of people coming to the stage – I’m so delighted that after 33 years people still flock to see me and are interested in what I do.

I’ve always had a happy disposition. I’ve had some difficult times in my life but I got through them by trying to turn things on their head and by finding the goodness in things. If you smile at the world it will smile back at you, if you’re kind, kindness will come back at you manifold – it’s about working hard and being considerate and kind.

If I’m not appearing at an event I’ll take time out to enjoy the football. I’ll have it on during the day and always tune in to Match of the Day.

18.00

I’m a pescatarian. If I’m really pushing the boat out I’ll have seasoned my salmon the day before, I’ll steam broccoli or spinach and serve it with rice or creamy mashed potato with nutmeg, butter and coconut milk. Oh man, I’m getting hungry just talking about it! If I really want to treat myself I’ll make an apple crumble served with custard. Life is too short not to enjoy yourself – a little bit of what you fancy will do you no harm.

20.00

I’ll do a bit of binge watching on TV - I love courtroom dramas. While I’m watching TV I’ll have the laptop in front of me - I’ll be sorting out music for my videos, planning the many projects I have on the go including the Motivation Experience – if I was to sit and just watch the television I’d fall asleep.

23.30

I’ll go to bed at around 11.30pm or 12am. I live on five hours sleep, any more than that and I get a headache.

Most of my personal appearances tend to happen in the afternoon and they all need planning. Some of the organisers don’t want people to know I’m coming so they’ll hide me around the corner somewhere and then I’ll jump out.

• Derrick Evans aka Mr Motivator will appear at WellFest in May alongside 150 health and fitness experts across 15 stages and areas. Saturday, May 9 and Sunday, May 10 at IMMA, Royal Hospital Kilmainham.

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