How To Eat

"Moderation in all things, even moderation." – Petronius

The overarching principle here is to eat foods that exist in their natural forms, to cook them yourself, and to eat a combination of carbs, fat and protein in the same meal whenever possible.  If you must eat something packaged, you should be able to pronounce the ingredients without a dictionary.

The more I read, the more I see that processed food is going to be the death of our population.  Hormones in meat, pesticides and refined carbohydrates are spiking healthcare costs and killing people.  As you progress in your health and fitness, move towards less and less chemicals and more and more natural foods

For carbs, we have to see them as clean or dirty.  Clean carbs are carbs that will produce the smallest possible sugar spike as they are digested (Google: low glycemic).  Some options are whole grains and brown rice (instead of white rice) but keep these at a minimum.  All vegetables are in the “clean carb” category and they are much better for you than grains.  Fruits are also generally good but I really don’t think you should have more than 4 or so servings a day.  Too much fructose makes you gain weight; more on that in another article.

The next category is “lean meats”.  Think of lean meat as meat that can run (or swim) away from you quickly. Also you can have lean cuts of slow animals: beef, pork, seal (just checking to see if you’re paying attention). Other lean meats are fish, chicken, turkey, shrimp, eggs, etc.  But a good Carbonara every so often is nearly essential to enjoyment of life.  Once in a while, break the rules and break them big.  You heard it here first.

Last component of a complete meal is healthy fats.  Olive oil, avocado, and almonds all have great sources of monounsaturated fat.  Fat (and fiber) help you feel full.  You need fat to live.  There are types of fats that you cannot manufacture in your body and you need to get them in your diet.  Use olive oil in your cooking and then add a little  butter for flavor (sometimes).

In general, you will want to have all three of the above combined in each meal or snack.  A slice of turkey, a carrot and handful of almonds go a long way to satisfaction without spiking your insulin.

If you focus on clean carbs, lean meats and good fats you won’t be far from a lifetime of healthy eating.  For me, one of the reasons I love to work out and eat right is because when I do “break the rules” and eat a bunch of crazy food (bad carbs, fatty meats, and bad fats), I actually can enjoy it without guilt because I know that most of the time, I’m doing what is right for my body.