Thank you to Dr. Kurt Harris from Archevore.com for providing the framework.
The following guide is meant to be used in concert with our “Everything is Everything” guide. Much of this is based upon the idea that we should be cooking the majority of our own food. Cooking is an essential life skill and is a critical component to developing long term health and fitness, but we understand that it is not something everyone can focus on in the short term. Be sure to click on the attached links to answer any specific questions you may have.
- Get plenty of sleep and deal with any non-food addictions: If you’re drinking a 12-pack a day, or chain-smoking, diet may help but is hardly your first priority. Sleep is essential to proper recovery and health! Read More.
- Eliminate processed sugar and all caloric drinks: If you are looking to lose weight, cut out as much sugar as possible! Fat doesn’t make you fat, too much sugar and carbs are the big problem! READ MORE! You should be drinking water, tea or coffee. No sodas, sports drinks, or juices. Don’t add sugar to your food or eat things made with sugar or high fructose corn syrup. This includes chewing gum, 0 calorie sugar substitutes and Diet Drinks (quick note on that HERE)! We recommend getting all the crappy processed sugary foods out of your house because they will be eaten.
- Eliminate gluten grains and wheat: This is something we can all agree on and goes along with cutting down on your sugar (carb) intake from above! That means no cake, cookies or pastries. No bread or pasta, whole grain or otherwise. Notice we are not saying ALL grains. White rice and whole meal corn products are gluten free and reasonable sources of starch if tolerated, but not as nutritious as root vegetables and should to be consumed in moderation.READ MORE. I Repeat! Get all the processed food out of your house now!
- Use better cooking oils: Eat or fry with with animal fats, coconut oil, pastured butter or ghee. Olive oil is good served at room temperature, avoid heating. Also, avoid temperate plant oils like corn, soy, canola, flax, walnut, etc. Go easy on the nuts, especially soy and peanuts. READ MORE.
- For most people, 3-4 meals a day is best with no snacking! You’re not an herbivore. Whole foods prepared at home should be the rule. Low meal frequency is a powerful tool if you have weight to lose. If you are starving between meals, try adding a little extra saturated fat to your meals (avocado, coconut oil, quality animal fat, olive oil) to slow digestion and keep you satiated. Avoid the continual consumption of nuts, fruit, coconut water and gum between meals. READ MORE.
- Whole foods from animals is the ideal source for protein. Also eat them for the micronutrients and the fuel. Favor grass-fed ruminants like beef and lamb for your red meat. These meats have excellent omega-3 ratios and their saturated and monounsaturated fats are a great fuel source. READ MORE. Eat fish a few times a week and pastured eggs if you like them. If possible, eat organ meats for the vitamins and choline every now and then. Take advantage of our US Wellness wholesale discount service or visit your local farmer’s market!
- Eat more Quality Fats: Animal fats are an excellent dietary fuel and come with lots of fat soluble vitamins. It can work very well to simply replace your sugar and wheat calories with animal fats. If you are not diabetic and you prefer it, you can eat more tubers and less animal fat. READ MORE about health benefits of Saturated Fats. READ MORE on the use of dairy fats in your diet as a substitute.
- Eat more Plant Storage Organs: Potatoes and sweet potatoes are nutrient laden and well tolerated by most people. Bananas and plantains are convenient starchy fruits. The soluble fiber in all these starchy foods is very likely beneficial, unlike the insoluble fiber in bran.
- Get your Vitamin D. Get daily midday sun in season or consider supplementation if you never get outside.
- Eat lots of Veggies: Besides starchy plants for fuel and micronutrients, eat a variety of different colored plants of whatever you like and tolerate.
- Eat reasonable quantities of fruit, but don’t make it your staple: For those looking to lose weight, this is a powerful tool. Think once a day at the most. Bananas and plantains rich in starch, berries and citrus fruits are preferred. This is one of the biggest pitfalls of people looking to “eat heathy” and lose weight. Yes, fruit is a better alternative to high fructose corn syrup and other processed sugars, but it still needs to be consumed in moderation. Beware the trail mix and bags of dried fruit!.
- The Dairy Debate: If you are allergic to milk protein or concerned about risks of casein, you can stick to butter and avoid milk, cream and soft cheeses. READ MORE about dairy.
- No counting, measuring or weighing is required, but it is important that you have an idea of proper balance. We recommend most people go through a period of time where they weigh and measure their food, but over time you will learn how to estimate. Click HERE for our estimation guide.
- Alcohol is a great social lubricant but a poor food choice. It sucks I know, but alcohol simply isn’t that good for us nutritionally. We aren’t asking you to be abstinent, but here is some great advice from Robb Wolf’s Paleo Solution: What you need to know is that alcohol does not just blunt growth hormone release, it just turns it off. This is not good for your health, recovery, or body composition. Solution?…Drink earlier. You need to get your booze in as far away from bedtime as you can… …Much of the problem with drinking is not the booze itself but all the crap, usually sugar, that comes along with it. Ditch your frou frou drinks with the umbrellas and go for clear liquor...Wrap up the night with some protein and fat, and you are set….Beer is generally loaded with gluten. If you can find a gluten-free variety [or cider], give it a shot, but keep in mind it does have significant sugar content…If you go for wine, opt for dry varieties, as they have less sugar…
The social pressures and norms make this a challenging area for many, but remember, you are trying to make decisions based upon your health and fitness, not what is easy. Having the courage to make these changes from what is ‘normal’ is hard because people will think that you are judging them for their decisions. But you are not! I promise after a few drinks, no one will care anyway. You should be proud of your decisions, will have a conversation starter and will feel better the following morning! - Whole foods prepared at home should be the rule, but eating out is a given. There is not much you can do if you are travelling and don’t have access to a kitchen, but there are other options for those that simply ‘do not have the time’ to cook their own food. No matter what, DO NOT be embarrassed for ordering your hamburger with no bun, asking for substitutions that fit your dietary guidelines or requesting to not have the bread or chips on your table. Stay strong in your convictions, tip well and everyone will leave happy!
