If you want to feel good, live healthy, and have lots of energy, what should you do? It won’t surprise you to hear that one of the most important keys to getting this result is your nutrition. If you put good things in, you’ll get good results. But the hard part is, what are the right things, and how can you know which plan or philosophy to follow?
Expert, really?
It seems that about one out of every five people walking down the street considers himself to be a “nutrition expert.” People say things like, “everyone knows you can’t eat after 8 pm or you’ll get fat,” or “too much salt will cause you problems.” The problem is, as in the examples, there is little if any evidence to support these claims. Ideas that fall in the “everyone knows that….” category are often inaccurate, and are believed by the masses simply because they are often repeated.
So, what are we getting at here? First, before you take advice, particularly nutrition advice, examine the credibility of the person talking. Are they fit and in good health? If not, ask them to stop sharing their ideas. Further, once you’ve established credibility of the one offering advice, ask him to provide sources to back up the ideas he recommends. He himself may be believing certain things based on what others have said, rather that based on research and critical thinking.
Delicious and Beneficial
Ok, finally on to the meat of the matter. 😀 Below I have my personal “nutrition manifesto.” This is how I eat, giving my body the good fuel it needs without having to live in a nutrition bubble. While it may not be earth-shattering (vegetables and fruits are good for you), I think it strikes a great balance between practical and beneficial. Here are the results it’s given me:
Height: 6’0″ Weight: 173# Waist: 32″ BMI: 23 Body fat: 10% Blood Pressure: 118/70 Cholesterol: 137 HDL: 47 Chol/HDL: 2.9 Glucose: 84 Hemoglobin: 15.9 Pulse: 58 Max deadlift: 405# Max pullups without stopping: 38 Run 2.3 miles: 15 min Max squat: 345# If the person giving you advice has better numbers, disregard my recommendations and follow him.
Nutrition Manifesto
Most important, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Get as many fruits and vegetables of different colors as you can*. Eat plenty of meat of various types to get enough protein. Fish is good, eat plenty of it; also nuts, seeds, and eggs. Drink milk, it’s amazing. Have healthy convenient food (e.g. meal bars from ThriveMart) on hand so you don’t end up in McDonalds. You need carbs, so don’t fear grains, but recognize man doesn’t live on bread alone. Drink coffee excessively, drink wine sparingly.
*If you’re not getting 2 servings of each color each day, you will benefit from a plant-based supplement like DoubleX—which though not as good as eating the fruits and vegetables themselves—provides these essential nutrients to your body so they can be absorbed, as contrasted with a synthetic vitamin. See ThriveMart for this and other great products to help you live healthy!