"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." - Hippocrates
Understanding the ideal human diet has been a passion of mine since 2019. I was constantly on the lookout for the "perfect human diet." I ended up realizing that it doesn't exist. Every BODY is different, and everybody enjoys different food. What we eat is way more nuanced than a 1 sized fits all approach around what we "should" and "shouldn't" eat. The best diet is one you can consistently stick with, one that you enjoy, and one that gets you to your goals.
Most of my nutritional knowledge has come from Dr. Layne Norton. He is a highly regarded scientist and doctor; having a Ph.D. in Nutritional Science. Dr. Norton is also an entrepreneur, physique coach, bodybuilder, and powerlifter.
Dr. Norton is just 1 of dozens of sources of information that I have cultivated to create this cheat sheet. My knowledge is simply an accumulation of many great minds who study and teach this information for a living.
The Laws of Weight Gain/Loss
To Lose Weight: Eat Less Calories Than You Burn/Expend (caloric deficit)
To Gain Weight: Eat More Calories Than You Burn/Expend (caloric surplus)
To estimate the number of calories you burn each day, https://tdeecalculator.net/ is a simple, yet effective option. If the link doesn’t work, search “tdee calculator” on google and honestly enter the info.
Diet is the largest contributor to weight loss/gain. It is the main reason you either lose weight or don’t. Diet is like the roots/foundation of a tree, where exercise is the water and sunshine that makes it grow tall and strong.
Most of my diet consists of whole, single-ingredient foods: Non-processed meat (beef, chicken, pork, seafood), eggs, fruit, vegetables, rice, potatoes (mainly sweet potatoes), dairy, and nuts.
People make diet more complicated than necessary. The key to a successful diet is finding one you enjoy and can stick to long term. Many diets today are too restrictive and difficult to sustain. It's not fun to be constantly told what you can or can’t eat. Aim to consume whole, single-ingredient foods 80% of the time, and you'll see significant improvements in your health. Spices and low-calorie marinades can make your meals delicious and nutritious creations.
A high protein, high carb, and lowish fat diet work best for me. I prioritize protein since it keeps me full longer and helps me build muscle and recover from workouts. Protein is king. My main source of carbs is fruits and vegetables. Simple carbs like rice or potatoes provide quick fuel for the body, so I will eat some before a workout.
A day of eating for me
Morning (before my workout) - lean meat (protein), oats (carb), blueberries (carb), honey (carb)
After my workout- 4-5 eggs (protein), 1 piece of bread (carb), avocado (fat), broccoli (carb), pineapple (carb), and a smoothie with frozen fruit (carb), collagen powder (protein), nonfat plain Greek yogurt (protein), 1 banana (carb), and water
Afternoon snack- carrots (carb), Primal Kitchen Chiptole Lime Mayo (fat), 1 banana (carb)
Dinner- Lean Meat (protein), salad (carb), olive oil (fat), occasional sweet potato (carb) OR occasional white rice (carb), tart cherry juice (carb), kiwi (carb), orange (carb)
Light Snack an hour before bed- 1 small handful of nuts: Almonds (fat), Walnuts (fat), and 1-2 pieces of Jojos Dark Chocolate (fat)
Lots of protein, lots of fruits and veggies, and a few fats.
If I’m trying to gain weight, I will increase my carbs (eat more oats, rice, and potatoes) and slightly increase my fats (nuts and fattier meat; for example, I’ll go from 93% lean to 90%).
To lose weight, I will decrease carbs and fat. Protein will never change for me. I prioritize healthy fats like avocado, olive oil, nuts, and fat from meat.
Primary examples of protein, carb, or fat-dominant foods/drinks. These are not recommendations for what to eat; just a way to visualize what foods belong to each category. Becoming mindful of this will help you along your wellness journey :)
Protein dominant: lean meat/fish (leaner the meat = higher the protein and lower the fat), low or nonfat dairy, eggs, protein powders, quinoa, lentils, tofu
Carb dominant: fruit/fruit juice, vegetables, rice, oats, potatoes, bread, flour, pasta, beer, soft drinks (soda/sports drinks), honey/syrup
Fat dominant: nuts/nut butters, seeds, oils, dressings, avocado, whole milk dairy, non-lean meat (still protein dominant but much higher fat content which means much higher calories), most desserts (cookies, ice cream, cake, pastries)
When it comes to calories, think of it like spending money. Let’s say you have a max $100 budget you need to stay under to lose weight. It costs $9 (9 calories) for 1 gram of fat, while protein and carbs are $4 (4 calories) per gram. Healthy fats are important and worth spending money on, but spending a lot on protein will give you the best bang for your buck. Eating fat does not make you fat, overeating does. Fat just contains more calories, which empties your budget quicker.
Bringing a shopping list (having a plan) should help limit impulse buys and lead to healthier choices. Also, never go food shopping when hungry. Your standards go way down.
Eating healthy may seem expensive, but it's more affordable than you think. You don't need to buy expensive organic or grass-fed options; any nutritious food is a good start. We're a middle-class family with a budget and still prioritize healthy choices that fit within it. By being mindful of what we eat and buy, we can avoid unhealthy temptations. Your brain knows if you have something unhealthy in the house, and it will eventually crave it. To prevent that, save your money and don’t buy it in the first place. Investing in good nutrition now can save on medical expenses later.
When using oil, I recommend Olive Oil due to its superior health benefits. Just be mindful that any oil is incredibly high in calories: 120 calories for 1 tablespoon, about 2 spoonfuls. Peanut butter is about 100 calories per spoonful. Oils and nuts add up in calories quick. I believe a big reason it’s hard for people to lose weight is because of the “invisible calories” with oils, dressings, and marinades. AKA: things you wouldn’t normally consider high in calories that quickly add up. Olive oil is very healthy, but moderation is ideal. :)
Tricks I use
Having the taste of food in my mouth makes me want to keep eating since it is a constant reminder of food. Chewing gum removes the taste and cleanses your pallet. The brand, “Pur gum” has a chocolate mint flavor which gives me a sweet, minty taste while only having 5 calories per piece.
I also chew gum when I have cravings to eat. It distracts my mouth and brain, and the craving goes away. Gum is like a cheat code to stop me from eating too much throughout the day.
If craving a late-night snack: lean protein (lean meat, lowfat greek yogurt/cottage cheese), tea, veggies, fruits, and warm milk should distract you from the unhealthy stuff your brain is telling you to crave.
I remove my desired amount of food instead of eating straight from the container. We all know how easy it is to demolish an entire bag of chips if they are sitting right in front of us. This allows me to visualize the actual amount of food I’m eating and prevent overeating.
Carbonated Drink with Dinner: Sparkling water with dinner satisfies my desire for carbonation while helping me feel full and helping with digestion. I use a carbonation machine instead of constantly buying bottles of sparkling water at the store. Great alternative to soda or beer if the carbonation is what you are after. You can add fruit or buy bottles of natural fruit flavors to give it some taste. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VXK5FPD/ref=emc_b_5_t?th=1
Protein in the morning helps me stay full until lunch and improves muscle growth and recovery.
I struggle with this, but try to eat slowly. Chew your food thoroughly and savor every bite. Eating too quickly delays that feeling of fullness and causes you to keep eating even though your body is satisfied. Slowing down helps you “feel full” once your body is satisfied and limits overeating.
Everything I currently/occasionally eat + where I buy:
BJs:
Organic Broccoli - 4-pound bag
Wymans 3-4 pound bag of Frozen Fruit - perfect for smoothies
Nellie’s 24-pack Free-Range Eggs
Farm to Table Select 96% Lean Ground Beef
Jojos Peanut Butter Chocolate/Dark Chocolate Macadamia + Coconut
Shoprite:
Cheribundi Light Tart Cherry Juice (not from concentrate) - shown to improve sleep
4.4-ounce can of Seasons Sardines or Mackerel, skinless and boneless in water, no salt added
5 or 10-ounce can of Valley Fresh Chicken Breast in Water
Good Culture Low-fat Cottage Cheese
Two Good Low-fat Strawberry Greek Yogurt
Horizons Lactose-Free 2% Fat Organic Milk
YellowBird Blue Agave Sriracha - highly recommend using to spice up any meat
Walmart:
MarketSide Butcher 90%-93% Lean Organic Grass-fed ground beef
Olive Oil - Be careful with any oil since they are very high in calories, especially for you peanut butter lovers. Moderation is key. Terra Delyssa Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Moolah Organic Almond Milk - Regular dairy is also good for people who can tolerate it.
Amazon:
Almonds - 1 handful of nuts is around 100 calories. That would take a 20-minute walk to burn off. Tread carefully with nuts but enjoy in moderation :)
Walnuts
Brazil nuts
Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Organic Old Fashioned Rolled Oats https://a.co/d/eFn0Qp8
Jackson’s Sweet Potato Kettle Chips with Sea Salt - can also find at ShopRite, Costco, and Whole Foods
Anywhere:
Avocado
Organic Kiwi
Organic Banana
Pineapple
Dave’s Killer Bread
Miyokos Organic Cashew Cream Cheese - Great dip for vegetables
Oranges/Mandarins/Clementines
White Rice or Quinoa
Ground Chicken
Ground Turkey
Chicken Breast
Organic Garlic Cloves
Organic Carrots
Organic Spring Mix Salad - already washed
Sweet Potatoes/Regular Potatoes
Spices
Raw and Unfiltered Honey
Siete Chips
Salsa with 100% real ingredients - BJ’s Wellsley Farms Organic Salsa is my fam’s favorite
Primal Kitchen Chipotle Mayo - Can’t recommend Primal Kitchen’s products enough. Healthy alternatives to just about any dip, dressing, or marinade you could want.
Water - underrated part of our diet
While I don't track the exact amount I drink, I'm mindful about consistently drinking throughout the day, and especially when I’m thirsty. For most people, aiming for around 50% of their body weight in ounces of water is a good target, but just drink throughout the day and you should be good.
Being physically active requires more water. When using a sauna, I increase my intake to make up for sweat loss. I check my hydration level by looking at the color of my pee—clear or slightly yellow is good, while darker pee means I need more water or fruits. Fruits are like flavored water with added nutrients, which makes them perfect for staying hydrated since water can get boring.
I encourage you to avoid relying on tap water or plastic water bottles as your primary source of drinking water. You can go to https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ and enter your zip code to look at what’s in the tap water you are drinking.
While it only contains a small amount of toxins, drinking tap water all day every day adds up over time. Why put that stuff in your body if you don’t have to?
Plastic water bottles are not much better. While a high-quality filter is expensive, it is a 1-time investment with the occasional investment of a replacement filter. Plastic water bottles are a continuous investment that will cost you more in the long run, while adding waste to the Earth and leaking toxins into your body.
When plastic water bottles get warm, what happens? Toxins from the plastic slowly start to leak into the bottles. Who knows the conditions the bottles are stored in before you take them home? Some stores leave them outside baking in the sun before bringing them inside. We all know plastic isn’t good to ingest, so why are we not more mindful of the negative impacts of consistently drinking plastic water bottles?
There are cheap options like Brita or more expensive, higher-quality options like Berkey water filters.
My family uses 5-gallon plastic jugs with a water cooler. I know, call me a hypocrite all you want. In a perfect world, we would use glass jugs, but they are very expensive and we haven’t been able to make the switch just yet. We reuse the same jugs and always keep them at room temperature, so at least we have control over the conditions the bottles are stored in. Less waste and more cost effective than individual bottles as well.
We go to Purity Water in Rockaway, NJ to fill up. $3.50 for a 5 gallon fill up of purified water and $5.50 for 5 gallons of alkaline water. We buy purified water since the benefits of alkaline are uncertain, so we save the $2 and still get high quality, clean water. Highly recommend Purity Water for anyone in the area. https://www.puritywaternj.com/
Also recommend H2 the O water store in Kenvil, NJ. $5 for 5 gallon fill up of purified water and $6.50 for alkaline. They deliver if you are local which is super convenient. https://www.h2theowaterstore.com/
