1. Whole Foods

Avoid processed junk. Look past the nutrition facts and read the ingredients. The more ingredients, the lower the likelihood it is going in my mouth. A strawberry has ONE ingredient. So does an egg, or a chicken breast, or broccoli. Take a look at the ingredients in the foods you are eating. If you have trouble pronouncing them…keep moving.  Eat more stuff with less ingredients.

2. Supplements

I take Shakeology,  whey protein, and on occasion the recovery formula (sugar is an issue, but it has its place). The goal here is to give my body what it needs to run my basic bodily functions. At the minimum you need a good multi-vitamin. You have to focus first on making sure your body’s basic functions are addressed. It isn’t going to do you any good to take an expensive supplement if you can’t digest it and process the ingredients. Address your base nutrition first and foremost.

3. Lower carbohydrate intake

In particular SUGAR. The sugar has got to go. Watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mNYlI…layer_embedded. Understanding the insulin response and limiting the presence of excess insulin in your body is essential to health and fitness. The more I read about this, the more I feel it is absolutely essential to understand and then control.

4. Limit foods that make your blood acidic

Huh? Watch this: http://www.thefitclubnetwork.com/200…makes-you-fat/. Soda…get rid of it. It is poisoning your blood. Water…drink way more of it. It helps refresh your blood.

5. Limit dairy

Tony Horton said this weekend, “cheese is a spice”. Use it that way. A little parmesan on your food is ok, but otherwise ditch the cheese. It is high in fats that don’t help your body. Many people feel that our bodies are not conditioned to process milk from other animals. We are the only species that drinks milk that doesn’t come exclusively from our own mothers. Try to cut milk out of your diet and see how it works. I feel a lot better. Some people don’t have any adverse reaction, but if you aren’t sure, cut it out for a month and see how you feel. That’s what I did and I only have it in my coffee now.

6. Healthy fats

You’ve got to get fat in your diet. Huh? Yes, fat is good for you. Most of your fat intake should be in the form of unsaturated fats (mostly monounsaturated). There is an ongoing debate about saturated fats and whether or not they are beneficial. The generally accepted principal is that they are not. I am currently reading Mark Sisson’s The Primal Blueprint, in which he presents the theory that saturated fats are not to blame for our society’s weight problems. I have to say the case is compelling, but I am not settled yet. Regardless of that debate, you cannot go wrong with increasing your intake of fatty foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil. Take the time to understand how fats work in your diet, because they are important.  Don’t be afraid to have an egg once in a while.

7. Quality over quantity

What you eat is far more important than how much you eat. Spend more time focusing on what type of foods you eat and less worrying about how many calories you are taking in on a daily basis. Knowing your caloric range is important, but don’t get too caught up in that analysis. If you are hungry and have something healthy to eat, then eat it. If you are not hungry, don’t feel like you have to force food down to get to some predetermined caloric count. Just go with that feels right and eat healthy. Once you condition your body to process healthy foods, your hunger will correspond to your body’s needs rather than corresponding to cravings for sugar or unhealthy fats.

Hope this helps. If you are reading this, and have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at dave@thefitclubnetwork.com. I’m happy to help.

Dave