**The Problem:** The Standard American Diet has us overeating calories (mostly in the form of refined carbs), which are then stored as fat, and undereating essential nutrients (protein, omega-3 fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals). Simply put, we overeat refined carbs and certain fats and under eat everything else. **The Solution:** The easiest solution to this problem is to eat whole foods: colorful vegetables and fruits, fish, legumes, meat, dairy, nuts, and whole grains, with a focus on protein (fish, eggs, legumes, etc.), colorful vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats (nuts, seeds, olive oil, etc.). We want to mostly avoid everything else. ## Definitions | **Term** | Definition | | ----------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Macronutrients** | Large molecules (Protein, Fats, and Carbs) your body needs in bulk for energy, growth, and repair. | | **Calorie** | Energy units from food. Protein and carbs give 4 calories per gram; fats give 9. 2000 calories often used as a general guideline for healthy eating and is what % DV (is based on on nutrition labels, as shown below). | | **Protein** | Builds muscles and hormones. Aim for 0.7g+ per pound of body weight daily (e.g., 120g for a 170-lb person). Best sources: eggs, fish, legumes, meat, dairy. Read a [[Protein]] article, or watch a [video](https://youtu.be/is3_qugZ16I?si=hh2Xzv5X2mNJvtLE) to learn more about protein quality. | | **Fat** | Support hormone production, energy and vitamin absorption. Focus on omega-3s (fish, walnuts) and keep a 1:1 to 1:4 ratio with omega-6s. Read a [[Fat]] article to learn more about fat. | | **Carb** | Our body’s main energy source. Choose fiber-rich options like veggies, beans, and whole grains. | | **Micronutrients** | Vitamins and minerals for overall health (e.g., vitamin C from fruits, iron from spinach). | | **Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)** | Amount of calories you burn daily. Estimate yours [here](https://www.calculator.net/tdee-calculator.html). Eat less to lose weight, more to gain. If your TDEE is 2,500 calories, eating 2,000 calories daily makes you lose weight, while 3,000 calories makes you gain. | | **Body Fat Percentage** | Total mass of fat/total body mass. Healthy range: 10-20% for men, 20-30% for women. | | **Calorie Surplus** | Eating more calories than your TDEE. You gain weight in a surplus. | | **Calorie Deficit** | Eating less calories than your TDEE. You lose weight in a deficit. | ![[chickenBreast.png]] ## Practical Application (Strategic Eating) I'm going to give you the advice I utilize myself: eat the same core meals everyday. This technique works so well, because there's almost no guesswork involved, it saves time and ensures you hit your nutrient goals, and buying a bunch of the same things means you can buy in bulk and save money (I buy everything at Costco). This (below) is what I eat for breakfast and lunch everyday and I get almost everything I need: Protein, Fat, Carbs, Vitamins, and Minerals. I supplement the nutrients my diet is deficient in. ![[websiteAssets-03.png]] But, how did I come up with this? 1. I identified foods that I loved. 2. I made sure the combination of them rounded out my nutrient needs (and I'd add any nutrients I was missing). 3. I started eating these meals everyday. Here's the process for creating core meals for yourself: ### 1. What foods do you love? Start with a protein (e.g., eggs, fish, chicken, yogurt, legumes, beef), then add nutrient-dense foods like colorful veggies, fruits, and healthy grains (if you need the extra calories). Try these bowl ideas: - Egg Bowl: eggs, broccoli, black lentils, a can of sardines on the side (my breakfast) - Greek Yogurt Bowl: plain Greek yogurt, pecans, blueberries (my lunch) - Egg-Roll in a bowl: ground turkey, shredded cabbage, shredded carrots - Chicken Salad: chicken, mixed greens, avocado, dressing - Taco Salad: ground beef or turkey, lettuce, black beans, cheese, veggies, salsa - Mediterranean Bowl: lamb, chickpeas, tabbouleh, hummus, tzatziki - Greek Bowl: grilled chicken, Greek yogurt, quinoa, cucumber, feta cheese - Mexican Bowl: ground turkey, black beans, veggies, cheese, salsa ### 2. See if your meals meet your nutritional needs. Create a free [Cronometer](https://cronometer.com/) account. In the More > Targets + Profile tab, enter in your sex, height, weight, estimated body fat percentage, and determine your TDEE. After you do that, go to the Diary tab and add all of the foods that are in your meals to the day and see where you stand in the Nutrient Target section (hopefully it looks like the below picture). If you are not hitting your targets, add some more nutritious foods to your meals. If this is a little confusing, check out my [Cronometer Tutorial](https://youtu.be/EsLMz-1857o). It will also be helpful to get a scale and measuring cups (they're very cheap on Amazon). ![[nutrientTarget.png]] ### 3. Start Eating your Core Meals It's really that simple. Obviously, you don't HAVE to eat the same meals everyday and you can even come up with a couple meals for breakfast, a couple for lunch and a couple for dinner. If you're generally consistent with your Core Meals, you have a really good idea of what nutrients you're getting. ### Gaining, Losing, or Maintaining Weight Once you have your Core Meals, you can always eat more, or eat less food to gain or lose weight. For example, I eat my 2 meals that total around 3,500 calories. 3,500 calories puts me in a slight calorie deficit, so I end up eating a light dinner, as I'm trying to gain weight. If I was trying to lose weight, I would just eat my 2 meals, and I would maybe remove the pecans from my meal 2. If I wanted to maintain, I would eat my 2 meals everyday (which would put me in a solid calorie deficit), and then 1-2 times per week I would be able to go out for dinner, or have some extra food/treats. ### Supplementation According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the most common nutrient deficiencies in the United States include: - Vitamins: Vitamin D, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E. - Minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. I personally take Vitamin D3 + K2 because they work synergistically to support bone health and cardiovascular health. I also take a zinc supplement. The best thing to do is evaluate your micronutrient consumption in Cronometer, based on your meals, and fill in the gaps with foods rich in what you're missing, or with supplementation. ### Remove Unhealthy Foods This is a little bit of advice pulled from [[Fix Your Environment]]: Don't allow unhealthy/bingy foods (chips, candy, doughnuts, etc.) in your house. I cannot keep sour gummy bears at home, or I will eat them all. If you remove your food temptations from your surroundings, achieving your health goals becomes a lot easier. ### My Favorite Foods (Honorable Food Mentions) I get most of these foods from Costco in bulk. - **Sardines:** these are another incredible source of EFAs, as well as a great source of protein. - **Black Lentils:** currently these are hands down my favorite plant protein source. I buy [these](https://a.co/d/1sBrVmh). - **Blueberries:** the best fruit, by far. They are packed with antioxidants. - **Fat free Greek yogurt:** high protein. I eat it daily. - **Broccoli (Frozen):** this is my go-to vegetable because it's so easy to throw in a bowl and heat up in the microwave. It is also extremely micronutrient and fiber dense.