Every so many years I like to revisit the topic, What Do You Eat. Why? Because it’s by far the most common question, at least in my experience, a health coach encounters. You can find the earlier versions from 2013 here and 2020 here.
Also having recently been accused of being a “meat and dairy advocate” which I wear as a badge of honor. I think now’s a great time to highlight my current nutritional routine. In a nutshell I could describe our household journey which started in 2007 thanks to Gary Taubes and What If It Has All Been A Big Fat Lie. We’ve gone from Low-Carb into Keto into now what we’re calling Meat-Centric.
First just to clarify the requirements of what I consider optimal nutrition.
- Supports maximum performance in life
- Enhances muscular and bone health
- Provides good satiety at all meals
- Does NOT contribute to blood sugar volatility
- Is doable with a 50+ hour work week schedule
- Augments excellent metabolic health
- Allows the body to be weight stable
- Positively contributes to aging with strength and vitality
I believe a healthy anti-aging strategy in nutrition demands animal products. In a nutshell or rather for all the reasons listed above they give the biggest bang for your buck on all accounts. If you find another lifestyle suits your needs, go for it. This is what works well in our house.
For many of reading, you know my story. Did the vegetarian thing for 20 years, had some serious health issues and now call my diet “meat-centric.” For more on the back story see Why I Eat Meat and My Food Story.
OK so how does that look in terms of food on a regular basis now. First, I start with my protein target, being petite with a body fat percentage labeled athletic I strive for around 100 g of protein per day. I concur with Dr. Don Layman in his 30 g minimum per meal threshold for muscle protein synthesis. See great interview with Dr. Layman and Peter Attia here.
Thus, breakfast (during work week) is full fat Greek yoghurt with a scoop of Protein Powder (currently using Equip and no I don’t get kickbacks on promoting their product or any other mentioned in this post). Maybe with a handful of walnuts and a little extra full fat Clover Organic Cream. Used to do some berries but not very frequently anymore, maybe once or twice a month at best.
There are a couple mornings a week my workday starts very early, then I’ll do a Phil Maffetone Bullet Coffee. This provides good energy till lunch. My better half likes to mix in some MCT oil to his coffee for an additional boost.
In the weekends if we take a hike, swim or workout we’ll often just have coffee for breakfast. Then upon returning we’ll do some form of eggs, scrambled, fried or omelet with any meat leftovers and possibly kimchi or sauerkraut.
I bring my lunch to work daily. The usual suspects are some type of dinner leftover options. piece of Keto Sheet Burger, a slice of Egg Casserole (meat, eggs, mushrooms, cheese) with an additional meat stick, a Dutch meatball and maybe a slice of cheese. These get rotated depending on what large dish, either casserole or sheet burger the chef (husband) in our house created on Sunday.
I take a thermos to work with LMNT electrolyte mix and keep adding water as it goes down over the day. This keeps me hydrated efficiently over the day. Now and then I’ll enjoy an espresso in the afternoon.
Below are some of our usual dinner options. Lately we’ve been doing very few veggies. One during the work week they seem to spoil quickly, and the meat options make better leftovers for work lunches. If we do veggies (a couple times a month) it tends to be Brussel Sprouts, sauteed mustard greens, asperges or broccoli all served either with butter or olive oil.
We will throw in a couple options now and then like a roasted sweet potato and or if in the stew we feel the urge for a few potatoes and carrots in it, but not always.
- Meat Stew
- Dutch Meatballs
- Wild Salmon
- Grilled/Sauteed Shrimps
- Steaks on grill or pan-fried in cast iron skillet
- Weston A Price Liver Pate (more appetizer than dinner)
So yeah, that’s it in a nutshell with a few extras below.
I drink my morning espresso a die-hard Lavazza Crema e Gusto from a Bialetti Mocha pot with organic half n half. Enjoy a glass of wine with some meals. Lately been enjoying the lower sugar content in Dry Farms Wines. (and no kickbacks there either!)
And yeah, do enjoy a piece of super dark chocolate now and then! Couple house favorites currently are Nelly’s Organics and Taza. If having a sweet it follows the meal so NOT a stand-alone snack. On occasion right before a meal, we might enjoy a piece of Dutch cheese or Epic Pork Rinds.
When on the road for work or pleasure the usual items in my backpack are boiled eggs (huge fan of Vital Farms eggs) and meat sticks. Chomps, Epic and Stryve Biltong are frequent travelers.
It’s pretty darn simple, meat focused, nutrient dense, home-cooked and enjoy it immensely.
P.S. If you want some stats, I’m 66 years young, weigh 103 lbs. with all metabolic markers in healthy range. Waist/Height Ratio = .43 and TRIG/HDL Ratio = .44. I’m good with those numbers and confident nutrition is supporting my aging strategy, with the caveat always open to change.
