Hey folks,
I thought I'd share how I'm eating these days:
My main focus is protein. For most of human history, protein has been the primary goal of people looking for things to eat. It's the hardest macronutrient to find in most situations, and the foods that are rich in protein also tend to be the most nutrient-dense. As I age, protein becomes even more important. Forget about people saying you should minimize protein to maximize longevity. It's the opposite. Protein keeps you strong, fit, and functioning.
I can say that I shoot for an average of 120 g to 150 g of protein a day. Generally not more or less than that, but from day-to-day it varies plus or minus 40 g. The point is not to get so granular that every meal becomes too well thought out. As I’ve said in the past, if I can look back over the past four days and see an average of 120 g of protein, that matters more than the meal to meal or day to day protein intake.
I'm not eating big salads anymore. I do eat a small salad once in a while because I like the crunch, but not because I feel I need the "roughage." My small salads are usually romaine with Primal Kitchen dressing (I've been liking the Buffalo Ranch) alongside my meat.
I usually skip breakfast. Coffee, cream, and spoonful of sugar is what I have most days. I'm aware of the supposed circadian benefits of skipping dinner, and sometimes that'll happen, but I like having dinner with Carrie and going out to eat with friends. The social benefits of dinner outweigh and health benefits of skipping it.
I don't plan meals or macros (beyond protein) or anything like that. Instead, I eat when hunger ensues naturally. This usually means I eat twice a day, but it can be three meals or even one meal.
Carb intake remains on the lower side, mostly because I consciously avoid grains and sugar- two of the densest sources of carbohydrates around. Also because they affect my sleep negatively.
I'm not trying to achieve any arbitrary caloric minimum by increasing fats or carbs. If I were to be low on energy—sluggish in the mornings, no motivation to workout, paddle or ride—then I'd eat more, but that doesn't really happen because everything is so locked in on an intuitive level. Whatever the case, I go by how I look, feel, and perform.
Most importantly, I enjoy eating, have all the energy I need, and perform well in the gym and in the world at large. How are you eating these days? Let me know in the comment section of New and Noteworthy.