Following up my last post that dealt with hydration, is one here on a subject that is possibly even more important, food . It’s a huge issue, one of the biggest contributors to good or bad health, is your diet. If you are just starting out on your Beyond Normal Limits journey and are committed to improving your personal performance by acquiring new skills, living healthy and are set on accomplishing big, epic things, then you have to get serious about food.
According to the current edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 (8th edition) which is jointly produced by the US Department of Health and Human Services, and the USDA, “Half of all American adults—117 million people—have one or more preventable, chronic diseases, many of which are related to poor quality eating patterns and physical inactivity.” The problem is not information, there’s more information and research on eating healthy now, than at any time in our history. The problem lies in our behaviors, eating patterns and the quantities of food that many Americans consume. The rate of obesity in the United States is staggering and is the clearest example that an overwhelming number of people do not understand food, how to consume it and what it can contribute or cost you, in terms of your health. Combined with chronic inactivity, poor diet is a killer.
It’s beyond the scope of a singular article to cover the full range of diets and nutritional philosophies so let me offer a few thoughts on how we should think about food, as a baseline starting point. And maybe, just thinking about food for some will be a beginning. Chances are if you are not currently on a serious workout program, served in the military, high-risk profession, been an athlete or worked in a field related to nutrition and health, you may not have ever been taught how to think about food. You may be stuck in the rut of a lifetime of habits born out of convenience that have naturally evolved in your day to day schedule. If you live in the US, chances are that you, like many people these days consume a majority of your food from restaurants. That was certainly the case prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, and our society will very likely return to that as the norm at some point in the future. Food throughout human history has served multiple roles. It’s necessary for survival, but also a focal point for social gatherings and tied to ethnic and cultural identity. In parts of the rural southeastern US, for example cornbread, biscuits, sweet tea, and BBQ may have been some of the foods that folks grew up with. In parts of India and Asia, you grew up with curry and rice. Fish and chips in the UK, beans and rice in Central America, you get the point. Food is also a social expression and has been described by some as a sensual experience. Sharing a meal with someone can be a special time, and in our hectic, modern lives carving out time for a family, or group of friends to sit together over a meal is often a rare, but enjoyable time that we cherish. Some people enjoy cooking food and serving their family and friends (I’m one of them). All of these are good facets of food and the act of eating. But, in a country where half of US adults are suffering from poor health, much of it related to our eating habits, with skyrocketing health care costs related to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, it’s time to change how we think about food, and get serious about what we’re putting into our bodies.
Food is simply, fuel. For high-performing individuals, this isn’t news, it’s instinctive and second nature. Outdoor and extreme athletes and soldiers routinely push their bodies like machines, much like you do a race car or airplane. They are instinctively aware of when to fuel, how much to fuel and how their performance is impacted by the type, and quantity of fuel that they put into the machine. If you want to change your life, and embark on a journey of higher performance, and accomplishing epic things, then you first need to understand that you have to think about how you fuel yourself. Thinking about your food as fuel has to come before the cultural, social and convenience aspects of your diet. Everything you put into your body should be considered prior to putting it in your body. Before you get turned off by this idea, hold on and keep reading. You don’t have to spend all of your time studying the latest diet, buying expensive supplements or cook custom organic dishes for every meal. Take a knee, breathe and keep reading. Adopting a better mindset and situational awareness about food isn’t that hard and doesn’t have to take over your life. First, let’s look at some basic principles that are universally accepted, in terms of what you should avoid (if this is new info for you, you are already in a high-risk category, and should seek additional input from your doctor). In your diet you should avoid:
· Salt
· Saturated fat
· Added sugar
Hypertension, high-blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, clogged arteries and cancer are all by products of not managing your intake of these ingredients. Does this mean you can’t have any? No, it’s silly to think you could live your life and not ever have salt, saturated fat or sugar. The point is, as a practice, you shouldn’t ever add these things when you have a choice, and you should be observant for things you order and cook that have high quantities of these ingredients, and stop eating, ordering or cooking those things. So far pretty simple.
What should you look for? How should you think about food? What is the right diet for you? Well, here it’s helpful to again reference the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 (8th edition) which has some very simple suggestions for a healthy diet:
A healthy eating pattern includes:
· A variety of vegetables from all of the subgroups—dark green, red and orange, legumes (beans and peas), starchy, and other
• Fruits, especially whole fruits
• Grains, at least half of which are whole grains
• Fat-free or low-fat dairy, including milk, yogurt, cheese, and/or fortified soy beverages
• A variety of protein foods, including seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, legumes (beans and peas), and nuts, seeds, and soy products
• Oils
You’ve got a wide range of choices within that list above with which to personalize your food according to your individual tastes, cultural preferences and convenience. But your choices should be guided by seeking out nutrient rich foods that are comprised of the above ingredients. Foods that meet this definition generally do not come from a place with a drive in or in a plastic bag. Neither have they been fried or genetically modified. You’ve got some homework. I want you to track what you eat for the next three days, or the past three days, and list out everything that is high in sodium, saturated fat or has added sugar.
Finally, let’s talk about amounts. In a country that has the rates of obesity that the US does, it’s very clear and should come as no surprise that the vast majority of adults simply eat too much food. This is kind of a uniquely US problem. The portions that are served in most restaurants are way too big. If you eat out in the US, you should not clean your plate, for starters (no not every time or for every meal but for most of them). Your individual calorie requirements are going to be unique for you and will change obviously based on many factors. But how much you eat, the portions you choose does need to be something that you obsess. If you are unable to maintain a healthy weight, which itself is a topic of much debate, you are simply eating too much. My definition for myself is going to be different than yours, but you should be honest with yourself and how you look in the mirror, and you should be able to start to have more control over your weight, simply by establishing a better practice eating smaller portions. Add a regular fitness and training program, which we’ll talk about in an upcoming post, to your routine and you’ll be shocked at your ability to control your weight and how much better you will look and feel. Your energy level will rise and last but not least, your ability to do epic, Beyond Normal Limits stuff will dramatically increase.
You won’t always do your diet right and that’s ok but you should know when those times are, start to feel bad when they happen and make deliberate choices afterwards. If I decide to crush an entire pepperoni pizza on a Friday afternoon with a few beers, which happens occasionally, I’ll do it. But I’m aware of how much extra sugar, salt and saturated fat I’m consuming when I do it. In the hours and days that follow I’ll compensate with healthier choices and a lot of water. Eating healthy is a process requiring courage to follow your own unique path. Avoid the herd. Eating healthy is a bold lifestyle change and commitment but it’s one of the most important things you can do with your life. It’s way more important than the gear you buy or the gym or workout you do. Do it now. The compound interest on your diet choices will return a yield one day, make sure your investments don’t kill you before it’s your time.
Think about everything you put into your body. It’s step two on your path to a Beyond Normal Limits life.
The Author is Brad Christian. Founder of Adventure Operations Group.
A dynamic leader known for operational focus and delivering results. Highly adaptable and equally comfortable leading epic outdoor missions, corporate teams or operating in high risk environments. Brad founded AOG in 2009 to offer high impact adventure travel and experiential training. As a Veteran and former Ranger with the 75th Ranger Regiment, Green Beret and US Government Contractor, he brings the ethos of the quiet professional in all he does. He’s an accomplished adventurer in the mountains, overland and on the water. A former tactical instructor, corporate leader and international traveler. He’s trained and prepared hundreds of individuals to work in high threat environments, created custom leadership events for elite small teams and operated and traveled extensively around the world.