In Episode #003,  Basic Nutrition, Superhuman Energy,  and the Power of Choice I lay out why what you eat affects everything else in your life. 70% Of looking and feeling good is determined by what you eat.  Healthy eaters experience higher levels of self-confidence, lower levels of depression and an improved self-concept.

Taking care of your diet and exercise has a HUGE  return on investment when it comes to climbing out of depression, reducing anxiety and achieving your goals.

By taking control of our biology we're going to accomplish 3 key things, we'll use it to improve our physiology that is how you feel physically and your overall energy level. Secondly it is going to help our psychology by improve the sense of control. even if you have no other control of the circumstances in your life this will give us a toe hold to start establishing control. Lastly it will help us generate forward momentum and a sense of progress toward improve your self image. Remember to change your outer world we must first change the inner world, how you think and feel about yourself. Here are some simple changes you can make with huge results...

Everyone is waiting on a magic bullet or a Quantum Leap. That one simple tip or trick to lose weight. The big break that puts them on the map. The one article that finally motivates them to raise their standards and stop accepting anything less that their best. Our culture popularizes this kind of narrative, but the reality is that's not how it usually works.

If you want to lose weight it will require simple, daily disciplines that over time will lead to incredible success.

I'm here to tell you what all the great masters already know. It is through disciplined, consistent daily actions over time that bodies are toned, skills are honed and fortunes are made.

In the modern age humans have come to believe we are somehow separate from nature. Beyond it if you will. But our biology still has a massive effect on how we feel.

Start slow and remember any little improvements add up. Below is a pretty easy program to ease into healthier eating.

Week 1:

• Start with changing your breakfast, 30 Grams of Protein within 30 minutes of waking up. (I use Muscle Milk, Eggs are great too)
  
• Upon waking up go directly to your kitchen, drink a pint glass of cold water and take 3,000 iu Liquid vitamin D Buy it on Amazon. (make sure its the liquid )

whatever you want. This alone will help you lose fat and gain muscle over a 4 week period as it cranks up your metbolism in the morning, stimulates a hormonal response and floods your body with vitamin D (a lack of which is linked to depression in adults via Seasonal Affective Disorder). Science shows this to be incredibly effective for losing weight. Personally I use cheap prepackaged protein shakes from Costco. Alternative is a greens shake.

Change nothing else, the best diet is the one you stick to. Avoid Overwhelm.

Week 2: Same as week 1 plus

• Don't DRINK CALORIES (No milk (as it has a high insulin response) No juice, no soft drinks.)
• Limit Alcohol to 2 drinks per night as it is a depressant and decreases vasopressin significantly which early research is showing leads to more depression

Week 3:

• Eat the same few meals over and over

• Pick 3 or 4 meals and repeat them
  
• Stick to Natural, non-processed foods (like Eggs, chicken, beef, fish, pork, legumes, lentils, black beans, pinto beans, red beans, soy beans, vegetables, spinach, mixed vegetables, sauerkraut, asparagus, peas, broccoli, green beans, Sweet potatoes)
• Eat as much as you like but keep meals simple
  
• Specifically Avoid White carbohydrates. Bread, rice, potatoes, cereal, pasta, tortillas etc.
  

The most successful people generally eat the same foods everyday, treating food as fuel and rather than a daily treat and eliminating what psychologists call “decision fatigue”(the idea that we have a limited amount of self-control and the more decisions we make in a day the more it is depleted. The typical human makes over 200 food choices in a single day. Tall or Grande? Chips with lunch? Burger or salad? The more decisions we make in a day, the more willpower we deplete (which is why president Obama only wheres Blue OR Grey suits only) and the more likely we are to make bad choices late in the day.

Week 4:

• Don’t eat fruit (Tomato and avocado are ok)

• Be Human Take one day off per week I call it “cheat day” You need to allow for the human factor. You’re going to fuck up and want some ice cream or pizza. Go for it. I generally try to do 1 cheat day per week. Eating IS pleasurable, when you Schedule one set day (e.g. Saturday) on which you can eat whatever you want in whatever quantity

• Shop full. Eat a meal before you go to the grocery store and you will make VASTLY better food choices

• Don't keep "bad" food in the house. We are creatures of least resistance (thats why Amazon Prime is Dominating) Make it so you have to leave your house to get bad foods and you're be much less likely to do so.
• Eat like the Japanese. Many of our skinny island counterparts practice "Hara Hachi Bu" which is eating until they are 80% full or Eating until they are "not hungry" rather than till they are full.
• Kale shakes These daily green flushes have totally changed my physiology and make me feel like a hero everytime I drink them. Buy an Oyster Blend-n-go ($17.99 at Target). I put in half of a cucumber, a bunch of dark greens, half a banana and fill with almond milk.
• What are my eating "scripts" or habits and how do they affect me?
• What am I pretending not to know? Be honest with yourself about how your eating habits will affect you down the line.

• Sweet potatoes
  
• Dark Greens
  
• Coffee
  
• Legumes
  
• Almonds
  
• Lots of Hummus
  

What should I talk about next? Please let me know in the comments below.

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