How To Figure Out The Absolute Best Diet

In August, I promised to expand on the best diet.

Here’s a link to the original newsletter, in which I stated that:

The ‘Absolute Best Diet’ is the one you can best stick to and optimizes your physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being.

The main point of that email was to be wary of absolutes because no one diet always works for everyone.

Let’s go a little deeper today:

1. The Big Picture 🖼️

2. Explain It To Me Like I’m 5 👦

3. Valid Ways To Measure Food Intake 📏

4. Four Common Questions 🙋

5. Parting Zen 🧘‍♂️

The Big Picture 🖼️

When it comes to ‘where you should start,’ I also wrote this newsletter, ‘What’s The 1st Step?’

Today, I’d like to get more specific with some examples.

When it comes to food, this is the hierarchy of importance:

1. Total caloric intake.

2. Total protein intake.

3. Total vegetable & fiber intake.

4. Either carbohydrate or fat intake (depending on your goals).

In that order.

In other words, do not change number 3 or 4 if you do not know whether number 1 is correct.

I haven’t done a newsletter yet on counting calories - that will be forthcoming soon, now that I have mentioned it!

Explain It To Me Like I’m 5 👦

Today’s topic, as simply as possible:

“The amount of food you eat should keep your weight balanced.”

Valid Ways To Measure Food Intake 📏

This list covers the main ones, but it’s not definitive:

Even within each of these, there’s variance.

Four Common Questions 🙋

From a food perspective, I mentioned the top priorities above.

A few of the most commonly asked questions I hear next are:

1. What should I eat?

2. When should I eat?

3. Is [insert any food here] good or bad?

4. How can I stop [insert self-sabotaging behavior here]?

Here are four concise responses:

1. I have a list. Reply to this email, and I’ll send it to you.

2. Ideally, not within 3 hours of bedtime. Beyond that, any schedule that works for you which means it does not ruin your social life.

3. There is no such thing as good or bad food; it is only a question of degree.

4. Behavior change takes real work. That’s why it’s not as easy as ‘just eat less.’ (See last week’s newsletter about ‘Spiraling Out Of Control,’ or this one about ‘36 Ways To Deal With Cravings’ if you missed either.)

Are you curious about measuring your food intake with a digital app?

If you’ve never tried this, I have an offer for you since I mentioned it in this email.

The first five people to reply to this email will be invited to join me on the Joy Health Tracker app, and I will review your Journals once a week as your Coach for a month.

Parting Zen 🧘‍♂️

A simple word, phrase, or thought to take with you:

Be well,

Coach Matt

PS: If you’re into endurance sports, check this newsletter out: