How To Balance Your Diet

Last week we talked about how in balancing your diet, it’s important to remember that your diet should not throw the rest of your life out of balance.

OK so, if you’ve got that covered, then what should you eat? What matters most when it comes to food? Where will you get the most ‘bang for your buck’ when investing your time, energy, & money?

I’ll break it down in 5 sections:

1. The Big Picture 🖼️

2. Explain It To Me Like I’m 5 👦

3. [Graphic] Nutritional Rocks, Pebbles, & Sand 🪨

4. In Order Of Importance 🪜

5. Parting Zen 🧘‍♂️

The Big Picture 🖼️

What matters most with food is to get the ‘rocks’ first, then the ‘pebbles’, then the ‘sand’.

The analogy comes from this time management strategy:

If you try to fill a jar up with all of your sand and pebbles first, you’ll never fit the big rocks in.

On the other hand, if you put the big rocks in first, then your pebbles, then your sand, it will all fit nicely around the big rocks.

In nutrition there are also Rocks, Pebbles, & Sand.

Rocks = General, universal, widely held principles that have been tested repeatedly, have a strong body of evidence, and apply to most people with general health goals. (That’s you.)

Pebbles = More specific tactics associated with more specific goals, smaller groups of people, which are not usually done for very long periods of time, and should rarely be considered prior to Rocks. (You only if you’ve shown a high degree of consistency with Rocks.)

Sand = Very specific tactics usually associated with professional goals such as modeling, pro sports, or television; these almost never apply or matter to people who are working on Rocks (that’s you). They also might not even be healthy, and/or have far less evidence to support them.

I’m 43 years old, in the best shape of my life; I look and feel great.

I spend practically zero time on Sand.

90% of my personal nutrition routine is based on Rocks.

Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation out there that makes nutritional Sand feel like Rocks.

In the graphic below, I’ll show you some examples.

Explain It To Me Like I’m 5 👦

Today’s topic, as simply as possible:

“Get the basics right and your diet will fall into place.”

Nutritional Rocks, Pebbles, & Sand 🪨

Here’s what matters most when it comes to your nutrition:

Guess why this newsletter is called ‘Level One Nutrition’ …

Possible Action Steps 🪜

Ask yourself: which kinds of skills are you focused on?

Level 1, 2, or even 3?

Jumping straight to Level 2 tactics before you have addressed Level 1 most likely to be a wagon which you’ll fall off.

I rarely coach Level 2 clients and if I do, it’s probably because they need help with Level 1 Skills.

It’s confusing out there on social media.

There are all kinds advanced (or even unsubstantiated) tactics being advertised that simply are not necessary.

If you’re not sure, you can email me and ask.

Parting Zen 🧘‍♂️

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

This was a very important edition.

Please share it with a friend if you think it might help them.

Take care,

Coach Matt

P.S. New reward available if you refer this newsletter: