My Nutrition & Healthy Lifestyle Guidelines:
This is the nutrition and lifestyle approach I personally follow. I will continue updating this guide over time as I learn more and make changes.
Fruits & Vegetables:
Choose organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
When buying produce, check the number on the sticker. A 9 at the beginning indicates organic produce.
Avoid produce with numbers below 6, as I prefer to avoid foods that have been heavily treated or artificially modified.
Farmers' markets are my first choice. For grocery stores, I prefer places such as Whole Foods, Sprouts, or local health-food markets.
Eat plenty of vegetables. I do not place the same restriction on vegetables that I do on fruit.
I limit myself to approximately one serving of fruit per day because fruit contains natural sugar.
Vegetable smoothies are my preference over fruit smoothies.
When eating fruit, I prefer having it on an empty stomach—for example, a banana, apple, handful of grapes, or berries before breakfast. Eating a bunch of fruit can cause your insulin to spike as they produce their own natural sugars.
Dairy & Milk Alternatives:
I avoid dairy.
My preferred milk alternatives include:
Goat milk
Almond milk
Macadamia milk
Rice milk
For cheese, I prefer plant-based or goat cheese. Sheep cheese is also an option.
Always read the ingredient label and choose products with simple ingredients.
Meat & Fish:
Avoid cheap, heavily processed meat whenever possible.
Choose natural, high-quality, organic, and grass-fed meats.
For fish, I prefer wild-caught varieties rather than farm-raised fish.
Keep processed meats and deli meats to a minimum and choose higher-quality options when using them.
Rice, Flour & Grains:
Avoid white rice and refined white flour.
Choose whole-grain or wild rice instead.
I use Coco aminos as one of my preferred soy alternatives.
When making rice, I like to cook it with a high-quality bone broth.
For flour, almond flour is my preferred alternative.
For tacos, I use grain-free shells or egg wraps.
Avoid white bread. When I eat bread, I choose a good wheat or whole-grain bread with simple ingredients.
Pasta is generally avoided unless it is made strictly from brown rice.
Oils & Cooking:
I avoid seed oils and prefer to keep cooking simple.
My preferred cooking oils are:
Avocado oil
Cold-pressed olive oil
I avoid vegetable oil.
I also avoid oils such as peanut and grapeseed oil.
I do not fry foods, air fry is ok.
Occasionally, I make homemade fries using olive oil.
Sugar, Salt & Seasonings:
Avoid added sugar whenever possible.
Avoid excessive salt.
My preferred salts include Celtic gray sea salt and Himalayan salt.
I use MSG-free seasonings.
Keep seasonings simple, such as:
Cumin
Oregano
Other individual herbs and spices
I avoid heavily mixed seasoning blends and rubs when possible.
Always look for high-quality ingredients.
Eggs:
I prefer brown, free-range, cage-free eggs.
I avoid white or liquid egg products.
I look for eggs from reputable sources with good-quality feed and farming practices.
Snacks:
I prefer simple foods with minimal ingredients rather than heavily processed snacks.
Some of my preferred options include:
Organic peanut butter with only one or two ingredients
Natural fruit spread containing primarily fruit
High-quality dark chocolate with simple ingredients
Gluten-free or keto-friendly cookies or brownies occasionally
Natural peanut butter may separate, leaving oil at the top of the container. That is normal and not necessarily a problem.
Drinks & Hydration:
Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
I like filling a 3-liter bottle for my daily water intake and keeping it cold throughout the day.
I sometimes add lemon or orange to my water.
I also use a juicer and may add ingredients such as:
Ginger
Apple cider vinegar
Turmeric
Various greens:
I prefer vegetable and green juices over bottled fruit juices.
I avoid bottled juices because they can contain significant amounts of natural sugar.
If I drink an energy drink, I prefer sugar-free options from quality health-food stores.
Meals:
I prefer preparing my own meals rather than relying on pre-made or heavily processed foods.
My general eating pattern is:
Breakfast
A small snack
Dinner
I personally do not follow the traditional three-large-meals-a-day approach.
The most important rule is do not overeat. Portion control and food quality both matter.
Condiments:
I choose organic condiments without added sugar or excessive salt whenever possible.
My preferred options include:
Sugar-free organic ketchup
Salt-free or low-sodium mustard
DAIRY AND SOY FREE MAYO IS A YES
Water & Food Storage :
I prefer using a water purifier that removes unwanted contaminants from tap water.
I prefer storing food in glass containers rather than plastic because I want to minimize exposure to microplastics.
I prefer reusable containers and bottles over disposable plastic whenever practical.
Copper containers are another option I personally like and have researched.
Post-Workout Nutrition:After workouts, one meal I enjoy is a tuna sandwich made with high-quality ingredients. A post-workout drink I love is a dairy free blended milk smoothie with bee pollen and plant based protein powder, maybe evem throw in a banana.
I also take a fish-oil supplement.
Juicing & Energy:
One of my favorite ways to increase my vegetable intake is through juicing.
I like combining different greens and vegetables to create nutrient-dense drinks. I personally find these give me more natural energy than relying on traditional energy drinks.
Supplements & Natural Products:
Some natural products I personally use include:
Wormwood
Oil of oregano
Turmeric
Ginger
Apple cider vinegar
Fish oil
I take wormwood and oil of oregano in the morning because that routine works well for me personally.
Important: Supplements can have interactions and aren't automatically safe simply because they're natural. Anyone adding supplements should research them carefully and consider discussing them with a qualified healthcare professional.
Personal Hygiene & Household Products:
I also try to minimize unnecessary exposure to chemicals in everyday products.
For personal-care products, I prefer products from health-food stores or companies that use simpler ingredient lists.
This includes:
Shampoo
Soap
Toothpaste
Mouthwash
Other hygiene products
I prefer fluoride-free toothpaste and have experimented with simple alternatives involving peroxide, white clay, and sea salt.
For mouthwash, I personally use diluted peroxide.
Important: Peroxide and homemade dental products should be used carefully. They are not automatically safer than products formulated specifically for oral health.
Clothing
I personally prefer natural fabrics, particularly cotton. I feel more comfortable wearing natural materials and try to minimize synthetic fabrics.
What I Avoid
My general approach is to avoid:
Added sugar
Excessive salt
White bread
White flour
White rice
Vegetable oil
Most seed oils
Highly processed foods
Candy
Heavily processed snacks
Sugary drinks
Bottled fruit juices
Excessive dairy
Soy
Fried foods
Foods with extremely long ingredient lists
My Simple Rule:
If I cannot understand the ingredient list, I generally do not eat it.
Read the label. The fewer unnecessary ingredients, the better.
My Results
This is the nutrition and lifestyle approach that I personally followed while losing approximately 100 pounds in one year, along with the DDPY workout program.
My focus is not on complicated meals or extreme restrictions. I prefer:
Whole foods + simple ingredients + quality proteins + plenty of vegetables + controlled portions + hydration + consistent exercise.
This guide represents my personal approach and experience. I will continue updating it over time as I learn more and refine what works best for me.
Restaurants:
Avoid fast food. Chipotle bowls and corn tacos minus the sour cream and other sauces are OK. I once in a blue moon eat burgers from 5 guys with a lettuce wrap, no cheese. Subway is not the best but doable. Bowls or grain free bread is my go to. When at restaurants basically order how I describes what you shouldn't be eating. A nice steak, some wild rice and a side of broccoli. Chef's salads are the best options. Even fast food joints that sell salads are not recommended.
Also, shop within your budget. Clean eating can get costly so I like to buy enough that will last me two weeks and write down everything I plan on making. Usually doesn't cost me no more than $250. I used to fill my fridge up with healthy stuff and my grocery bill would be as high as 400. Health is wealth and that's one thing I don't like being cheap about. If you cant avoid the healthiest stuff then get whats good. Organic cow milk and good cheese and light sour cream aren't bad but I personally avoid it in general.
