I try for one day of “Perfect Nutrition”
There’s a kid’s book called ‘How to be Perfect in just 3 days’. The hero takes a course to become perfect only to discover that being perfect ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Instagram has figured out I’m a trainer. I log in and I’m instantly barraged with new gadgets, new programs and body after perfect body selling their product: Follow my plan, use my gadget, learn my method…
Perfection means you’re sitting under 10% body fat. Here are some sacrifices you should make according to the cost of getting lean info-graphicfrom Precision Nutrition.
You will have difficulty socializing in most typical situations where food is involved.
Exercise time may crowd out all other pursuits and interests.
Yay! Fun! Let’s try it for a day.
Quick disclaimer: there is no such thing as '“perfect”. It’s a hard word to pin down. Some will say I should go Paleo, some vegan, some Atkins. Perfect means different things to different people.
My Perfect: I’m following Precision Nutrition’s playbook. A perfect day (described in Gourmet Nutrition):
Eat 5 times (3 meals, 2 snacks).
The meals (from Gourmet Nutrition) are categorized as AT (eat them anytime) or PW (post workout). Precision advocates “earning your carbs” so it makes sense the PW meals have more carb calories.
Drink half my bodyweight (lbs) in ounces of water. Bodyweight is 200, so I’ll consume 100 oz of water, or 3 full nalgenes.
Eat balanced. Precision advocates using your hands to measure portion sizes. Every meal should have protein, veggies, carbs and healthy fats. Use the size of your hands (Man or Woman) to ballpark how much.
Stop eating before you’re full.
Lean protein at every meal.
Minimize processed foods.
Don’t drink any calories.
Day 1: Up early. Clients from 5 to 8 am. I drink 33 oz of electrolyte water.
8:30- I go for 3.5 mile run with my Dog. She pushes the pace. Water at the finish. I’ve earned my carbs.
9:15- I’m on a mission in the kitchen. I eat a PW meal of Maple, Apple, Walnut oatmeal for breakfast. This is the best oatmeal I’ve ever tasted. 20 minute food prep. So far we’re rolling. More water.
11- Snack time. I mix yogurt, blueberries and protein powder for my AT snack. Delicious and VERY easy to make. I use Arbonne Protein powder (also used it in the oatmeal): it’s plant based; my friend Tara sells it; it doesn’t make me fart. Seriously. I tried another brand… it was a problem.
12:45- Lunch- Precision Nutrition Anytime Chicken Taco Salad. What’s in CT salad? Chicken, spinach, onion, corn, tomato, cheese and a sprinkling of crushed tortilla chips. Takes 20 minutes to prep. I stop eating before I’m full. I drink more electrolyte water. Back to work until 8 pm. Light pushup/pullup workout during a brief break.
5- I skip the second snack and have a coffee. I’m an imperfect man and my options weren’t great. I guess this means I can’t pass judgement on the plebians. Rats.
8:15- Dinner- The CT salad recipe makes a lot of salad. I finish a second portion, stopping before I’m full. More water.
All in all I call it a perfect day. My energy is good. I never crashed from starvation or from eating sugar. I feel nourished, never bloated. I’m down ten lbs.
As if…
I sit down next to the wife as she crumbles a few tortilla chips onto her portion of CT salad. We get to chatting. my hands slips into the tortilla bag. I start munching on a few before I catch myself.
Damn.
I was so close.
But hey, being perfect sucks.
This wasn’t too bad. Let’s see if I can keep it going until Thanksgiving. I’ll keep you updated.