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Diet and Exercise (Part Two)

July 27th, 2010
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Yesterday I gave you an overview of my thoughts on diet. Today I am going into more detail about what I eat and what I try to avoid.

Plus I’ve included another of my favorite smoothie recipes!

Here is my list of “Al Approved Foods,” broken down into three categories:

Group 1 -- Have as much as you want!
Water
Veggies
Roots
Seeds
Nuts and Nut Butters

Group 2 -- Eat, but show some restraint.
Fruits
Grass-fed Beef
Free Range Chicken (and other poultry)
Fish
Pork
Eggs
Dairy
Peanuts (technically peanuts are legumes)
Beans
Olive Oil

Group 3 -- Eat only in moderation.
Honey
Fresh Bread
Rice
Pasta
Coffee
Tea

Non-Approved Foods -- Eat at your own risk!
High Fructose Corn Syrup (and anything that has it as an ingredient!)
Processed Breads and Cakes
Table Sugar
Soda and Other Processed Beverages
Ice Cream
Alcohol
Vegetable Oil

A lot of people have gotten great results from cutting grains and breads out of their diet completely. I’ve personally found that small amounts are okay as long as most of my carbs come from fruits and veggies. You should experiment and see what works for you. It’s also important to follow a plan that is realistic for the long term. People who follow very restrictive diets are less likely to stick with them.

Here’s today’s smoothie recipe. I call this one “Al’s Coconut-Cashew Concoction.”

Al’s Coconut-Cashew Concoction
1 Young Thai Coconut
2 Tablespoons of Cashew Butter
1 Banana
1 Teaspoon of Honey
6 oz. Milk (or use the coconut water)
3-5 Ice Cubes

This recipe will give you approximately 20 oz. of smoothie and 450 calories.

Rants and Raves

  • I was going to comment on alcohol restriction but someone beat me to it. I do know a weekend binge drinking session halts progress a couple of days for me personally, so I don't make a habit with beer. For me, as far as meat and fat I prefer to get my energy from fat instead of carbs and blood sugar. Granted because of my lack of carbs I can't go run a marathon but you would be surprised how far the human body can go with out living on carbs. I should clarify i eat NO processed man made carbs (any man made food with grains), so I do get carbs from veggies just not enough to make my blood sugar go up and down (I do not enjoy the spikes at all). I do believe I could get away with eating some man made food (pasta, bread) but I just feel to good to add it back to my lifestyle. In my opinion your diet is just that, YOURS. It's up to each individual to find out what works and what doesn't. It took me over a year to fine tune mine and it was a very liberating experience.
  • dannykavadlo
    About the alcohol:
    "All things in moderation... EVEN MODERATION." -Mark Twain.
    Some hooch (particularly red wine) is fine. Life is to be enjoyed. That's why we work out and eat well-- to get more enjoyment out of life. Someone who eats well and trains hard won't fuck it up by getting drunk one night a week, the same way a raging alcoholic won't cure his alcoholism by being sober one night a week.
  • Good point. There are no black and white answers to the questions. Like I say in my book, life is 50/50.
  • Hey Aaron - It's important for me to point out that I am not looking to lose weight. I am interested in maintaining my current body composition and I need energy to work out daily and lead a fairly active lifestyle. I need carbs for energy because I am not looking to burn up my minimal fat stores and I definitely don't want to drop muscle. I eat a lot and without fruit (and occasional grains), I wouldn't get enough calories. Besides, fruit and bread (and nuts) are relatively cheap compared to things like beef and fish.
  • Fmte
    Hi Al,
    Another great post! I'm not surprised to see that your approach to nutrition is similar to other aspects of fitness, simple, sensible and practical.
    Couple of questions if I may. You place meat in the moderation category. I eat a good serving of meat at least once a day (chicken, beef, fish etc.) would you consider that to be "moderate"? Also, I find breakfast challenging when trying to avoid processed foods like bread and cereal. I could gladly eat eggs every day but that's probably too much. Can you tell us what you typical have for breakfast? -Fmte
  • Hey Fmte - I put meat in the category that is a bit more than just moderation. I think meat once a day is great. In fact, I often eat meat twice a day!

    When I'm not having eggs for breakfast, I'll usually have fruit, a smoothie or a veggie juice. If I'm in a hurry, I'll grab a Larabar.
  • I'm curious about the nuts/nut butters. I used to eat 1-2 oz. a day (usually almonds or walnuts) but cut back after I was told it should be more like 1-2 oz. a week. Thoughts?
  • Hey Marisa - one to two ounces a week seems way too restrictive for me. I sometimes eat half a jar of almond or cashew butter in a day! I couldn't imagine doing that every day though. I suppose if you had that much every day it might be excessive.

    Nuts are sometimes scrutinized for their high calorie content, but I think the nutritional benefits outweigh the negatives. Besides, you need to get your calories from something and if all you eat is veggies and seeds you wont have enough energy to do a killer workout.
  • Aw c'mon Al, what about red wine? That doesn't get slight approval? I need it!
  • One glass a day is okay with me, Fitz. I actually find it easier to have none than to have one though. Also, that doesn't mean you can save it up all week and drink a whole bottle on Friday night!
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