Foods to Eat & Avoid

As I shared earlier this year, during the pandemic, I took the time to reset and take a look at my own wellness. I focused on areas such as diet, exercise, sleep, supplements, and social health. I read many books, articles, and listened to podcasts. By following what I've learned I've lost 25 pounds and gained muscle.

Below is a quick and easy summary of my new way of eating based on advice found in three books.

Genius Foods

Eat this:

Oil (Olive, avocado, coconut)

Avocados

Berries

Dark chocolate

Pasture-raised eggs

Chicken

Grass-fed beef

SMASH Fish

Dark leafy greens, broccoli, mushrooms

Almonds

Wheat Belly

Don’t eat this:

Eliminate all wheat, including bread, pasta, cereal, pretzels, doughnuts, flour, etc. You may not eat anything made with wheat, barley, rye, spelt. Stay away from oats and oatmeal as well as granola made with oats and oatmeal (there are alternative granolas). No processed foods. Cut out high-fructose corn syrup, sucrose, sugary foods, rice, potatoes, soda, fruit juice, dried fruit. Avoid trans fats, fried foods, and cured meats. No wheat-brewed beers.

This may sound like a typical gluten-free diet, but don't simply replacing these items with “gluten-free” versions, which often contain cornstarch, rice starch, potato starch, or tapioca starch and will not aid in weight loss. 

Eat a lot of this: 

• Vegetables

• Some fruit (namely berries, apples, oranges), but much less of "sugary fruit" (pineapple, grapes, papaya, mango, banana)

• Raw nuts

• Grass-fed, humanely raised meat and eggs

• Ground flaxseed

Eat some of this: 

• Plain Greek yogurt

• Grass-fed butter (Ghee) and plant-based oil (olive, avocado, coconut)

• Soy in its fermented forms: tofu, tempeh, miso, and natto

• Olives, avocados, pickled vegetables, and raw seeds

• Whole grains, such as quinoa, millet, amaranth, and chia, as well as beans

Fast This Way

Time-restricted eating

• Eat during an eight hour window such as 11 - 7
• Start the day with bulletproof coffee which helps make fasting much easier 

Food: What the Heck Should I Eat

Dr. Mark Hyman’s Pegan Diet (a play on paleo and vegan) guidelines suggest you can have a delicious diet with meals that are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and nutrient-dense. You can skip breakfast, but if you don't one with high protein such as eggs, veggies, and meat is best.

As with each of these books, You don’t count anything. You can eat as much as you want of the foods on the plan, so you are never hungry.