F@#k a Diet
Just so you have some context, between the two of us, we have a grip of dietary restrictions. Colin is lactose intolerant. I’m intolerant of basically everything… gluten, soy, tomatoes, red peppers… the list goes on. And I don’t eat red meat. How do we keep it interesting in the kitchen?
And how do we keep it healthy, keep ourselves comfortable, and still enjoy our meals out + with friends?
Well, after a ton of trial + error, we’ve boiled it down to a few easy-to-follow principles.
The Guidebook
Don’t drink your calories. Soda, milkshakes, coffee loaded up with cream and a bunch of shitty-sugar. Booze that turns into sugar that turns into fat. Stop it. Americans can drink up to 1500+ extra calories per day. Stop it. Order water with some lemon + lime. If you want to splurge, do it 1 time per week. Knock it off.
Communicate your allergies. The worst feeling EVER is hosting a dinner party, having a friend show up to the party, unable to eat anything because you prepared something off-diet. There is no need to be embarrassed, ashamed, or feel like you’re a burden due to your dietary restrictions — and, in fact, you’re doing the host a favor. We love serving our friends + family, as do most hosts. Tell them what your restrictions are so they can plan ahead of time to accommodate you.
Do some research. Look at the menu BEFORE you get to the restaurant or call ahead to confirm that the chef is ok making adjustments to dishes. Some chef’s are pretentious and won’t make any changes for you, in which case, don’t go to the restaurant. If you have to go to the restaurant, grab a bite before and just order a cocktail, tea, or a mocktail.
Keep your promises to yourself. You’re not on a restrictive diet; you’re keeping your promises to yourself. The biggest mistake that people make when they’re trying to stick to a food routine is announcing that they’re on a diet and feeling restricted while everyone else is indulging. So, instead of staring at the piping hot, fresh, loaf of sourdough bread and the heaping amounts of full-fat butter that everyone at the table, except you, is smearing all over their carbs, flip the script. Discipline equals freedom, and you want to be free of something, right? That’s why you started this. I.e free from feeling like shit; free from excess weight; free from hormonal imbalances; free from diabetes; free from heart disease; etc. Discipline also breeds self-confidence. Every time you keep a promise that you made to yourself, your confidence boosts and your self worth increases. Overtime, you’ll be addicted to how phenomenal you feel, instead of feeling like a slave to impulses and cravings. Keep your promises to yourself.
Hold, please! Hold the bread. Hold the chips. You’re out at a meal with friends and the wait staff brings over a basket of bread/chips to snack on before you even order drinks. This is the #1 way to miss out on some incredible food and overeat. You’re there to enjoy your meal… not get rolled out of the restaurant like Violet from Willy Wonka because you had too many dinner rolls before your fabulous entrees and apps. There is no need to fill up on empty calories before you’ve even had a sip of your rosé. If you’re starving, ask for veggies + guac instead of chips or a bowl of veggies/fruit instead of bread.
Veggies over everything. Not sure what to get? Go green. Salad w/ salmon/fish or chicken. Grilled veggies w/ protein. It’s a winning formula. And, just say no to cheese… for the love of god, stop eating cheese.
No dressing. Ever. Salad dressings are laced with sugar, carcinogenic oils, and other bullshit that makes us wildly ill. Sometimes they add up to 500 calories to what you thought was a super healthy meal. Ask your wait staff for olive oil, lemons or lime, salt, and pepper.
BYOS. Bring your own snacks. Road trips, airports, airplanes, friends houses, traffic… you’re going to get hungry in places that are inconvenient for healthy eats. Find some easy-to-carry bars, nuts, seeds, fruit, etc so you don’t starve while you’re out and about, but also don’t reach for shit food. I know the McDonald’s breakfast sandwich smells great, but it’s going to rot in your stomach, clog your arteries, and give you brain fog all day. Plan ahead. Our favorite snack pack is a GoMacro Bar, an Apple, and Carrots.
Hey, if you want to get tits deep in a pile of pizza and brownies, go for it. Just don’t call it a cheat meal. It’s just a meal. Stop labeling food as if it has any grip on you. It doesn’t. Food is fuel. Food is there for enjoyment. Some days, you just want to eat like a super-human-garbage-disposal, so don’t deprive yourself — but doing it sparingly. Live your life, and get back on the wagon for your next meal.
xoS+C