This page compiles the nutrition and fitness stuff that I'm doing at any given time. Disclaimer: These are my personal preferences and not advice! This is just a repository of information for my own reference.
Routine
I don't like plain water. Instead I fill a half gallon glass jug with water and add a cup of pure cranberry juice. It helps to wash down vitamins and I try to get through two each day. I think it's important to drink cold water as soon as you're awake before consuming anything else. I also drink coffee mixed with this Collagen and MCT Oil. Collagen supports the structure of your hair, skin, muscles, bones and connective tissues.
I try to eat the equivalent of steak and eggs each morning. We eat a lot of this chicken sausage too. I eat sourdough with butter and honey when I want something extra. SKIP LUNCH! This really helps reduce calories and you will enjoy dinner more.
We have a few reliable dinners that we make for the family. Our top three are probably:
- Tonkatsu – Start with thinly sliced pork cutlet, cover in a mix of flour, salt and pepper, dip in egg wash and roll in seasoned breadcrumbs. Fry in avocado oil with a little butter to brown it. Usually served with shredded cabbage (which is great) but we use rice or sauerkraut. Add Bachan's Hot & Spicy Japanese BBQ Sauce as well.
- Baked Chicken Wings – Start with cut chicken wings. Dry them off thoroughly to ensure they'll be crispy. Gently coat them in a mix of flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Bake on 350° for 40 minutes, flipping once. Finish them under the broiler for a couple minutes to brown them. I often mix Frank's Red Hot with melted butter and toss some of the baked wings in it.
- Burritos – Just brown some ground beef, drain it and add taco seasoning. Grate a block of cheddar (don't use shredded, it contains junk to keep it firm) and cut some avocado. Add a little avocado oil to a hot pan, toss in a tortilla and sprinkle with cheese. Add some meat, avocado, cilantro, and squeeze a lime over it. Remove it and roll it up once the cheese has melted. Tapatio is optional!
We try not to eat after dinner. Popcorn isn't too bad, I just make it in a pan with kernels and avocado oil. We also switched from beer to red wine. Aside from that, just avoid the usual – flax and soy, seed oil, preservatives, etc.
Other favorite food items:
- Fat Crow Three Pepper Hot Sauce
- Good Health Avocado Oil Chips
- Hojicha Yabukita Cultivar Tea
- Outshine Frozen Strawberry Fruit Bars
Exercise
- Lift about three times per week. My favorites:
- Flat bench
- Assisted dips and pull-ups
- Incline T-bar row
- Front squats
- Run a couple times per week – between two and five miles, sprint towards the end.
- Fifteen minutes in the sauna after workouts.
- Cold showers - who has time for ice baths?
- That's it!
Supplements
I take two supplements when I exercise:
- Podium HWPO Dream Pop – This has all the elements that I look for in a pre-workout without too much junk. It was very difficult to find one that didn't overlap with other supplements, contain food coloring, etc. I took JOCKO Pre-Workout when I wanted something without creatine.
- Naked Whey Double Chocolate - Uses real sugar instead of a sweetener. I mix this with whole milk, ice, banana and strawberries in a little blender cup.
I take the following supplements after dinner each day because I want to have a full stomach first. I've intentionally purchased serving sizes that allow me to take one pill of each supplement (although the directions on some bottles may recommend more than that). In alphabetical order:
- BioGaia Gastrus Probiotic – Supports healthy digestion. This strain - Lactobacillus reuteri - is also believed to support testosterone.
- Gaia Herbs Hawthorne Supreme – Lowers blood pressure and the Chinese seem to like it.
- MegaFood Balanced B Complex – I take this brand instead of Solgar because they deliver B12 in the natural form (methylcobalamin) instead of the synthetic form (cyanocobalamin). There's also less biotin, which is a DHT blocker. Bill Wilson, founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, actually spent some of his later years extolling the benefits of B vitamin therapy.
- Pure Encapsulations Vitamin D3 & K2 – Improves mood, prevents dementia, etc. Helps because I don't get as much sun as I'd like. Supposedly you need the K2 because it works in concert with D3.
- Solaray Boron – Does about a million beneficial things!
- Solgar Chelated Magnesium – Aids in muscle recovery and cooperates with zinc, which is why they're often packaged together in "ZMA" supplements. One big pill is still only 25% daily value. "Chelated" just means they're more easily absorbed (higher "bioavailability").
- Solgar Chelated Zinc – Zinc is essential for maintaining testosterone levels.
- Solgar CoQ-10 – An antioxidant that promotes heart health.
- Solgar Garlic Oil Perles – Many magical properties.
- Solgar Glucosamine Chondroitin Complex – Supports joints and cartilage.
- Solgar Korean Ginseng – An "adaptogen" that helps the body stabilize and respond to stress. This is a good one to cycle on and off periodically.
- Solgar Omega-3 Fish Oil – Look for wild caught, cold water fish with heavy metals removed.