I added this tab to my website because I get the most questions and comments about diets and eating than anything else (by far). First off I’m not a certified nutritionist, a doctor, or some type of self pro-claimed food expert. Nor do I need to be to get this mostly right and neither do you for that matter. What I am is just a very well traveled (well traveled sounds better than old) jarhead that has seen, heard about, read about and tried just about every type of food and diet you can think of. I know how important eating the right food is to keep you healthy, performing well and help keep your weight right. I also (just like you) love to eat, I love good food and lots of it. So taste and variety are important factors to consider here also. You could stay pretty healthy by just eating plain oatmeal, non-fat dairy, broiled chicken and fish, plain steamed vegetables and raw fruit. Now while I like and eat all those items it would be too freakin boring to just eat that stuff meal after meal. So like in everything to do with staying in shape you have to have some balance and use some common sense.
So start by getting your thought process right; Eating for long term high performance requires really just three things; high quality, basic and just enough. Nothing more, and nothing less. IMO this one of biggest problems that people have in trying to eat right. They feel that they must follow some new, high tech eating plan to be healthy, perform well and keep their weight in check. They mistrust, and don’t follow the tried and true basic guidelines. Its crazy, the human body hasn’t changed in thousands of years but some new diet that just came out last week is the only way to eat? Please, I don’t buy it and you shouldn’t either.
6 meals a day, 1 meal a day, meals in a box, liquid shake diets, no meat, no carb, no sugar, no diary, no wheat, no nothing. All these are 99% no common-sense, and won’t work, not long term and if it’s only good for a short term fix, why bother? In my book I outline a simple, healthy and easy to follow eating plan. It has been followed with great results by many people trying to lose weight, perform well and stay healthy. I have yet to have a single person contact me that my eating plan hasn’t worked for them and some have had dramatic results with weight loss. Any eating plan that takes over your life (same goes for your workout plan) sooner or later will fail, period. It has to work for you, not the other way around. My plan works for people who don’t have the time and money for any bull shit. They have to work, take care of their families, eat while traveling. Working people deserve a way to say in shape and be healthy as much as anyone who can afford private chefs, special foods or complicated eating plans. Most don’t work anyway, I have seen plenty of fat rich people, who are supposed to be on some kind of special diet. Sorry, I don’t feel sorry for people who should know better and have more money than brains.
Second I don’t believe in food “supplements”, not that I haven’t tried some. I have tried probably just about everything short of steroids. As I explain in my book I simply feel they are a waste of time and money for 99.9% of the people in the world. Most of it goes right down your toilet. I believe in real food, high quality, nutritious and simple. Good food you can get almost anywhere and doesn’t cost half your paycheck. Yes I do take and recommend a multivitamin or a multipack (I take GNC 50+ pan nowadays) just as preventive insurance that I get everything I need everyday, but thats it. If it was up to me almost all the other supplements, diet pills, powders and special diet foods would be out of business, sorry.
Third as with the “Good Gear” section I’m not trying to sell you anything. I don’t get any money from anyone for the food I recommend. Wish I did, LOL. The fact is I only recommend gear and food that I use/eat myself, and I wouldn’t take money for something I didn’t believe in or eat myself in any case. The food I recommend here, I THINK is some High Speed grub. It will keep you going strong, tastes good (I think so) is not really expensive, or in most cases, even hard to find. But everybody has different tastes and tolerances so you may not agree with me on all this and in the end you have to figure out what works best for you. As you’ll notice I always include a pic of the specific name brand I use, not just a generic title. I do this because not all types of any certain food are the same and maybe in your part of the world you may not be able to get the exact brand I recommend. But for the most part these foods are available all over. Lastly if you have some favorite “High speed chow” that works well for you, send me a message about it at my contact email so I can give it a try. Thanks and remember the more you PT the more you can eat. Works for me.
Semper Fi
MGunz
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Organic Raw Manuka Honey
This is something new that my wife got me to try recently. I never liked honey that much, as I never really liked the taste. But this stuff is different. It has kinda a somewhat of a “sour” taste, that is hard to describe and not too sweet tasting. My wife doesn’t like it, but I love it. It goes great on toast with peanut butter and is really good with hot tea. It tastes good on fruit too. Too good in fact as I could probably eat a whole jar on fresh strawberries, sliced bananas, or peaches, etc. To me the taste is addictive as hell. Besides the taste its been used with great success on burns and all types of skin infections. Now I won’t comment on all that as I never have used it for that purpose, but if your interested you can look on line to get all the gouge on that aspect. I just like the taste and the fact that it’s a healthy natural food product. I will say its pretty expensive, I think we paid 15$ for this 12oz bottle at Whole Foods and it goes a pretty long way if you don’t go crazy with it. There are different brands out there (this is the only one I’ve tried) and I’m sure you can find a deal if you look around and maybe buy in bulk. I don’t use that much to sweat the price myself. Give it a try you might hate it like my wife, or love it like me.
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Progresso Soup
When the weather cools off I start getting a craving for good soup. Now while nothing beats homemade soup it’s not something that can be done quick and easy. When I lived in New Orleans I use to get awesome fresh soup made at the Whole Foods Market there. If you live near a Whole Foods you know what I’m talking about, their homemade soups are great. However for everyday use I like Progresso soups. Yes, its canned soup, so what are you the Soup Nazi? Its good nutritious food that also comes in “light” (low calorie. low fat), high fiber and reduced sodium versions. Even the non light versions (most of them) are pretty low in calories. A few of the “creamy” style are pretty high in fat and calories, not hard to guess which ones. Just read the label. I like the minestrone as I once read that Rocky Marciano used to eat Minestrone soup everyday when he was training. Its good stuff and with some crackers and a piece of fruit a great easy to do lunch. There is also a portable version that comes in its own microwave ready container/bowl. Grab it and go, even easier for workdays. Perfect for a lazy ass like me, I hate to make a lunch. Try it I’m sure they have at least one flavor you like.
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Naked Juices
In my book I recommend that for the most part you avoid juice and especially sweetened juice like “drinks”.
These are mostly just empty sugar calories. You should just eat the fruit instead of the fruit juice. Better choice all around. However in certain cases juice has its advantages. For one it’s a quick way to get in a pre PT energy boost. Especially if you plan to PT hard within an hour or less. I hate to workout with anything on my stomach, especially first thing in the morning. I have read all the BS from the experts about you should eat as soon as you wake and all that, but it just doesn’t work for me. I have PTed at 0 dark thirty for 30 years and 99.9% on an empty stomach (just maybe some black coffee) with no issue. However lately as I have amped up my PT I have felt as though I need a little something extra before I head out. Juice and specifically the juices made by Naked fit the bill. They are all juice, no sugar or any other crap. They have lots of natural vitamins and other nutrients also. I like how many of them have vegetable as well as fruit juices in them. They come in a bunch of flavors. I like the Green Machine and Acai Machine best. They also have a high protein version. I have found this to be a good meal substitute while traveling. As most airport food is greasy (expensive) crap. Now these juices have a lot of calories. I always limit myself to half a bottle at one sitting
(8 oz) Thats still around 130-160 calories, even more for the protein drink. I find these digest very quickly and I can drink one and run immediately after. Good stuff, but don’t go crazy. Foods like this are very concentrated fuel to help you PT or work. Not something you reach for when your bored or just thirsty. I also like it after I PT. I often do 1/2 before, and the other 1/2 after PT. Check out their website for more info at
http://www.nakedjuice.com/#Homepage
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Muscle Milk Oats
This is high powered chow, its really just some regular rolled oats with some whey protein and flavor added. It makes a great “On-the-Go” breakfast. High in protein and low in fat. 300 calories, 34 grams of carbs and 30 of protein. Low in sugar also. Very easy to make, just add boiling water and stir. It does have a different taste, which I think is from the whey protein. I have seen several reviews that people hate the taste. I like it myself, but I’ve been known to eat anything. LOL. So you’ll have to try it yourself. It does come in a couple of different flavors. I really only like the Maple & Brown sugar. If you add some berries or banana it’s a full meal. As it comes in its own dish its very convenient to travel with. Just be careful that you don’t puncture the top cover. The fine whey powder goes everywhere. When I travel with it I put it in a zip lock bag as I am a messy ass anyhow. The best place to get this is on line. I have seen it in various health food stores and its always cheaper on line. Especially if you buy in bulk. And before some smart ass says it, I don’t consider this a supplement. Yes it has added protein but this is a real food that just has been amped up. So get over it and try it.
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Diana’s Banana Babies
These things are addictive! A small frozen banana covered in a light coat of dark chocolate.
Since it’s been as hot as “donut grease” here this summer, I have had the craving for something cold as a treat. These frozen bananas along with the fruit bars below are as about as good as it gets. These are only 130 calories with just a little fat. Not fat free I will admit, but compared to a ice cream cone of regular ice cream they are a much better choice. Its just the right size and has some nutrition to boot from the banana. They do have a milk chocolate version also that has almost the exact same nutritional breakdown, but I like the dark chocolate better. This is a great snack that has more of an ice cream texture than a juice bar. These are always in my freezer, that is until my two sons see them.
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Dreyers’s (Edy’s) Frozen Fruit Bars (antioxidant)
As you could probably guess I love to PT outside, in the heat, cold, humidity, in the dirt, what ever. Now when its super hot and humid (like today), there is nothing like a popsicle right after, to help you recover and cool down. Plus it takes me back to my days when I was a wild ass little monster running around in the summer heat like an escaped mental patient. Me and my friends would buy 2-3 popsicles each after a hard session of sports, bike riding or climbing trees, etc. We could easily eat all of them before they melted. Well, we all know that old school popsicles are really just about nothing but frozen sugar and colored water. Tastes great but not much on nutrition. Dreyers (Edy’s) has come out with some adult versions of the classic popsicle. These are fruit juice based, and are loaded with Vitamin C and antioxidants. Yes, they have some sugar, get over it, the Acai Blueberry version (my favorite) have a whopping 60 calories! Hard to beat after some hard, hot PT. I ate 2 today, they were great and after the workout my old ass did this morning I deserved them both. A great snack and come in a bunch of different flavors. I high recommend them and I think that any kid would also.
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McIntosh Apples
At first this may seem kinda dumb, as any sane person knows that a fresh apple is a great natural, nutritious food. However I post this as many people don’t know about McIntosh Apples. They are very popular up north and are the #1 apple you go for when you go apple picking in the cool fall weather. IMO there is no other apple variety that tastes as good as a fresh crisp Mac apple. Not just by itself, but in a pie or in applesauce, etc. It used to be you could only get these in the fall but with today’s modern shipping you can get them almost year round, but the best ones are still around Sept, Oct. The point is to eat more apples and I think you will if you get hooked on McIntosh like I’ve been since I was 5 years old. I find myself looking for them whenever I go to the store. The only problem is that you could become become some what of an Apple snob. As after you’ve had that perfect Mac, you may turn your nose up at other types. It happens. They also go great with the peanut butter listed below.
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Naturally More Peanut Butter
I love peanut butter, always have. Yes, it has a lot of calories per serving. No kidding, it’s a concentrated food that is packed with nutrition. I have tried all the major brands, and ate plenty of the government issue MRE version. Having said that I have recently found this new Naturally More brand. It has more protein, more fiber, less sugar (carbs), No Trans fats and has Omega-3 with Fax seed. I also think that it tastes better than any other brand and you can find it at almost any store. I’m hooked on it. If I have to conquer a new planet, this is one of the foods I will be sure to pack for the det.
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Smucker’s Orchard’s Finest Triple Berry Perserves
If you read my book (if you haven’t you should) you’ll know that I recommend PBJ as a great pre-workout, or pick me up when your working hard. What not high tech enough for you? Too simple? Well if you do the breakdown of a PBJ sandwich made with the Naturally More peanut butter above, this jam on whole wheat bread, It’s better than most “High Tech” energy bars, tastes better and far cheaper. When I was running triathlons I ate plenty of PBJ sandwiches during the race. You freeze them and then they thaw out by the time you get ready to eat them. You can do the same thing when your traveling. They are especially great after 15 secs in a microwave. A great nutritious snack. Yes then can get squashed, no biggie. I hate the sugar free“fruit spreads” they taste like paste. Sorry but I have to have the full power stuff when I’m eating jam or preserves. I have tried about a hundred different brands and types over the years and have recently found this Smucker’s “Orchard Finest” brand. There are a few different flavors but IMO this “Triple Berry” is the best, the Cherry is good also. I am hooked on it. Which most likely means they will stop making it soon. LOL. If you like good jam you love this stuff.
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Pepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Raisin Bread
I realize that this isn’t the greatest pic in the world, but should be able to tell what I’m talking about here.. This is one of my favorite snacks. Its low in calories and is pretty decent in its nutritional breakdown. Yes, you can get more fiber, protein, etc. with some other breads, but remember what I said about balance. This stuff tastes great, and is good for you. Some other high speed “organic” breads taste like cardboard, are expensive and seem to go stale overnight. Two slices of this with some of the Naturally More peanut butter and a glass of non fat milk makes a great nutritious snack. I keep mine in the freezer as it keeps longer, and I like it cold. Great stuff.
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Kashi Go Lean Cereal
IMO this is simply the best cold cereal out there. It has absolutely the best nutritional breakdown of any cereal I have ever seen (compare the label with any other cereal out there, I have), it tastes pretty good and you can get it in any supermarket. Now it’s not real sweet (which I like) but it’s not completely bland like plain shredded wheat either. I personally like the taste and if you put some fruit in it, its gtg. This is an adult cereal. Like I say in my book; I don’t eat cereal that has a cartoon on the box. I try to eat this everyday.
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Oikos Greek Yogurt
Most people who watch what they eat already eat yogurt, I have for many years. It’s a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth in a healthy way. However many popular brands of yogurt are loaded with sugar, and other chemicals (preservatives). In my book this brand; Oikos is about as good as it gets. It’s really an almost perfect food. Simple all natural ingredients, non-fat, low in calories, high in protein and tastes great. It has a tangy fresh dairy flavor. Not the “pudding” taste/texture of some other yogurts. The plain flavor tastes a lot like sour cream and it makes a good topping on potatoes and in place of sour cream in dips. It comes in a bunch of different flavors and you can get it everywhere. I’m sold on it and eat it everyday. High speed chow!
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McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal
This is some serious high octane fuel for your body. This is great for eating prior to a workout, but it is really good before a long run, bike ride, or hike. If you’ve never had Steel Cut Oatmeal, you need to try it. Steel cut oatmeal doesn’t have the same taste or texture as regular oatmeal. It’s more nutty and I think tastes better. It does take about a 1/2 hour to cook it right, though their website has a couple of different ways to shorten that time a little. Mix it with some banana, nuts, raisins, what ever. To be honest this not something I eat ever day as it isn’t that easy, or quick to cook, but on weekends when I have the time before a workout it’s gtg. I have tried the instant version but it isn’t the same to me. It’s about all complex carbs, no fat and high in fiber. A big bowl of this and you won’t be hungry for a long time. Great to take backpacking also. I highly recommend it.
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Wyman’s Frozen Wild Blueberries
These are my number one topping for cereal, oatmeal or in pancakes and bran muffins. Wild blueberries are smaller and sweeter than regular blueberries and don’t have the mushy texture that regular blueberries get when they are frozen. The nutritional value of wild blueberries is well known, they are especially high in antioxidants. They also keep well in your freezer, as they come in a resealable bag. I buy these two bags at a time and eat them everyday. Put some on cereal right out of the freezer, the frozen berries keeps the milk ice cold. They are also great in Greek yogurt, but you need to thaw them a little first, or they will freeze your yogurt into a lump. Great stuff.
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Egg-land’s Best Organic eggs.
If you’ve ever been in a big chicken house where chickens are stuffed into tiny cages as they lay eggs 24/7, you’ll know why “Cage-free” eggs are the better way to go. The chickens that these eggs come from eat a special organic vegetarian feed. This makes the eggs healthier by lowering the fat content and increasing their nutritional value. Plus I think they taste better. You don’t need to eat 1/2 a dozen every day, but eggs should be part of your diet. They are a high quality source of protein and nutrition. One of these eggs, hardboiled makes a great high powered snack. If you like eggs these are the way to go.
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Emerald Natural almonds, snack pac.
Raw almonds are a great nutritious snack. Especially for something that you can grab on the go, or when traveling. The issue I always have with things like nuts, trail mix, dried fruit, etc. is that its hard to stop at just a handful. By using these handy 100 calorie packets your forced to stop eating were you should. Its a great convenient snack to carry in your bag or pocket. Another great item for hiking.
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Lactaid Non-Fat Calcium Fortifed Milk.
One of the biggest things lacking in the typical American diet is Calcium. The fact is you need to eat fair amount of Dairy products to get the daily recommended amount. Drinking low-fat milk is a great way to do this. However like myself many adults are Lactose intolerant. If I drink a glass of regular milk I will drive you out of the house, if you know what I mean. LOL. It kills my stomach. This is a very common aliment and because of it I didn’t drink milk for years, I always took a calcium tablet. As I got older and moved away from supplements all together, I started drinking Lactaid, and then the Calcium fortified version when it came out. Now it does taste a little different than regular milk, but not in a bad way. I actually like the taste, especially when its very cold. The main thing is that it doesn’t bother my stomach in the least and it is a great nutritious food, high in protein and non fat. 2 glasses provide me with all the calcium I need for the day. Now some of you may break my balls about this as I am always running my pie hole about not taking supplements and this milk has a calcium supplement blended in it. Well kinda true, but the difference is that this a real food not just a pill. With this I get the benefit of some extra added calcium and all the other good things that milk has to offer. So I don’t think that it’s a contradiction at all. If you can handle regular milk just drink regular non fat milk. Its great stuff.
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Chiquita Banana
Like an apple everyone knows that bananas are a great all natural food. However I add this to point out that IMO Chiquita are the best. I don’t know why, but they seem to have better flavor and texture than any other brand. In fact I won’t buy any other brand if I can help it. I eat one just about everyday. A great fruit for lunch and travel (if you don’t squash it). Now the thing about bananas is that they have a very short period when they are at their best. A day or two at the most. They seem to go from raw to rotten very quickly. What I do is as soon as I taste one that is getting too ripe I peel the rest and freeze them. Then I eat them like an ice cream bar later. or use them in pancakes, muffins, etc. A great food that you should always have around.