How to Be Healthy Without Feeling Like You're On A Diet

Being healthy isn't complicated.

All the bullshit, misinformation, and outright lies online makes it complicated.

There's a lot of people with good intentions that are simply incorrect, and many others who are looking to manipulate only to make a buck.

I'm the healthiest person I know, and my knowledge comes from real-world experience & application.

Way too many people BELIEVE they are healthy, when they truly aren't.

I'm still blown away by what's in most people's shopping carts at the grocery store.

And it doesn't matter in the long-run if you eat all organic meals and do your cardio, if your physique and overall sense of well-being doesn't back up the supposed benefits.

You can't be 50 lbs overweight... but OTHERWISE healthy. No, it's unhealthy and it needs to be addressed with something better than a "diet."

You need a lifestyle.

One that promotes health across the board, without feeling like you're following a bunch of "rules."

If you're accustomed to microwave dinners & chips, you need to make better decisions at the grocery store. Don't bullshit yourself. You know what's healthy & what's not. Make better choices.

So, how do you have a healthy lifestyle, without following a diet?

Here's how...

1) Protein

Get this right & I guarantee you you'll start losing body fat, even if you implement nothing else. One of the simplest ways to get lean is to start eating a high-protein diet.

I'm not saying cut out the carbs. I'm simply saying start loading up on the protein.

Your kidneys will be fine... There's a MYTH that protein damages the kidneys, which has been debunked many times. Same goes for creatine.

Eat more meat.

You have my permission to eat whatever meat you want. Just give it a try, and go for it. You'll be satiated quicker, stay full longer, and begin to see changes in your physique with time.

I do not recommend a low-protein diet for any reason, unless your doctor has prescribed one for a VERY SPECIFIC reason. Even some doctors have fallen into the trap of thinking protein is bad. It's not. You can have real-world experience, or "academic knowledge." In reality, a lot of "bro science" bodybuilders have defeated the arguments of scientists, time and time again.

You need to eat more protein.

(And if your doctor has a different opinion... just ask yourself, are THEY healthy? Do they have a trim physique... or are they obese? If they're obese, then how are they even credible?)

2) "Clean Carbs"

I don't know what the hell "clean food" is, because it's all subjective and on a sliding scale.

Are we talking about strictly organic food?

Or are we going all-out vegan?

(Because that is a mistake in the long-run... and please, don't kill the messenger. We can get into veganism another time, but just know that long-term vegans will almost certainly develop nutrient deficiencies. You need to eat meat. Even if you're very selective of which type of meat you eat, just eat meat. It's very difficult to get the proper nutrients without it.)

Back to carbs... You know what's "clean" and what isn't.

You know that fast food French fries are not "clean." And you know simple things like rice and potatoes are "clean."

Opt for the simple things and try to limit most breads and pastas, unless you have good physical results with them.

It's extremely simple to make your carbs taste delicious with a few seasonings or butter. Just don't be the person that always goes for the bag of chips instead of the healthy choice.

3) Fats

Do not fall into the trap of trying to avoid fats.

Fats are good for you.

Did you know that there are both essential proteins and essential fats, but there are NO essential carbs?

You can survive on an all protein and fat diet, but you cannot do so on an all carb diet.

One of the best ways you can cook your protein is in quality butter, and I love to add an avocado to my meals.

And the best part, fats TASTE GOOD. They add a lot of flavor to your meals & makes adherence easier.

I almost never buy "low fat" options at the grocery store, and I can't remember the last time that I did.

4) Drinks

Anything that's no-calories or low-calories.

Just try to limit all the artificial low-calorie drinks, like diets and "zeros" and whatever other chemical concoction these companies come up with.

Your best bet is to drink water, black coffee or tea, and maybe some protein shakes if those are your thing and you need help getting more protein each day. I personally drink mostly water and black coffee, with a Red Bull as a preworkout.

If you can't limit your alcohol to a small glass of wine or a small number of drinks each week, it's better to simply avoid alcohol entirely.

5) Pro-Tips & Mind-Tricks

Over the years, I've learned a lot of different tricks when it comes to your diet & fitness.

Walk daily. Your body is designed to move. Move it. Go for a 30-minute to 1-hour walk each day. Clear your mind, breathe some fresh air, get some sunlight, and try to break a light sweat.

Lift weights at least three times per week. If you want a strong & fit body well into old age, you need to be lifting. This is non-negotiable. Gravity & a sedentary lifestyle will mess you up in the end. Don't let that happen.

If you're having trouble giving up unhealthy food and find yourself having cravings, drink a glass of ICE WATER. It will help fight the cravings.

Breathe through your nose, not your mouth (more on this in a later email).

And visualize vividly in your mind the person you want to become. This is one of the secrets to success.

When you start making better choices, you have a completely different lifestyle.

I know I make my own wrong choices, but when I'm in public, I'm amazed at the choices of the average person.

I don't understand how people can continue to fill up their shopping carts with absolute garbage. There's a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. All the answers to your problems are a few clicks and a few articles and a few weeks of consistent application away.

For those that want it... and I mean TRULY want it... they get it.

Everyone else is left wondering why they never achieved their goals. And it's because they never made a firm decision to do so.

I decided a long time ago to take responsibility for my physique and health, and the results speak for themselves.

Kick some ass this week... and EVERY week,

 

Nick Hagood
Spartan Training & Coaching

 

 

P.S. 10% off personal training expires on November 30. If personal training doesn't make sense for you at the moment, I also do online coaching, and if needed, you can schedule a quick call to go over the basics, here.