Pleasure is definitely a part of my diet, and I regularly eat delicious whole foods. But my main priority is to eat in a way that nourishes and protects my body and the planet. Everyone鈥檚 dietary needs are different, and it has taken me decades to develop nutritional habits that work for me. Here鈥檚 what I eat and drink in a typical day.
Breakfast
I wake up early and start my day by turning my coffee into a meal. I鈥檒l pull three or four shots of dark-roast espresso and add one scoop of my custom-blend coconut-milk creamer, one scoop of turmeric creamer, a teaspoon of ghee or raw butter, a half-teaspoon of fair-trade red palm oil, a teaspoon of raw coconut, and a mushroom blend that includes shiitake, maitake, lion鈥檚 mane, and cordyceps. I emulsify the combination until it鈥檚 smooth and drink it before I head out to my morning surf or training session.
There are enough calories鈥攁bout 200鈥攖o hold me over until lunch. Plus, it tastes great.
Lunch
Midday I usually eat enough for two, because I haven鈥檛 had solid food since the evening before. I build my lunch around a serving of high-quality animal protein, like sustainable local fish or chicken. I鈥檒l eat it on a bed of lettuce, cabbage, or kale, topped with avocado or crushed macadamia nuts and dressed with olive oil and vinegar. If it鈥檚 available, I鈥檒l add raw-milk cheese to the salad. I try to get my carbs mostly from vegetables. When I鈥檓 in Hawaii, I鈥檒l indulge in mashed purple sweet potatoes with coconut milk. While traveling, I do my best to enjoy what鈥檚 seasonal or indigenous to that particular location.
Dinner
I always eat dinner with my wife, Gabrielle, and on most nights we have a smoked or roasted meat like lamb with a lot of veggies. My favorites are broccoli and brussels sprouts drizzled in olive oil, or cabbage and butternut squash tossed with coconut oil. You want to have diversity in your diet. Too much red meat can leave me feeling sluggish, and sometimes my body will clue me in to the fact that I need to take a break from animal protein and go big with the greens. A classic meat-free meal is a one-pot slow-cooked stew with plenty of seasonal veggies, served over quinoa. We keep it simple but pump up the flavor with turmeric, curry, or ginger.
Fluids
Drinking enough water helps me in every way: performance, recovery, flexibility, even sleep. I pay close attention to my body, because my hydration needs vary depending on my diet, my activities, and the climate. For instance, if I do a recovery session in the sauna, I make sure to hydrate with coconut or mineral water to replenish my nutrients.
Snacks
I鈥檓 not much of a snacker, but I will grab a handful of nuts if I get hungry between meals. I seldom eat dessert and find I don鈥檛 miss it unless I just didn鈥檛 get enough calories or good fat that day. The less sugar I eat, the less I crave it. The same goes for alcohol鈥擨 used to be a big wine drinker but gave it up for San Pellegrino almost 12 years ago. If you鈥檙e going to cut something out of your diet, it鈥檚 helpful to find a substitute so kicking the habit is manageable.
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