To give you an idea of the Wise Eats diet plan in practice, let me run you through a typical day for me as it relates to diet.
PRE-BREAKFAST
When I first wake up, the first thing I do is get hydrated. You can see exactly how I do this in my recipe video, “Always Workin’ Water”, available at Wise-Eats.com/water. Usually, I’ll follow hydration with black coffee, sometimes with MCT oil, and a fasted walk, core workout, stretch, or foam rolling. I’m a huge fan of coffee so go check out Wise-Eats.com/Coffee to see my favorite blends. Four Sigmatic sponsor!!
BREAKFAST
My first meal of the day is usually scrambled eggs with some sort of vegetable, potato or rice, and spices. If I skip on the egg scramble, I’ll do a salad, smoothie or the power oatmeal. Whatever the meal is, I always plan it ahead of time, especially if I know I’ll be on the go. That’s why food prep is so important. If you don’t give yourself healthy meals to choose from, you’ll end up in a situation where your starved with nothing on hand, forcing you into poor dietary choices. And that won’t be anyone else’s fault but your own. So, take control and be accountable.
LUNCH/DINNER
Lunch and dinners are pretty interchangeable. For me, it’s typically a salad made with spinach or kale mixed with a lean protein like chicken, sardines, or salmon. Our other favorite proteins are grass fed steak, wild caught fish, and ground turkey. Then, I add some combination of spices, peppers, beans, cucumber, pickles, olives, dried cranberries, shredded almonds, pumpkin seeds, tomato, feta cheese, onion, and hemp seed. For dressing, I’ll use extra virgin olive oil, liquid aminos, balsamic vinegar, salsa, or even pasta sauce. Sometimes, I’ll throw on some fresh fruit like apple or blueberry and don’t use dressing at all. Salads are terrific because you can rotate ingredients to enjoy a variety of flavors, while getting the benefit of many different nutrient profiles and all major dietary needs in one meal. I used to think of salad as just a pile of iceberg lettuce with some chicken, shredded cheddar cheese, some crotons, maaaaaybe a cucumber slice, and a pile of ranch dressing. Well, those days are long gone. Salads are your one-way ticket to better health if you make them a staple in your diet and get creative with the ingredients. Aside from salad, we’ll do some type of stir fry or ground turkey chili, and for a side we’ll have baked potato, quinoa or rice. To get an idea of these meals in action, go to Wise-Eats.com/Recipes and you’ll find a complete list of recipes broken down by category.
DESSERT
I have a bunch of recipes over on the website, like Banana Bread, Coconut Oil Chocolates, the Muscle Milkshake, and many others that are all made with wholesome ingredients. Just remember that it’s still dessert at the end of the day and should be enjoyed in moderation. That said, I have dessert pretty much every single day. Usually, it’s chocolate protein pudding, a bowl of Greek yogurt, or a protein shake. Sometimes it’s as simple as some apple with almond butter or some frozen fruit. I always switch it up depending on where my calorie count is for the day, and usually aim for something high in protein. So, dessert is my last meal of the day, and that’s what a typical diet day looks like for me. Hopefully, that gives you some ideas on ways you can make some changes to your own diet. I’m by no means perfect, and try to get better every day. The bottom line is that the more ways you can get whole foods in their most natural states and from good sources, the better you’re going to feel, and the healthier you’re going to be.
7 QUICK DIET TIPS
DON’T OVERHAUL YOUR DIET. Add one thing in or take one thing out. Pop, fast food. Add in veggies, drink more water. Keep it simple at first. Don’t have to change everything at once, just gotta start somewhere.
STAY HYDRATED. Most overeating comes when you’re dehydrated or bored. Keep drinking water and stay active. Go for walks between meals and don’t hang around the kitchen.
COUNT CALORIES/KEEP A DIET JOURNAL. Can’t recommend this enough. If I were to train any one person today that would be the first thing I would tell them to do. How can you know where you’re going if you don’t even know where you are currently?
AVOID BUYING FOODS YOU TEND TO OVEREAT. Peanut butter, dates, popcorn, other snacks. Even greek yogurt!
VISUALIZE YOUR FITNESS GOALS. Is this food going to bring to closer to or further away?
FIND SOME CONSISTENCY. With diet you have to find consistency somewhere in your life. My diet is pretty clean most days of the week. It can’t be a little bit of this today and a little bit of that tomorrow. You need to have a period of time when you’re only eating real food, otherwise you’ll never achieve any sort of consistency with your diet.
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET STARTED. It took me until age 25 to finally wise up and get serious about my health. My Dad was stricken with diabetes and had a leg amputated before he decided to quit drinking, quit smoking, and start eating healthy. At age 55, he lost 60lbs and cured his diabetes. Work with another guy near retirement age who’s just now starting to work out and get in shape. Riding his bike, lifting light weights, and taking charge of his health. Change is possible no matter what your age, weight, or fitness level. Sooner or later, your health is going to become your #1 priority, so why not start today before it’s too late?
For a deeper dive into healthy diet philosophy, check out the Wise Eats Diet Plan.
Submit questions, comments, feedback to WiseEatsPodcast@gmail.com. Thanks for watching, listening, reviewing, liking, subscribing, and sharing. Be good to yourself, be good to others, and make wise choices!
In this article, we’re diving deep into diet philosophy and exactly the types of foods you should be eating to lose body fat, build lean muscle, and optimize your life. This is Part 1 of the Wise Eats Diet Plan. Among the topics discussed:
The Wise Eats Diet Philosophy
My Personal Diet History & Relationship with Food
The Foods We ALL Should Be Eating & Avoiding
Best Sources of Carbohydrates
Grocery Shopping Tips & Tricks
Importance of Hydration
Macros: The Best Sources of Proteins, Fats, and Carbs
What’s up wise guys and gals? Today, we’re diving deep into diet philosophy and exactly the types of foods you should be eating to lose body fat, build lean muscle, and optimize your life. This is an important topic to me because there’s so much confusion these days. So many diets to follow and so many workout regimens to choose from. So many greedy corporations trying to sell garbage and lies and personal agendas instead of educating people about what actually works. But I’m hoping to change all of that with Wise Eats. We’re bringing it back to basics – telling you the tactics that will truly help you become the very best version of yourself. We’re all different with varying nutritional needs, beliefs, and goals, but no matter what YOUR diet philosophy is, there are some simple truths that apply to all humans in general, and that’s what I want to get into with today’s episode. We’re not talking shortcuts or quick fixes here. No pills, no potions, no macro restrictions, just what works coming from someone who has overcome some of the worst diet habits imaginable.
Before we dive in, head over to WiseChoiceNation.com and subscribe to my free newsletter, if you haven’t done so already. When you do, you’ll immediately receive a welcome e-mail containing the full list of Wise Eats Approved Foods, Drinks, and Supplements. Building your diet based on these real foods will help you lose weight, build muscle, increase energy, fight depression, prevent disease, and feel amazing. So, get over to WiseChoicenation.com right now, sign up for free, and get that list of approved foods delivered instantly.
THE WISE EATS DIET PHILOSOPHY
Now, the idea behind the Wise Eats Diet Plan is a real simple philosophy that you may have heard before and that is to EAT REAL FOOD. We eat for optimization, plain and simple. No soda, no processed foods, no junk food, take out, or added sugar. Of course, we all have these things from time to time, myself included, but as a general rule, you want to be consuming foods from whole sources, because the nutrients you fuel your body with make up your physical appearance, attitude, mental clarity, energy levels, creativity, mindfulness, and so much more. Literally your entire existence is defined by the things you put into your body. When you put in nothing but junk, that’s what you’re going to get back out. Tired, sick, depressed, and worst of all, imprisoned both mentally and physically from lifestyle-related choices.
WHAT IS REAL FOOD?
So, what exactly is real food? It’s things that come from the Earth, not a science lab. Things that were alive at one time. Fresh fruits, vegetables, free range chicken, grass-fed beef, wild caught fish, nuts, seeds, and grains. We want foods that are raw, organic, and as close to their natural source as possible. Farm fresh and locally sourced. That’s real food. Potato chips, cookies, cheez-its, and monster energy drinks are not real food; they’re poison. They’re scientifically engineered, modified in a lab, then loaded with chemicals, additives, preservatives and fillers. They’re marketed to generate profits but provide no real value or life force to your body. Now, this may seem like common knowledge to you, but it wasn’t always obvious to me.
MY DIET HISTORY & JUNK FOOD ADDICTION
Back in my mid-twenties, I didn’t understand what real food was. I’m sure I had a general sense of what was good and bad for me, I just didn’t pay it much attention. Back then, buy-one-get-one free whoppers from Burger King were life. I would buy entire large pizzas for myself, usually 2 at a time, spread over breakfast lunch and dinner. My most prized kitchen utensil back then was my fry daddy. French fries, mozzarella sticks, fried mushrooms, chicken nuggets, and bosco sticks were all I knew. My life was a constant cycle of junk food. At 270lbs and miserable, I stumbled across a fitness article very similar to the podcast episode I’m recording today. It told me to ditch the junk food and processed food if I wanted to change my body. Imagine that. I wasn’t going to get into great shape eating McDonalds and Taco Bell all the time? Get out of town! Call me naïve, ignorant, or just plain dumb. I simply didn’t realize the impact my diet was having in all areas of my life. Now, I understand proper nutrition, and hope this message can impact someone else who may be in the same spot I was.
FOODS TO FOCUS ON
So, what kinds of real food do we want to consume? Starting with the most important, it’s vegetables in all forms, especially green leafy ones. There are literally an endless amount of benefits for eating green vegetables, like fat loss and disease prevention, but they basically turbo charge your existence. For most of my life, I rarely ate vegetables outside of an iceberg lettuce salad. Today, I have smoothies, salads and stir fries made with all kinds of greens like kale, spinach, and broccoli. Any way I can think of to add vegetables to my diet, I do it, and the health benefits are dramatic! Just try a google search on any way to improve your health and fitness, whether it be getting better sleep, preventing cancer, fighting disease, becoming stronger, or feeling energized, and eating vegetables is going to be very high on the list of ways to accomplish these things. It simply helps with so many different areas of life. It took a long time for me to get used to it, but now I have them with nearly every single meal and can’t live without them. I know if my junk-food addicted self can grow to love vegetables, ANYONE can.
FAVORITE CARBS
My favorite carb sources other than vegetables include oat bran, quinoa, white jasmine rice, sweet potato, and fresh or dried fruit. One of my favorite easy carb recipes is the Slammin’ Sweet Potato which you can find at Wise-Eats.com/SweetPotato – Baked in coconut oil with cinnamon – the perfect complement for a lights out delicious meal!
FOODS TO AVOID
Now, I talked a little bit about the things you should be eating, but how about some of the things you should NOT be eating? For starters, eliminate fast foods, completely. No Taco Bell, Burger King or McDonald’s. I can already hear the 2009 version of myself cringing at the thought of eliminating fast food. But, it happened. I went from having fast food pretty much every day for most of my life to barely touching the stuff. These days, it doesn’t even register to me as food. Of course, the idea of fast food sounds pretty good when I REALLY think about it, but then I just have my normal, delicious, healthy food that I prepared ahead of time and forget all about it. It’s simply not worth it to poison myself when I know the negative effects it will have on my mood, energy levels, and focus. Of course, I do eat out from time to time or for special occasions, but almost never fast food, it really is the worst of the worst. It’s usually some combination of refined flour, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor and colors, trans fats, salt, genetically modified toxins, petroleum products, cow feces, and antibiotics. Your body doesn’t even recognize these foods as fuel, so instead of digesting them, it stores them away as excess body fat. I cringe when I think that I’ve lived more than 2/3 of my life eating these types of foods on a regular basis. These days, my cheat meals consist of home cooked food or a dinner out with my wife, where I’ll fully enjoy myself for one meal then get right back to normal eating afterward.
PROCESSED FOOD
Another poison disguised as food that you should avoid as much as possible is processed food. Chips, cookies, cakes, and snack foods are off limits. If you are buying something packaged, check ingredient lists and avoid chemicals you don’t understand. If it has some type of health claim like low calorie or low fat or low sugar on the package, don’t trust the marketing. Read nutrition fact labels and choose foods with simple ingredients. Educate yourself and take accountability for the things you’re putting in your body. When you sign up for my free newsletter at WiseChoiceNation.com, you’ll instantly receive a list of foods that I recommend as part of a normal, healthy diet.
GROCERY SHOPPING
Now, let’s talk one of my favorite past times: grocery shopping. I used to get everything done at the big supermarkets like Meijer or Wal-Mart. Now, I only go there as a last resort. First, I hit local farmer’s markets as much as possible. Fresh, local produce is the way to go. The closer to the original source, the better. We live in a suburb of Detroit and have a farmer’s market that meets two days per week to offer fresh vegetables and farm fresh eggs. This market was there my whole life and I never took advantage of it! Finally, a couple years ago I decided to try it out, and have been hooked ever since. I try not to buy my vegetables anywhere else. Next to growing your own, I think these markets are your best option. So, find out where your local markets are if you don’t know already. It will be a game changer.
MY FAVORITE SPOTS TO SHOP
My top three places to shop other than farmer’s markets are Costco, Trader Joe’s, and Amazon. When I do go shopping, I stick to fresh produce sections and avoid the middle aisles where most processed junk is located. The bulk of your time in a grocery store should be spent in those outside sections where the fresh produce and meats are located. I stay away from the majority of frozen items unless it’s produce or meat. Frozen dinners and packaged snacks are loaded with sodium, refined sugar, preservatives, and additives. I know because I used to eat them every single day multiple times a day, and they were a staple of my diet when I initially lost 90lbs. Sure, low calorie foods can help you lose weight no matter how processed they are, but all they’ll do is leave you skinny and sick just like they did me.
HYDRATION
You can’t talk diet without touching on hydration. Because I exercise in some form every single day, I usually have about a gallon and a half or more of purified water, but I challenge any person, no matter their fitness level is, to get at least a gallon per day. That might sound outrageous to some, but it’s not hard when you make it a priority. Back in the day, I hardly drank water at all – just pop, Kool-Aid, and fruit juice. I remember as a kid constantly waking up in the middle of the night so miserably tired and thirsty. I’d get up out of bed, do my sleepy eyed, zombie walk to the fridge, and suck down a heaping glass of ice cold kool-aid, Hi-C fruit punch, or Boppin’ Berry. It was the best thing ever, and I was completely oblivious to the toll it was taking on my body. Those were the good old days! But nowadays, water is automatic, and it’s my #1 priority when I wake up each day. By the way, the home filtration system I use is called the Berkey, but there are less expensive options out there. If water quality has not been a priority for you up to this point, it’s time to Wise Up.
MACROS
The three dietary macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Your diet should include various possible amounts of each of these depending on your goals. In general, your total calorie intake each day should be made up of about 15-20% fat, 30-40% protein, and 30-50% carbohydrate. I’m a 34-year-old male, 6-foot-tall, about 200lbs, with very active lifestyle. I’m lifting weights 3-5 days per week and stay pretty active on my off days. In order to maintain my current weight, I need about 2,900 calories each day. In order to gain weight, I need to bump that up to around 3200 calories per day. In order to lose body fat, I need to drop that calorie amount to about 2,600 calories per day. Obviously, your body has different requirements than mine. These numbers are just estimates that will fluctuate based on your individual characteristics, goals, and genetics, but it’s a great place to start. There are many resources out there that you can use to estimate your required calorie intake based on your goals and the macro amounts you need to hit in order to lose weight or build muscle.
CARBS & KETO
In Part 1, I touched on carbs and my favorite sources, which are fruits, vegetables, jasmine rice, potatoes, and oats.
Carbs are a bad word nowadays because keto is the hotness right now, but I believe healthy active individuals should be eating healthy carbs, period. I love eating carbs and feel amazing when I have them, so that’s my preference.
My understanding is that following a keto diet can help curb cravings and provide some mental clarity. I know it’s also popular because it does result in rapid weight loss initially, but often it’s only temporary and there’s often a massive rebound effect when you come off the diet where you’re cravings intensify and your appetite skyrockets. I can’t speak from personal experience, but that’s what I understand about keto. The bottom line is that the fitness and nutrition experts that I trust do not recommend keto. A healthy balance of all the macros coming from real food combined with good sleep, exercise, and stress management are the keys to unlocking all of your fitness dreams.
If keto helps you get closer to your fitness goals, fantastic, but you shouldn’t be worried about whether you should be on Atkins, or paleo, or carnivore if you’re not even eating at least three servings of fruits and vegetables a day or going for daily walks or exercising a few days per week. Stop focusing on all the nitpicky stuff like fad diets and start doing the legitimate fundamentals that actually matter like getting good sleep and meditating and drinking tons of water and avoiding sugar. If you sleep well, exercise regularly, eat plenty of vegetables, and avoid sugar, it really doesn’t matter what diet your following.
PROTEIN
Protein is extremely important if you’re looking to lose body fat and/or build muscle. Most adults looking to improve their body composition want to aim for about 1g per pound of body weight. My first recommendation to any person trying to improve health, lose weight, or improve their physique would be to increase protein intake. I always make sure I get enough protein for the day whereas my fat and carb intake will fluctuate. My favorite sources include chicken, fish, sardines, ground turkey, steak, tofu (beware of estrogen), eggs, beans, black bean pasta, Greek yogurt, chicken broth, cottage cheese, and whey protein isolate.
FAT
Dietary fat is very healthy but also the macro most easily converted into body fat, so be careful. I usually keep fat intake as low as possible because it’s really easy to overdo it. My favorite sources are almonds, avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, MCT oil, peanut butter, feta cheese, sardines, walnuts, flax seed, and chia seed.
Balancing these three macronutrients is critical for accomplishing your fitness goals as efficiently as possible. When I first lost 90lbs, I focused strictly on total calorie intake, and it worked. I only had a general sense of the amount of protein, fat, and carbs my body required, but because I was taking in less calories than my body required, I lost weight. Now that I’m focused on improving performance and building muscle, macros are much more important to me. If you understand your needs ahead of time, you’re going to have a huge advantage.
In the past, I haven’t been too obsessed with macros, I just focused on real food. I believed that by eating a variety of healthy foods in moderate amounts, you’re likely going to end up fulfilling your requirements. Just because you didn’t get enough healthy fats in on Monday, doesn’t mean you can’t make up for it on Tuesday. To an extent, this philosophy works, but it’s very easy to overeat this way. Over time, I have learned that you can eat very clean and still gain excessive weight, so getting a handle on your total calorie intake and macro ratios is really useful when you want to fine tune your eating habits, accelerate progress, and change body composition. In general, I keep my dietary fat moderate, about 40-60g, protein intake at about 1g per pound of body weight, and the rest of my diet is made up of healthy carbohydrates.
COOKING
Everything we prepare is done in the oven, on the stove, or in our Blend Tec blender. No fancy gizmos or microwaves. We actually haven’t owned a microwave in years and don’t miss it at all. We either heat everything up on the stove, in the oven, or eat it cold. Actually, some food is better cold, so don’t hate.
For high temperature cooking, we use olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil. Avoid refined vegetable oils, since those are inflammatory and low in omega 3’s. You’re going to run into those a lot when you eat out also.
BATCH COOKING
One tactic that I’m a big fan of is batch cooking. I don’t just prepare one meal. I quadruple the recipe to have for multiple meals. Make the most of your time in the kitchen by multitasking. This works especially well if you lead a busy life or work a full-time job, which most of us do. This way, your meals are always ready to go, leaving no excuse to eat out or buy from that vending machine or catering truck. I’ll usually steam a large batch of frozen vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower rice. Then, I’ll bake a few chicken breasts and have those chopped up ready to go. Then, I’ll make a starchy carb like white jasmine rice, quinoa, or potato. Once you have food prepared, sticking to your diet goals is a breeze. Grab a little bit of this, a little bit of that, reheat on the stove with a little avocado oil and some fresh greens for a quick, convenient, healthy meal any time. One hour or so of preparation one day can set you up for several days’ worth of delicious, healthy, and convenient meals. Very often, our lunches and dinners are just stir fries of stuff we already have prepared and ready to go.
SUPPLEMENTS
The bottom line when it comes to supplements is that you truly don’t need any of them. You can do just fine by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. That said, supplements can help you achieve your goals more quickly and conveniently. Because I’m lifting weights often, I use several different proteins, including whey protein isolate, pea protein, and casein protein. The brands I currently use are Naked and Legion Athletics. For strength training, I take 5g of creatine in my post workout drinks to help speed muscle growth and recovery. Black coffee w/ MCT oil is my favorite pre-workout. Most other pre-workouts are just overhyped, overpriced junk. Once in a while, I’ll use Legion Athletics Pulse, so if you’re really deadest on taking a pre-workout, that’s the one I recommend. I try to stay away from it because the stimulants tend to affect my sleep. If you’re going with a pre-workout, beware of ingredients and go with a company that you trust.
On a daily basis, I usually take a fish oil, multivitamin, and vitamin d. Sometimes before bed, I’ll take broccoli sprout tablets or magnesium. But, most of these nutrients can be covered through a healthy diet. Supplements are good for optimization, but you don’t really need them. The truth is, the best supplement you can take is a diet that is rich in a variety of earth grown foods and vegetables. This isn’t the sexy answer, but it’s true. Supplement companies won’t make any profits by selling kale or olive oil, which is why so many different pills and powders exist. Block all of that fancy marketing out of your mind and know that real food is the supplement that actually works!
7 QUICK DIET TIPS
DON’T OVERHAUL YOUR DIET. Add one thing in or take one thing out. Pop, fast food. Add in veggies, drink more water. Keep it simple at first. Don’t have to change everything at once, just gotta start somewhere.
STAY HYDRATED. Most overeating comes when you’re dehydrated or bored. Keep drinking water and stay active. Go for walks between meals and don’t hang around the kitchen.
COUNT CALORIES/KEEP A DIET JOURNAL. Can’t recommend this enough. If I were to train any one person today that would be the first thing I would tell them to do. How can you know where you’re going if you don’t even know where you are currently?
AVOID BUYING FOODS YOU TEND TO OVEREAT. Peanut butter, dates, popcorn, other snacks. Even greek yogurt!
VISUALIZE YOUR FITNESS GOALS. Is this food going to bring to closer to or further away?
FIND SOME CONSISTENCY. With diet you have to find consistency somewhere in your life. My diet is pretty clean most days of the week. It can’t be a little bit of this today and a little bit of that tomorrow. You need to have a period of time when you’re only eating real food, otherwise you’ll never achieve any sort of consistency with your diet.
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO GET STARTED. It took me until age 25 to finally wise up and get serious about my health. My Dad was stricken with diabetes and had a leg amputated before he decided to quit drinking, quit smoking, and start eating healthy. At age 55, he lost 60lbs and cured his diabetes. Work with another guy near retirement age who’s just now starting to work out and get in shape. Riding his bike, lifting light weights, and taking charge of his health. Change is possible no matter what your age, weight, or fitness level. Sooner or later, your health is going to become your #1 priority, so why not start today before it’s too late?
Thanks for reading the Wise Eats Diet Plan. Take at least one thing from this article to improve your habits going forward and contact me below to let me know what it is! Now get out there, eat something fresh, do something good, make wise choices.
This Day in Diet History is a segment I created to illuminate my transformation from a former fat guy to fitness fantatic and health coach. I have journal my meals and workouts since March of 2009 and want to bring that history to life by sharing habits of the past with strategies of the present. This will provide some nutrition tips, entertainment, and hopefully some inspiration for anyone looking to improve their health and fitness.
I have lived on both ends of the health spectrum. I was 270lbs with some of the worst lifestyle habits imaginable. Today, I want to be an example of health and fitness and inspire others to transform their lives, as well. I’m by no means perfect, but have reached a place where healthy diet and exercise are non-negotiable aspects of my life, and want everyone around me to have that same gift.
Fat Guy turned Fitness Fantatic
The Idea
Behind Sharing My Diet Journal Entries
Some people may find diet talk boring, but personally, I find it fascinating. I’ve heard a lot of experts talk about the things people should do, but not exactly what they do personally, so I wanted to create something unique that dives into my exact routine. Sharing this info will hopefully give someone at least a tip or two to take away from it.
I want to tell you exactly what I’m doing to stay in shape so it’s all out in the open for you. I’m far from perfect. I’m not an athlete or even the buffest dude ever. I’m a normal guy who has been at the bottom of the health mountain and wants you to know that fitness is attainable for anyone.
It’s important for me to put this out there because 11 years ago I was that guy coming into work hungover, feeling terrible every day, and even sleeping in the bathroom because I was so exhausted I couldn’t keep awake long enough to do my job. I used to not care whether I lived or died. I drank, smoked, and partied every day with no thought toward my future. Now, I wanna live forever and feel amazing because every day is precious. I’ve lost a lot of loved ones over the years that didn’t get to live their full life. My brother Jason passed when he was 18, Mom died in her early 30’s, my girlfriend Julie at age 26, and my other brother John at 43. For all those I’ve loved and lost, I owe them to live the best life I can because they didn’t get to. Exercise has changed my life and today it’s something I can’t live without. There’s a lot of people who don’t have that same mindset and that’s what I want to change.
Fat Guy Files: July 4, 2009
In today’s edition of TDDH, we look back at 4th of July 2009. This was 3 months into my 90lb weight loss. I was already down 33lbs, but this was a rough week for my fitness journey. I celebrated the holiday in style by drinking alcohol 5 out of the 7 days and binging on all of my favorite fast foods.
Breakfast: PB Crunch Cereal w/ Apple
Lunch: Mac & Cheese
Dinner: Pizza, Burger, 4th of July Snacks, 2,000 calories worth of drinks
Highlights of the Week: Pizza, Beer, Tubby’s Sub, McDonald’s Breakfast Sandwiches, Little Caesar’s, Taco Bell, Checkers
Here are the details from my diet journal on July 4, 2009 (affectionately referred to as the “Fat Guy Files”:
This was typical of my lifestyle back then and initial strategy for weight loss: Start the week off low calorie then go crazy for the entire weekend. As long as I averaged a calorie deficit for the week, I lost weight! But my health paid the price in the long run.
It’s amazing that I lost 90lbs while continuously binging and cheating like this. This is not how I would recommend anyone else lose weight!
This week, I averaged 3,454 cals/day for the week, which is actually similar to my calorie count these days, but for much different goals! Today, I consume that many calories in healthy, nutritious foods in order to build my body up and make it stronger, not to tear it down with processed food and calorie restriction.
My physical handwritten journal entry from July of 2009
In 2019, my diet is a whole different ballgame. I’m eating whole, nutritious foods in wide variety, buying organic wherever possible, and avoiding processed foods as often as I can.
As you can see, even though it was a holiday, it was still a very normal diet day for me. These meals are not far off from my diet on any other normal day (with the exception of the popcorn). I simply enjoyed more food and more total calories than I usually would. Popcorn is a food I would normally stay away from, but it’s a 4th of July celebration ya’ll!!
I hope that by sharing my past mistakes and the tactics I use to stay fit today can inspire you to make a positive change to your own health. Thanks for reading this article. If you’d like to ask a question or send a comment, my contact info is below. Thanks for reading, have a great day, and make wise choices!
Any time I set a goal to lose weight, the method I use to achieve it can be broken into 7 general steps:
Step 1: Establish a goal to lose body fat.
Step 2: Estimate my daily calorie needs based on activity level.
Step 3: Eating 300-500 calories less than my needs in order to create a
deficit.
Step 4: Eat real, whole foods and drink plenty of water. Also avoid toxins and refined sugar as much as possible.
Step 5: Track every meal and stay as close to my calorie and macronutrient requirements as possible.
Step 6: Lift weights 3-6 days per week to grow and retain muscle and doing 20-30 minutes of cardio a couple times per week
Step 7: Rest fully, minimize stress, and recover actively
Effective
weight loss all comes down to energy balance. How many calories does your body
burn on a daily basis? How many additional calories does it burn based on your
activity level? When you combine those two numbers to get your total daily
energy expenditure (TDEE), you have a pretty accurate estimate of the calories
you need in a day to maintain your current weight. From there, it’s simply a
matter of taking in slightly less calories to lose weight, or taking in
slightly more to build your body up. After that, it’s just dedication and
consistency. Also, keep in mind that as your body changes, so do your daily
needs. As my bodyweight decreased during this weight cut, I eventually had to
drop a few hundred calories per day in order to keep the weight loss going.
After the cut was over, I slowly increased calories to maintain weight and
build some strength.
Here are 12 tips to help you along in your fat loss journey:
If I Can Do It, You Can Do It. I’m not a certified trainer or nutritionist, yet. I’m not a bodybuilder or training for a competition. I’ve never even played sports. I used to be 90lbs overweight, smoking a pack of cigarettes a day, living solely on fast food, and bordering on alcoholism. I abused my body with no regard for my health or longevity. But, I turned it all around, and today I’m in the best shape of my life. If I can start from the bottom and work my way up, you can too. I promise.
No Fad Diets Necessary. I didn’t use Paleo, keto, Atkins, or any other secret formula to lose weight during this time. Essentially, the strategy I use to lose weight in 2019 is the is the same I used back in 2009. Eat based on energy requirements, exercise consistently, stop poisoning yourself, and try to have healthy foods in wide variety as much as possible.
You Have to Meal Prep. Honestly, I spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen, but cut corners everywhere I can. Making large batches of food to have for several meals is key. At the start of the week, I’ll make enough of the breakfast energy bowl to have for multiple days. I’ll prep salads two at a time to have for today and tomorrow’s lunch. I’ll bake large portions of chicken, potatoes, and steamed rice all at once to have on hand for quick and easy meals. Accountability and preparation are key in your ability to improve your health.
Think of Food as Fuel. On average, I had around 6 meals per day and ate every 2-3 hours based on activity levels during this weight loss. Most meals were designed to either fuel up for or recover from a workout, nothing more. Try to think of food as fuel rather than just for pleasure or satisfaction. Of course, I absolutely love the healthy meals I eat on a regular basis, but the primary goal is to always keep my body and mind performing at its best. If you can’t get up and go for a quick jog around the block because of what you just ate, then you done messed up.
Treat Yourself in Moderation. Discipline will help you see results much faster,but treating yourself can also help keep you motivated and avoid burning out. Throughout the 13 week cut, I had about one cheat meal every week. Sometimes, it was eating out, sometimes it was home cooked. Sure, I could’ve lost weight faster without cheating, but I’m pretty proud of the shape I got in despite going off the rails here and there. The trick is not allowing yourself to spiral out of control. I didn’t let one meal turn into an entire day or weekend or full week of bad eating like I used to. Enjoy just that one meal, don’t lose sight of your goal, and get right back on track.
Lose Fat Faster with Cardio. I know I said in Episode 8 that cardio is not required, and I stand by that statement, but after losing an average of 1lb per week in the first half, I was able to lose an average of nearly 1.5lbs per week in the second half. The biggest change I made was increasing cardio through walking, biking, and a few high intensity kettlebell routines. Cardio does not need to exceed 20-30mins a couple days per week to get results, so don’t overdo it. You don’t even have to do it at all, but it might get you to your fat loss goal faster. Plus, it feels amazing and is really good for your overall health, so if you love doing it, more power to you.
You Gotta Lift Some Weight to Lose Some Weight. Weight training is my favorite form of exercise, and offers the best bang for your buck when it comes to fat loss and improving your body composition. During this weight cut, I gained strength consistently during the first half and felt great despite being in a calorie deficit. It wasn’t until the last few weeks where I experienced a noticeable drop-off in gains and energy levels. At that point, I knew it was time to call an end to the weight loss challenge and give my body some much needed rest. Lifting weights is the best way to build or retain muscle while getting lean and losing body fat, so I can’t recommend it enough.
Avoid the Clean Eating Trap. Prior to this weight loss, I spent years trying to gain as much muscle as possible, but got to the point where I was easily eating up to 5,000 calories a day, including excessive amounts of dietary fat. I figured since I was lifting weights and building muscle, I could just eat as much nutrient dense food as I wanted. Wrong. Just because food is healthy doesn’t mean you can eat as much of it as you want and not gain extra weight. Bummer, I know.
Be More Mindful of What You Eat. Specific ingredients, total calories, and macronutrient amounts. Once you control these things and understand them, changing your physique becomes a matter of routine, math, and proper dietary choices. Some experts debunk calorie counting, but I can say for sure that it’s worked wonders for me, both in my original 90lb weight loss and this 15lb weight cut. Calorie counting or not, you need to take control of what you put in your body.
Reverse Dieting. After a period of sustained weight loss, your body is highly susceptible to gaining fat very quickly if overfed. It’s important to “reverse diet” by slowly increasing your calorie intake to avoid putting the body fat right back on. If you just call an end to your diet and start eating like crazy, you can quickly undo any progress you’ve made. So, after this challenge, I slightly bumped up calories each week, which allowed my energy levels to return to normal and start building strength again.
Get Hooked on Improvement. Tracking your meals and workouts takes some work, but the feeling of knowing you’re in control and making progress becomes addictive. Plus, it’s a lot harder to move forward when you’re not sure where you’ve been. Evaluate your performance and strive to keep getting better. Get more reps, lift heavier weight with good form, or increase your intensity. If you’re getting better each time, chances are you’re doing everything right. If you’re not making progress though, something is likely off with your training, diet, stress levels, or rest. Also, if you’re monitoring your weight, don’t get caught up in day-to-day fluctuations. I recommend weighing yourself each day and taking an average for the week, which is a more accurate indicator of progress than the day-to-day number. Stay focused and, over time, the scale will move in the direction you want.
Keep Exercise Simple. If you’re just beginning a workout routine, don’t make it too complicated. Start with some light activities that you can do safely and comfortably then build yourself up from there. Go for walks and focus on quality bodyweight movements like squats, burpees, jumping jacks, lunges, and core routines. If you can’t even do a push-up or pull-up, it’s probably too early to start throwing weights around. Just get out there and get your body moving. You don’t have to break yourself down for an hour in the gym to get an effective workout. You just gotta start somewhere.
I got into the best shape of my life using these strategies. Summer is coming, so it’s time wise up. Make one positive change today and it will add up to major benefits in the future! Thanks a lot for reading this article. Now, get out there, get ready for summer, and start making some wise choices!
Well aloha, mahalo, and welcome to another episode of Wise Eats. In today’s article, I want to share some diet and fitness tips that I took away from my recent trip to Maui that you can apply to your travels in life, not just for vacation, but in other areas of your life:
Tip #1: Food Prep
Prepare food to have in your carry-on bag. Cook meals where you’re staying, if possible. On this trip, my carry-on was loaded with protein bars, energy Bowl, cauliflower fried rice (recipe pending), sweet potato, and other healthy snacks. I had enough food for our 13-hour trip and then some. It was the same theme on the ride home. We cooked everything we had leftover and packed it to go on the plane, so we ended up with chicken, vegetables, energy bowl, potatoes, and rx bars. All we left behind food-wise was a couple extra cases of water.
Many people think you can’t bring snacks on a plane, which is not true. You can bring snacks, prepared food, just have to watch out for fresh produce and liquids.
Resist the urge to given into convenience and stay accountable by preparing your travel meals. Avoid airport food and in-flight snacks whenever possible. Stick to real food and wise choices.
Tip #2: Grocery Shop
Obviously, this doesn’t really work if you’re going on a cruise or all-inclusive. One of the reasons we chose Maui was because we enjoy going to a place where we have the freedom to prepare our own meals when we want. We rented a condo on the ocean stocked with a full kitchen, freezer, refrigerator, blender. There’s a Costco in town, along with a local farmer’s market and grocery store.
No matter what my circumstance, on vacation or in normal life, I need to have healthy options on hand. So, after we got off the plane, we went to Costco which was right around the corner from the airport. We stocked up on healthy options like chicken, rice, fresh and frozen produce, water, and other essentials. We even placed orders on Amazon and had them shipped directly to our room so it was waiting for us when we got to Maui.
Tip #3: Cook Your Own Meals
I know this probably sounds so boring. But I don’t care if I’m on getting on a plane to go across the world or driving across town to a family function, I always stay prepared when it comes to food. I have healthy meals as back up and plenty of filtered water. You need accountability for the things you’re putting in your body, so the more you can control that, the better off you’re going to be.
On this trip, we made breakfast every day: Scrambled eggs, gluten-free pancakes, fresh fruit, energy bowl, protein shakes with kale, and others. We often made lunch or dinner, as well. Of course, we ate out at times, but it was usually only one meal or so per day, not the entire time.
Vacation should involve a break from your normal routine, but it’s not a free pass to just eat crap for a week straight. Eat well as much as possible and save unhealthy meals for the moments where it will truly be memorable, like a nice dinner out or something you know you’ll really enjoy in the moment. A sub sandwich and bag of chips on a plane is not memorable or good for your body.
Tip #4: Control Your Portions
I fight myself with this all the time. Pick your poison, but try not to overindulge. Instead of eating half a pizza or a whole pizza, have a slice or two. Easier said than done, but the more you focus your mindset toward restriction, the better you’ll do in the long run. Portion control is something I struggled with for years, and still fail at from time to time, but has gotten much easier. I did overeat quite a bit on this trip, but it was usually healthy foods. Plus, who’s got time for calorie restriction on vacation? It’s time to enjoy yourself, of course! But you can do that while making wise choices in the process.
Tip #5: Not Every Meal is a Cheat Meal
Treat yourself, but get in as much home cooked, healthy prepared meals as possible to go along with it. If you completely binge the whole time like I used to, you’re going to come back needing a vacation from your vacation. We cooked many meals that we would normally have at home, but also enjoyed some local flavors and fresh produce. We actually enjoyed some sort of “bad” food every single day. We simply limited it to one meal and surrounded it with other healthy meals so we didn’t go too far overboard.
Our favorite dishes from this trip: Carrot cake (fresh made daily), fresh baked pie, tamales, pizza, shave ice, sushi, haupia
Tip #6: Get Moving
I’m not saying you have to sign up for a nearby gym for the week you’re on vacation, but if you can, it’s not a bad idea. In my previous trip to Maui, I focused too much on getting to the gym, but you have a built-in gym inside you. Take a break from your normal routine and just do some bodyweight exercises. Pushups, squats, lunges, jumping jacks, running, walking, stretching, playing. There are so many things you can do outside of a normal gym routine. Enjoy nature, get in the water, the sand. At a minimum, keep a mindset of movement.
Normally, I lift weights 5-6 days per week, so I usually try to have a gym nearby whenever I travel, but that was not an option on this trip. In preparation, I really pushed hard in the weeks leading up so I could feel good about taking time off for recovery. Instead of going to the gym, I moved as much as I could every single day. I walked in the airports, did bodyweight squats on the plane, stretched, bodyweight, ab routines. Instead of chest day, I did a push-up challenge. Instead of leg day, I did a bodyweight squat challenge. I also made it a requirement to jump in the ocean every single day: real hard, I know. The idea is to embrace the opportunity to take a break from your normal training routine and try some different things that make you feel good.
Tip #7: Stay Hydrated
Water, water, water. Drink it, a lot. Swim in it. Play in it. Live in it. Staying hydrated will help keep you from overeating and also feeling energized. Hydration is a very simple hack to optimize your health all the time, not just on vacation. We bought like 8 cases of water from Costco and it lasted our entire trip. We were never without fresh water and challenged one another to drink as much as possible every day.
Tip #8: Limit Alcohol Intake
Oh boy, this is the holy grail. Wes, what good is a vacation without alcohol? Trust me, I get it. I used to drink every day whether I was on vacation or not. Wes from 5 years ago doesn’t even know who I am today.
My vacations used to be centered around alcohol. Room was always fully stocked with bottles. Whether I was on vacation or headed to a sporting event or concert, I would travel with mini bottles full of vodka so I always had quick access to free booze.
These days, however, it’s a much different story. Out of our 12 nights in Hawaii, we only drank alcohol twice and never got drunk, just had a few drinks. I really just enjoyed myself more without the alcohol. I want my body feeling good and to enjoy my surroundings fully. I want to rest fully and wake up feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to take on all of the amazing wonders Maui has to offer. I’m not saying I never drink, but it’s less and less all the time because my goals are so much bigger now, and alcohol is a poison that only detracts from those goals. If you want to drink and party all the time, that’s perfectly fine, and I won’t be mad at you because I’ve been there. But if your goal is longevity and vitality, you may want to rethink your priorities like I had to.
All that said, we enjoyed a few local beers while we were in Hawaii, so shout out to the Maui Brewing Company. Loved their nitro brewed coconut hiwa porter. Fantastic.
Tip #9: Enjoy yourself.
Eating healthy and exercising are great, but at the end of the day, it is vacation. I encourage you to make as many wise choices as you can, but at the end of the day, advise you to worry less, and relax more. Have some fun and don’t be so hard on yourself!
In closing, don’t use vacation as an excuse to just eat junk the whole time. A getaway is a chance to recharge your batteries and come back feeling better than you did when you left. It’s not a week long session of poisoning yourself and then spending a whole month just to get back to where you were before.
I might sound like a boring date to take on vacation, but trust me, I’ve been on both ends of the spectrum. From being focused on nothing but eating and drinking myself into oblivion to slowing down and enjoying myself in other ways beyond food and alcohol. I want to feel good on my vacation. I don’t want to be tired, lethargic, or hungover. I want to fully enjoy my surroundings and remember the great times I had.
That’s gonna do it for the lifestyle tips while on vacation. Shoot me an e-mail with any questions or comments you have over at WiseEatsPodcast@gmail.com. I turned my life around completely by focusing on health and fitness, and want to do whatever I can to help you do the same. I haven’t found some magic bullet or special diet or fancy supplement or a quick shortcut. What I did was make a conscious decision to change my lifestyle, then made small positive changes that grew into a permanent lifestyle over time. It’s all about developing a mindset that centers around movement, gratitude, hard work, and real food. So, thanks again for reading, please let me know how I can help, and until next time, aloha, mahalo, and make wise choices!
There’s something I wish someone had told me when I first started working out: Stop doing so much cardio and start lifting heavy weights more consistently. Resistance training is the most effective way to lose body fat, build muscle, and achieve that healthy physique most of us desire. Don’t get me wrong: I love cardio. I lost 90lbs mostly by running my butt off. Eventually, I got into the best shape of my life by doing high intensity cardio at home with bodyweight movements. I used P90X, Insanity, Body Beast, UFC Fit, whatever I could get my hands on. Those kinds of routines are convenient to do at home and far better than doing nothing. But if you want to make the biggest change in the shortest amount of time, resistance training is your best option, especially if you’re not currently lifting weights regularly. If you’re a newbie, you have the added benefit of making significant progress very quickly. You can also burn fat and build muscle at the same time, which is the perfect recipe for achieving the body of your dreams.
Find Your Exercise Passion
So, what actually is the best workout program for you? In short, it’s whatever you’re able and willing to do, and do consistently. Any exercise program is better than no exercise program. If you’re currently doing nothing, you better stop what you’re doing right now and go for a walk around the block. Seriously, walking is one of easiest and very best things you can do for your body. I actually used to believe walking was pointless. It’s so natural and easy, how could it really be good for you? Well, turns out it’s extremely good for you, and you can do it anytime, anywhere. So, why not start there? Walk for at least a mile. If it takes you 25 minutes to do, fine. Just do it again tomorrow, and get it done one minute faster. A little bit better every time is the key with all forms of exercise.
Weight Lifting is a GAME CHANGER
Now, if you’re looking for something a bit more intense than walking, I believe weight lifting is the answer. I can’t recommend any form of exercise more passionately. Sure, I love biking, swimming, running, kettlebells, stretching, foam rolling, and yoga. They all play a part in optimization, but nothing beats moving heavy weights. No matter what exercise routine you’re following or fitness goal you have, resistance training can help you get there faster. Even if you want to run a marathon, you can incorporate high intensity training with dumbbells or circuit training with a variety of resistance movements. I once trained for a 5k almost exclusively by doing dumbbell cardio workouts in my living room. I just did it for fun, and finished top 5 for my age group! Obviously, a 5k is no marathon, but you get the idea.
Lifting weights not only can improve your cardiovascular fitness, but it will also help you burn more body fat because the benefits last for hours beyond just the actual work out. I’m going to get more into cardio in future episodes, but if you want to know what I think the best workout program is for you, it’s definitely one that incorporates resistance training. If you only have 30 minutes for a workout, you’re going to get much more accomplished by using that time for lifting weights than you would with any other exercise.
So, we’ve established that I love weight lifting and believe it’s the best way to get fit, but the perfect exercise routine for you depends entirely upon your goals. If your goal is to get a lean, sculpted body, then you want to lift weights regularly to build strength and muscle. If your goal is to run a race in the fastest time, you want to be doing high intensity cardio workouts. If you’re into just general wellness and want to be more functional, then go with full body movements, stretching routines, and yoga. Like I said, it’s all part of the puzzle, you just have to identify what your primary goal is and find your passion. Let me know what YOUR goal is by e-mailing wiseeatspodcast@gmail.com or leaving a comment on this YouTube video.
Weight Lifting Routines & Tips
Alright, let’s say you’re ready to buy into the whole weight lifting thing. Awesome. What should your routine look like? Although there are countless ways to go about it, you can make significant progress by lifting weights at least 3 days a week and focusing the bulk of your energy on the four major compound lifts: squat, bench press, deadlift, and overhead shoulder press. I recommend doing at least 3 heavy sets of 3 different full body movements per workout. That’s 9 sets all together and can be accomplished in 30-60 minutes. That’s really all you need. For example, on leg day, you would do 3 sets of barbell squats, followed by 3 sets of walking lunges, followed by 3 sets of split squats or leg presses. 9 total sets is very doable and you can make huge progress doing just that. For each set, the 4-6 rep range is great for men and the 8-10 rep range is ideal for women. And for those of you who don’t know, a set is just the number of times you perform the same exercise at any one time. No matter how many reps you’re doing in each set, the key is that on your last rep you can just barely get one more without your form breaking down. So, say you’re doing bench press at 4-6 reps. You want the weight to be light enough so that your performing the movement correctly but also heavy enough so you’re coming close to technical failure on the 4th, 5th, or 6th rep. If you can go beyond 6 reps, it’s time to increase the weight.
If you’re just starting out, it will only take a couple workouts to get your baseline numbers down and then you can increase weight and progress from there. Remember, proper form is essential. As soon as your form is starting to break down, you’re done. I work in the 4-6 rep range most of the time, but also throw in extra sets of 8-10 reps later in the workout, or if I feel like I wanna change things up. So, by the time I hit that 6th rep, my muscles are fatigued to the point where I can’t go anymore and have a rest until the next set of 4-6 reps. As I mentioned, 3 sets on 3 different compound movements is really all you need, but do as much as you can depending on your fitness level, goals, and available time. I’m typically doing 9-15 total sets in any workout and am done in about an hour.
A couple other quick things. Rest time between sets should be anywhere from 1-3 minutes, which is about how much time your muscles need to recover and get ready for the next lift. If you’re looking for some nutrition tips and supplements I recommend, head over to Wise-Eats.com/approvedfoods, and you’ll see a list there. The thing about supplements though is that you don’t need them. You can get strong and in excellent shape without taking any supplements. Good nutrition, proper rest, regular training, and hydration are all you need to make progress.
Finally, if lifting weights makes you nervous or you’re intimidated, I get it, we’ve all been there. You just gotta know that everyone is there to do their own thing and they’re not paying attention to you nearly as much as you’re paying attention to yourself. So stay focused, train hard, and you’ll get over that real quick. Finally, if you’re worried that lifting weights is going to make you look big and bulky, think again. That’s a myth. The only way you get that bulging muscle look is if you’re on steroids.
How to Get Started
So, how do I get started you might be asking? If you head over to Wise-Eats.com/Workout, you’ll see a list of workouts that I currently follow and recommend for most humans looking to build a stronger physique and better overall body. It is a 5-day lifting program that is based on Mike Matthews’ Bigger Leaner Stronger Program. If you can’t lift weights 5 days a week, that’s fine, you can combine some of the exercises to accommodate 2, 3, or 4 days per week. Just make sure you’re hitting those big lifts: squat, deadlift, bench, overhead press. There are videos outlining each of the workouts, including exactly the number of reps you should be doing. This is not meant to be the epitome of good form, it’s just to give you an idea of what the workouts look like. If you’re a newbie, search videos on the exercises and start with light enough weights.
Are You Ready for Weight Lifting?
Actually, depending on your fitness level, you may not need any weights yet. Bodyweight movements may only be appropriate for you. If you can’t do a proper bodyweight squat or pushup, you need to start there before you start throwing weights around. The goal is not to lift the heaviest weight you can. The goal is to perform the movements as close to perfect as possible while challenging yourself and getting better every time. Progression and safety are the most important aspects of training in my opinion. Evaluate your form with a trainer, a friend, or by videotaping yourself and comparing to other videos. Finally, make sure you track the exercises you’re doing and the number of reps you get, and try to improve on those numbers every time. If you’re able to lift heavier weight or do more reps with good form, that’s a great sign that your diet, training, and rest are on point.
Do You Even Lift?
So basically, there are two types of people in this world. Those who lift weights and those who don’t. Obviously, it’s the form of exercise I believe will help you achieve results the fastest. But what do I know? You’re probably saying Wes what makes you so smart? Why should I listen to you? You’re not even a personal trainer! Well you’re right, I’m not, so don’t just take my word for it. I only know what I know because, for years, I’ve followed amazing coaches like Mike Dolce, Ben Greenfield, Mike Matthews, and Shawn Stevenson. Take my advice, but also do your own research and seek knowledge for yourself.
At the end of the day, only you can decide what the best workout program is for you based on your goals and fitness level. But I think the majority of people looking to build a better body and improve overall health need to be doing some sort of resistance training several days per week because it’s by far the best way to lose body fat, build muscle, and achieve that healthy physique most of us desire. Outside of weight lifting, another strategy I recommend is getting movement throughout the entire day. I love randomly going for a quick walk or doing some push-ups, pull-ups, or bodyweight squats to get an energy boost. I also love foam rolling or stretching first thing in the morning to loosen up. You don’t have to confine your workout to a ½ hour or hour in the gym. You can incorporate exercises throughout the whole day no matter where you are.
Take Action!
Some say the best workout program is the one you’re not currently doing, and I couldn’t agree more. If you already exercise regularly, it’s time to step up your game and take it to the next level. If you’re sitting on the couch every day doing nothing, it’s time to wise up and get to work. Stop wishing you were in better shape, take ownership of your body, and get into action. Whether it’s lifting weights, P90X, a group gym class, a YouTube video, or walking the dog, it’s time to find something you’re capable of doing that you love and will keep doing no matter what. Exercise is never a chore when you’re doing something that motivates you and makes you feel great.
That’s gonna do it for today’s article. This was just a quick rundown of a simple but effective workout program that I believe may be the most beneficial for you, if you’re up for the challenge. I’ve gone from being obese, to super thin, to super fit, trying many things along the way, and can say from experience that having a consistent weight lifting regimen made the most impact by far. Regardless of what you end up developing a passion for, a lifestyle centered on physical movement should be a non-negotiable element of your life. So, find that thing, get good at it, then get great at it, and become a better version of yourself through it every time.
Contact Me!
So, let me know what you think and any questions you may have. What did I leave out? What can I help YOU with? What workout programs get YOU fired up? I’d love to know more about them. Again, if you want to see some weight lifting programs mapped out for you, head over to Wise-Eats.com/Workout. This is the exact program I currently follow, and it’s a great one for beginners also. Let me know what you think in the comments or via e-mail. There’s a million ways to contact me. Facebook.com/WiseEatsPodcast, wiseeatspodcast@gmail.com, and WesFitness.com. Before I go, just a quick reminder to please subscribe wherever you’re hearing or seeing this show. If it’s on YouTube, click the thumbs up and subscribe buttons. If it’s on apple podcasts, make sure you’re subscribed there also, and if you have a second, leave a 5-star iTunes review so other people know this is a cool show. You can also find all my fitness articles, recipe videos, and more over at Wise-Eats.com. Thanks a lot for tuning in. Now get out there, find your workout, get moving, and of course, make wise choices!
Building a home gym made getting fit much more convenient and helped me stay consistent with my routine. You don’t have to waste gas, time, and precious motivation driving to the gym in order to execute a quality workout. Initially, I started with a few sets of dumbbells and P90X or UFC Fit. Now, I’ve built an entire home gym that I’m constantly adding to. Here is a list of items I have that I recommend for your home gym:
Dumbbells
Pull-Up Bar
Adjustable Barbell Rack ($100 on Amazon)
Barbell & Weight Plates
Adjustable Bench
EZ Curl Bar
Jump Rope
Workout Mat
Kettlebells
Foam Roller
Heavy Bag & Boxing Gloves
Ab Wheel
Push-Up Bars
Resistance Bands
Workout Gloves
That is more than enough to get a complete workout and jump start the recovery process.
What’s in YOUR home gym? Comment below!
If you do prefer to work out at a gym, look for one that is close to home or work. Prepare meals and shaker bottles with protein and supplements in advance so you’re well fueled and not tempted to buy junk convenience foods. Pack a bag with everything you need in advance so you have no excuses not to show up.
Outside home and the gym, build movement into your routine no matter where you are. Go outside and get some sun. Go for a walk, ride a bike, or stop reading this article right now and do some push-ups or bodyweight squats. I am not afraid to do bodyweight squats right in the bathroom wherever I’m at if I need an energy boost or want to burn some calories. Bring some weights and a mat to work so you can exercise on your lunch break. Any time you’re feeling stressed, find a place to do some quick push-ups or pull-ups. You’ll work that anxiety out and be feeling like a new person in no time! Just because you don’t have 30-60 minutes to dedicate to a workout, doesn’t mean you have to do nothing. 1 minute of effort is all you need to get started. Make progress from there.
Today, we’re going over 10 weight loss tips I learned from losing 90lbs. If you’re already intermediate or advanced in your fitness, these tips may be obvious to you, but they were not obvious to me when I first changed my lifestyle and finally got in shape. I’m hoping this episode can help someone else who is motivated to lose weight like I was back then. So, let’s get right to it.
1) The first thing I did in order to lose 90lbs was make the commitment to change my lifestyle, quit smoking, and lose weight. I set a specific goal, shared it with family and friends, then made it my sole focus. To always get the most out of my workouts and diet, I will always have a personal goal for my health. That specific goal will constantly change, but I will always have one for the rest of my life. I recommend that you set a fitness goal for yourself. Do you need to improve your diet, lose weight, or change some habits? What is it that you want to achieve specifically? Decide what that is, and then every decision you make from then on can be with that specific goal in mind. After I lost 90lbs, I made the mistake of not setting another goal, and my health suffered. I went back to my old junk food eating ways, stopped exercising consistently, and got extremely sick. Had I set another goal like gaining muscle, I could have gotten results much faster, rather than spinning my wheels for years and training without a purpose. Having that specific goal is crucial so you always know what you’re working toward.
2) Find a Message that Inspires You. In order to transform my health, I sought knowledge on weight loss, proper diet, and exercise. Various websites, books, and podcasts inspired me to get where I am today. Quick fixes, fad diets, pills, and surgeries are not the answer. If you want results, you need to Wise Up. There are a million resources out there you can turn to. You just have to find one that resonates with you and that you trust. On that note, thank you for choosing Wise Eats and putting your faith in me. I hope I can inspire you the way others have inspired me in the past.
3) Determine Your Calorie Needs. Once you know the number of calories your body requires to maintain weight, you can adjust them up or down to either gain, lose, or maintain weight. You can get an idea of this number by using an online calorie calculator. In order to build muscle, you want to take in a calorie surplus. In order to lose body fat, you want to be in a calorie deficit. In my case, I ate less calories than I needed in order to lose weight. Eventually, I turned to a calorie surplus in order to build muscle. Today, I still track my weight daily, and adjust calorie intake based on my goals. As of this recording, I’m actually trying to lose some body fat for a weight loss competition, so I’m right around 22-2500 calories per day. Up until a few weeks ago, I was anywhere from 3,500-4,000 calories per day as I was trying to put on some lean muscle tissue. As you can see, your needs change based on your activity level and goals. Understand where you are and where you want to go, that way you can get there much faster. Tracking calories leads us into the 4th tip, which is to
4) Start a Diet Journal. When you track your meals, you take ownership of the things you’re putting into your body. This allows you to more easily identify deficiencies in your diet, make improvements, and see where you could add things in or remove them. Restricting calories was the primary reason I lost 90lbs. I recorded every meal while keeping track of total calories per day and average for the week. I used a kitchen scale to measure my food and became an expert at reading nutrition fact labels. So, if weight loss is your primary goal, having at least a general idea of your calorie needs vs how much you’re taking in is a good place to start. Tracking meals not only helped me with calorie restriction but, over time, allowed me to improve the overall quality of my diet, so it’s a strategy I believe in wholeheartedly. The better you’re able to balance your requirements versus your intake, the more success you’re going to have.
5) Eat Real Food. Although I lost 90lbs while still eating plenty of junk food, eventually I focused more on nutrient quality. Calorie restriction allowed me to lose weight, but improving the quality of my diet truly allowed me to get my health and energy levels on track. I started only eating foods with ingredients that I understood. If you’re not already, start paying attention to ingredient lists. If it contains something you don’t recognize or is hard to pronounce, chances are it is not a wise choice. Take responsibility of the things you put in your body. Do some research and try to get your food from whole sources as often as possible. If you focus just on eating low calorie junk, yes, you will lose weight, but you will also damage your metabolism, hormones, and immune system. I learned this lesson the hard way after I lost 90lbs. I thought I could just continue eating whatever I wanted as long as I monitored my calories, which just left me miserably tired, skinny, and sick. By eating whole foods from good sources, you can dramatically improve your immunity, energy levels, and capacity to gain strength. We’re going to dive more into the Wise Eats Diet Plan in future episodes, so stay tuned.
6) Eliminate Processed Poisons. This is the lowest hanging fruit if you’re ready to improve your health because it will make immediate improvements. I drank soda with every single meal and ate fast food nearly every day until I finally woke up at age 26. These bad habits can be hard to break, especially when they’ve been ingrained in us for so long, but if I can do it, YOU can do it! Soda is addictive, and quitting was hard. For a while, I could barely enjoy a meal without it. Teaching myself to drink water with meals was like learning how to walk all over again, especially when you threw fast food into the picture. But over the years, I was slowly able to phase out these addictions. It also took many years to stop eating junk food. My problem was instead of having one cheat meal, I’d have a full cheat day, weekend,
or even a full week of bad eating. Today, I rarely eat fast food at all, and my cheat meals consist of home cooked meals or a nice dinner out with my wife. If you want to limit your cheat meals and snacking, try not to live an all or nothing lifestyle like I did back then. Don’t use one bad meal as an excuse to fly off the rails for multiple days at a time. Enjoy yourself, but do so in moderation, and always with your goals in mind. Nowadays, I go into each cheat meal with a plan. I usually work it into my diet by restricting myself during other meals of the day. I don’t skip workouts, and get right back on track afterward. After you treat yourself, get right back to making wise choices on the very next meal. You don’t have to eat perfect all of the time to lose weight and get in shape. Aim to be perfect 100% of the time, and if you come in at 80 or 90%, that’s fine. Just try to get 1% percent better all the time.
7) Start Preparing Meals at Home. It’s time to get in the kitchen and make some wise decisions. You’re not going to find anything healthy in vending machines, drive-thru lines, or catering trucks. Go grocery shopping and start cooking. Your grocery list should be comprised of lots of healthy carbs like oats, sweet potato, fruit, and vegetables. Lean protein like eggs, chicken and fish. Healthy fats like nuts, avocados, and coconut oil. For a full list of approved grocery items, go to Wise-Eats.com/approvedfoods. In general, you should be avoiding sugary foods or drinks, frozen dinners, and most items that are packaged, boxed, or otherwise processed. When it comes to cooking, a little preparation in the kitchen goes a long way. At a minimum, you’re only a few chicken breasts and a bag of frozen vegetables away from having meals for days. Add some healthy cooking oil, spices, and a healthy carb like potato or rice. I always mix and match ingredients and try new ways of preparing things to keep it interesting, but in general, I’m having the same foods rotated over and over again. If you don’t mind leftovers, prepare large batches of food to have for future dinners, lunches, or to share with family or friends. If you’re looking for some ideas to get started, head over to Wise-Eats.com/Recipes. For breakfast, I’ll make large batches of the Wise Eats Energy Bowl, the razor’s edge scramble, or a sidewalk slam smoothie. For lunches and dinners, I’ll usually make some variation of the chicken wise rice or chokeslam chicken salad.
8) Find Ways to Exercise You Enjoy. I initially lost 90lbs mostly by running and lifting weights. Over time, I incorporated home workout routines like P90X, UFC Fit, and Body Beast. These types of at-home programs are great for exposing you to some basic movements and getting you comfortable performing the exercises. They helped me a lot initially and I got in great shape all from the comfort of my own home. If you’re willing to spend a few bucks on some essentials, working out at home is a great option. And you don’t have to spend a fortune. A few sets of dumbbells are all you need to get started. You can head over to Wise-Eats.com/HomeGym to see my list of home gym necessities. Utilize the option that is most convenient to you. You can workout at home, at work, join a local gym, hire a personal trainer, get in a fitness class, or just get outside and move around. These days, I get moving no matter where I am. I’m never afraid to stop what I’m doing to go for a quick walk or do some push-ups in order to get an energy boost. Say I won’t be in a bathroom stall ripping off some bodyweight squats, because I will! Just try different things and see what works for you. Find a friend to exercise with if you enjoy the social aspect. My wife and I love going for walks and bike rides together. She also loves doing yoga on YouTube. The key is to find something you enjoy that you will do on a consistent basis. For me, I think I truly fell in love with exercise when I found the UFC Fit program. It was challenging, fit my personality, and allowed me to do all of my workouts at home, which fit perfectly into my schedule. I always felt amazing and accomplished after those workouts, and hardly ever dreaded doing them. When you find an exercise program that you’re passionate about, working out is never a chore. So, find that thing you love that you’re going to look forward to doing several times a week. Currently, I love walking and lifting heavy weights. Aside from that, I love doing HIIT training with sprints, UFC Fit or kettlebells, or trying an entirely new program. So, experiment, fuel yourself properly, and eventually you’ll find something you love, and have energy for days to do it!
Alright, so we’ve set a goal. We know what our body needs to gain or lose weight. We’re getting rid of the junk and eating better. We’re getting educated, inspired, and finding our passion for movement. That brings us to tip #9, which is to:
9) Track Your Progress. Track your meals, track your workouts, track your weight, track your gains. Whatever your goal is, you can’t get where you want to go if you don’t know where you’ve been. When I lost 90lbs, I constantly tracked and recorded my bodyweight, which helped me stay focused on my goal. Today, I weigh myself every morning when I first wake up so I can always evaluate my progress. Same thing with my workouts. I record every rep, weight, and track it so I can see my development over time. When assessing your own progress, don’t be disappointed if your results aren’t immediate or consistent. The scale won’t always change, and you may not improve on your exercises every single time. That doesn’t mean you’re failing. If you don’t lose weight or get stronger this week, you will get there as long as you keep at it and stay consistent. The most important thing is that you see improvement over time, and it’s much easier to do this if you keep track of your performance as you go. I keep a journal where I record my weight, diet, workouts, personal goals, gratitude, and more. I suggest you do the same or something similar that fits your personality.
Moving on now to the final weight loss tip. our personal demons, mental barriers and poor habits are some of the most difficult factors holding us back from achieving our goals. That’s why if we want to change our bodies and improve our health, first we must do Tip #10, which is to
10) Shift Your Mindset. From processed food to real food, from calorie counting to food quality, from weight loss to strength gain. Changing the way I thought about food and exercise was critical in improving my fitness. Losing a bunch of weight was only the first step. It was a major accomplishment, but I was still just skinny and sick. In order to achieve a greater level of well-being, I had to improve the quality of the foods I was eating. Once my body was healed through regular exercise and clean eating, my energy levels skyrocketed and I actually started feeling really good, which became far more addictive than any junk food or drink I used to enjoy. Then, it was time to really focus on building a stronger, more optimized version of myself. Improving your health is all about developing small, consistent habits that become permanent changes over time. The truth is, maintaining a healthy weight is important, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Wherever you are in your level of health, just keep making improvements, and don’t feel discouraged if you stray from the path, because we all do. Just get back on track as soon as you can. 9 years ago, I was in the worst physical shape of my life. Today, I have a body that I could have only dreamed about back then. But it didn’t happen immediately. It took hard work, consistency, a whole bunch of mistakes, and constant improvement. So keep showing up, keep making wise choices, and you will get there, I promise you.
So those are some quick tips for losing weight that come directly from my own personal experience, having been in the worst physical shape, losing weight, and finally getting into great shape, which I will discuss more in future episodes. These are habits that I maintain to this day, so I hope they can help you, as well. You may or may not have a significant amount of weight to lose, but you should have some specific goal for your health. If you don’t, think of one right now. Are you satisfied with your physical appearance and the way you feel mentally and physically? If not, what would you like to see happen? Do you want to lose weight? Build muscle? Relieve stress? Have more energy? Think about it, and be honest with yourself. Figure out what you want, and write it down. Make a commitment, develop a plan, set goals, and stick to them. Is this what you really want? Is your goal just idea in your mind? If so, it’s time to turn that idea into an action plan. What steps do you need to take to accomplish it? Write those down. Tell your friends and family of your plans. Get them on board. It’s time to make fitness a tangible objective instead of just something you’ll get around to next week or on New Year’s Day. It doesn’t start tomorrow, it starts today. So figure out what that goal is and get after it.
Until you decide to make the change for yourself, it’s not going to happen. Nobody else can do it for you; you have to do it for yourself. But I want you to know I’m here to help. Whether you want to lose body fat, build muscle, achieve a personal goal, or overcome some other challenge, Wise Eats can help you get there. Feel free to reach out to me with any questions, topics you want to hear about, or stories you have to share. I’m available @WesWiseFitness on Instagram or e-mail WiseEatsPodcast@gmail.com.
Thanks for reading, have a great day, and make wise choices!
Throughout high school and into my mid-twenties, I didn’t play sports. The most athletic thing I did was compete in a backyard wrestling organization known as the Back Yard Brawl. I know, it sounds crazy, but I grew up a huge pro wrestling fan. As a kid, I was a Hulkamaniac through and through. I wanted to train, say my prayers, take my vitamins, and have 24-inch pythons just like my hero. I would imitate my favorite superstars constantly and have fantasy wrestling matches with my brothers, my friends, even by myself. At one point, I published my own wrestling newsletter with over 6,000 subscribers, which is pretty impressive for a 13-year old I think. So, when a good friend of mine, Jose Rodriguez, started the Back Yard Brawl in 1999, of course, I was hooked immediately. And for a bunch of high schoolers, it was actually a pretty legitimate organization. This was not the janky backyard bbq wrestling you may have been exposed to in the past. Jose built a homemade wrestling ring in his parents’ backyard, recruited talent, choreographed matches, and promoted events. He would put on live wrestling shows equipped with DJ’s, live music, foamy keg beer, pyro, and entrances. At first, I was just a fan, then a referee, and in 2006, made my debut as a wrestler. I never truly thought I would ever be a pro wrestler, but the idea of performing in front of a live crowd was a huge boyhood dream, and an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. From 2006-2016, I wrestled in six of these annual events under the name “Wes Daddy”. I can’t say I love that nickname, but it evolved naturally from my friends and over the years I got stuck with it. So, in some of my YouTube videos, you’ll hear me refer to myself as Wes Daddy. It’s just my backyard wrestling persona. I don’t actually think I’m anyone’s daddy. Maybe one day when I actually have kids, but for now, Daddy’s just a nickname.
Backyard wrestling was super fun and a major adrenaline rush. Aside from one freak accident resulting in a broken leg, no one was ever seriously injured. The parties were always a blast, and the Back Yard Brawl became infamous in Mount Clemens, MI. Wrestling in front of a crowd also inspired me to get in better shape. I remember looking back at the video from my debut in 2006 and hating the way my body looked. This motivated me to lose weight for the 2007 show and shape up even more for future shows. You can see my physical transformation through wrestling along with a complete archive of BYB matches, highlights, and videos over at Wise-Eats.com/BYB. In August 2016, BYB put on its final show, where I wrestled my last match. And where BYB ended is where Wise Eats begins.
At the end of the last BYB event, two of the wrestlers, Lord Deezus and Justin Charge, launched a YouTube show called The Following Announcement. It’s the story of a bunch of retired backyard wrestlers who are now trying to make it in the real world. If I had to compare it to something from TV, I’d call it pro wrestling mixed with a live-action Beavis and Butthead cartoon. I admit the show is not for everyone. It’s controversial and may be inappropriate for some viewers. Even I watch sometimes and think to myself man these guys need to Wise Up! But, other times it’s also very clever, funny, well-produced, and entertaining. One day, we’ll take a deeper dive into the show and get some behind the scenes info. What’s important now is the producer of the show, Lord Deezus, wanted me to have a segment on his show. We decided to do a healthy cooking show called Wise Eats since fitness and healthy eating were already a major part of my life. Through the Following Announcement show, we created comedic, wrestling-inspired cooking segments and skits featuring some of my favorite healthy recipes. This provided me with an outlet to share my passion for food, fitness, and desire to help others. All of the Wise Eats videos are available at Wise-Eats.com/Recipes. There you can also find links to the Following Announcement show and its complete episode guide. If you enjoy watching, please don’t forget to click thumbs up on the videos and subscribe.
My cooking segment on The Following Announcement is a fun piece of entertainment that we do for the show, but the recipes are real, the philosophy is real, the results are real. I’m sharing real recipes, viewpoints, and techniques that I use every single day to stay in excellent physical and mental shape. After two seasons of filming Wise Eats for TFA, I decided it was time to take the show to the next level. I realized this wasn’t just a spin-off cooking show, that it could be its own brand. I knew I had a real story to tell, and Wise Eats was how I was going to do it. That’s when I decided to start up a website, YouTube channel, and podcast.
Wise Eats is more than food; it’s food for thought. It’s a mindset: It’s about making healthy choices, developing positive habits, living an optimized lifestyle, and setting an example for your peers. It’s a mentality. It’s about strengthening your body and mind. It’s about eating smart but also making Wise choices in all aspects of life.
I’m not a licensed personal trainer or nutritionist, yet. I’m a normal guy who lost 90lbs, got in great shape, and learned a ton along the way. Every day, I’m educating myself with some sort of fitness related material, whether it’s reading, a podcast, watching videos, coaching others, or experimenting on my own body. I’m extremely passionate about the role that health and fitness play in achieving success, and want to provide inspiration for you to develop a similar attitude. The primary goal of Wise Eats is to help people improve their well-being so they can pursue their ultimate mission in life. I want to motivate you to ask yourself, “Is This a Wise Choice?” Is this choice going to make me better? Is what I’m doing going to help my body, my mind, my family, my passion? Is it going to elevate and bring me toward something greater or is it going to drag me down? Whether it’s diet, exercise, performing on the job, hanging with family, pursuing a passion project, or whatever else, I want you to be at your best. That’s what this show is all about.
I want you to live the life you were meant to live by empowering you to improve your performance, well-being, and fitness. Your health is your greatest asset, and without it, you are nothing. I used to be 90lbs overweight, eating the worst foods imaginable on a daily basis, abusing alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and being content with a shortened lifespan. I used to actually tell people I didn’t plan to live past 40 with all the lifestyle-related choices I was making, and it was a reality I was entirely content with at the time. I was lazy, sick, unproductive, unmotivated, and not pursuing any passions in my life. But, I turned it all around by deciding to focus on my health. I wouldn’t be the man I am today if I hadn’t realized I was on a one-way path to nowhere, gotten serious about my health, and decided to make a change before it was too late. Don’t wait until it’s too late to get serious about your lifestyle habits. Don’t wait until you’re fighting sickness, relying on medication, battling a disease, or laid up in a hospital bed before you decide to make a change to better your health. Make a commitment to improve your lifestyle habits, and don’t let anyone or anything stand in your way, because no one else can do it for you. It’s entirely up to you. Hopefully, Wise Eats can help you along the way.
After every episode, I want you to come away with something useful to maximize your potential. My promise is to deliver quality information that is authentic, entertaining, and positive. You’ll never hear me talk about something on the show that I’m not implementing in my own life. Just good tips you can apply to your own life immediately.
Now, for some details on the structure of the show. In the beginning, I’ll be sharing my personal journey of fat loss and physical fitness. Each episode will have a specific message on something that made a major change in my life that I believe can impact your life, as well. Once I’ve delivered the most relevant aspects of my journey, I will turn the focus of the show onto others who can share inspiring stories of success and failure in the areas of health, fitness, and personal growth.
In addition to motivating you, I see this as a journey of development for myself. Of course, I want to help you, but at the same time want to become wiser, more experienced, more of an example for my peers, and more able to help others. I will interview experts on the podcast to share their journeys and tips for making Wise choices. We will examine things that make them successful both in and out of the gym, their personal habits, favorite recipes, workout regimens, and much more!
One unique segment I will also include on the show is a moment I like to call “This day in diet history.” As you’ll learn in episode two, I’m a big fan of journaling and have been doing so since my fitness journey began in 2009. I have recorded every meal, every day, for the last 9 years. During this segment, I will share my diet for that particular day a decade ago and compare with today’s regimen. This will give a glimpse into my personal life, illuminate the transformation I’ve undergone, and offer some nutrition tips in the process. I hope this peek into my history will give a humbling glimpse of my former self as well as inspiration for you to start positive habits in your own life.
My initial plan is to release 2-3 episodes per month, but the goal is quality over quantity. Every solo episode will be thoughtfully prepared to provide the listener or viewer with as much value as possible. A YouTube video will be released with each episode that allows you to see me recording the show in person and providing a little entertainment in the process. The newsletter, Wise Choice Nation, provides further details, additional content, Q&A, and more. Wise-Eats.com will be the home base for everything.
So, that’s what Wise Eats is all about, and what you can expect from the show going forward. I want you to take control of your health, because once you have control of that, you control every aspect of your life. When you give your body and mind the raw materials it needs to perform at its best, you are capable of accomplishing anything. No matter what your goal is, Wise Eats will be providing useful tips that can advance you to the next phase of your journey. If weight loss is your goal and you’re not sure where to start, I encourage you to learn from my fat loss experience in episode 2, or by going to Wise-Eats.com/MyStory. If you’re already a fitness fanatic, we’ll be dishing out plenty of articles, recipes, tips, and interviews to help take your game to the next level.
This is a fitness and nutrition show, but it doesn’t end there. It’s a show about success, business, love, achieving goals, finding your passion, realizing your potential, and improving your life! My physical transformation provided me with the willpower, energy, and focus to improve every aspect of my life. I became way more productive, finally graduated college, got married, and found a job that I loved, all while getting into the best shape I’d ever been in. Getting fit improved my way of thinking, sparked my creativity, and allowed me to undergo a complete mental transformation, as well. I was able to overcome addiction, anxiety, and depression through healthy lifestyle.
I spent the first 26 years of my life burying myself in a deep hole with alcohol and junk food, but have finally escaped that pit of despair, and am ready to inspire the world with Wise Eats. Back in the day, I would’ve been too lazy to even listen to a podcast, let alone produce one. Now, I truly believe I’m on a journey towards helping others Wise Up like I did, and if this show helps you improve your life even 1% then it will be well worth the effort.
Questions? E-Mail WiseEatsPodcast@Gmail.com. Also, be sure to join our free mailing list. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for reading and, until next time, make Wise choices!
