Nothing good comes easily. But not every good thing has to be incredibly hard either. When it comes to nutrition, most people don’t falter because they hate the taste of healthy food or they don’t know what they should eat. They struggle because they make eating healthy way too hard.
I remember when I first started coaching people and would give nutrition advice. Well-intentioned as I was, I was making PhD-level recommendations when most people needed the Kindergarten version. And I refuse to take the blame here, because I was just parroting what many of the popular online coaches and trainers were recommending at the time too. They’d say things like:
- Eat only organic food (because conventionally-grown food is less healthy)*
- Buy all your food at the local farmer’s market (because if you don’t know where you food came from, it’s not healthy)*
- Eat as many raw fruits and veggies as possible (because cooked food is less healthy)*
- Never eat anything packaged in a box, bag or can (because food that comes in packaging is unhealthy)*
- Cook every single meal from scratch at home (because nothing you can buy on the run is healthy)*
*Every single one of these claims is false
You can see where believing these claims can set you up for a rough road. If you think you MUST eat only organic, local food that can be consumed raw and doesn’t come in a package and must be cooked at home immediately before eating it, then yeah… eating healthy is fucking hard.
In reality, none of these things matter when it comes to nailing the basics of nutrition. None of these things trump caloric balance – you’ll lose weight if you eat fewer calories than you burn, whether you’re eating organic or conventional. None of these things change the amount of protein you need to build muscle, the amount of carbs you need for energy during intense exercise or the amount of fat you need to maintain proper hormonal balance. Anyone who tells you different is feeding you a lie, and lies taste like shit.
I avoided formal nutrition coaching for years. But by necessity, I brushed up on my nutrition knowledge so I could help more people reach their goals. Turns out whether you want to lose weight, build muscle, brea powerlifting records or just feel awesome, nutrition plays a vital role. You can hear me explain more about this on the Average Bros Fitness Podcast.
Here are some of the ways I help my clients take the easy way out with their nutrition. That is, here’s how you can nail the basics without letting nutrition consume every moment of your life.
Get the Right Equipment
Dominating your nutrition starts with having the right equipment to make preparing your food a breeze. Besides the kitchen basics (stove, oven, microwave, etc.), I’ve found a couple extra pieces can make all the difference.
- Gas grill: cook your proteins with no added fat and roast veggies wrapped in tinfoil.
- Rice cooker: cook bulk portions of rice (or other grains) and steam veggies without boiling water.
- Sous vide: slow cook cheaper cuts of meat to tender perfection. This may seem like a luxury item but getting a sous vide was literally life changing. Here’s the one I use.
- Blender: make smoothies for on-the-go liquid meals. Easiest way to get in tons of extra fruits and veggies.
These four items can completely change your relationship with cooking. While these may seem overly fancy, I’d challenge that notion with the fact that if cooking becomes easier AND your food tastes better, you’re going to have a better chance of being consistent with your nutrition.
Buy Frozen or Pre-Cooked Food
Buying nothing but fresh food might taste the best, but it’s the most time-intensive way to approach nutrition. To save time, buy more frozen and pre-cooked foods, such as:
- Frozen veggies
- Frozen fruit (for smoothies)
- Pre-cooked protein (rotisserie chicken, deli-sliced turkey, etc.)
- Hard boiled eggs
I resisted this myself for years, but recently made the switch to frozen veggies and it’s been a lifesaver. While prepping and cooking fresh veggies tastes better in my opinion, I’ve been able to nearly double my veggie intake in a fraction of the time by simply adding a couple bags of frozen veggies to the pan I cooked my chicken or steak in after the meat is done. A couple minutes to thaw out and we’re ready to go.
And honestly, if money isn’t an issue, signing up for a meal delivery service is a fantastic option if you’re super busy and/or don’t have a fully-equipped kitchen. I have never personally used any of these, but many strength athletes swear by services like Trifecta for their pre-made, macro-conscious meals.
Meal Prep Breakfast and Dinner, Too
Who passed a law that said you have to eat breakfast food for breakfast, lunch food for lunch and dinner food for dinner? Oh that’s right, nobody. I’m always amazed by how people get hung up on what they can eat at certain times of day because of how we’ve been conditioned to believe certain foods only belong at certain meals.
6 am? Can’t eat chicken breast or I’ll die.
12 pm? Eggs will instantly add a pound of cellulite to my ass cheeks.
8 pm? Oatmeal suddenly contains double the calories.
Stop the madness. Eat whatever food makes sense at the time, regardless of societal norms.
Most people understand what “meal prep” is: preparing food in large batches to take with you wherever you go each day. Work, school, etc. Many people are fortunate enough to enjoy freshly-made breakfast and dinner at home, and eat prepped meals in between.
However, plenty of people still get caught up in the effort it takes to cook breakfast before the start of a busy day and cook dinner at the end of a long day. The morning rush and nighttime fatigue gets the best of them, so they make less-than-ideal choices like not eating at all or eating something convenient that doesn’t aline with their goals (like a fast food breakfast sandwich or burger).
My standard recommendation for exceptionally busy people: meal prep your breakfast and dinner, too. If you’re THAT busy, just increase the amount of food you prep ahead of time, accounting for 1-2 extra meals per day. The monotony is the price you’ll pay for a lack of work-life balance, but at least you’ll be in control of what you’re eating. It might seem weird at first eating chicken and rice for breakfast or a protein-powder-and-frozen-fruit smooth for dinner, but it’s all going to the same place, regardless of the time of day.
On the Run? Shop at the Grocery Store
This one has saved me countless times when I run out of prepped food before the end of the week or I’m traveling. Rather than buying meals at restaurants or hitting up the drive-through, go to the grocery store. You’ll have more options, healthier options and generally pay less for the same foods.
Here’s how to construct easy, healthy meals at the grocery store:
- Pre-cooked protein: pre-sliced cooked chicken breast, rotisserie chicken, deli meat, hardboiled eggs, etc.
- Raw veggies: baby carrots, chopped peppers, cucumbers, etc.
- Raw fruit: apples, bananas, blueberries, strawberries, etc.
- Healthy fat: sliced/shredded cheese, raw almonds, cashews, etc.
- Condiments: you can usually find mayo, mustard and other condiments for free in the hot bar/salad bar section
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve eaten pre-sliced, pre-cooked chicken breast, baby carrots, apples and almonds as my road trip lunch. Purdue Short Cuts are a god-tier on-the-run protein source.
If you’re staying at a hotel, buy enough for multiple meals and keep the extra food in the fridge so you don’t have to make multiple trips. This beats the hell out of eating at restaurants multiple times a day both in terms of cost and control of what you’re eating.
Make More Sandwiches
Salads have long been heralded the Holy Grail of healthy eating. Makes sense, since veggies take center stage. But since when did sandwiches have to wear the Scarlet Letter “U” for “unhealthy”? When you think about it, sandwiches usually contain:
- Deli meat (protein)
- Bread (carbohydrate)
- Lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, etc. (veggies)
- Cheese (fat and protein)
- Condiments (the most variability here, but could be low- or no-calories like mustard or hot sauce, or higher calorie but full of healthy fats like mayonnaise, Italian dressing, etc.)
But what if you presented a dish on a plate containing:
- Sliced turkey or chicken breast
- 2 slices of whole wheat bread with mayo
- A side salad of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers with Italian dressing
Sounds OK, right? So why is a sandwich healthy when it’s deconstructed but belongs in Satan’s lunch box when you mash everything between two slices of bread?
The convenience of a sandwich is pretty much unmatched. Take it anywhere and eat it with no plates or utensils. Even if you’re a nutrition zealot and wanna die on the hill of avoiding bread and processed deli meat, you can’t argue with the fact sandwiches are a incredibly convenient way to ensure that a nutrition noob gets protein, veggies, complex carbs and healthy fats at every meal. And when you realize that bread and deli meat aren’t evil, you can relax and have a damn sandwich.
Take it Easy
Eating well doesn’t have to be incredibly hard or complicated. Use these strategies to make healthy eating more accessible and less mentally draining. When eating nutrient-dense food becomes convenient instead of a burden, you’ll crush your nutrition goals.