Why I Eat the Same Meals Every Day…Four Times a Day

A while back, I posted: Why I Wear the Same Clothes Every Day.  Today, I’m going to talk about why I eat the same meals every day.

Before I do, let me make one thing clear:

I Love Food.  I Love Cooking.  I Love Eating.  And there isn’t a food I won’t try twice.

Then why would I eat the same food every day?

Before I continue, you should know:

• I eat no less than four times a day.
• I eat for no more than $5 a day.
• I’m never hungry.
• My energy levels are always consistent…I never have energy spikes or dips.
• Eating this way is not only healthy for me, but I’ve also lost fat mass while increasing muscle mass.
• One day a week, I eat whatever the heck I want.  And I take full advantage of it.

Just as with the benefit of wearing the same clothes every day – that I free up mental space for other things – I’m able to do the same by eating the same foods every day.

Additionally, this kind of routine allows me to find the best prices for food, the fastest ways to cook and prepare my food, and the healthiest ways to eat.  I do it over 20 times a week, after all.  You end up getting pretty good at doing something you’re consciously trying to improve 20 times a week.

What your body really needs in terms of food.

Your body is pretty simple.  The human body hasn’t changed much in its requirements in thousands of years.  What has happened is that people have changed as a result of their nutrition and diets.

I’m going to cut the science that some people find boring, but that I’ve become fascinated with over the past year.  Here’s what you need to know.  Click the links if you’re interested:

• Your body probably needs more protein and less carbohydrates than what you’re currently eating.
• Your body functions better with carbohydrates low on the Glycemic Index.

An exception to what you probably think you know:

• You don’t need carbohydrates to live and be healthy. (Though they do help with some things.)

So…..what the heck do I eat?

Every meal I have consists of the same structure:

• At least 30g of protein from a source of complete protein.
• About 3/4 cup of a low GI carbohydrate source.
• About 1/2-3/4 cup of vegetables for vitamins.
• About 1/4 cup of a legume for a complimentary source of protein and low GI carbs.  In addition, these are a great source of fiber which is fantastic for several reasons.

What my meals look like…

Here are the meals that I have eaten regularly over the past three months…it’s like a game…Mix and match to win!

• Protein: Chicken breast, eggs, beef, fish or a protein shake.
• Low GI Carbs: Brown rice, couscous or whole wheat pasta.
• Vegetables: Spinach, various mixed vegetables, broccoli, etc.
• Legumes: Quinoa or lentils.

For flavor (if I decide to add anything), I usually turn to hot sauce, red pepper flakes, etc.  You’d be surprised at how much you can do with that basic structure.

I just couldn’t do that.  Don’t you get bored with it?

This is the most common response I get from people when they find out I eat the same meals.  My answer?

I very specifically made the decision that food was going to be much less of a source of happiness for me, and more of a source of nutrition and physical value.  My happiness comes from what I’m able to do by being in shape, saving time, saving money, etc, rather than food.

Basically, I have things that I want to do that, in order to do them, my body needs to be functioning well.  This includes playing hockey, riding my bike, rock climbing, hiking, etc.  I’ve had times in my life when I’ve been out of shape.  The reality is that you have more opportunities to do awesome things when you’re in good shape.  That starts with eating right.

But wait, there’s more!

Once a week, I eat whatever the heck I want.  And I mean, whatever I want.

Most weekends (most being more than 50%), I eat no less than a half gallon of ice cream, quite often, a full gallon is had during that day.  I just really love ice cream.  Seriously.  It’s all cold, and sweet, and delicious…..

Last week, it was two bags of gummy worms in 3 hours.  I totally could’ve eaten another two bags, but I paced myself since I was climbing the next day.

Final notes…

• I’ve been experimenting with this in other ways recently.  For example, I’ve eaten a gallon of ice cream over the past 4 days.  You’ll have to do it to know how it works.  Interestingly, though, I find that that much sugar on a regular basis now makes me tired.
• Buy your food at Wal Mart.  If you have ethical reasons for not shopping there, fine.  If you don’t shop there because you “feel bad” shopping there, get over it and cut your food bill in half.
• A downside of this is that whenever you go out to eat and get your $15 bill, you’ll think to yourself “Crap.  That’s three days worth of food.”  You might find more common ways of eating to be more ridiculous.
• I cook my carbohydrates in bulk and in advance.  I would say that the total time I spend preparing food each week – all of my meals – is less than 2 hours.  Think about that next time you’re on a solo one-hour lunch break.

The Legal Note:

I can’t recommend that you do this.  Consult your doctor.