A BIT ABOUT ME
I am lucky - I don't have any allergies, intolerances, or conditions that affect my diet. My blood sugar, cholesterol, and various other levels are all fine. My dietary concerns, therefore, are entirely focused around my own happiness.
I want to feel good about the way I look. I want to have enough energy to move around easily, and to exist happily in the world. I want my body to age well, so that I'm still able to move with painless joints in my later years. I want my organs to function effectively for the foreseeable future.
I'm average-to-tall as white American men go, standing just a hair under 6 feet tall. Most of my hobbies (gaming, music, reading, etc) are sedentary - I'm not particularly muscular and don't really exercise as often as I would like. Walking, swimming, and hiking are my only “active” passions; I also like to ski, but don't get to do it every year. In 2024 I started playing disc golf once a month or so.
For the last decade or so, my weight has been something I've monitored and tracked. At my heaviest, I was 225 pounds. On a purely vain level I didn't like the way my face looked - more doughy than I wanted to see in the mirror. I started to see older folks around me with knee and back problems, which were complicated by carrying extra weight around for decades. I started to make changes after that - those problems did not look fun, or cheap.
I'm currently around 185 pounds, and my “goal weight” is to bring that down to around 170. Sometimes I do intermittent fasting, mostly on Mondays, since they suck anyway. Other times I down 4 ciders whilst gaming with my friends online. On the balance, it's working for me so far. There are ups and downs, and I don't want to give the impression that I follow this 100%. The point of a guiding principle is to have something to strive towards.
I'm not a nutritionist, I'm just documenting what's worked for me so far. If you have a major problem with your diet, and are desperate for a solution to your own eating struggles, seek that help from somebody more qualified - I am not that guy, and don't claim to be.
I'm also privileged enough to be able to afford most foods I might want to eat. If you're not, then some of what follows will sound elitist. Processed food isn't cheaper than fresh, but it does save time. I have time to cook, and I don't have children competing for that time. If you're working two jobs and coming home to a busy house, I'm in no position to judge you for whatever works for you, and I hope that (reading this) it doesn't feel as though I am. We're all doing the best we can from the space we're at, and living different lives the best we're able.
MY SOLUTIONS
I don't have much faith in “easy hacks” to lose weight or feel healthier. I take a “1 a day” multivitamin a few times a week (when I remember) but don't know that it actually does anything for me. That's all the supplement advice you'll see here. Genetic caveats aside, weight is a function of calories in and calories out. Ingest fewer or (better) burn more, and you'll lose weight. Since I don't really want to spend lots of time exercising, I have found it easier to focus on the calories I'm consuming; I'm not counting those calories directly, but I'm making sure they're all deliberate.
I have tried to focus that intentional eating on the rules that Michael Pollan coined: Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants. I use that very basic advice as a guide - it isn't perfect, but nothing is. Eventually I'll read one of Pollan's books, and when I do I will probably write up a review on this blog. For now, I'll just run with those words as I interpret them.
EAT FOOD
I try to avoid processed foods - not perfectly, but as a goal. I still eat noodles. I still buy sauces. My wife bakes sourdough bread, but I'll still buy burger buns when we need some.
I try to avoid the whole “ready made” frozen food aisle at the grocery store, and recommend that anyone else does the same. Sometimes life is stressful though, and I think it's okay to reach for a frozen pot pie or frozen mac-and-cheese when comfort food is called for.
Food is made to be eaten - that means the logic behind it is focused around taste, nutrition, presentation, preparation, and good vibes. I'm into that. Organic food is even better - you've got some gestures toward pesticides and stuff added in at that point. GMOs aren't something I worry about - GMOs are fine.
Processed food (by contrast) is made to be packed, stored, and heated cheaply and safely - that means cutting corners, hiding fillers, adding preservatives, and wrapping everything in plastic. None of that helps you, the consumer.
I do pretty much all the cooking in my household; my wife is a baking wizard, but I don't really trust her alone with a saucepan or skillet, as she tends to get distracted and leave the room when she's cooking.
I think there's something basically pleasing about turning raw ingredients into something that's a delight to eat. I like to cook, and I also like the old, familiar callous on my index finger that serves as testament to all my vegetable chopping. I believe that if there's no cutting board involved in your typical meal prep, you're probably eating too much processed food.
Look at your meal - Can you list the basic things (without checking a label) that went into it?
- Are they food? Great - you're eating food!
- If you can't list those things, can you at least pronounce the things on the labels that went into it? Not too bad - you're mostly eating food, but you should probably look up those ingredients and should know what they are. Why are they on your plate?
- If you can't pronounce it, you probably shouldn't consume it - it's probably not food.
NOT TOO MUCH
This part is somewhat tricky, and depends on your goals. If you're happy with your current weight and diet, skip this. You're rocking it. Good job. If you want to gain weight, eat more. You do you.
If you want to lose weight, you need to pursue a calorie deficit, which means eating fewer calories than you're burning. There's a lot of ways to do that, here's what works for me.
Wear a Fitbit (or similar device) and track your calories burned. I don't count calories, I just avoid excess carbs instead. The Fitbit helps you make an informed decision about how big your meals should be.
Drink a big glass of water before dinner, ideally while you're cooking. Maybe drink two. Most hunger is actually thirst - Americans are chronically dehydrated. Water doesn't have any calories, and occupies space in your stomach. Yay water!
Cook your own food. This fosters a connection between yourself and your diet; it creates a barrier between yourself and unhealthy foods, and ensures that you're portioning your food deliberately.
Portion control is easiest before it gets to your plate. After you cook, split up the food from your pan into plates/bowls (for now/dinner) and a couple containers (for lunch/later). Ideally, find a container small enough that you can't “over portion” your food in it.
I'm fond of these Pyrex Tupperware containers; they don't leak PFAs, don't collect stains, won't melt, and freeze/reheat pretty easily in the oven. The plastic lids last longer if you're gentle with them, they'll be most fragile fresh out of the freezer. Don't heat the lid.
Fuck seconds; exercise restraint. Portioning your food before you eat removes the option of grabbing “seconds” - a second portion is fine for holiday meals, celebrate it on those occasions.
Learn your body, listen to it. Ignore it sometimes. A calorie deficit will leave you hungry sometimes. Get comfortable with that hunger and don't medicate it away. Hunger is your body saying “Hey, if I don't get more calories soon, I'll have to burn up those fat reserves you've been shoring up!” You want that. That's the goal.
If those signals get stronger - if you start to feel weak, if your hands start to shake, if you can't get warm enough - then you're pushing your calorie deficit too far and should eat - try not to go that far next time. Moderation is important here.
Plan your meals out a bit. Grocery shop twice a week. You don't need to cook an elaborate spread every day - try to prepare components that you can re-use the next day, and freeze some leftovers for lazy days.
Soup is great for this. Keep fresh herbs on hand like cilantro (cilantro stems are fine to eat , just mince them), mint, and parsley, and use them liberally. You can get a lot of mileage out of frozen soup portions with fresh herbs or cheese added to serve.
MOSTLY PLANTS
I'm not a vegan - I eat a little of everything (including “weird” stuff, like offal) - but most of the cookbooks I use are vegan. Sometimes I go days at a time eating an unintentional pescatarian diet, with the odd chicken tikka or pepperoni-on-pizza giving lie to actual pescatarianism. I believe that veganism (or near veganism) is healthy and doable, I just don't like the idea of “not eating” certain foods. Foods are tasty, life is short, and I would rather try something delicious than send it back because it has pork in it.
Plan your meals around a central vegetable, or a medley of vegetables. I recommend something in the "broccoli family" as a recurring staple, since they're all healthy, fairly cheap, and keep well in the fridge. Brussels sprouts, broccolini, cabbage, kale, etc. They're also all technically the same species.
Chunky veggies like broccoli, carrots, sprouts, parsnips, squashes, and the like all roast well - you can cut them up into similar sizes and throw them on a sheet pan. They also handle sauces well; you can toss them with marinades the way you would chicken or something.
Leafy veggies fall into two categories - first you've got the sturdier ones like kale, bok choi, and collards that you'll probably want to cook down a bit. You can throw them into a salad or something raw if you shred them first, but I prefer to add them to a soup or to sauté them with some garlic. They play well with onions in a sauté, just start the onions first, and don't cook the greens too long or they'll get bitter. They'll keep in the fridge for a good while.
Our second category of leafy veg includes more delicate plants, ones like arugula, spinach, and lettuces. Personally I'm not that into lettuce - it seems to melt in my fridge before I get a chance to use it, and it doesn't really have the nutritional punch of spinach. But variety is good, and salads can be bomb. Buy these with a purpose in mind, since they'll betray you when you turn your back. They're all good raw, and you don't want to cook them much or they'll turn into bitter slime.
Cabbage is fantastic as a way to bulk up a meal without adding calories to it. Lots of fiber, lots of water, not much else going on. I keep some in my fridge all the time. You can shred it and use it (raw) in place of rice to make takeout Asian food (Thai, Chinese, curries, etc.) healthier. You can also put it in tacos.
Onions and peppers both behave similarly to one another, and I often sauté them together before adding cooked beans for an easy and reusable "Mexican-ish" base. Use that base for breakfast burritos (just add eggs) or to fill quesadillas (add cheese) or enchiladas (add cheese, add more beans, and enchilada sauce). You can also turn it into a chili (add tomatoes, spices, etc.) or use it to bulk up a canned chili for an easy meal.
Beans are your friends. Canned or dried - you can cook dried beans in an instant pot within a couple hours, without pre-soaking them. If you're reading this and thinking “I eat vegetables, but I'm still hungry!” then beans are your answer. Cool Beans is a great book to start with if you're new to working with beans - Rancho Gordo is a great resource in general if you want to try some unique bean options.
Use these suggestions as inspiration and play with them - I hope it helps. Switching my meal planning from a central protein (Chicken and X) to a central vegetable (Sauteed kale and X) has been hugely helpful for me, personally. Throw meat in there sometimes if you like - just try to focus on plants.
When/if you do eat meat, make it a treat. Savor it. Make it an event. Try a neat recipe that excites you. Some critter died to put it on your table, the least you can do in return is to respect and celebrate that life on your table. Make a stock from the bones for a future soup.
MY MORE RADICAL ADVICE, PICK AND CHOOSE THIS STUFF, OR SKIP IT ENTIRELY
Get rid of your microwave. I think this helps. Healthy food doesn't come from a microwave, and almost everything you can cook in a microwave will turn out better if you cook it another way. This also frees up more counter space for kitchen prep. To be fair, I still microwave leftovers for lunch at the office. I'm not a hater, I just chop a lot.
The strongest counter-argument I hear against a low-meat diet is that it can be low on protein. I call that bullshit. Eat lots of beans, nuts, pulses (lentils and such) and you'll have plenty of protein. Eggs are a great protein source, too.
My own go-to protein solution is sardines. I love 'em. I eat about 2-3 cans a week, tossing them into ramen, on toast, into pastas, on sandwiches, etc. You don't need to cook them (I usually just stir them into my portion and let them warm from the other food’s heat) but it's an option if you prefer.
Fasting can be a (direct) way to enforce your calorie consumption, provided you aren't over-eating the next day to compensate for it. I fast sometimes, usually on Mondays. Mondays suck anyway, and are usually busy enough that I don't spend lots of time wishing I had food.
Drink tea. I love tea. I drink 5-6 cups of tea a day - coffee is fine, it just wrecks my GI system, so I can't drink it in those numbers. Green or black tea are both pretty guiltless vices, and caffeinated tea helps to boost your metabolism. I'm particularly partial to Earl Grey. Switch to something decaf (chamomile or mint are good options) after 5pm; you'll sleep better.
Reduce or remove alcohol from your diet. Alcohol is bad for you, and high in calories. It shouldn't be something you consume every day. Two cans of beer have more calories than a slice of pizza - I certainly drink sometimes, but as an occasional celebration. Reducing your intake will also affect your tolerance, making it cheaper (fewer drinks for a given buzz) when you do indulge.
Stop snacking and eat at the table. Snacks (chips, candy, soda, frozen fried stuff) don't need to be something you eat every day. They're not doing anything for you dietarily. If you need to snack, fruits (fiber, vitamins) and nuts (protein) are better options. Popcorn can be pretty harmless too; try an air-popper so you can control the fat you're using - I like to use olive oil instead of butter, but I'll use bacon grease (I'm not a health monster) sometimes if I have it on hand. If you usually eat dinner in front of the TV, try switching to a dinner table instead - my wife suggested this change a few months back and it's worked out well for us since then. You'll eat less that way, and will feel better about your time afterwards.
IN CLOSING
Exceptions are okay. We're all human. This is all a framework that's working for me, but it's also a system I'm using because it allows me to fudge stuff sometimes. I might not (generally) eat much red meat, but that means that it's “okay” for me to have a buttery ribeye once in a while. I will remember that steak for weeks. I might not keep bacon in the fridge all the time, but I'll still cook some up once every couple months, and will reserve the fat for a future cooking project. I'll splurge and get some high-quality bacon when I do.
The main thing is that you're deliberately choosing what and when to eat. That you're eating food. That you're not eating too much. That you're mostly eating plants. When you're not, be kind to yourself. Stay healthy, and talk to your doctor if you need to talk to your doctor.