It’s time for some #realtalk.
At Camp Victory, we are real people who train real people and that means we also need to be realistic. Here is a truth bomb: we like fitness AND burgers. Camp Victory is approachable at every turn, including our approach to diet.
A couple of years ago, I attended a clinic and was impressed by the instructor. He was a very successful lifelong fitness professional. During the seminar, he made a comment about his biker buddies teasing him when they make pit stops and he orders a salad and water while they have a burger and a beer. Though the instructor was lean, muscular and generally looked great, my first thought was, “that sounds terrible.”
I do not judge that instructor; he made a cost-benefit analysis and whether it was low body fat, maintaining muscle mass, or overall health, having an indulgence on his bike ride just didn’t outweigh his commitment to a healthy lifestyle. That works for him. For me, food serves as a means of comfort and enjoyment. I love to cook, we travel to eat and in addition to healthy choices, I love pizza, chicken wings and beer. Because of my genetics and body type, I only had a six-pack stomach once in my life when my diet consisted of grilled chicken breast, seafood, lean steak, oatmeal, apples, bananas, broccoli and absolutely no alcohol. I looked good, I felt great physically, but I was miserable on that diet. I weighed out having a very low body fat percentage versus my enjoyment of food and beverage, and the latter won.
I am not saying that if a big bowl of cheesy pasta and a glass of wine are essential to your happiness that you should indulge as needed. The key is consistent moderation. I cannot stand the term ‘cheat meal’ because it likens your choice to something negative and dishonest. However, the occasional treat in moderation is not something to be embarrassed of, and in fact, may be necessary to achieving your overall goal. We are humans and we should celebrate victories. So, let’s reframe the term to ‘treat meals.’ If we can be responsible with our diets then there is no need for guilt – and you certainly do not need that toxic emotion in your life.
With that said, here are some of the guidelines that I practice to maintain a satisfying, but responsibly healthy diet.
- General diet guide (previous Camp Vic blog)
- Three treat meals a week and two snacks
- seconds are not an option
- No alcohol on weekdays
With these practices, I will likely never get back that six-pack or achieve 9% body fat, but I feel strong, healthy, and satisfied by the way I look. You may need to tailor your guidelines as well. For instance, two treat meals and one treat snack a week may be best because you are predominately focused on weight loss. Just remember that even the mighty can fall when they never allow themselves a treat now and again.
So how do you evaluate your treat plan? Ask yourself some questions:
- How do your genes, body type and metabolism realistically play into your goals?
- Could you practice a completely clean diet?
- Honestly, how important is ___________ to your overall happiness?
- Insert your particular affinity here – cake, fries, beer, etc.
- Are you generally healthy? If not, could your diet be adjusted to improve your health?
- You may want to follow the advice of your doctor or a dietitian. If you feel that you need a certain food or beverage that isn’t the healthiest choice, how often do you need it to satiate that craving?
We want our people to eat as well as possible while being happy and healthy. Camp Victory does not focus much on bodybuilding, but check out this interesting article written for people who are singularly focused on becoming perfect human specimens. If bodybuilders can practice this, then why can’t we? (And please disregard their usage of the term ‘cheat meal.’)
Above all, we advocate for balance and moderation to achieve success and happiness. Bottom line: work hard in the gym, eat clean and raw the majority of the time, and come Friday or your next super bad day, treat yourself within reason.
