Here is an example drawn from my own personal experience:

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1. Acknowledge where you are now

   • At the beginning of my EYH journey:

     • I was 250 lbs

     • On dialysis due to kidney failure (still am - awaiting transplant)

     • ​​Had/have psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and gout

     • Had/have a blood clotting condition​

     • Had history of multiple diverticulitis episodes

2. Envision success

   • I'm fit and healthy, have a ton of energy, and feel in charge of my life

   • I'm laughing while outside in the sunshine with my kids, trees rustling in the wind, leaves in fall colors

   • I feel good about how I look in a bathing suit - sure, I have scars and skin issues that stand out, but we all have some of those.  I'm done hiding them

3. ​Set one or two long-term goals in line with your vision

   • Weigh 200 lbs at around 10% body fat, with a lean, muscular build (50 lbs to lose while building and maintaining muscle)

   • Be active with my family, able to hike and fish and play outdoors

4. ​Set two or three realistic short-term goals in line with your vision

   • Lose 10 lbs of FAT while building strength and a moderate amount of lean muscle mass in two months

   • Drop two pant sizes in two months​

   • Be able to hike and fast-walk two miles in 30 minutes

5. Write down one or more tasks that are immediately actionable for each goal and work to achieve them without worrying about all the remaining tasks or challenges that the future may hold

   • The following became the baseline for Phase I of the EYH program, lasting two weeks

     • Develop a weight routine and schedule time throughout the week for exercise​

     • Walk outside or on elliptical for 20 minutes as part of my workout routine three days per week 

     • Purge fridge and pantry of all foods and beverages not in compliance with EYH (or create a separate section in my pantry and fridge for staple EYH foods and beverages if my family would not be going on the EYH journey with me) 

     • Go shopping for foods compliant with Phase I EYH

6. ​Rinse and repeat - reassess weekly, adding new goals as I achieved old ones​ while reinforcing my vision​​​

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nutrition and sleep

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From a fitness standpoint, any reasonable program involving thoughtful and consistent strategies designed to make dietary improvements and get you moving will inevitably lead to some level of success.  That's the honest truth.  Unless you're doing some off-the-wall nutrition program where you do not take in enough essential nutrients, or the amount of calories you are taking in does not match with your goals, or you are severely over or under training, or performing exercises that exacerbate one or more conditions, you will make progress. 

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But appearing fit and looking good in a bathing suit does not mean you are healthy, energetic, and feel fantastic in your body.

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Most fitness and weight loss programs are deprivation-based and promote excessive exercise.  Because of this, these programs often result in unfavorable body composition changes after "taking a break" or "falling off the wagon" for a period of time.  The recommendations provided within these programs often do not align with our natural bodily mechanisms and processes, resulting in a conflicted struggle between body and mind.  From a nutrition standpoint, this is why they call it "going on a diet" vs. simply consuming what our bodies are designed to eat and drink.  By consuming only foods and beverages our bodies were designed to consume while adding some regular, moderate exercise, our bodies take care of themselves. No struggle.  No deprivation.

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Phase I and II of the Eat Your Hunger nutrition plan is anti-inflammatory in nature.  It is based on the consumption of foods that are least problematic for human beings, the most natural food sources our bodies are designed to consume. 

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The guidelines are simple.  You won't need much fridge or pantry space. 

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Are you ready?

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1. Eat unprocessed meat.

2. Drink water (coffee and tea without any sugar or creamer are optional, though they may be problematic for some people).

3. Supplement with salt and butter. 

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That's it. Avoid plant foods for four weeks, including vegetables, fruits, beans, oils, seeds, and grains.  Make sure you enjoy a significant amount of animal fat or butter, as fat will be your primary energy source. 

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You really don't need anything else.  I'm not going to go deep on this, as there is a ton of research out there.  I don't recommend getting too deep into the science behind the recent movement towards carnivorism at this point, as it's likely to become a distraction. Let's keep it simple for now and trust the process.  The fact is that it works, and the only way you will find that out is to give it a try.  Once you have followed this program for 30 days, you will have the option to add back a variety of dairy and plant-based foods to see if they are problematic for you.  That is what I did.  But for now, put that out of your mind and focus, knowing in the future, as you progress towards your goals, you will have the option to diversify your diet.  By restricting your diet to the most basic, non-problematic foods we evolved on, you will find your hunger no longer rules you.  You will find that you will only be hungry when you actually need to eat.  This is the baseline of this program and cannot be skipped if you want to ensure success.

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Here is my nickel-rundown on why this is the healthiest diet on the planet:

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• Human beings evolved on meat. It's why we are what we are today. For millions of years, we were hunters who gathered when game was scarce.

• Since the introduction of agriculture, our brains and bodies have begun to shrink, and illness and disease have magnified exponentially.

• All plants have protective mechanisms and toxins which are harmful in varying degrees to human beings, contributing to many modern day conditions and diseases.

• Meat has everything your body needs.

  • You don't need fiber - it's likely contributing significantly to any digestive issues you may have. 

  • You don't need carbohydrates - your body makes what it needs.  Think of carbohydrates as a stimulant drug.  That's how the body responds to carbohydrates, especially refined carbohydrates and sugars. 

  • Nutritional guidance based on the food pyramid is nothing but a marketing ploy funded by big business.  Trust me.  Do the research.  I don't buy into many conspiracy theories, but I did the research on this one and it's simply true.  You can't modify meat significantly enough to make a ridiculous number of products that sell for a huge markup while remaining relatively low in cost (like grains).  And you can't make it addictive by adding sugars, or improve output significantly like you can with modern agricultural practices and supportive technologies. 

• By eliminating plant-based foods, you can eat until you are full. Meat is extremely satiating.​  You will likely find that one or two meals per day is all you need.

• Since you are eating a reduced volume of a specific type of food, you are saving time shopping, cooking, cleaning, and (dare I say it?) visiting the restroom. 

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Note that transitioning away from a carbohydrate-heavy diet is likely to result in a period of adaptation.  During this period, you can expect a number of symptoms while your body adapts to burning fat as its primary fuel source.  Symptoms like headache, lightheadedness, lethargy, and gastrointestinal distress are common.  If when beginning the EYH program you are consuming over 200 grams of carbs per day, you may wish to do a carb ramp down to minimize symptoms.  Spend 2-4 weeks slowly tapering down on high-carbohydrate foods, slowly transitioning to a diet based on meat, dairy, and low-carbohydrate plant-based foods.  Once you have adapted to less than 50 grams of carbohydrates per day, transition fully into the EYH Phase I nutrition plan.

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As far as sleep is concerned - get enough (at least 8 hours on average per night).  Sleep recommendations vary widely based on age, gender, and various other factors.  My recommendation is to get as much as you have time for and wake up when well rested.  Obviously, you may have to make some decisions for this approach to work, such as going to bed earlier.  Most of us have to get up by a certain time to get the kids off to school, or go to school, or go to work, or go to the gym before work.

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exercise and movement

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How active are you? If you are on your feet all day, are a construction worker, and play sports on the weekend, you may be all set.  If you are a modern desk jockey like many of us, working long hours in front of a computer screen with little activity in your life outside of work, we need to get you moving.

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For the modern desk warrior, we recommend a simple, full-body workout three times a week.  A little movement up front to warm up, then a 20-30 min weight-lifting routine based on full-body, compound movements like squat, bench, chin-ups, lunges, and overhead press.  Complete 3-5 sets of 2-3 exercises in the 5-10 rep range targeting each different muscle group in a given workout.  Rest 2-3 minutes between exercises.  

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Alternative options include taking a martial arts, exercise, or dance class for one or two days in place of your weight routine. If you go this route, one day of weight-lifting per week still is highly recommended.

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The trick here is to do just enough to strengthen and develop your muscles, bones, ligaments, and tendons for health, functionality, and aesthetic purposes, depending on your goals. Less is truly more here, as too much exercise is counterproductive.  One of the main goals of the EYH system is to reduce inflammation in your body through diet, exercise, and routine.  Exercise temporarily increases inflammation in the body.  You want just enough to keep the ball rolling towards your goals.  Feel free to walk, swim, hike, or do other low-impact activities as much as you like as long as the intensity level is minimal and you are enjoying the activity without depleting your energy stores.

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The main thing is to get moving, lift a few heavy things with some regularity, get in a little cardio here and there, and don't overdo it.  If you want to weight train five days a week, fine.  Just don't work out the same muscle group two days in a row, and do shorter workouts with fewer sets and reps each day.  You need to learn to listen to your body and back off when necessary.

 

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Routine and schedule management

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The challenge for most people is putting everything together into a cohesive whole that simplifies your life and clarifies your goals while helping you make consistent progress toward them.  So while it may seem strange to some, I suggest a fourth pillar: routine and schedule management.

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The key is to create a schedule and set of routines that support the three other pillars.  The daily schedule is a map of your day and helps you make sure you hit all stops relevant to achieving your goals.  Routines are a subset of activities executed in an ordered, almost ritualistic manner that are performed in the same (or highly similar) way every time.  Routines are critical to pattern forming and habit building, the foundational elements to help you achieve your goals.  The only way to get better at something is to practice.  That's where routines come in handy.  EYH is an approach to self-transformation and actualization that helps to remove noise and focus on the things that matter to you most.  Its magic is in its simplicity and hands-on approach.  Practice, practice, practice.

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The methods and approach here are not new by any means.  Don't get caught up in comparing elements of this program with other programs, books, theories, etc.  Nothing is new.  The ideas for this program have come from years of research and experimentation based on ancient and modern approaches to health, fitness, productivity, happiness, and success,  Don't get caught up in the information game.  If any aspect of this program appeals to you, take a chance and give it a try.  Assuming you give it your all, you won't regret it.

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need help getting going? want more?

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The outline provided above details the "what" and "why" of the program.  If you are interested in the "how" of the program, including a detailed, step-by-step, phased approach, please check out our courses. Training is tiered, reinforcing and deepening your EYH skills and experience within each pillar as you make your way up the mountain.

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Welcome to Eat Your Hunger!