Question for Coach Sonnon.

[Rich_Hav]

Coach,

I was curious about what kind of diet you follow. Do you follow the low carb diet like so many others?

Thanks for the time.
Peace
Rich

[Scott Sonnon]

I don't speak much about my diet, because my wife (as a nutritional consultant) takes care of this aspect of our lives and education.

With that caveat... I eat ... intuitively, without regimen. I require flexibility in my diet in such a way which always promotes my health and performance; primarily due to my constantly changing life of travel, training and projects; all three of which can dramatically change my dietary needs. However, there are some common elements throughout all of the changes. I do not feel reluctant to share them considering that I experience greater health now than ever in my life.

Here are the 11 general points of our diet.
1. Rarely choose simple carbs (i.e. refined sugars, pastas, breads).
2. Choose as often as possible organic option.
3. Eat when hungry, and only until satisfied (ingesting only the maximum nutritive value of the meal), not "full."
4. Eat protein/veggies during day 'grazing'.
5. As often as possible eat evening meal/dinner home prepared 'whole food' (not pre-prepared/pre-packaged).
6. Occasional morning whole grain breakfast; always whole grains in evening meal.
7. Never white refined sugar; never white refined flour; never "frankenfoods" (genetically modified foodstuffs.)
8. As often as possible choose seasonally relevant produce, and purchase from local growers.
9. Supplement diet with green foods (i.e. blue green algae, spirulina, wheat grass)
10. Rarely if ever intake stimulants or depressants (i.e. caffeine, alcohol or tobacco).
11. No matter what you're eating, always enjoy it (even if it departs from 1-10).

[Rich_Hav]

Cool, Thanks for the info Coach. I really appreciate it.

Peace
Rich

[Jarlo Ilano]

Coach,

Not to be too incredibly nosy! :)

But if I may ask? Upon looking at your Phase IV photo progression, you gained an appreciable amount of muscle. Did you find yourself eating more during those weeks?

As someone who once so obsessed with gaining weight, it was drilled into me to keep calories and protein high to gain. It's encouraging to see that good muscle can be gained "without regimen".

Thanks, as always, for your advice.

Jarlo

[Scott Sonnon]

Jarlo, yes, I craved more food. Lifting heavy or high volume or frequently tends to increase my craving by one foraging meal a day in the late afternoon, but it also increases my big meal in the evening by anywhere from 25-50%.

My gut tends to desire largely increased protein for my large eve. meal three out of four days. On the fourth day, my gut craves a carb heavy meal in the evening.

[Jarlo Ilano]

Coach,

Thanks for the response! Interesting pattern of your increased protein intake for 3 days and carbohydrates for 1...

I am very intrigued about your outline of "intuitive eating", along with Bill Fox's post. Again, great demonstration of sophisticated thinking, rather than simplistic adherence to a diet "plan".

This reminds me of a conversation I had with a friend several years ago, whose nutrition teacher had an enlightening anecdote about children and eating. Apparently when given a choice of foods, they would of course initially chose sweets and the like, but after a period of time they would shun these foods and request vegetables and fruits. The children apparently had an intuitive sense of their needs and refrained from piling on the junk.

Thank you again,
Jarlo