30 for 30

It's official, I'm no longer in my twenties.

I spent an incredible week in SF on business, lining up some new opportunities while also squeezing out a few nice meals and enjoyed a quick trip up to Napa with my lovely lady.  All in all, it was the perfect way to quietly usher in a new decade while knocking out some solid business.

Quite frankly, I'm cool with finally hitting the big 3-0.  In fact, I would argue that my next year promises to be one of the best yet - starting with my wedding in January, and hopefully some continued success and blessings from the good Lord with regards to family, friends, and business.

I've got plenty of great pics from the day and evening in Napa that I will update you on sometime this week - lots of great food and wine.

But tonight I'm on a late night flight back to Nashville and I'm ready to kick start this 30 year old body with a heightened focus on healthy eating and exercise.  It's been over a year since I ran my last marathon, and I've slowly crept on an extra 10 lbs or so that I am just sick of having around.  Since it's too hot to start training for my next race, I've decided that I'm going to hold myself accountable by keeping track of my meals and workouts right here online!  Hey, being accountable is half of the battle sometimes.  I'm sure I might miss a post or two here and there, but for now, I'm pretty stoked to put my "No, Low, Go" diet to the test over the next 30 days.

I'll be sharing some photos and meals over the next few weeks as I get into prime form for a wedding that I'll be attending mid-Sept right back in wine country.

In the meantime, I do have quite a bit of travel and temptations on the weekends, so this will be a great way to remind myself of my plan and goal.

Next week it's off to Greensboro, NC to bottle up some more MOONSHINE Cologne, and more importantly, put together our release of our women's line, Speakeasy, a lady's perfume!  MOONSHINE was recently named by Esquire Magazine as one of the best new colognes for men - we couldn't be more proud.  Meanwhile, we are thrilled to finally release Speakeasy, a lady's perfume in the next month.  More on this later!

After that, it's a trip to the lake for Labor Day, and then on to Buffalo, NY for my annual Nor'Easter Trip with the boys.

So, that's that folks - check out my guidelines below and get ready for some healthy eating, exercise, and results!

Best,

MM

The NO, LOW, GO Diet

Don’t starve your body - eat the right kinds of foods to keep your metabolism constantly working in your favor.  Don’t consume more than you burn.  It’s okay to indulge every so often - so long as you bust your ass via exercise to make up for it.  Your success is determined by YOU.

NO
Fast Food
Soft Drinks
Processed Foods
Fried Foods
Energy Drinks
White Starches (Breads, Potatoes, Pasta, Rice, etc)
Cream Based Soups (Chowders, Bisques, etc)
Mayonnaise
Mayo or Cream based Salad Dressings (Ranch, Thousand Island, Blue Cheese)

LOW
Alcohol (Wine, Beer, Liquor)
Carbs (must come from whole grains)
Salad Dressing (Oil, Vinegar, Italian, Low Fat Dressings) on the side
Whole Grains (Pasta, Rice, Breads)
Dairy
Sweet Potatoes
Oatmeal (Stick to Protein based raw forms)
Kosher Salt
Fruit Juices
Yogurt, Low Fat or Greek
Sport Drinks (Gatorade, Vitamin Waters, etc)  Check Sugar/Carb Content.
Unsalted Butter
Sour Cream
Frozen Health Foods (Lean Cusines)
Appetizers at restaurants (start with a salad instead)
Desserts (Chocolate, Cakes) … stick to fruits, yogurts, and cheeses

GO
Water (At least 8 glasses per day)
Lean Protein (Chicken, Turkey Breasts, Pork, Seafood, Lean Red Meat)
Vegetables
Fruits (esp, Black/Blue/Cran/Strawberries)
Beans (Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Pinto Beans)
Hummus
Almonds
Salads
Vegetable or Low Fat Broth based Soups
Eggs
Olive Oil

BREAKFAST is the most important meal of the day.  It gives your body the chance to start your metabolism (fat burning furnace) first thing in the morning.  The problem is most people skip breakfast thinking they’ve reduced their overall caloric intake for the day.  What happens?  Your metabolism doesn’t start.  You overeat at lunch or from snacking because you feel entitled.  Instead - EAT BREAKFAST.  I’m not talking about cereals, bagels, or pastries.  The worst thing you can do is start your day off with sugar and carbs.  This spikes your blood sugar, which shuts down your metabolism, only to cause a mid-morning crash which will likely lead to overeating later in the day.  Eggs are our best friend in the morning.  Full of protein, and virtually without carbs, we want to focus our efforts on eating eggs as much as possible for breakfast.  Forget the cholesterol scares of the 1980’s… eating the whole egg - not just the whites, has actually been shown to improve ‘good’ cholesterol levels.  1 - 3 eggs each morning, is a simple and easy breakfast.  Vary your preparation method - scrambled, fried, poached, hard boiled, or even as a simple omelet with diced veggies and low fat cheese so that you don’t get stuck in a routine.  If you can’t cook, or don’t think you have time - invest in a microwaveable egg poacher.  It turns out a decent poached egg in under a minute - without any added fat. 

SNACKS are a good thing, so long as you make the right choices.  Again, think about reducing your carbs to keep your metabolism burning.  As you start to get hungry a few hours after breakfast, add another log to the fire by choosing snacks that are full of protein and low in carbs as described below.  Power through the afternoon with a second snack to provide energy before an evening workout.

LUNCH can be difficult because you are often forced to eat out.  The chef at your favorite restaurant has one thing in mind - taste.  He’s not interested in your health, diet, or well-being.  Salt, saturated fats, oils, cream, butter, etc are all used in order to make ‘bland’ food taste incredible.  I’ve laid out some options at some of your favorite restaurants to make your choices easier.  Keep in mind our basic philosophy whenever ordering.  Think lean proteins (chicken, fish, lean red meats) that are prepared without extra fat (grilled, roasted, baked) along with vegetables (steamed, sautéed, grilled, roasted) and whole grains (brown rice/pasta).  Most restaurants do not offer whole grain choices - in these instances, sub out the baked potato, fries, rice, pasta, etc for a double serving of vegetables or a side salad.  Speaking of salads - this should be your go to lunch option.  Think greens with plenty of vegetables and some sort of lean protein to keep you full.  Dressings should always be served on the side.  No white dressings (Ranch, Blue Cheese, etc).  Choose oil and vinegar, reduced fat dressings, or simply lemon juice and olive oil.

DINNER should be eaten as early as possible.  You want to allow your body time to digest and process your food.  This will not only aid in sleep and digestion, but it will also ensure that you wake up hungry to eat breakfast.  You will encounter the same problems at dinner as with lunch, as this tends to be a ‘social’ meal.  Follow the same guidelines when dining out, remembering that your choices will dictate your damage.  Keep alcohol to a minimum.  I endorse a glass of red wine at every dinner.  If you try to go too extreme, like cutting out all alcohol, sugar, etc - you will most likely fail.  Keep it in moderation.  1 - 2 glasses of red wine at dinner or in the evening is perfectly acceptable.

DESSERT should be in moderation.  Remember that you are trying to keep your sugar/carb intake at a minimum.  Go for non-fat yogurt dressed up with sliced fruits, or even grilled fruits when the craving for something sweet arrives.  Of course, if you can’t resist the temptation, eat slowly, savor the food, and eat less.

BREAKFAST
Option 1 (Eat Most Often)
3 Eggs (Scrambled, Fried, Hard Boiled, Veggie Omelets)
Option 2
Non-Fat Greek Yogurt (Higher in protein)
Granola (Bear Naked Peak Protien)
Fruit (Apples, Mixed Berries - Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, etc)
Option 3
Hummus
Fruits and Vegetables

Morning/Afternoon SNACK OPTIONS (Pick One or Two) 
Palm full of Almonds
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Low Fat Cheese (String Cheese), Mozzarella, Cottage Cheese
Apple
Protein Bar (Check Sugar/Carb Content)
Bear Naked Peak Protein Granola (Handful)
Hummus (2-3 oz) and Veggies
Can of Tuna (dress up w/ lemon juice, salt, pepper)
5-6 Whole Grain Triscuits and low-fat cheese slices

LUNCH
Salads with a lean protein (Dressings on Side)
Grilled/Roasted Proteins with Vegetables
Low Fat/Low Carb Broth based Soups (Vegetable Soup, Chicken Noodle w/ whole grain pasta, etc)

DINNER
Grilled, roasted, pan seared lean proteins (olive oil)
Beans/Legumes
Vegetables (steamed, roasted, pan sautéed)
Fist sized portion of Brown Rice, Sweet Potatoes, or Whole Grain Pasta
1 Glass of RED wine

NO EATING PAST 9:00 p.m.