Building this as I go, I’ve drafted up a Q&A from some of the feedback I’ve gotten. I’d love more questions if folks can think of any.
DIET
Q: “For the diet, can I have ____?”
A: The instructions are clear: meat and eggs. If you don’t know what meat is or what eggs are, you’re genuinely lying to yourself. Beyond that: ask yourself WHY you’re asking this question in the first place. Why are you already looking to change the plan before you start? What is it you think you “need” in order to succeed with this endeavor that is NOT covered with “meat and eggs”? Yes, I included Dr. Berry’s “Beef, BUTTER, Bacon and Eggs” recommendation, which includes a non-meat and non-egg foodstuff with butter, but that was honestly more for the sake of including MORE limitations in order to require LESS thinking. You could even go so far as to exclude the butter if it keeps your conscious clear.
But what is it you’re wanting to include that isn’t covered? Dairy? Spices and seasonings? Sauces? Etc etc. Consider how much of these things are “treats”. Cheese has been said to have qualities similar to those found in opioids, and milk itself is one of the only things found in nature that has natural sources of fat and sugar: the very combination (along with salt) that food manufacturers have discovered supercharges the palatability of food and makes us want to eat more and more of it. For a mother feeding their growing child, this is invaluable: you produce a product that the baby is COMPELLED to consume in MASSIVE quantities due to their biological imperative, and, in turn, they grow big and strong enough to survive the environment. For those of you that struggle with hunger signaling? This is a recipe for overindulging. Considered these as “trigger foods”. And the same is to be said about spices, seasonings and sauces. All these things are there to increase the palpability of food: make it yummier. Funny enough, it’s part of the reason butter gets a pass: the sugars are rendered out of it, making it just fats with some protein. And if you’re really interested in getting “the good stuff”, use ghee.
Meat and eggs are ALREADY delicious. They are some of the most delicious foods in the world. You literally have to engage in murder in order to partake in them, and they are so delicious that we regularly do that. Think about anything else in your life you would murder food: it’s GOTTA be damn good for that. If you are “not in the mood” for meat and eggs, this doesn’t mean you need to season it: it means you AREN’T HUNGRY. You’re bored. You’re experiencing ennui. When you are actually hungry, meat and eggs will be delicious. And once they STOP being delicious, that means you’re done eating. That’s the natural order of things. We eat until we aren’t hungry. Watch a pride of lions feasting on a kill: they eat until they’re done, walk away and take a nap. There is no “clean plate club”: meat is left on the carcass for the scavengers to eat. But the predator eats the prime meat until they’re satisfied.
CAVEAT: Salt is ok. Why? It’s a mineral, rather than a plant, and all species are salt seeking. Since this is such a low-carb approach, your electrolytes are going to become critical to manage, so salt is going to play a valuable role into holding onto water.
Q: “What if I wanted to add vegetables/fruits/honey/grains etc?”
A: The gameplan is laid out for you. It’s on you if you want to follow it. If you think it’s better to eat those things than to not, you must take accountability for your choices. In turn, if you do not experience success, that’s a result of YOUR plan: not THIS plan. The same holds true if you change the training.
Q: “What can I have for snacks?”
A: Snacks are for children. You don’t need snacks as a grown up. Eat enough at your meals and you will be satiated until your next meal, at which point, when you are hungry, you’ll eat meat and eggs until you are no longer hungry. It could not be simpler.
Snacking is an emotional event, rather than a biological one. People don’t snack because they’re hungry: they snack out of boredom, out of habit, out of a need for a dopamine release, etc. Look at what comprises the majority of snack foods: highly processed carbohydrates. Typically the unholy trinity of salt, sugar, and seedoils. Every pre-packaged pastry, Poptart, box of cookies, crackers, fruit snack, trail mix, etc etc. To say nothing of our association of NEEDING snacks that correlate with activities. Popcorn and candy at the movie theater, chips and dips while watching the game, our favorite snack to go with our favorite show, etc. These are all psychological associations, and with that, they tend to tie back to childhood memories, because, again, snacks are for children. We try to rekindle that very experience.
Look, I’m not without mercy. Let’s say you’re attending some sort of potluck event where you’re all expected to bring more of a snack dish vs a full meal. Wings, meatballs, deviled eggs (you can use grassfed sour cream or butter to help with the filling), burger sliders (just toss the buns when you eat yours) or hot dogs/sausages, a delimeat platter, etc. You can make it work. Which actually ties great into the next question.
Q: “What about going out to eat?”
A: There’s 2 options here. One is to lean into that “10% corollary” idea and just count this meal as a 1 off that isn’t part of the plan, but also try NOT to eat like a a-hole at this meal in turn. Don’t turn it into an excuse to binge and put away 12,000 calories like a Dave Tate cheat meal, but instead appreciate the social healing aspect of having yummy food with good company. It’s a very “human” thing to do.
Otherwise, seriously: everywhere has meat and/or eggs available. And most places will actually accommodate you regarding how your food is prepared so long as you detail to them what it is you want. No oils, cooked in butter only? Can do. You simply have to be willing to be a demanding customer, and also willing to accept “no” when that’s the answer. Also be willing to pay more to get exactly what you want. I frequently order 2 entrees and tell them to hold the sides and just put them both on the same plate for me. It’s pricey, but I don’t go out to eat often, and this way I get exactly what I want.
Get creative with your problem solving. Ask if you can get items ala carte. Ask if you can sub your sides for more protein. One of my favorite hacks is at Texas Roadhouse: for my 2 sides, I get 2 house salads, in the same bowl “hold the lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, and veggies: just put the eggs and cheese in the bowl”. The server digs it. And they hook me up! I’ve also done “Street tacos, no tortilla or veggies” and gotten a ton of meat in a bowl. Same with fajitas. When you go to sandwich places, order the bread on the side. Burger joints are no-brainers here. The world is your oyster…and oysters are definitely on the diet!
Q: “I’m allergic to a certain food. What should I do?”
A: Don’t eat it. That’s it. Seriously: there are SO many animals on the planet; you can find one you can eat. Beef/red meat tends to be one of the least allergenic foods out there. Same with egg yolks. Find SOMETHING!
Q: “I don’t like to eat a certain food. What should I do?”
A: You aren’t hungry. A hungry person will eat.
Q: “How many calories/what macros should I eat with the diet?”
A: This is missing the point entirely. This is about learning HOW to eat vs how MUCH to eat. We’re learning out body’s signals here, understanding what REAL hunger is vs ennui, understanding when our body is crying out for nutrition, and eating when HUNGRY rather than according to some artificially constructed schedule that is a product of our work culture. 3 meals a day with snacks in between is totally unnatural: eating when hungry until you’re not is how every animal lives, ESPECIALLY apex predators.
This isn’t a plan for bulking or cutting or any such silliness: this is a plan for physical transformation. The body will take on the shape it needs to take on. This is “being that which does”. Those that need to lose fat in order to be the animal that eats meat and eggs and lifts things over their head will eat and grow in that manner. Those that need to get more muscle will do so. So long as, when the body talks: we listen.
TRAINING
Q: “Does ‘X’ count?”
A: Have FEWER rules people. Honestly, this “question” could apply to the training OR diet section, but if you’re asking if something “counts” as far as meeting the parameters of 3 very simple sentences, there is a fair chance you’re lying to yourself and hoping someone will agree. Be an adult here: meet the spirit and intent vs the letter. No one likes the guy at DnD who is a total rules lawyer, and in that regard we always have “Dungeon Master’s Discretion” when it comes to complicated situations that require too many rules.
Odds are, if you’re wanting permission to for something to “count”, you’re either trying to pick an easier exercise or you’re trying to justify some Frankenfood to satisfy an emotional craving. Meat and eggs, picking things up off the ground and putting them overhead: it’s simple.
Q: “What about ‘X’ muscle?” (calves, biceps, serratus, pineal gland, etc)
A: Either use the 10% corollary to spend some time hammering it directly, include it in some conditioning training (no one ever takes me up on my offer to do rope climbs to build their biceps…damndest thing) or realize that no plan lasts forever. Once you are done with “Chaos is the Plan”, pick a new one that emphasizes what needs bringing up.
Hey, look at that: periodization.
Q: “What if I get sick/injured?”
A: Chaos IS the plan. When these things happen, it’s exactly what we expect. In turn, we simply do what we can to the maximal extend we can do it. Single leg training if a leg is injured, single arm for arms. Super light loads if need be, completely unloaded if that’s what it takes. Eat the foods we can eat as much as we need to eat them. And since this is about doing what is natural, why not consider Steve Pulcinella’s “Paleo rehab” idea? An injured body heals QUICKLY when the demand NEVER STOPS. It recognizes that it exists in a hostile environment and NEEDS to heal up quick so that it won’t die. That’s pretty good motivation!
Q: “What does 180 minutes REALLY mean? Do I count rest times toward that?”
A: “To thine own self be true.” You KNOW what we’re talking about here. If you do 1 set, rest 179 minutes and then do another and think you’ve met the intent of this plan, you’ll get exactly the benefits you deserve. There’s absolutely something to be said about a stupid heavy training day where you take long rests between sets, but consider what you can be doing DURING those rest times that won’t compromise your recovery but can still benefit you. Great time for some band pull aparts, direct core work, simple walking around, etc. Nothing is saying that you ONLY put things over your head with this plan. Similar to adding food to the diet, feel free to add to the training: just understand that you take ownership of your results.
Q: “What if I have absolutely no equipment whatsoever?”
A: Get creative. There’s heavy stuff everywhere to pick up and put over your head. If you are reading this from prison (great to have you as a fan!), might be time to just focus on burpees.
***ACTIVITY VS TRAINING***
In regards to the discussion on walking, it’s worth discussing how this isn’t “training”: this is basic human activity. In turn, walking is RECLAMING your humanity, because you traded it for technology, convenience and comfort. Your forefathers a mere century ago weren’t allowed that trade, and walked SO much just as a means of basic transportation. We have to make a concentrated effort to re-achieve that basic level of physical activity ON TOP OF actual training. We’re witnessing a new trend of obese athletes: people that can perform at a high level while existing in a state of metabolic illness because the amount of time they spend training is not enough to counteract the amount of time they spend being INACTIVE.
Get some basic activity daily. Walking is absolutely dandy, as is simply getting outside and playing some sort of game. Get some sun and some vitamin D, become human again, counteract all that time spent sitting in artificial light and go experience the human experience.