My 12 Simple Rules to Staying Healthy, Fit and Improving Athletic Performance

After studying, researching, having personal results and having client results, I have learned that the biggest reason why people fail when it comes to diets is because diets are usually unrealistic. Most diets starve you, they complicate things with counting calories, and most people, especially men, do not want to live off of chicken and salads all day. People like to eat real food!

When it comes to athletes, people think that it’s more complicated, but I have come to learn that it really isn’t that complicated. Of course, everybody is different, and to get optimal results, it’s usually best to go to a nutritionist. I’m certified in sports nutrition and fitness, but a nutritionist will go deep into blood analysis and all the cool scientific stuff that I won’t get into.

For most people and young athletes, they can’t afford a nutritionist and worse, don’t have the time or patience to follow strict diets. Most diets require lots of cooking time and food deprivation. As a 41-year old man, it’s hard enough to squeeze in my workouts because of time. If I want to compete at an elite level, I can’t miss my workouts and I have to include my sports specific training, my rest time and I have to eat properly. This is why I took the time to research and learn how I can live a healthy athletic life. 

So I have these simple rules to staying healthy, energetic, improving performance, strength, building muscle, burning fat and keeping lean muscle.  For the most part, they're consistent.  But as I get older and my body and metabolism changes, I adjust accordingly.

1. I don’t count calories.
2. I eat the foods I like and I don’t eat what I don’t like.
3. I eat for performance. I can still enjoy good food but I stay focused on PERFORMANCE. Let me explain. Many will say, "I want to enjoy my life...", usually by eating sweets, ordering dessert every time they go out, etc., etc. My question is this. If you owned a Ferrari, would you fill up with Regular low octane gasoline or with Premium High Octane? The answer is obvious. So what type of food would you like to put in your body? I enjoy my life plenty without eating so many sweets.
4. I take supplements (protein shake, omega-3, multi-vitamin, protease, digestive enzymes, probiotics, and super greens).  I take a few more, but these I'm consistent with.
5. I eat when I feel hungry, unless I'm fasting.  Or I eat depending on my training. Sometimes I'll eat before and/or after my workout, depends on the type of workout and goal.  I'm very flexible, but I listen to my body and give it what it needs when it needs it.
6. I don't over eat.  I only eat until I'm satisfied.  If I feel full or bloated, I ate too much.
7. I focus on the amount of Protein intake (100 grams to 135 grams per day)

     8. I eat as many veggies, fruits and berries as I want.
     9. I eat oatmeal almost daily with nut milk. (I don't drink cows milk)
   10. I eat plenty of avocado and peanut butter. (Not at the same time)
   11. I drink plenty of water daily.  More than half my weight in ounces.
   12. I drink water with my meals the majority of the time.

This has worked for me for many years.  We'll see how I feel later on in my mid and late 40's.  Drop a comment below and let me know if this works for you or what rules, if any, work for you.

God bless,
Jose Nilo aka Coach Nilo

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