MB #019: Build The Perfect Meal, Discipline, The Carnivore Diet

Today will look slightly different as I felt that it was important to teach y’all how to structure the perfect healthy meal. That said, I kept all of our regular segments in the newsletter, and they’re found in the second half.

Learning about how to structure a healthy meal, without tools and trackers and such, is so key for the lifelong health of any person. We can’t always track macros (and who wants to do that anyways?!).

With this framework, you’ll be able to take any ingredients and craft a meal with the right amounts and ratios to get you closer to your fat loss and strength gain goals. Even while traveling.

Unfortunately, trainers and coaches use this with clients and aren't teaching it publically. Not only that, dogmatic “experts” and social media influencers just continue to create confusion about nutrition and healthy meals.

So let me bring some clarity and teach this gem...

This simple, effective, and proven method is called the Hand Portion Method. The idea is that you’re not measuring or weighing your food using technology but rather using your own hand to gauge the size of the portion.

Your hands are proportional to your body, and they go where you go. This makes them the perfect tool to quickly, and easily gauge your portion size, even when you’re eating out!

Step 1: Start With Protein

Why is it the base of our meals?

Protein has risen to the forefront as the most important nutrient, not just for muscle building, but for fat loss, support, transport of nutrients, as an enzyme, and more.

In the Western diet, it is very common for carbohydrates to make up the foundation of a meal. Unfortunately, these carbohydrates are often highly refined and have a high glycemic index, which will leave us hungrier two hours later.

How do I apply this step?

Raise your hand in front of your face. This will be your new portion measuring tool. For protein, one serving can be measured as one-to-two palm sizes of meat, fish, dairy, etc. Here are some examples:

• Chicken breast/thighs

• Steak/beef

• Salmon/Cod/other fish

• Greek Yogurt

• A scoop or two of whey protein

For men:

For women:

Step 2: Fill Half The Plate With Fruit Or Veg

Why?

We have all heard that fruit and vegetables should be the foundation of a healthy diet. But do we really know why? In short, they provide essential micronutrients (e.g. vitamins and minerals), antioxidants, flavonoids, and fiber needed for:

• Energy production

• Immune function

• Control of inflammation

• Healthy digestive system

• Overall health

What are some examples of fruit and veg portions?

• 1/2-1 cup of berries

• Mixed garden vegetables

• Chopped peppers/carrots and hummus

• Mixed fruit salad

• Broccolini/green beans/etc.

For men:

For women:

Step 3: Fill The Remainder Of The Plate With Carbs

Carbohydrates are not bad when portion control is implemented. However, it often comes as a surprise to most people when they first see one true serving size of rice, pasta, or bread. It is a lot smaller than one would think. That is why we recommend filling the plate up with protein, fruit, and veg, and adding the carb after!

As a general rule of thumb, if you’re not using Einkorn flour as your wheat, I personally would just stay away from bread, flour tortillas, rolls, biscuits, and other flour-based baked goods. Yes, they’re really that bad for your health and fitness journey. But some great options can be:

• Roasted/baked sweet potato fries (or whole)

• Einkorn sourdough bread (or other Einkorn products)

• Potatoes

• White Rice (yes white, not brown - worth a whole post in and of itself)

• Some homemade pasta

• Sprouted beans (like black beans)

• More fruit

For men:

For women:

Step 4: Add A Source Of Healthy Fats

“Why should we include fat, I thought it was bad?”

Dietary fat is not only perfectly OK to consume but is essential. We need fatty acids for several crucial functions including but not limited to the absorption of vitamins, the production of hormones, and cell protection.

How do I apply this step?

Raise your hand in front of your face again. Stick out your thumb. Depending on your size, try and incorporate 1-2 thumb sizes of fat into your meal.

Here are some examples;

• Extra virgin olive oil

• Grass-fed Butter or Ghee

• Coconut oil

• A small handful of nuts (1-2 thumbs)

• Avocado oil

• Tallow (a form of beef fat)

• Avocado

As a man, when you put all the pieces together you should likely have 2 palms of meat, 2 fists of veggies/berries, 2 small palm cups of carbs, and 1-2 thumbs of fat.

For men:

For women:

No matter where you are in the world, or what ingredients you’re working with, this can be a helpful tool to guide you into creating the healthiest meal possible given the circumstances at hand.

🧠 Food For Thought:

The biggest boos almost always come from the cheapest seats in the stadium.

Remember too that the loudest voices are usually not the majority of voices. Take time, and sift through the noise.

✍️ Quote Of The Week:

There are exceptions to every rule, but this is absolutely a rule. We live in a broken and fallen world, there is sickness, disease, accidents, etc. But those are exceptions. The overwhelming majority of your health is determined by your own actions and discipline.

💪 Health & Fitness Tips:

Want the perfect electrolyte mixture to put in your water and keep you well hydrated and operating at your peak? 1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, and 60 mg magnesium is a great ratio to use. Don’t want to mix and mingle ingredients on your own? Use LMNT. (No I’m not an affiliate or ambassador. Just a recommendation)

📚 Book Recommendation:

Carnivore Code - Written by Paul Saladino, a medical doctor and advocate of the carnivore diet. In his book, he explores the concept of ancestral eating patterns and presents an argument for the benefits of a meat-based diet. He delves into the potential health advantages of consuming animal products exclusively, discussing the importance of animal-based nutrients, bioavailability, and the potential negative effects of plant-based compounds. He presents scientific evidence and personal anecdotes to support his claims, aiming to challenge common beliefs surrounding nutrition and promote the idea that a carnivorous approach may be a viable option for optimizing health and well-being.

📱 Social Media Favorites:

Ben Meer has some interesting thoughts about different things. I don’t agree with all of them, but hey, we’re not people who throw the baby out with the bath water! In his recent post, he shared 10 Google Chrome extensions to help accelerate your learning. I found some new gems in here!

📰 Articles To Read:

The Cosmic Battle Against The Multigenerational Family - My friend Jeremy always writes thought-provoking and valuable articles over on his Substack. I found this short piece a healthy reminder and well-aligned with my Take The Hill articles over the last month.

Do you enjoy the Mission Briefing Newsletter and other articles from The Masculine Adventure? Help me continue to write and curate great information for you in the areas of health, faith, and masculinity. Consider joining MA Premium+ to get private paid-only content each week and access to our private community.

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Thanks so much for your consideration!

That’s a wrap - Please drop your comments and questions and we’ll keep the conversation going!

-Chris