Week 4 – Renew

Working all the stuff back in our rotation for a diverse diet of mostly lean proteins and plants with some moderate indulgence in the form of red meat, pasta, butter sauces and treats.

We’re back to a solid rotation of mostly veggie- and lean protein– or seafood-focused meals, with some red meat and pasta worked back in so we don’t get too bored and hate our lives. I like to follow an 80/20 rule: eating super clean, whole, unprocessed, vegetable-forward foods about 80% of the time, and enjoying breads (sourdough is best since it’s partially “digested”), pasta, rice, steak, pizza, and a little cheese and dark chocolate/sweets in moderation the other 20%—usually on weekends or at a few dinners. Even something as simple as tossing an extra handful of baby spinach into my smoothies, eggs, or protein bowls helps get the greens in. I also try to get regular exercise during the workweek, which not only helps me burn what I eat efficiently, but gives me energy to power my days and honestly just makes me calmer and happier overall.

I’ve been reading more and more that variety is truly the key—that the more diversity we have in our diet, the better it is for our gut microbiome (diversity in whole foods not sugary, overly processed foods, obvs). When you cook more for yourself than you eat out—especially when you cook like a chef and reach for lots of fresh vegetables, herbs, crunchy things like nuts and seeds, good-quality proteins, and even good-quality butter and oils—you’ll naturally get there without really trying. I’ve been doing this a long time and it’s helped me really maintain a healthy lifestyle, I swear!