The Quiet Rise

Big topic. But should it be?

Being a bodybuilder, I eat from a box. No matter what it is—breakfast, lunch, dinner, second dinner—I eat from the box. I am used to it. I know the food, the weight, and the macros that go into it.

Do I get sick of my food? Yes. But for the most part, I love it.

Let’s talk about the benefits.

Benefits of the Food Box

• Ready to eat right away
• Known weight, macros, ingredients, and calories
• Predictable food—safe for the stomach
• Saves time because you do not have to cook every time you need to eat
• Portion control that helps prevent snacking
• A sense of control, discipline, and accomplishment

Of course, there are downsides.

Downsides of the Food Box

• Lack of variety
• Most of the time, you are still hungry after the meal
• Food aversions are real—sometimes you simply cannot make yourself eat that meal because it does not look appetizing
• Inability to eat what the rest of the family is eating

I am sure you can think of more benefits and downsides.

For me, the most important benefit is the sense of doing something hard—building discipline, control, and structure.

I am not a die-hard bodybuilder and never will be. But I am competitive enough for bodybuilding to benefit me without consuming me.

What do I mean by that?

I prioritize preparation and diet, absolutely, but I am not so dedicated that I measure spices and salt. For me, it is more important to make this a lifestyle than to be perfectly precise.

It is more important to stay disciplined consistently than to simply make it to the show.

Otherwise, I would not stick to it long term, and I would completely mess up my metabolism.

I have done the ultra-precise measuring before and made it to the shows. But afterward, I would eat every sweet in the house to the point where all my limbs were swollen.

I definitely do not want to repeat that.

My Rules of Eating

1. No processed food

2. No drinks

Nothing canned, alcoholic, or even juice. I drink electrolytes mixed with water and lemon. Well… I drink coffee and tea as well.

3. Minimize dairy

I eat my homemade cottage cheese cooked into patties and non-fat plain yogurt when I am not in dedicated prep mode (about 13+ weeks before a show). But that is it.

4. Maximize fiber

Flax seeds and chia seeds are staples for me. I also eat raw pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or almonds in the morning.

Cooked vegetables include squash, broccoli, green onions, parsley, asparagus, bell peppers, zucchini, and more.

5. Minimize gluten

No gluten for me. My main carb sources are rice, potatoes, yams and, recently, green buckwheat. When I am not in the dedicated prep, I bake with almond flour.

6. Minimize sugar

When I am not in dedicated prep, I eat dark chocolate (85% cocoa), honey. Otherwise, I eat berries or kiwi daily.

7. Maximize protein

My protein sources are paleo protein, eggs, egg whites, chicken breast, top sirloin, ground meat, salmon, tilapia, cod, and shrimp.

Sometimes I eat peanut and almond butters as well, but mostly in the off-season.

Measurements

This part needs to match your body and goals—your weight, age, gender, activity level, weight goals, and where you are in your prep all matter.

For me personally, I do not measure vegetables. I cook them, chop them, and put about two handfuls into each box.

My protein is typically 110 grams per box, regardless of the source.

With egg whites, I generally do not eat more than the equivalent of four eggs.

The main thing I adjust is carbohydrates depending on where I am in prep.

Bulking: more rice and buckwheat waffles.

Cutting: less and less rice/buckwheat waffles in the box.

We will talk about snacking, refeeds, cheat meals, and all of that later.

But this is pretty much the foundation of my diet.