What To Eat and Drink: Food Secrets That Change Lives

FOOD SECRETS THAT CHANGE LIVES
L ESSON 2
What to Eat and Drink

PART 1
We’ve told 100,000 clients, “There are no bad

foods.” And we’re not about to stop. Here’s why.
Candy bars. French fries. Doughnuts. Can most people really include these foods
in moderation? Or is that a recipe for a disaster?
By Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, CSCS

PRECISION NUTRITION THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO FOOD FOR HEALTH, NUTRITION, & FITNESS COACHES
At Precision Nutrition, we don’t tell our

clients exactly what to eat—or what not
to eat.
In fact, we boldly say: “There are no bad foods.”
Our stance tends to spark lots and lots of questions, which is why we
decided to take a deep dive into the “good foods vs. bad foods” debate.
In this section we’ll:
explore how good vs. bad thinking can actually set people up to
eat MORE of the “bad” foods
offer an alternative way to think about sweets, chips, and other

low-nutrient foods
provide techniques we use to help to liberate clients from the

good vs. bad mindset.
We’ll be honest. The “no bad foods” philosophy can be really scary,
especially for people who’ve spent years organizing foods into good
and bad categories.
But it can also be equally transformative.
We’ve found that once our clients welcome the foods they love back
into their lives—without fear and without guilt—they struggle less, enjoy
eating more, and, finally, are able to overcome obstacles that stand
between them and their healthy eating goals.
LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 3

Why the good vs. bad approach just doesn’t work.

Many people divide food into just two categories.
Good foods: Vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, lean meat, and
other minimally-processed, nutrient-dense foods.
Bad foods: Sweets, chips, crackers, white bread, fries, and other highly-
processed foods that offer little to no nutritional value.
And before we explain why we don’t sort food into “good” and “bad”
buckets, we want to be very clear. The nutritional differences between
these two categories are quite easy to spot.
Many of the so-called “bad” foods, in high amounts, can raise the risk
for a variety of diseases.
They’re also incredibly hard to resist. (The food industry really has
created cheap, easily accessible products that our taste buds and
brains love.)
But are they bad?
We don’t use that terminology—for six major reasons.
Reason #1:
One single food doesn’t define your entire diet.
Maybe you’ve heard of a teenager who ate just four foods for most of
his life: fries, chips, white bread, and processed pork.1
And then he went blind.
It’s a cautionary tale, for sure, but it’s important to keep one thing in
perspective: That teen is an outlier. Most people don’t eat just four foods.
They eat a variety.

What's more, the fries, chips, bread, and pork didn’t cause the teen’s
blindness directly.
They caused it indirectly—by crowding out other foods needed for
good eye health.
What truly matters for good health? Balance.
In other words, you don’t want your toaster pastries, spray cheese-like
product, and crescent rolls to crowd out veggies, fruit, beans, nuts,
fresh meats, seafood, and other nutrient-dense whole foods.
If they do, like the teen we mentioned, you run the risk of deficiency.
So the question is: Are you in balance?
We experience massive benefits (fat loss, improved health) when we go
from poor nutrition to average or above average.
But eventually, we see diminishing returns.
As the chart on the next page shows, not only are gains much harder
to see after 80 to 90 percent of your diet is composed of whole,
minimally-processed foods, you also run the risk of eating disorders
like orthorexia (an unhealthy obsession with healthy eating).

Is most (80 to 90 percent) of what you eat nutrient-dense and

minimally processed? (Think veggies, fruit, meat, fish, nuts, seeds, beans,
lentils, whole grains.) Then there’s likely room for less nutritious foods.
Is most of what you eat highly-processed and nutrient-poor? (Think

sweets and chips.) Consider small actions to make your diet just a
little bit better. Slowly add more nutrient-dense foods (veggies, fruit,
fish, poultry, and so on) to each meal. Use our “What Should I Eat?”
infographic, which you can find later in the lesson, for guidance.

Reason #2:
No one food is bad for all people in all situations.
To illustrate this point, Precision Nutrition Master Coach Kate Solovieva
often brings up cola.
Many people see it as a bad food. Because it’s loaded with sugar and
lacking in vitamins and minerals.
But is cola bad in all situations?
“Let’s say you’re visiting a country with no safe drinking water,” says
Solovieva. “In that case, cola—with its air-tight seal—is a much better
option than water.”
Or, maybe you’re sixty sweaty miles into a 100-mile bike race and your
blood sugar is so low that you’re hallucinating flying pink elephants. In
that case, the sugar and caffeine in the cola might make the difference
between finishing the race and a DNF.
Our individual physiology and psychology also affect what happens
when we eat specific foods.
Added sugar, for example, affects someone with type 2 diabetes
differently than it affects someone whose cells are insulin sensitive. And
it can affect the same person differently depending on whether they’re
sleep deprived.
At PN, we talk a lot about deep health—which describes so much more
than our weight, cholesterol level, and blood sugar.
Deep health includes where we live and how we feel and who we
spend time with. It’s about every aspect of who we are.
When you consider health in this light, the exact foods become less
important, and the overall eating pattern and full context of someone’s
life becomes a lot more important.


Reason #3: Demonizing certain foods can make them

even more appealing.
Lots of people tell us that 100 percent abstaining from “bad foods” is the
only way they can maintain any smidgen of control around their eating.
If they say “okay” to one “bad” food, they worry they’ll open the
floodgates to a diet swollen with cookies, brownies, chips, and fries—as
well as devoid of veggies and other whole foods.
Here’s the thing:
There’s a subtle difference between demonizing a food and merely

abstaining from it because you know you tend to overeat it.
When we demonize foods, we “moralize these foods—thinking of

ourselves as bad people for eating them,” says Solovieva.
This paradoxically can increase our desire for the very foods we’re
trying not to eat. When researchers from Arizona State University
showed dieters negative messages about unhealthy foods, the dieters
experienced increased cravings for those foods—and ate more of them.2
It’s true that some people can restrict certain “bad” foods for a while.
But, for a lot of people, cravings eventually overwhelm their ability to

restrict. And when they eat something “bad”—they feel guilty. So they
eat even more—and may even stop trying to reach their goals. This can
create a vicious circle, as the graphic on the next page shows.

Now, let us be clear: For some people, certain foods may not be worth
the struggle—at least for now. They may decide that, if they’re around
certain foods, they’re going to overeat them. So they get them out of
the house.
And that strategy can work. In fact, we encourage our clients to do

kitchen makeovers and remove foods they tend to overeat.
But it’s not the same thing as labeling a food as “bad.”

When we label foods “something I tend to overeat” rather than “bad,”

we’re better able to relax, remain flexible, and, potentially, grow into
someone who can enjoy the same food, in moderation.
Reason #4: Categorizing foods as “good” and “bad”

can work—but usually only for a while.
Having coached more than 100,000 clients, we can say with
confidence that “all or nothing” rarely gets us “all.”
Instead, it often gets us nothing.
For example, when someone decides to stop eating “bad” foods, usually
they try really hard to stay true to their goal. They’re committed, and they
even may stick to avoiding a long list of forbidden foods… for a bit.
But then something goes wrong.
Maybe they go to work and find that a coworker left homemade

brownies on their desk.
Or every part of their day goes sideways and, in the evening, they find
themselves head down in a gallon of chocolate chip cookie dough as
they think “This is bad.”
Or they’re driving for hours to visit relatives, pull into a rest stop, and all
they find to eat: the stuff on their forbidden foods list.
Rigidity—good or bad, all or nothing—is the enemy of consistency.
But on the flipside, flexibility helps you stay more consistent. That’s
because it allows you to lean into all the solutions available to you.
Flexibility also frees people to use internal guidance—rather than

someone else’s external rules—to decide what foods to eat, when to
eat them, and why.

So, for example, rather than avoiding sugar just because a health site
told them to stop eating it, someone might consider:
Am I hungry?
Am I stressed?
Is this food worth it to me?
What else have I eaten today?
What would allow me to truly enjoy this food—without going

overboard?
That internal guidance might allow that person with the brownie to say,
“You know, I really like brownies, but I’m going to save this until after
lunch, when I’m not as hungry, so I can eat it slowly and truly savor it.”
Or that person who is head down in the gallon of ice cream to say,
“Okay, so this was probably more ice cream than my body really
needed. True. No getting around that. How can I avoid feeling this
triggered in the future? And are there other ways I can comfort myself
that don’t involve raiding the freezer?”
And for that person at the rest stop, flexibility allows them to scan their
choices and opt for the best meal for them at that moment.

Reason #5: It’s really okay—and completely normal—

to eat for pleasure.
Food serves many purposes far beyond just flooding someone’s body
with nutrients and calories.
Some foods aren’t necessarily loaded with nutrients, but they:
Taste amazing.
Connect us with friends and families.
Create a sense of belonging.
Make celebrations worthwhile.
In other words, food isn’t just fuel. It’s also love and culture and
pleasure—and a whole lot more.
When you think about food in this way, everything—even your
grandma’s special black forest cake—can have a purpose and a place.
Rather than a list of foods you can or can’t eat, you instead have
choices. You have foods you choose to eat for energy, for pleasure, for
health, and many other important reasons.
Reason #6: When we obsess over “bad foods,” we

rob ourselves of the ability to evolve.
Rigidly abstaining can teach us to get really good at… abstaining.
And if you’re okay with abstaining from a long list of foods for the rest of
your life, there’s nothing wrong with that approach.
But if you’re not okay with a life sentence of no cookies, no brownies,
no cake, no bread, and no pasta, then you may be happy to learn that
there’s an alternative approach. It involves getting curious about why
you struggle to moderate your consumption of certain foods.

Consider:
What leads to feeling out-of-control?
What triggers the “I need this” and the “I can’t stop eating this” thoughts?
When is it possible to eat this food in moderate amounts (if ever)?

When isn’t it?
The point: Rather than zeroing in on “bad foods,” look for the underlying
reasons (called triggers) that lead you to struggle.
A trigger can be a:
Feeling. We might eat more when we’re stressed, lonely, or bored.

Food fills the void.
Time of day. We always have a cookie at 11 am, or a soda at 3 pm.

It’s just part of our routine.
Social setting. Hey, everyone else is having beer and chicken

wings, so might as well join the happy hour!
Place. For some reason, a dark movie theater or our parents’

kitchen might make us want to munch.
Thought pattern. Thinking “I deserve this” or “Life is too hard to

chew kale” might steer us toward the drive-thru window.
To uncover triggers, we often ask our clients to keep a food journal—

writing down everything they eat and drink for a week or two. When
they find themselves craving or feeling out of control, we ask them to
jot down the answers to questions like:
What am I feeling?
What time is it?

Who am I with?
Where am I?
What thoughts am I having?
They approach it with a “feedback not failure” mentality.

The point isn’t to catch them doing something wrong. It’s to help them
assess what’s really going on.
Once we understand why our clients are reaching for these foods,
we’re better-equipped to suggest actions that truly help them move
towards a healthier relationship with all foods.
“If there are no good or bad foods, how can anyone

ever know what to eat—and what to limit?”
We hear this a lot.
That’s because some people assume that “no bad foods” is
synonymous with “all foods are good so eat whatever you want.”
But that’s not what we’re saying at all.
We are, however, saying this: Rather than sorting food into just two
buckets—good and bad—it’s usually more helpful for most people to
see food as a continuum of eat more, eat some, and eat less.
This might merely sound like another way to sort food into categories.
But it’s not.
Unlike lists of bad foods, which tend to be universally rigid, a continuum
“allows everything to be contextual and personalized,” Precision
Nutrition Master Coach Dominic Matteo explains.
“If my goal is muscle gain, my continuum will look different than if my
goal is fat loss,” says Matteo.

Once people define that continuum for themselves (more on how to

help your clients do so later in this lesson), we then work with them to
find ways to include more “eat more” foods and fewer “eat less” foods,
aiming to make each meal just a little bit better.
For example, before Matteo became a Precision Nutrition Master

Coach, he was a client who wanted to lose fat. This is how “just a little
bit better” looked like for him for a specific fast food lunch.
He eventually ended up in a similar place that some forbidden foods

lists may have sent him, but he did it in small steps, and in a way that
was ultimately more sustainable.
What’s more, it didn’t mean he could never have a double bacon

cheeseburger again. Sometimes he does, but he enjoys it—on his terms.

“My client believes in bad foods—as if they were a religion.

Help!”
Saying, “there are no bad foods” usually results in a blank stare.
So, pretend you don’t know the answers, says Kate Solovieva.
Assume a poker face, and ask questions that seem obvious.
What follows is a conversation Solovieva had with a client about

this very topic.
Client: Bad foods are my problem. I need to cut them out. I just
can’t eat them.
Coach: So, can you tell me a little bit more. When you talk about
cutting out the bad foods, what does that look like?
Client: Taking sugar out of my diet.
Coach: So when you say sugar, what are some of the things you
are thinking of?
Client: Cookies. Pastries. Chocolate—chocolate is my weakness.
Coach: So… you really enjoy chocolate?
Client: I do.
Coach: Help me understand. What is it that you enjoy?

Client: I don’t know if it’s the rush of eating the chocolate bar
itself. Or maybe it’s the fact that I don’t have it all the time. I don’t
know. There’s something about chocolate.
Coach: So, in some ways, it makes you feel super good. And it
obviously gives you pleasure. What makes you label it as bad?
Client: It’s the high-calorie count and the amount—the portion.
Coach: So the number of calories makes it bad? Can you explain?
Client: Well, for me, it leads to weight gain.
Coach: So what I am hearing is that it’s not the chocolate that’s

bad. It’s the weight gain that’s bad. Is that right?
Client: Pretty much. Exactly.
Coach: So I’m curious about something you said. You love

chocolate. You enjoy it. You like the taste of it. When I asked why
it’s bad, you told me about the calories and the portions. Can you
tell me more?
Client: Well, I can’t just have one or two squares. Ideally I

should have no more than five squares—half a bar. But I don’t
have that control. The moment I taste it, I have to have more
and more and more.
Coach: So what happens when you don’t have chocolate at all?

Client: I’ve gone months without it. And it’s great! But then I end up
eating it—like on a special occasion. And then I binge. And then
everything goes downhill. So I’m better off not having it at all.
Coach: What do you think would happen if you had a little bit…
everyday? Like on purpose.
Client: I don’t know… I don’t think I have that control.

Should I try that?
Coach: I don’t know. Should you?
Client: (Sounding tentative) Sure, maybe I can try that?
Coach: Well, what I am hearing is that you enjoy it. And it sounds
like the bingeing behavior is happening because you don’t have it
every day. So maybe you can try this as an experiment. Maybe you
see what happens if, every single day, you have this thing that you
enjoy. And when you eat it, if you want more, you can just remind
yourself that you can have more—tomorrow. Are you with me?
Client: Yes.
Coach: It’s a scary experiment. But if you decide to give it a shot,

let me know, okay?
Client: Okay, I will. I’m kinda nervous about it, but I will try it.
And then the conversation can go on to define the experiment:

How much chocolate? What time of day? How will you eat it?

And no matter what the client ultimately does—whether the client

tries the suggestion or not—“you’re in a position for them to come
back to you without feeling judged,” Solovieva says.
“Isn’t it just easier to not eat certain foods?”

For some people in some situations at certain points in their journey: yes.
But this need to abstain doesn’t have to be a permanent situation. Once

they develop a range of habits, many people can shift from abstaining
from certain foods to moderating them.
That’s why we like to ask our clients to consider two questions about
the foods they think of as bad:
What does this food do—for you?
What would you like it to do?
For example, maybe, right now, certain foods make you feel out of
control because you struggle to stop eating them once you start. But
you’d like them to merely become foods you enjoy in moderation.
What are all of the possible ways of going from point A (out of control)
to point B (something I enjoy in moderation)?


There are dozens of other possibilities that we didn’t even list on the
chart on the previous page. You might try one with a client. You might
try several. You might try all of them.
The point: You may find that liberating yourself from the good vs. bad
mindset frees you—and your clients—to see more possibilities than
ever before.
And, along the way, you may also discover that this broader, more
flexible mindset allows people to not only enjoy every meal a heck of
a lot more—but also to reach their goals more quickly.
References
1 Harrison R, Warburton V, Lux A, Atan D. Blindness Caused by a Junk Food Diet. Ann Intern Med [Internet].
2019 Sep 3; Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.7326/L19-0361
2 Pham N, Mandel N, Morales AC. Messages from the Food Police: How Food-Related Warnings Backfire
among Dieters. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research. 2016 Jan 1;1(1):175–90.

PART 2
‘What should I eat?!’ Our 3-step guide for

choosing the best foods for your body.
This easy-to-use visual guide shows you how to make healthier nutrition choices—
with nothing off-limits.

“What foods should I eat?”

It’s a question we hear often. Sometimes in desperation.
Not because of the easy choices—spinach, duh!—but because of the

not-so-obvious ones that cause confusion.
Foods that have been demonized then celebrated. Or celebrated then

demonized. Or that come in so many forms it feels impossible to know
the best choice.
Over and over, we’re asked:
Are potatoes good or bad?
What about eggs?
Can I eat pasta?
Is cheese okay?
Do I have to live without bacon?
To add to the confusion, it’s not always obvious how to classify a food.
Is it mostly protein? A carbohydrate? A fat? Many people know to eat
a mix of these macronutrients, yet aren’t sure how that looks in “real
food.” The result: more questions.
That’s why we created this handy, visual food guide. It’s designed to
help your clients make healthier choices, no matter their knowledge of
food and nutrition.
But as we just covered, don’t expect a list of “approved” and “off-
limits” foods.
Instead, as you saw earlier in this lesson, we like to think of foods on a
spectrum from “eat more” to “eat some” to “eat less.”

This approach promotes one of the most crucial philosophies that runs
through our nutrition coaching method: Progress, not perfection.
Use our continuums to make choices that are “just a little bit better,”
whether you’re eating at home, dining out with friends, or dealing with
banquet buffets on a work trip.
Plus, learn how to:
Incorporate a mix of proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fat.
Strategically improve your food choices—based on where you

are right now—to feel, move, and look better.
Customize your intake for your individual lifestyle and (of

course) taste buds.
As a bonus, we’ve even provided you space to create your own

personal continuum. That way, you can build a delicious menu of
healthy foods that are right for you—no questions asked.

WHAT SHOULD I EAT?!

OUR 3-STEP GUIDE FOR CHOOSING
THE BEST FOODS FOR YOUR BODY
This easy-to-use chart shows you how to make healthier nutrition choices
for achieving your goals, while still enjoying the foods you love.
1 KNOW YOUR FOODS
Nutritional value varies, but don't think of food as "good" or "bad". Seeing it on a spectrum from
"eat more" to "eat less" helps you make better choices without branding anything off-limits.
EAT MORE
PROTEIN CARBS FATS
Eggs and Fish Shellfish Beans Steel-cut, rolled, Buckwheat Extra virgin Walnut oil Marinades and
egg whites and lentils and old-fashioned olive oil dressings with oils
oats in this category
Chicken Duck breast Turkey Quinoa Whole-grain, black, Sorghum Avocado and Cheese, Egg yolks
and thighs and wild rice avocado oil aged > 6 months
Lean beef Bison Lamb Farro Millet Potatoes Seeds: chia, flax, Cashews Pistachios
hemp, pumpkin
and sesame
Other meats
Pork Wild game goat, camel, Amaranth Plain non-Greek Plain kefir Almonds Brazil nuts Pecans
kangaroo, yogurt
crocodile, horse

Plain Greek Cultured cottage Tempeh Fresh and Corn Barley Peanuts & natural Olives Pesto made with
yogurt cheese frozen fruit peanut butter extra virgin olive oil
Insects Sweet Taro Yuca Nut butters Fresh

Lentils and beans potatoes from other nuts unprocessed
These are protein for plant-based eaters in this category coconut
and meatless meals, otherwise, they’re Whole or sprouted grain
considered sources of carbohydrates. bagels, breads, English
muffins, pastas, and wraps
Prioritize fresh, lean, minimally Focus on whole, minimally

processed sources of protein, and processed sources of Aim for a mix of whole-food fats
consider limiting red meat to ~18oz carbohydrates that pack lots of (like nuts and seeds), blended whole
(or 4 palms) per week or less. nutrition and fiber, and include a foods (like nut butters), and pressed
mix of starches and colorful fruits. oils (like olive and avocado).
EAT SOME
PROTEIN CARBS FATS
Uncultured Medium-lean Couscous White rice Granola Virgin and Expeller pressed Sesame oil Flaxseed oil
cottage cheese meats light olive oil canola oil
Tofu Edamame Instant or Milk Vegetable Coconut Peanut oil and Dark Marinades and
flavored oats juices oil / milk regular chocolate dressings with oils
peanut butter in this category
Canadian Meat jerky Flavored Flavored Pancakes Fish and Cream Cheese aged Flavored nuts
bacon yogurt kefir and waffles algae oil <6 months and nut butters
Often rich in carbohydrates as well,

with sources of varying quality.
Poultry Minimally Whole-grain Oat-based Canned, dried, Trail mix

sausage processed crackers granola and pureed
lean deli meat bars unsweetened
fruit
These naturally-bred oils
White bagels, breads, are high in heart-healthy
English muffins, pastas, monounsaturated fats
and wraps and contain little
saturated fats and no
Protein High oleic High oleic trans fats.
powders safflower oil sunflower oil

EAT LESS
PROTEIN CARBS FATS
Also sources
of protein,
though usually
higher in less
Fried Chicken fingers, Cereal bars Fruit juices Flavored milk Bacon Sausage desirable fats.
meats nuggets, and wings
High fat ground High-fat Honey, molasses, Canned, dried, Sugar Butter Margarine Processed
meat sausages syrups, & jellies and pureed fruit cheese
with added sugar
Processed Processed Soda Crackers Pretzels Corn oil Cottonseed oil Sunflower oil
soy deli meats
Protein bars Pepperoni Foods with 10+g Chips Fries Canola oil Soybean oil Safflower oil
sticks added sugar
High-mercury Candy bars Donuts Cookies Marinades and Vegetable Fat-rich foods
fish dressings with oils oil with 10+ g
in this category added sugar
Pastries Muffins Cakes

Hydrogenated oils Shortening
and trans fats
These foods are also rich sources of fats,
so be mindful of both their carbohydrate
and fat content.
Alcohol
Alcohol is a distinct macronutrient with unique risks and benefits. But if you're being mindful of energy balance,
we recommend including it in the "eat less" carb category, and tracking your intake (e.g. '6 carb portions today;
4 from food, 2 from beer'). This helps you align alcohol consumption with your health and fitness goals.
Wondering about portions? Check out www.precisionnutrition.com/calorie-control-guide-infographic

VEGETABLES
Veggies of varying colors provide different nutrients and health benefits.
So make it a point to "eat the rainbow"!
Beets Red Pumpkin Orange Yellow Acorn

Radicchio cabbage peppers peppers squash
Rhubarb
Carrots
Red onions
Tomatoes Butternut
Red leaf Red squash Yellow
lettuce peppers beets
Summer
squash
Radish Yellow
carrots
Purple
asparagus
Purple
cauliflower
Rutabaga
EAT THE Shallots
White carrot
Eggplant
RAINBOW
Mushrooms Jerusalem
Purple artichoke
carrots Purple Cauliflower
peppers
Garlic
Purple
cabbage
Green Romaine Onions
beans lettuce
Celery Broccoli
Kale Cabbage Cucumbers
Chinese Iceberg
Brussels Collards
cabbage lettuce
sprouts Snap peas
Arugula Asparagus Green peppers Spinach
Eating a variety of colorful fruit and starchy vegetables (like potatoes) also helps
you “eat the rainbow”, though these foods live in the carbohydrate category.
Not a veggie lover? Add herbs, spices, and aromatics, which enhance flavor and provide additional health benefits.
To learn how, check out www.precisionnutrition.com/create-the-perfect-meal-infographic
and www.precisionnutrition.com/dont-like-vegetables-infographic

2 BASE FOOD CHOICES ON YOUR GOALS
The proportions of your food intake that come from the "eat more", "eat some", and
"eat less" categories will depend on how you eat now, and what your goals are.
"eat more" "eat some" "eat less"
THESE PROPORTIONS MAY WORK FOR YOU IF...
• you want to generally • you want to significantly • you want to significantly • you love eating this way.
improve your health. improve your health. improve your health, or (This routine won’t make
• you're new to exercise or • you exercise moderately, maintain a high degree of you much healthier.)
exercise moderately. or are training for an event health. • you're preparing for a
• you want to look, feel, and like a half-marathon or • you are training for a major bodybuilding, physique, or
perform better. obstacle course. athletic event like a elite athletic competition.
• you want to look, feel, and marathon or ultramarathon. • you are paid for your
perform a little better than • you want above-average body's looks or
average. body composition, athletic performance.
performance, and/or
recovery.
ADJUST FOR YOUR

3 PREFERENCES AND LIFESTYLE
Your "eat more", "eat some", and "eat less" list is unique to you and may evolve as your
goals, likes, and dislikes shift over time. Use the table below to note your preferred foods.
CREATE YOUR OWN SPECTRUM

PROTEIN CARBS FATS VEGGIES
Green foods I like Green foods I like Green foods I like Red, orange and
or want to try: or want to try: or want to try: yellow veggies:
1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4
Yellow foods Yellow foods Yellow foods Green, blue and

I want to incorporate: I want to incorporate: I want to incorporate: purple veggies:
1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3
Red foods Red foods Red foods

White veggies:
I want to indulge in: I want to indulge in: I want to indulge in:
1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2
HOW TO ADD FOODS TO THE SPECTRUM

At some point, you’re going to want to eat foods that aren’t on our spectrums.
Here's how to categorize them.
FIRST, FIGURE OUT THE MACRO CATEGORY:

• Which macronutrient delivers the majority of the calories?
Classifying a food as the macronutrient that delivers the most calories is
generally a safe bet.
• Which eating style do you follow?

For example, with most approaches, butternut squash would count as a veggie.
For someone eating low-carb or keto, it might be a source of carbohydrates.
• How is this food commonly eaten?

Perhaps as a protein, starchy side, or fat-rich topping?

NOW, DETERMINE ITS PLACE ON THE SPECTRUM:

How close is it to a whole food?
Generally, the more processed a food, the further it moves toward "eat less".
Apple Applesauce Apple juice
REMEMBER, YOU'RE THE BOSS

We’ve given you some ideas to get started. But YOU know best
what works for you. Sustainable nutrition always prioritizes:
the foods and flavors you truly enjoy,
the things you know how to cook or prep,
and the portions that make sense for YOU.
For the full article explaining this infographic, visit:

www.precisionnutrition.com/what-should-i-eat-infographic

PART 3
‘What should I drink?!’

Your complete guide to liquid nutrition.
The uncomplicated answer to every question you’ve ever had about what to drink.

“I’m not allowed to drink anything!”

Ever feel that way?
When it comes to improving our nutrition, many of us have been told,

quite matter-of-factly: Cut out liquid calories.
No soda. No juice. No alcohol. (Oh, and no fun!)
This well-meaning advice is at least partially justified.
Most drinks don’t make us feel full, yet they compose about 20 percent
of the average person’s daily calorie intake.
Yanking them out of your diet makes for a simple solution. The problem:
It’s often not a welcome one.
That’s because it instantly limits your choices to water, unsweetened

tea and coffee, and zero-calorie diet drinks. For some, this can lead to
serious feelings of dietary deprivation and make it harder to practice
healthy nutrition habits.
Thankfully, there’s another option.
Instead of making certain drinks entirely off-limits, think of all beverages

on a continuum, from “drink more” to “drink some” to “drink less.” (You’ll
recognize this approach from our food infographic above.)
Here’s what to do:
Look at our continuum, and ask yourself: ‘How might I do just

a little better?’
For example, if you’re drinking four regular sodas a day (“drink less”),
maybe you swap one of those for a diet soda (“drink some”). Then
gradually, you continue to make adjustments, exchanging some of your
regular and diet sodas for carbonated water (“drink more”).

This is how you make lasting change.
But it’s just the start of what this infographic has to offer. You (and your
clients) can use it to:
Strategically improve your drink choices (without a rapid overhaul).
Customize your beverage intake for your lifestyle and preferences.
Create your own personal continuum and expand your drink list.
All so you can work towards better nutrition, while still enjoying the
drinks you really love. (Including milkshakes and jalapeño margaritas.)

WHAT SHOULD I DRINK?!

YOUR GUIDE TO LIQUID NUTRITION
Use this handy chart to make better beverage choices and develop
healthy drinking habits—no matter what your starting point.
1 KNOW YOUR BEVERAGES
No need to label any drinks “off limits,” but nutritional value does vary. Here’s how different
beverages stack up, and why you may want to drink some more often than others.
DRINK MORE DRINK SOME DRINK LESS
PLAIN WATER
DRINK MORE
Spring Tap Alkaline Distilled Filtered Reverse osmosis

water water water water water water
“Eight glasses of water a day” isn’t supported by scientific evidence, but it’s still All plain water is good for you,
a reasonably good rule of thumb. Get a healthy amount of water by: but filtering water removes
substances that could
• Drinking when you’re thirsty • Having a glass or two of water with meals negatively impact health, such
• Sipping, not guzzling • Remembering that all types of water (plain, as heavy metals, radon,
sweetened, carbonated) count towards your
pesticides, and microplastics.
water intake

SWEETENED BEVERAGES
Infused Naturally flavored Vegetable Artificially Fruit juice Juice drinks

water water juice sweetened water
Try adding berries, citrus fruits, Vegetable juice is fine in small It’s okay to drink some fruit juice,
herbs, and/or ginger to your water amounts, but eating whole but it’s likely best to limit to less
to infuse it with natural flavor. vegetables is preferable because than 1 glass per day, since it
they contain more nutrients and contains more sugar, less fiber,
fiber, and are more filling. and less nutrients than whole fruit.
CARBONATED BEVERAGES
Carbonated Carbonated Diet soda Carbonated Energy drinks, Soda Tonic water Energy drinks,
water, water, naturally water, artificially artificially (pop) sweetened
unsweetened flavored sweetened sweetened
Carbonated and infused waters are Beverages with artificial and Soda and sweetened energy
generally quite healthy, but their low-calorie sweeteners are fine to drinks contribute more sugar to
lower pH levels may be harmful to consume in moderate amounts the average diet than any other
tooth enamel when consistently (around 8-16 ounces/day). food or drinks. If you’re drinking a
consumed in large amounts. Up to lot from this category, make
16 ounces (500 ml)/day of progressing towards “drink some”
carbonated beverages is a Research shows that consuming a priority.
reasonable benchmark. 3-5 mg/kg body weight of caffeine
30-60 minutes before exercise can
improve athletic performance. But Did you know that tonic water has
use wisely: This amount can also roughly as much sugar as soda?!
cause jitteriness.

TEA & COFFEE

Tea, plain Coffee, plain Tea, lightly Coffee, lightly Tea, heavily Coffee, heavily
sweetened sweetened sweetened sweetened
and/or creamed and/or creamed and/or creamed and/or creamed
Tea contains a host of Benefits of coffee: Downsides of coffee:

health-promoting substances. • Caffeine may boost alertness, physical • “Slow metabolizers” of caffeine may
Black tea: Rich in theaflavins and performance, and reaction time experience increased blood
thearubigins; strongly associated • Regular drinkers may have lower risk pressure, disrupted sleep, or worse
with decreased stroke risk of Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s PMS symptoms
Green tea: Rich in catechins • Contains antioxidants and is • Too much caffeine can stimulate
associated with overall decreased risk anxiety and disrupt sleep
(especially EGCG) and may lower
of cancer
your risk of several cancers
White tea: The least processed
type of tea, so it retains the most
antioxidants When you drink caffeinated coffee or tea:
Herbal teas: Caffeine-free, packed

• Limit total consumption of the two to 5 cups/40 ounces (1200 ml) per day.
with antioxidants, and available in a
• Ask yourself how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally a few hours
afterwards... as well as if you miss your daily dose.
variety of natural flavors
Go plain if possible. Cream, sugar, and other additives reduce potential health benefits by adding calories and artificial
sweeteners and flavors. “Plain” doesn’t have to be boring, though. There are still plenty of “drink more” options.
Drip coffee Pour over French press Americano Espresso Cold brew Iced coffee Instant coffee Yerba Mate Matcha tea
Iced tea Black tea Oolong tea Green tea White tea Kombucha Tulsi tea Rooibos tea Chamomile tea Peppermint tea

DAIRY & PLANT MILKS
Kefir, plain Kefir, flavored/ Plant milks, Dairy milk, Milkshakes Plant milks, Dairy milk,
sweetened unsweetened plain sweetened flavored
Fermented drinks (like kefir and If environmental sustainability is If you’re struggling to gain lean
kombucha) contain probiotics and your top priority, categorize dairy mass or are very active, it may be
other bioactive compounds, which milk and resource-intensive plant beneficial to place sweetened
may improve your digestion and milks as “drink less.” milks in the “drink some” category.
nutrient absorption.
When it comes to plant milks, choose unsweetened when possible. For variety, consider trying:
Rice milk Oat milk Soy milk Coconut milk Hemp milk Almond milk Pea milk
RECOVERY & PERFORMANCE DRINKS
Super Shakes Protein shakes Sports drinks, Coconut water Fruit juice Sports drinks,
lightly or artificially smoothies sweetened
sweetened
Limit Super Shakes to one or two Coconut water can be a fine Consider sports drinks in the “drink
daily. Otherwise, they start to recovery drink after lots of some” category during training or
displace solid meals. Never heard perspiration, but it does contain even the “drink more” category
of a Super Shake? Check out calories and sugar. Look for during competition.
https://www.precisionnutrition.com versions without added sugar.
/super-shake-creation-infographic

ALCOHOL
DRINK LESS
Beer Wine Fortified wine (sherry, port) Hard liquor

5% alcohol 12% alcohol 18% alcohol 40% alcohol
1 serving = 12 ounces 1 serving = 5 ounces 1 serving = 3 ounces 1 serving = 1.5 ounces
The truth: No one knows whether drinking any amount of alcohol is actually What does “drinking moderately” mean?
good for us. And too much alcohol is absolutely harmful.
Women Men
Here’s how to play it safe:
Drinks
• Drink alcohol moderately. per week
Up to 7 Up to 14
• If you don’t already drink alcohol, don’t start.
• Try going without alcohol for two weeks. If you can’t, you may not be Maximum
3 4
drinking in moderation. drinks/day
To learn more about alcohol, check out https://www.precisionnutrition.com/quit-drinking
2 CHOOSE DRINKS BASED ON YOUR GOALS
The amount you drink from each section will depend on what you drink now, and what
your goals are. Aim to get a little bit better; you don’t have to do a complete overhaul.
“drink more” “drink some” “drink less”
• Most of your drinks currently • Most of your drinks currently • Most of your drinks currently • All of your drinks currently
fall into the red category fall into the red and yellow fall into the yellow and green fall into the green and
• You’re new to exercise or categories categories yellow categories
exercise moderately • You exercise moderately or • You’re training for a major • You’re preparing for a
• You want to look, feel, and are training for an event like athletic event, like an bodybuilding or elite athletic
perform better than you a half-marathon ultramarathon competition
do now • You want to look, feel, and • You want above-average • You’re paid for your body’s
perform a little better than health, body composition, or looks or performance
average athletic performance

ALCOHOL
DRINK LESS
Beer Wine Fortified wine (sherry, port) Hard liquor

5% alcohol 12% alcohol 18% alcohol 40% alcohol
1 serving = 12 ounces 1 serving = 5 ounces 1 serving = 3 ounces 1 serving = 1.5 ounces
The truth: No one knows whether drinking any amount of alcohol is actually What does “drinking moderately” mean?
good for us. And too much alcohol is absolutely harmful.
Women Men
Here’s how to play it safe:
Drinks
• Drink alcohol moderately. per week
Up to 7 Up to 14
• If you don’t already drink alcohol, don’t start.
• Try going without alcohol for two weeks. If you can’t, you may not be Maximum
3 4
drinking in moderation. drinks/day
To learn more about alcohol, check out https://www.precisionnutrition.com/quit-drinking
2 CHOOSE DRINKS BASED ON YOUR GOALS
The amount you drink from each section will depend on what you drink now, and what
your goals are. Aim to get a little bit better; you don’t have to do a complete overhaul.
“drink more” “drink some” “drink less”
• Most of your drinks currently • Most of your drinks currently • Most of your drinks currently • All of your drinks currently
fall into the red category fall into the red and yellow fall into the yellow and green fall into the green and
• You’re new to exercise or categories categories yellow categories
exercise moderately • You exercise moderately or • You’re training for a major • You’re preparing for a
• You want to look, feel, and are training for an event like athletic event, like an bodybuilding or elite athletic
perform better than you a half-marathon ultramarathon competition
do now • You want to look, feel, and • You want above-average • You’re paid for your body’s
perform a little better than health, body composition, or looks or performance
average athletic performance

HOW TO ADD BEVERAGES TO THE SPECTRUM
At some point, you’re going to want to drink something that isn’t on our lists. Or move
drinks around to better suit your needs. (For example, you’re an athlete who needs to
consume sports drinks more often.) Here’s how to decide where they fit.
FIRST, CONSIDER HOW IT HELPS YOU REACH YOUR GOALS.

WILL THIS DRINK:
OR
Make your body, performance, Make your body, performance,
and/or recovery better? and/or recovery worse?
THEN, ASK:
100%
FROM
CONCENTRATE
How processed is Does it have added sugar or fat? How do I feel mentally and
this drink? Or artificial sweeteners? physically when I drink this
beverage?
WITH THIS INFORMATION, DETERMINE

ITS PLACE ON THE SPECTRUM.
IT’S ALL RELATIVE

Remember, just because a drink falls in the red or yellow sections
doesn’t mean it’s forbidden.
REGULAR
DIET
Make drink choices based on Don’t worry about completely Find a balance that
your goals and current habits. revamping drinking habits overnight. works for you.
For the full article explaining this infographic, visit:

www.precisionnutrition.com/what-should-i-drink-infographic

Discover how to help anyone make better
food choices—starting now.
If your career path includes coaching people to make lasting change,
check out the #1 rated Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. It’s the most
respected nutrition and lifestyle coaching education program in the world—
and the next group kicks off soon.
Created specifically for people working in all areas of health and fitness,
our self-paced nutrition certification teaches you the science of nutrition
and the art of world-class coaching.
Developed over Proven with over #1 recommended Trusted by

15 years. 100,000 clients. nutrition certification. professionals.
Whether you’re already mid-career or just starting out, this self-study

nutrition certification will give you the knowledge, systems, and tools to
make real, lasting change with anyone you work with.
Visit this link for more information.
(Already a student or graduate of the

Level 1 Certification?
Take the next step and check out our

Level 2 Certification. It’s an exclusive,
year-long Master Class for elite professionals
who want to take their nutrition knowledge
and skills to the highest possible level.)

What To Eat and Drink: Food Secrets That Change Lives

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What To Eat and Drink: Food Secrets That Change Lives

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

What To Eat and Drink: Food Secrets That Change Lives

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

What are some of the reasons provided for not categorizing foods as 'good' or 'bad'?

What are some of the reasons provided for not categorizing foods as 'good' or 'bad'?

What does the article suggest about including 'unhealthy' foods in moderation?

What does the article suggest about including 'unhealthy' foods in moderation?

FOOD SECRETS THAT CHANGE LIVES

What to Eat and Drink

We’ve told 100,000 clients, “There are no bad

By Brian St. Pierre, MS, RD, CSCS

At Precision Nutrition, we don’t tell our

In this section we’ll:

 offer an alternative way to think about sweets, chips, and other

 provide techniques we use to help to liberate clients from the

But it can also be equally transformative.

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 3

Why the good vs. bad approach just doesn’t work.

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 4

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 5

Is most (80 to 90 percent) of what you eat nutrient-dense and

Is most of what you eat highly-processed and nutrient-poor? (Think

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 6

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 7

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 8

Reason #3: Demonizing certain foods can make them

Here’s the thing:

There’s a subtle difference between demonizing a food and merely

When we demonize foods, we “moralize these foods—thinking of

But, for a lot of people, cravings eventually overwhelm their ability to

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 9

And that strategy can work. In fact, we encourage our clients to do

But it’s not the same thing as labeling a food as “bad.”

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 10

When we label foods “something I tend to overeat” rather than “bad,”

Reason #4: Categorizing foods as “good” and “bad”

Instead, it often gets us nothing.

But then something goes wrong.

Maybe they go to work and find that a coworker left homemade

Rigidity—good or bad, all or nothing—is the enemy of consistency.

Flexibility also frees people to use internal guidance—rather than

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 11

 Is this food worth it to me?

 What else have I eaten today?

 What would allow me to truly enjoy this food—without going

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 12

Reason #5: It’s really okay—and completely normal—

Reason #6: When we obsess over “bad foods,” we

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 13

What leads to feeling out-of-control?

When is it possible to eat this food in moderate amounts (if ever)?

 Feeling. We might eat more when we’re stressed, lonely, or bored.

 Time of day. We always have a cookie at 11 am, or a soda at 3 pm.

 Social setting. Hey, everyone else is having beer and chicken

 Place. For some reason, a dark movie theater or our parents’

 Thought pattern. Thinking “I deserve this” or “Life is too hard to

To uncover triggers, we often ask our clients to keep a food journal—

 What time is it?

LESSON 2: WHAT TO EAT AND DRINK 14

 What thoughts am I having?

They approach it with a “feedback not failure” mentality.

“If there are no good or bad foods, how can anyone

offer an alternative way to think about sweets, chips, and other

provide techniques we use to help to liberate clients from the

Is this food worth it to me?

What else have I eaten today?

What would allow me to truly enjoy this food—without going

Feeling. We might eat more when we’re stressed, lonely, or bored.

Time of day. We always have a cookie at 11 am, or a soda at 3 pm.

Social setting. Hey, everyone else is having beer and chicken

Place. For some reason, a dark movie theater or our parents’

Thought pattern. Thinking “I deserve this” or “Life is too hard to

What time is it?

What thoughts am I having?

Are potatoes good or bad?

What about eggs?

Can I eat pasta?

Do I have to live without bacon?

Incorporate a mix of proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fat.

Strategically improve your food choices—based on where you

Customize your intake for your individual lifestyle and (of