3 Ways To Eat Right

Some RLSH strive to have the aesthetic look of a superhero.  A big part of this, aside from doing strength training consistently, is looking at the diet.  ‘Diet’ refers to normally consumed foods.  If people are obese, overweight, or too skinny they tend to primarily have dietary issues.

Why is this an issue for RLSH? Appearance is one of the first things people notice with RLSH. If you want to look more like a superhero, it helps to eat properly (and it doesn't have to break the bank). Being healthier can help you get through whatever community service or patrols you are on. You'll feel better. You'll move better. You'll be healthier overall.

Before we get into it, understand that what works for one person may not work for another.  This is why we’re going to look at 3 different ways that you can eat right to make a change. We're going to look at Mediterranean, Paleo, and Carnivore diets.

Base Metabolic Rate

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) are the amount of calories you burn in a neutral state.  Basically doing nothing.  It’s based on age, height, weight, and gender.  It matters because if you start tracking your dietary intake, you need to have goals.  This gives you your goals.

Use this BMR Calculator

What is your BMR?

How often do you exercise?

What does the BMR chart suggest for calorie intake?

Here's a look at my own BMR info:

The BMR is the lowest amount of calories your body needs to properly function. On the right side of the information, this BMR calculator provides suggested calorie intake levels based on the amount of exercise you do.

This is a macros ratio breakdown based on the 3 different diets we're going to take a look at. For most people, Mediterranean is considered easy and very sustainable. Other people need less carbs or nearly no carbs. It depends heavily on genetics and your dietary needs.

Figuring out your macro amounts. Macros are measured in grams. Macros are divided up into 3 main categories: protein, fat, carbohydrates. The easiest way to get the proper amount of grams per macro for daily consumption is to use a food tracker.

Food Trackers: My Fitness Pal, Cronometer, MacroFactor, Lose It!, Nutritionix

What are these diet styles?

Mediterranean - Prioritizes fish/seafood, moderate dairy/poultry, and minimal red meat or processed foods, emphasizing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, and extra virgin olive oil. Cleveland Clinic information on Mediterranean Diet

Paleo - Whole unprocessed foods like lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, while strictly avoiding dairy, grains, legumes, refined sugars, and processed items. Mayo Clinic information on Paleo Diet

Carnivore - Animal product only with 0-5% carb allowance. Meat, dairy, whey protein. Cleveland Clinic information on Carnivore Diet

What you're going to notice, if you start doing one of these styles of diets, is that your quality of food changes. You're not going after the sugary, processed food. Your goal is to eat better. Can you still have a piece of pizza? In great moderation if your diet allows for it. I love pizza, but I can't have it. (I mean, I can, I just feel like complete crap and it spikes my insulin to a "normal" level which for me is super high and its a whole ordeal.)

Mock up meal plans are great. It helps give you an idea of the amount of food you need to consume. It also helps to have a program that you can mess around with because food is very malleable, you can have 4oz of meat or you can have 12oz of meat; 15 leaves of spinach or 45 leaves of spinach. Once you have an idea of how to eat, it becomes easier to meal prep for the week or to accommodate for leftovers.

If you get stuck, look for a literal book on the diet type OR look for online resources.

Mediterranean

This is a pretty standard healthy way to eat. If you run on carbs with no problem, give this a try.

Breakfast is 3 eggs, greek yogurt with honey, and 1 slice of sourdough toast. Lunch is 6oz salmon over spinach and chickpeas. Dinner is chicken breast over quinoa and zucchini with an olive oil drizzle. Snacks include greek yogurt and a protein shake.

Fatty fish is really a key feature to this style of diet (which are high in Omega-3's which helps with heart health and brain function). Fatty fish/seafood includes: salmon, tuna, mackrel, trout, sardines, herring, eel, anchovies, halibut, swordfish, mussels, oysters, shrimp.

Grains you want to consider are whole grains. These are not usually white. Consider the following: Brown rice, quinoa, teff, sorghum, buckwheat, farro, wheatberry, spelt, amaranth, millet, kamut. Watch out for bleached flour (like all purpose flour), white rice, and corn. If you have grass allergies, you may want to avoid grains (which are types of grasses) all together.

Legumes are good. You get to have beans, lentils, peanuts, peas, and green beans.

Side note: This is the hardest diet for me (personally) to plan for due to the high amount of carbs. I just have a tough time judging amounts.

Paleo

Paleo says no to potato, grains, sugar, processed foods, and legumes. Not everything labeled 'paleo' is paleo, so make sure you read ingredient labels. Why? Because the people making the products don't understand what is acceptable on the paleo diet.

Breakfast is 3 eggs with a little avocado, some sweet potato, and some blueberries on the side. Lunch is a protein shake, a small salad with turkey breast. Dinner is an 8oz steak with broccoli and sweet potato. Snacks during the day are 1 apple, almonds, and 1 cup of greek yogurt with blueberries.

Carnivore

Side note: I am on the carnivore diet due to a hyperinsulin issue which is why I wanted to include it.

Breakfast is a 3 egg omelet filled with cottage cheese, 3 slices of bacon on the side, and a protein shake. Lunch is 6oz of turkey breast with a little Caesar dressing and a protein shake. Dinner is seasoned ground beef with some bacon bits tossed in and a protein shake with 2 scoops of protein powder and 1 TBSP MCT oil. For a snack, a mini beef stick.

I will allow myself to have MCT oil (usually derived from either dairy or coconut) and I'll cook with a spray olive oil or coconut oil. I also have no problem with a little garlic and onion for flavor (just very limited).

With carnivore it is important to have some supplements. I recommend: vitamin C (buffered), sodium bicarbonate (for kidney health), magnesium, zinc, and potassium.

You May Have Noticed...

You may have noticed that junk food isn't included on these mock up meal plans. Whole foods are way better for you than processed junk food. I do make an exception for protein shakes and protein powder. Protein shakes (like premier protein) are shelf-stable and you can take it with you to work or school.

You also may have noticed that everything is measured out. Some pre-packaged things like Wholly Avocado minis come in premeasured 2oz cups, which is handy. If you are measuring out 6oz chicken breast, can you do it without measuring? Try measuring out your food for better results and to see if you are over or under eating.

When you consider food, your line of reasoning should be: Is this a food item I can eat with my usual diet? Does it fit my macros or will it throw me off? Will this make me feel like crap after I eat it?

If you are interested in nutrition posts, please let me know. I know some people think this stuff is frivolous or unnecessary, but individual health is how we live.

How To NOT Break The Bank

One major way to cut costs is shopping at a wholesale club like Costco or Sam's Club. You might say "hey this bag of rice is $10.99 at Costco and rice over at [regular grocery store] is $8.99", but you also have to check the amount. Chances are the Costco bag is going to be larger and the cost is technically cheaper. This also means the food will last you longer, reducing the amount of shopping you need to do.

Having an idea of what you are going to eat during the week can help you meal plan. If you plan on having fish at lunch during the work week, bake up enough fish. It doesn't have to be reheated if it's over a salad or beans or whatever. Meal prepping is an ideal way to help yourself save money and peace of mind.

Avoid boutique grocery stores. They might have some fancy stuff, but do you really need it? Every once in a while, its fun to shop there. If you shop there all the time, you're wasting your money.

Look for coupons. Coupons can help take a few cents off of this and that. It does add up. My biggest issue with coupons is that they often don't help with meat costs and are usually for things I don't consume. Sometimes I get lucky on coupons for eggs.

There is a new RLSH forum available for members. It's new. If it gets mucked up, filled with underage people, or whatever other bullshit - it's going away. Check under 'Members'.

On an entire other note, if you are an RLSH, please take a moment to fill out this RLSH 2026 Demographics Survey. It's anonymous. Just looking to gather some general information to study. It will end up becoming an article after the end of the year.

If there is something you would like to see me discuss here on Herocore, please feel free to contact me. raven@herocore.online