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The Role of Nutrition

While physical activity is crucial, what we eat is perhaps even more important. In the United States, it can be challenging to eat healthily due to the cost of fruits and vegetables and the convenience of unhealthy options. We often resort to fast foods filled with preservatives and excessive amounts of fats, contributing to obesity and decreased testosterone levels. However, this doesn’t excuse us from fueling our bodies properly. Consuming whole foods, fruits, and vegetables consistently is critical. I may sound like Superman, but trust me when I say there are better ways to switch out those unhealthy foods and drinks from your diet without making drastic sacrifices

Natural Fruit Juices and Smoothies

Trade sugary sodas for natural fruit juices and smoothies. Having a personal blender or juicer helps, as you can buy your own frozen or whole fruits and make your own. Frozen fruit bags are great for making smoothies quickly on the go, and fruits with high water content, such as watermelons, are excellent for hydrating the body. They also provide essential nutrients like potassium, magnesium, and nitric oxide, which are crucial for muscle recovery and sexual health.

Discipline with Your Diet

Practice effective discipline by sticking to your diet for five days a week and having a cheat day on the weekend. After doing this for some time, you’ll slowly be able to limit yourself to a lot of those junk foods that aren’t helping you and are decreasing your energy levels.

Cooking at Home

Start cooking at home instead of always eating out, which reduces your ability to make poor dietary choices and allows you to control what exactly is going into your stomach. Some key ingredients I love combining throughout the week with other whole foods and vegetables include brown rice or quinoa, salmon or kingfish, stews, vegetable soups, and mixed greens.

  • Breakfast: Smoothie made with berries, spinach, and coconut water. Egg whites with mixed veggies and turkey bacon with a side of sliced avocado. Oatmeal drizzled with peanut butter and honey
  • Mid-Morning Snack: MIxed nuts drizzled with honey .
  • Lunch: Salmon and Quinoa salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, avocados, and a lemon-tahini dressing.
  • Afternoon Snack: Sliced oranges or a smoothie with bananas peanut butter almond milk.
  • Dinner: Stir-fried vegetables with brown rice, boiled eggs, and a side of steamed broccoli.
  • Evening Snack: Frozen cherries and herbal tea.

The most important thing about curating your diet is having fun with it while understanding what you’re eating and how it affects your body. Although you may look like a mad scientist at the grocery store, scrutinizing food package contents, unfortunately, that’s what our country has forced us to do as we see obesity becoming a new trend and sickness plaguing us. As men, we need to stand up for ourselves, even if it means going the extra mile, because we are not only here for ourselves but for our kids, parents, friends, partners, and our community. The only way we remain strong is by controlling what we ingest.