This is the 20% that gives 80% of the results. Do this 80% of the time.
If someone needs a quick reference on how to approach a healthier lifestyle in a hectic life, give them this and they can delve in further later if they want.
- 01Why Eating Healthy Feels So HardThis is biology, not a character flaw. Our brain thinks it's 10,000 BC and we will starve tomorrow. Carbs and fats eaten together hijacks the brain and sends a drug-like reward signal that makes it very hard to stop eating as our body sees it as fuel that we may not see again for a while.Full hack
- 02Where to StartPick your calorie target per day based on your goals.Full hack
Calories = body weight × a goal number. Protein = 1 g per pound.
The goal
At this goal, calories are body weight × 10–12. Shown is 10. Too fast? Increase to 11 or 12.
On insulin or other glucose-lowering meds? Don’t start a drastic calorie cut without talking with your physician first.
Enter a weight to see the targets.
- 03Don't Drink CaloriesWater, coffee, tea, diet soda. This is low-hanging fruit and can easily chisel off thousands of calories per week from your current diet.Full hack
- 04One Gram Per PoundEat about 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight — goal weight is fine if you have a lot to lose. Individuals over 60 years old may need even more.Full hack
- 05The Protein × 10 TrickLook at the nutrition label. Add a zero to the protein grams. If that number is the same as or higher than the calories, it is 40% or more protein — a great fat-loss food.Full hack
Nutrition Facts
1 serving per container
Serving size1 servingAmount per serving
Calories90Look here. Compare this to protein × 10.
% Daily Value*
Total Fat —
Saturated Fat —
Trans Fat —
Cholesterol —
Sodium —
Total Carbohydrate —
Dietary Fiber —
Total Sugars —
Includes Added Sugars —
Protein 16g32%
Add a zero → 160. Steal it. The front of the bag didn't even have to lie.
*Calories and protein update from the boxes. The other lines stay blank on purpose — those two numbers are the trick.
Same two lines on every package. Calories, then protein. Pull those two numbers off any package. The label updates as you type.
A · 40%+
Protein × 10 = 160≥90 calories
Steal it. The front of the bag didn't even have to lie.
Roughly 71% of calories from protein (protein grams × 4 ÷ calories).
- 06Fast Food HacksExtra meat, no bun, skip the fries, diet drink.Full hack
- 07Regular Food HacksGreek yogurt, tuna, chicken, steak, egg whites, Fairlife milk, Legendary pastries — and anything else that hits the protein × 10 trick. If it passes that test, it works.Full hack
- 08Exercise HacksOne set to failure with rest-pause: a push, a pull, and a leg movement, 2–4 times per week.Full hack
- 09Intermittent Fasting HacksNarrow your eating window and skip a meal or two. Skip breakfast daily, eat one meal a day, or skip an entire day of eating once or twice a week. All of them decrease the amount of fuel going in so you can burn more going out.Full hack
If you want the why
General education, not a personal treatment plan. If you have a medical condition — kidneys, pregnancy, disordered eating, anything your clinician is already following — talk with them before you overhaul how you eat.