I used to believe that training hard enough in the gym would allow me to neglect following a proper diet. I now know better. In fact, I now know that diet and nutrition is literally 90% of the battle. I once read that “abs were made in the kitchen”, and for the longest time I thought it was nonsense, until I began to seriously follow a proper diet.

My diet is based on the principles outlined in the Precision Nutrition (PN) program, developed by Dr. John Berardi. It is the most scientifically and logically sound approach to nutrition that I have ever read. I have researched many diets prior to learning about Dr. Berardi’s program, and almost all of them tended to lean to one extreme or another, or involved complicated cycles, or unbalanced food selection. What I found most appealling about PN was the philosophy behind it. As a fellow subscriber to Dr. Steven Covey’s 7 Habits, Dr. Berardi applied the approach that an intelligent diet, and good nutritional principles, should be a lifestyle and not a temporary effort. They should be internalized habits. By applying these habits, one can use their own preferences and circumstances to develop a specific diet that adhears to these principles, but also allows the freedom to make your own choices on how you want to apply them in your life.

Without plagiurizing the program, I will quickly outline how my diet looks like and the nutritional parameters I use. Since Precision Nutrition was the original source for my knowledge, I strongly encourage obtaining the information directly from the source. You won’t regret it.

My Staple foods:

Omega-3 Whole Eggs
Egg Whites
1% Cottage Cheese
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
Canned White Chunked Tuna
Frozen Cooked Shrimp
Balsamic Vinagrette or Ranch dressing
Full-fat Marble, Mozzarella, and Swiss Cheese blocks
Natural Peanut Butter
Olive Oil
Flaxseed Meal
Baby Spinach
Broccoli
Celery

The nutritional parameters I strive for are as follows…

• Eat every 2-3 hours - Non-negotiable
• Protein & vegetables with every meal
• Fish oils with most meals
• No carbohydrates other than from vegetables
• Post-workout carbohydrates are the only exception
• No calories from beverages
• At least 90% compliance (10% of a week’s meals can be “misses”)No cheat meals
• Clean re-feed meals perhaps once every 1-2 weeks (depending on my goals)

-Ratko