I wanted to jot down some quick thoughts on diet and health. These are things I’ve learned over the years through my own experience, reading, and working with clients. Nothing radical, just fundamentals that I think people need to hear more often.
Don’t overcomplicate it. The health and fitness industry has a vested interest in making things complicated. If it was simple, they couldn’t sell you things. The fundamentals are simple:
- Eat real food (animals, fruits, vegetables)
- Move your body daily
- Sleep 7-9 hours
- Get sunlight
- Manage stress
- Build community
Protein is king. If you do nothing else, prioritise protein. 1 gram per pound of body weight minimum. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, it’s the building block of muscle, and muscle is the organ of longevity. Most people are chronically under-eating protein.
Seed oils are poison. I will die on this hill. Canola oil, sunflower oil, vegetable oil, margarine — these are highly processed industrial oils that cause inflammation in the body. They are in EVERYTHING. Start reading labels and you will be horrified. Cook with butter, ghee, tallow, coconut oil, or olive oil instead.
The sun is not your enemy. We have been told to fear the sun for decades. Slip slop slap. Wear SPF 50 every day. Stay out of the sun. This is insanity. The sun is the primary driver of Vitamin D synthesis, which is critical for immune function, bone health, mental health, and hormone production. Get sensible sun exposure — don’t burn — but get outside.
Sleep is the foundation. You can have the best diet, the best training program, the best supplements — but if you aren’t sleeping properly, none of it matters. Sleep is when your body repairs, detoxifies, consolidates memory, and rebalances hormones. Prioritise it above everything else.
You don’t need supplements if you eat properly. I say this as someone who takes supplements. But the reality is, if you are eating an animal-based, nose to tail diet with organs, you are getting almost everything you need from food. Supplements should fill gaps, not replace food.
Movement doesn’t have to mean the gym. Walk. Swim. Surf. Play with your kids. Dance. Garden. Just move. The human body was designed to move, not sit at a desk for 8 hours a day. Find movement you enjoy and do it consistently.
Stress will kill you faster than bad food. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, suppresses immune function, promotes fat storage, disrupts sleep, and accelerates ageing. Find ways to manage it — breathwork, meditation, nature, community, whatever works for you.
Community matters more than you think. The Blue Zones research (longest lived populations in the world) consistently shows that social connection and community are one of the strongest predictors of longevity. We are tribal animals. We need each other.
That’s it. Nothing fancy. Just fundamentals.
If you want to follow along, find me on insta.
Based in Sydney? Come check out Feel Good Nation.
Peace and love
Nuggin