Q & A - Part Two

My relationship with alcohol, top 10 health habits, and beyond.

Last week, HIB surpassed the 100 post mark and we celebrated with the release of Part 1 of the Q&A mailbag.

Today, we’re keeping with the same theme as I answer the rest of the questions that were posted in the forum!

Onward and forward we go.

What would you change about diet/exercise if time & money was not a factor?

This was a fun one to ponder.

First, let’s talk diet as time and money both play a major role on how I approach the way I eat. Things aren’t cheap in the current world we live in and preparing a good meal typically means sacrificing time – something many of us are pinched on as well.

If these weren’t of consideration, I would 110% hire a chef to make all of my meals but that seems like a cop out answer.

Rather, I would eat more seafood (salmon, shrimp, lobster, crab, grouper, etc.) not only for the health benefits but I’m also an enthusiast. In addition, I would spend more time following recipes rather than hurrying through an hour of meal prep each week consisting of ground meat, a crockpot meal, rice, and vegetables.

Which I enjoy… but I’ll be the first to admit there are better options out there.

I would also strictly eat the best sources of food – think grass-fed beef, organic vegetables, pasture-raised local eggs, wild-caught salmon, and so forth.

On the exercise front, time is the biggest consideration although I’d absolutely take a home gym with an in-unit sauna and cold plunge if that’s at play with this question.

In an ideal world, and when I’m not training for an endurance race, I would be managing a weekly regimen of 3-4 strength training sessions, 180+ minutes of Zone 2 cardio, a couple high intensity cardio days, ~60 minutes in a dry sauna, and ~15 minutes in a cold plunge… not to mention the hours of mobility/stretching/recovery.

Frankly, that’s not how my current plan looks nor will it likely ever be.

Yet, there are 168 hours in the week for all of us and dedicating ~10 of these to exercise, even if it’s not “perfect”, makes the rest of my hours exponentially better.

Any changes to your meal prep throughout the year? What do you find yourself eating most often? Do you have any cheat meals?

As you probably gleaned from above, there really isn’t much that changes with how I prepare my meals. I typically go through phases, with some lasting much longer than others.

For the last two months, I’ve eaten ground turkey, white rice, and a mixture of vegetables topped with plain Greek yogurt for lunch. For dinner, I’ve been on the crockpot chicken kick paired with a side of roasted broccoli and either pita bread, a piece of fruit, or sourdough bread for the carb source.

In the winter, I’ll mix in chili, meatloaf, or some type of stew to keep things interesting.

There are a couple of strategies I keep in my back pocket to ensure I don’t get burnt out on my routine:

• Change up the seasonings

• Rotate different condiments

• Have 1-2 ‘cheat’ meals on the weekend

• Occasionally add in a sweet snack

Thoughts on expanding your blog topics to discuss more about interpersonal relationships as a guy your age?

It’s absolutely something I’ve considered and what I’m incorporating in these unstructured, free-for-all posts like this one.

My bread & butter right now is talking about my passions: health, fitness, mindset, and daily habits… but I understand the importance of pressing outside of our comfort zones.

Delving into that stratosphere would of course require more vulnerability but it’s something I’m willing to do if it helps those that tune in.

Shoot me some ideas and I’ll get on it!

What's your relationship with alcohol like?

Another fun one. The question I mean, not alcohol. Well…