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Nutrition and the Hunter

I mentioned in an earlier season report about my elk hunt that I’m cleaning up my nutrition. I’m fortunate to have a great client that’s an expert in the health and fitness industry. Chris Johnson, owner of On Target Living, is a professional speaker, author, and health & fitness trainer. I build Chris’ presentations and website. Almost daily, I’m engrossed in his content so I’m fortunate to have easy access to great health and fitness education. That education has served to change my lifestyle and motivate me towards my goals. I thought I’d share a few things that are really making a difference.

Here’s my typical eating day

  • I start my day with a tablespoon of Carlson’s Cod Liver Oil (get the lemon flavor!) – this is one of the superfoods Chris has taught me all about…incredible health benefits!
  • Then a half ounce of wheatgrass juice (get unpasteurized…Dynamic Greens out of Toronto, CA has great wheatgrass packages with free shipping)
  • Then I start my workday, check emails, read up on some stuff for about a half hour or so
  • Then breakfast: usually steel cut oats with fruit and agave nectar, or organic granola cereal with almond or coconut milk, or cage free eggs (farmer neighbor down the road!) and some meat I’ve killed (organic wild game), sometimes healthy pancakes
  • Then work (I drink lots of water with lime throughout the day – lemons or limes added to water has a great alkalizing effect on the body’s pH)
  • mid-morning snack: apple and some almonds
  • Lunch – usually a turkey sandwich or wrap, salmon confetti wrap, or some leftovers from a previous dinner
  • Back to work
  • Another afternoon snack
  • Afternoon workout
  • Post workout, I do another half-ounce shot of wheatgrass juice, sometimes a protein smoothie
  • Back to work
  • Dinner – more stuff I’ve killed, or chicken…sometimes healthy pasta
  • Back to work
  • Play with the kids, fam, chores, etc
  • Evening snack – this is a weakness of mine…eating at night…is it for you? – as you eat healthier, you crave less sugar, but you’re still hungry at night. I’m a night owl anyway, so eating something at 9 or 10 is still 2 or 3 hours before my bedtime, so I work in a cup of yogurt with ground flaxseeds, or a small bowl of cereal, or just some fruit.
Here’s the key: I don’t consider this a diet. If I’m not on a wagon, I can’t fall off! If I want some junk, I eat it. I have a few things that I can’t be without (occasional pop, cream-filled long john, M&M’s), so I don’t torture myself. Thing is, when you are eating healthy overall, you crave those things less. You also start to see how much better you feel when you’re eating good, and how poorly the junk leaves you feeling. So when I crave junk, I indulge (I’m not talking go crazy though!) I just clean it up from there and get back on target! Speaking of targets, Chris came up with a great food target that helps people identify the good from the bad (outside of target = bad, inside = good…)…not really a target you want to put arrows into, though, guys ;o)
When you really learn about the science of nutrition and how different things affect the body, you’ll want to make better food choices. And better food choices does not mean diet pop (I made that video by the way), fat free this or that, or Lite this or that. Get back to the basics that most of us hunters seem to already subscribe to…food in it’s natural, UNPROCESSED state! I encourage you to learn about the effects things like high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, and trans fats have on our bodies. When you do, you won’t want them in yours. And that’s the key, WANTING something…if you really want something, or don’t want something, you’ll do what it takes to get it! Chris calls it “finding your why”.
Results? I’m 35, and I’ve never been overweight or extremely out of shape…but I don’t want to get that way! I see others my age steadily climbing the scales, getting injured, visiting the doctor more, taking progressively more medications, etc. In the past 4 years of knowing Chris, I’ve maintained my weight, added muscle, and lost inches from my waist. My blood stats are great. No earth shattering numbers because I didn’t have huge numbers to drop. Best of all, I have energy…and it’s not from caffeine, energy drinks or that 5-hour energy crap! I feel great when I’m eating healthy and exercising. We say there’s no magic pixie dust to hunting and it’s true for living a healthy life that allows you to do the things you love. For me it’s my family and hunting. Being able to continue playing with my kids and going on the hunts I do means staying healthy and fit. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a long season on stand, not a quick trip to the skeet range. Treat nutrition like this, and positive results will come.
Please send me an email if you have any questions about this stuff, or feel free to contact Chris Johnson directly.

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