nutrition-itsu Part 1: Overview and the Foundation

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nutrition-itsu is the title of the first ebook I wrote about nutrition back in 2009…

It’s been read thousands of times and I’ve gotten quite a bit of great feedback about it.

In looking over the content I’ve been publishing in my newsletter, here on my blog and inside powerDOJO, I see that I haven’t talked nearly enough about nutrition, especially considering the huge impact it has on your life and your performance.

When it comes to nutrition, you’ve got think about how it affects these 3 areas:

Health
Energy
Physique

3-pillars

The only way to get LASTING results is by eating in a way that improves all 3 areas.

Focus on energy through the use of stimulants (caffeine) and stimulant-like foods (sugar) and you may have loads of energy and be able to get lean, but your health will deteriorate and you’ll eventually get sick.

If the only reason you eat is for body composition then you may be starving yourself to be thin or over-stuffing yourself to be big, both of which are unhealthy and unsustainable practices.

Even if you only focus on health, such as by following the popular Calorie Restricted Optimal Nutrition (CRON) diet, you may live longer but you won’t be living a full and vibrant life full of energy (or fun).

That’s why if you want lasting results, you’ve got to follow an approach that takes the 3 areas into consideration.

Well, I’ve recently revamped my principles a little bit and now my approach to nutrition is based on this model:

nutritionitsu-pyramid-blog

Over the course of the next week or so, I’m going to be breaking this pyramid down in a way that if you follow what I teach you, you’ll be ahead of 99% of the population struggling to find a diet that works for them.

Part 1: nutrition-itsu Overview and the Foundation

Here’s the link I mentioned in the video (right click to Save As):

Eric’s nutrition-itsu eBook (PDF)

I’m creating this content as I go, so I’m wondering what BURNING nutrition questions do you have that you’d like me to answer?

Leave ’em in the Comments section below and hit the ‘Like’ button on the way down and I’ll address them in subsequent videos.

Thanks and talk soon!

Eric

nutrition-itsu

Comments

18 responses to “nutrition-itsu Part 1: Overview and the Foundation”

March 2, 2015

cass

I am a raw food Vegan, I am constantly concerned about protein intake. I use Superfoods to supplement such as Spirulina and Hemp but i’m still unsure if I am getting enough. I am currently considering introducing eggs and fish to increase protein. What would you recommend? I avoid antibiotics and hormones at all costs. Is Fish safe?

Reply
January 14, 2014

DJ

What are thought on the new Vegan craz.

Reply
January 14, 2014

Jamie

Hi Eric why don’t you do a video on slipping? I’ve just seen a video of you weaving and bobbing I think people would like to see you slipping punches Peace. Jamie

Reply
January 12, 2014

Mike

Hi Eric,

I was wondering what sort of oil you would recommend for frying / baking. My dietitian recommended rice bran oil because it has a more beneficial burning point to prevent fats turning into trans fat!

But other books I’ve read recently about the Paleo / Primal diet recommend cocounut / olive oil. Which oil do you think is the most natural and best to use?

Reply
January 8, 2014

Muvin

Hi, i would like to know your views on ionized water. Apparently it keeps your insulin level high and i used to be ripped but now i drink it a lot and am carrying some extra fat covering my lower and middle abs.

Reply
1. January 8, 2014
  
  Eric
  
  You talking like Kangen water?
  
  Reply
January 7, 2014

jc

Hi, I was wondering what your take on frozen vegetables/fruits were? Is there an issue with frozen produce if it helps speed up cooking when working long days?

Reply
1. January 8, 2014
  
  Eric
  
  Totally fine.
  
  Still, you want to follow this guide for organic/non-organic.
  
  http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
  
  Reply
January 7, 2014

Roger Tucker

Eric, tell me about cheese — and I don’t mean cottage cheese or Cheese Whiz — I mean that wonderful natural food that is made and eaten everywhere in Europe but hardly gets a mention by nutritionists. I can sacrifice a lot of things, but I can’t sacrifice cheese!

Thanks,

Roger

Reply
1. January 8, 2014
  
  Eric
  
  I’ll talk a bit about dairy/cheese from personal experience in the last video… Stay tuned!
  
  Reply
January 7, 2014

Tim Cordrey

Great Info. Thank You. Could you include nutrition / fat retention for Older folk like myself. (59).

Reply
January 7, 2014

Neil Newson

Hi Eric im 45 years of age and have always struggled to gain weight, the heaviest ive ever been is 81kg.I train in a street self defence system and also your ultimate mma program. The street self defence system im training with guys 10 and 15 kg heavier than myself so get ragged about a little bit.What would be the best foods to eat to gain and mainttain 5 to 10 kg without it going on as just fat. Thanx Neil

Reply
1. January 8, 2014
  
  Eric
  
  Gaining muscle is more about proper weight training then supporting it by eating a bit more of quality whole foods than normal from all macronutrient groups. So just make your portions (especially surrounding workouts) a bit bigger and hit the iron properly. You can check this article for more info on proper weight training to build muscle while still training martial arts:
  
  http://ericwongmma.com/the-3-keys-to-building-muscle/
  
  Reply
January 7, 2014

Karthik

When should I workout while doing intermittent fasting? Just before the meal breaking my fast? Or can I workout 12 hours before I break the fast?

Reply
1. January 7, 2014
  
  Eric
  
  What is your fasting schedule?
  
  Reply
January 7, 2014

Peter McCann

I am 62 years old and have been training since I was 20 – through years of a busy professional life, actively raising two sons, and simply living life. My training was at a low maintenance level from the age of, say, 30 to 53, and my weight increased by 2 or 3 pounds / year, which is not alarming in any one year but is a disaster in total. Now, I train a little more in time but train much smarter – more agility, HIIT cardio, some strength, and my weight has trended down over the last 9 or 10 years to my weight when I was 28 – 30 years old. By far the single biggest mistake that I made all of my life was neglecting nutrition; the second biggest mistake was neglecting flexibility. Now, at 62, I look for guidance on nutrition appropriate for my age and activity level.

Reply
January 7, 2014

Mike

Thanks for the Freebe Eric. I do understand what you mean re the age thing, i am 65 this year and i still train. People keep telling me i am over doing it for a man of my age, my answer is always ” I have not reached my peak yet”

Thanks mate
Mike ( UK)

Reply
1. January 7, 2014
  
  Eric
  
  As long as you train smart, who knows what your peak is?!?
  
  Reply