Fuelling Ambition. Eat Real. ~ 3 mins.

Eating is something trivial at face value. Something every human has to do in order to achieve basic functionality. Food to me comes in three forms - mandatory, satisfactory, and enjoyable. Let me break it down;

Mandatory food is the bare minimum we need to survive - for example, eating basic food with not much nutritional value, twice day. This provides enough energy to function in mind and body and is the very least we can do to provide for ourselves. This might apply in periods of extreme difficulty, for example when there is either no access to food (emergency situations), or no drive or need to obtain food (very low physical/mental exertion or no drive or desire to eat properly).

Satisfactory food is the stuff we consume to achieve and exceed physical and mental goals. It's the basics with more of what we need to develop either size or mental capacity. This includes adequate hydration, as we can use this as a tool to optimise our output physically and mentally. You'd be eating three or four good meals per day, with enough nutrients and minerals to support bodily functions and optimise muscle growth.

 Giving the body what it needs to develop, maintain & repair is essential for optimum health. In this state, food is seen as a necessity not for survival, but for progression. You'll know about this state of food consumption, if you find yourself eating without much overall satisfaction, but still knowing that it's needed, and is good for the body. Not every meal is going to be a groundbreaking marvel of human capability and artistic skill. It doesn't have to be. Treat your body as a factory for the majority of your time between training sessions and periods of high mental exertion, giving it more than what it needs, and let it do its thing. It can be difficult to maintain giving the body high quantities of food, especially when it becomes repetitive, so switch it up regularly.

Enjoyable food is the best kind. It's food that the body processes easily, it's well crafted and is the most fun to eat. Meals which are enjoyable will be most often comprised of the highest quality ingredients, freshly prepared, very high in nutritional content and high in calories most of the time. In my opinion, these meals should be, as it says on the tin, enjoyed and written off. You deserve to enjoy your food, in moderation. Just because something is enjoyable, it doesn't mean it's rubbish. Eating junk food regularly is a no go. However, eating perfectly prepared, natural/low processed luxurious food is something I infinitely recommend, and investing in yourself with your meals is just as important every once in a while as investing in your material self. Quality will ensure you maintain self-respect and an optimal mindset toward other aspects of your life.

You always remember an exceptionally good, and an exceptionally bad meal. The cover photo was taken at an HonestGreens restaurant on a recent trip to Barcelona. One of the best meals I've ever eaten, and it was pancakes. Quality ingredients makes a quality meal, write off what you treat yourself to, you deserve a good meal.

Eat Real.