Laird Hamilton’s Top 10 Nutrition Tips
Posted on 19 November 2008
Laird Hamilton is someone who I have great respect for is a world class big wave surfer and activist for charity foundations notably autism research. I was recently reading through the latest issue of Men’s Journal and came across some of his top 10 tips for eating, the guy is in great shape and he seems to know a thing or two about good eating!
1 – Start Light
Laird Hamilton likes to start his day with some light easy to digest food; for him thats wither a fruit smoothie with an extra shot of greens or just some fruit before hitting the waves. He likes to add frozen bananas and berries when making smoothies as they give him the energy boost needed to get through the day…..
2 – No Grazing
Don’t eat unless your hungry! When you sit down to eat a meal you should really want it and this means little or no snacking….For me this is a key thing; I used to graze all afternoon and once dinner came around I wasn’t really too hungry. Recently I have been eating my lunch and only having tea, water and coffee throughout the afternoon this has not only led to me enjoying dinner more but improved my body composition.
3 – Chew Slowly
Don’t take your food for granted chew it thoroughly and enjoy the flavors that nature has given us. This is also important to make sure we digest our food well…. Well chewed food is far easier on the digestive system and therefore makes the whole digestion process quicker and better absorbed.
4 – Eat Real Foods
This one is a no brainer, Laird is a strong practioner of eating real whole foods. Nothing out of a box is usually a good rule of thumb. Stick to foods with fewer ingriedients on the label…..If you don’t know what’s going into your body don’t eat it!
5 – Diversity
There are so many foods available each with their own vitamin profile and selection of enzymes, fatty acids, phytochemicals etc…..Each food provides us with something unique. Hence the more diversity you have in your diet the healthier you are going to be. Mix things up next time you go shopping try a new fruit or vegtable or buy a different kind of meat to what your used to; Bison is a great source of lean red meat!
6 – Experimentation
This one goes out to the chef’s out there; with the wide variety of every type of food group out there experiment with your cooking and eating (try new spices, herbs and recipies there are so many available its a shame to eat the same dishes all the time). One tip Laird gives is next time you go for out for Sushi try a seaweed salad instead of your standard edamame for a starter its packed with cancer fighting Iodine.
7 – Listen to Your Body
Cravings get a bad reputation for nothing. Laird see’s them as a signal your body wants something and is looking for a certain nutrient. Listen to your body and learn to figure out what you really want, If Laird get’s a craving for something sweet he turns to tropical fruit like papaya or pineapple instead of junk.
8 – Don’t be a Cheapskate
Buying quality pay’s off especially when it comes to food. Some people blow all their cash on things like huge TV’s and beautiful cars but sacrifice on their food and eat like crap! One example Laird gives is coffee he goes by the rule of buying quality coffee rather than cheap drip stuff…..Remember a quality espresso contains less caffeine, has more anti-oxidants and isnt acidic like other coffee. Americano’s or Espresso’s are the way to go!
9 – Skip The Starches
Laird says that bread makes him fall to sleep as do most other starches, he avoids all starchy food like white rice, pasta and other wheat based products simply becuase he feels better that way. Saying this Laird does like Potatoes, Yams and Oatmeal. So its skip the junky starch…..
10 – Eat Sustainable Food
When buying meat or seafood look out for things like; Locally Caught, grass-fed or free range this means the animal was properly and ethically reared. The same goes for fruit and vegetables eating seasonal local produce means you are helping the local farmers and ensuring there is demand for the crops.
11 comments so far
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Comment by Mike OD - IF Life
19 November 2008
Laird is the man! I saw a show about all that he does…surfing..biking..lifting…guy is an animal and looks amazing. Love #2…so true…eat because you are hungry (and eat whole foods!). Snacking is for people who want to support the billion dollar supplement-bar empire.
Comment by Tom Parker - Free Fitness Tips
19 November 2008
Some good points here Chris. I’ll admit that I don’t follow them all. I do take advantage of mini meals (5 or 6 per day) so I guess this would count as snacking. However, I do start the day light (usually some fruit mixed with natural yoghurt) and I do try to eat real foods.
I have a question for you. Where do you get the photos of celebrities for use on your blog? I would like to use some on my blog in future posts. Thanks.
Comment by Chris
20 November 2008
@ Mike: I have taken a liking to letting hunger build then doing a bit of grazing before eating a big meal (veggies, nuts etc) usually while cooking, this makes sure I am not totally out of control when I start eating but allows me to enjoy my food to the full extent!
@ Tom: I just get the photo’s from flickr or sometimes and in this case from google image searches.
There is nothing wrong with snacking, at the end of the day if your hungry you gotta eat! just make sure its on the right stuff and it seems you are!
Comment by Andrew R
20 November 2008
For me, #7 is key. People don’t give themselves enough credit with regards to understanding their bodies. All you have to do is listen and your body will tell you what it needs.
Great post!
All the Best,
Andrew R
Comment by Son of Grok
24 November 2008
Laird is amazing. I saw the documentary on big wave surfing and am still in awe of the man. Plus… he looks phenomenal! Talk about a role model.
The SoG
Comment by Becky
26 November 2008
This is great information! I am just starting down the path to a healthier life- eating nutritious foods. “Living Life As If Thinking Matters,” by Randy Wysong, has been an incredibly helpful book. Reading this blog has also been very encouraging. Thanks again.
Comment by Chris
26 November 2008
@ Becky: Thanks for the link Dr. Wysong’s work looks very interesting and his book looks amazing, I wonder if I can get it in the UK? Thanks for the link and glad you enjoyed the post. This page on his blog is great: http://tinyurl.com/6ccov6
Comment by Marty
15 May 2009
I just read Laird’s book, Force of Nature, and have tried Catie’s Organic Greens and the Udo oil with fantastic results. Looking at the shape he is in I listen to all his reccommendations on supplements and keeping your body in peak shape. I am still in awe watching him surf and love his philosophy on life. Like all who strive for greatness, he is a true artist, inspiring others as they live to reach their true potential.
Comment by Energy Essentials of Vancouver
14 August 2009
I have been taking Catie’s Organic Greens for years with great results, too. Laird’s Top 10 Nutrition Tips are right on!