Michael Chernow on Habitual Nutrition: What I Eat In A Day

Summary

Kreatures Of Habit Podcast Episode Summary
Episode: Michael Chernow on Habitual Nutrition: What I Eat In A Day
Host: Michael Chernow
Release Date: October 23, 2024

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Introduction

In this insightful episode of the Kreatures Of Habit podcast, host Michael Chernow delves deep into his personal nutrition habits, providing listeners with a comprehensive look at "What I Eat In A Day." As a fitness enthusiast preparing for the Hyrox competition, Michael emphasizes the pivotal role that consistent nutrition plays in achieving and maintaining peak performance and overall well-being.

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Morning Routine

Michael begins his day early, waking up at 5:15 AM. He prefers training in a fasted state, heading to the gym before having his first meal around 8:39 AM. This practice not only sets a productive tone for the day but also aligns with his disciplined approach to fitness and nutrition.

Notable Quote:
"I will train fasted and I will, before I train, I will have a pre-workout typically..." [03:34]

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Breakfast: Meal One

Breakfast is a cornerstone of Michael’s nutrition strategy. His first meal, known as "Meal One," is meticulously crafted to provide a substantial protein intake without the need for precise measuring, thanks to years of experience honing his portioning skills.

• Composition:

  • Protein: Approximately 50 grams sourced from a pouch of Meal One and an extra scoop of plant-based protein powder.
  • Carbohydrates: Around 40 grams from gluten and glyphosate-free oats.
  • Healthy Fats: About 10 grams from chia seeds, flax seeds, pumpkin seeds, and avocado.
  • Supplements: Vitamin D3, probiotics, and digestive enzymes to support gut health.

• Preparation:
  Michael prepares his breakfast the night before. He combines almond milk, oats, and protein powder, then adds frozen blueberries and cacao nibs in the morning for added flavor and nutrients.

Notable Quote:
"Meal One is a superfood meal... it's really getting you this high protein blast, you're getting the carbohydrates from the oats, you're getting healthy fats from the seeds..." [05:07]

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Snacks

To maintain energy levels and sustain muscle protein synthesis, Michael incorporates strategic snacking into his daily routine.

• First Snack (Around 11:30 AM):

  • Maui Nui Venison Meat Sticks: Known for being clean, lean, and environmentally friendly, these meat sticks provide a convenient protein boost.

  Notable Quote:
  "I've eaten a lot of meat sticks over the years. Maui Nui venison meat sticks are without a doubt the best meat sticks I've ever had in my life." [08:58]

• Second Snack (Around 2:33 PM):

  • Typically consists of one or two Maui Nui venison meat sticks or a ready-to-drink protein shake for added protein intake.

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Lunch

Michael's lunch is both simple and nutrient-dense, ensuring he meets his protein and vegetable intake without excessive preparation.

• Composition:
  • Protein: 5.5 to 6 ounces of roasted chicken breast.
  • Vegetables: 3 to 4 ounces of broccoli, 2 to 3 ounces of asparagus, and a handful of mixed greens with chopped cucumber.
  • Dressing: Homemade vinaigrette made with balsamic or apple cider vinegar, olive oil, and honey mustard.
  • Extras: A side of hot sauce for added flavor.

Notable Quote:
"It's simple... it actually tastes delicious. I always season my veggies really well, and it's filling and satiating." [10:19]

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Afternoon Habits

To replace his morning coffee and support his gut health, Michael incorporates matcha into his daily routine.

• Matcha Usage:
  • Morning: With Meal One, sweetened with Manokura Manuka honey for antioxidants and slow-burning energy.
  • Afternoon: Another serving of matcha to maintain energy levels without the jitters associated with coffee.

Notable Quote:
"Manokura Manuka honey... it's literally liquid gold, this stuff." [11:25]

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Dinner

Dinner is tailored to be lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and healthy fats, aligning with Michael’s goal to wind down the day with nutrient-dense foods.

• Composition:

  • Protein: 6 to 7 ounces of various proteins such as salmon, chicken, bison, venison, or beef.
  • Vegetables: A generous portion of locally sourced veggies, often including kale, arugula, strawberries, peaches, and avocado in his salads.
  • Carbohydrates: Limited to 3 to 4 ounces of sweet potatoes when included.

• Preparation:
  Michael’s wife prepares dinner, ensuring that meals are both delicious and nutritionally balanced. This collaborative effort allows Michael to maintain consistency without sacrificing taste or variety.

Notable Quote:
"I eat a little bit more protein towards the end of the day, and I would rather have fats than carbohydrates towards the end of the day." [05:07]

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Overall Nutrition Insights

Michael maintains a balanced macronutrient distribution tailored to his training and daily energy needs.

• Protein: 160 to 180 grams per day
• Carbohydrates: 100 to 120 grams per day
• Fats: 60 to 70 grams per day

He emphasizes the importance of protein as his top priority, ensuring muscle maintenance and recovery. His moderate carbohydrate intake supports his training sessions without leading to energy crashes later in the day.

Notable Quote:
"I just focus on nutrition. It's a big part of my life because I've been in the food business forever and now my business is really in healthy habitual nutrition." [16:34]

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Conclusion

Michael Chernow’s disciplined approach to nutrition underscores the profound impact that consistent, well-planned dietary habits can have on overall health and performance. By prioritizing protein, incorporating healthy fats, and strategically managing carbohydrate intake, Michael exemplifies how tailored nutrition can support an active lifestyle and competitive fitness goals. His commitment to healthy eating not only fuels his physical endeavors but also enhances his mental clarity and overall happiness.

Final Thoughts:
"Replacing bad habits with great ones is the answer to living a life of happiness, optimism, and high performance. We are capable of achieving anything." [17:05]

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Key Takeaways

• Consistency is Crucial: Michael’s success is a testament to the power of maintaining consistent nutrition habits.
• Balanced Macros: Emphasizing protein while managing carbohydrate and fat intake supports both performance and health.
• Meal Preparation: Preparing meals in advance ensures adherence to dietary goals and saves time.
• Quality Ingredients: Choosing clean, high-quality ingredients enhances nutrient intake and overall well-being.
• Adaptability: Adjusting macronutrient intake based on training demands allows for optimal performance and recovery.

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By sharing his personal nutrition regimen, Michael Chernow provides valuable insights for listeners aiming to refine their own dietary habits to achieve similar levels of health and performance.

Transcript

[Unknown Speaker]

I tend to like to have a bunch of carbohydrates in and around when I work out and then I peter off my carbohydrates throughout the day. So typically for dinner, I'm not really eating a lot of carbohydrates. It's a lot of veggies. And if there are carbohydrates involved, it's either going to be sweet potatoes and it's typically 3 to 4 ounces of sweet potatoes. And now, mind you, I'm not measuring this out. I just have been doing this for a long time, so I have an eye for it. So it's typically for dinner, you know, some sort of a protein, 6-7 oz. So I eat a little bit more protein towards the end of the day and I would rather have fats than carbohydrates towards the end of the day. So it'll be protein, veggies, some avocado, something like that, and like a big salad.

[Michael Chernow]

I'm Michael Chernow and this is the Creatures of Habit podcast. Our habits will make us or break us. It's just that simple. I've lived on both sides of the tracks and have learned that the decisions we make on a consistent basis truly define who we are as human beings. On this show, I will be interviewing some of the most inspiring, motivating and high performing humans I've encountered to share their daily habits, routines and rituals that help them stay on top of their game and ultimately happy. So sit back, relax and pay attention because what you hear over the next 30 to 45 minutes could potentially change your life.

[Unknown Speaker]

Let's go. All right, y'all, I want to talk to you guys about nutrition today.

I want to talk to you about nutrition.

This is going to be another one.

Of those quick hitting podcasts, short and sweet, but impactful. Nutrition is such a focal point for me in my life. What I put into my body I know is actually going to dictate my health and happiness. What I eat becomes who I am. Food is essential. Substance is essential for human beings. We need it and we don't make it inside of our bodies, so we need to get it from outside of our body. So it is a requirement for life and you can choose to make poor decisions there and create really, really bad habits around nutrition or not. And so I get asked all the time, what do you eat on a daily basis? And I've shared about it a bunch, but I figured I'd take an opportunity to share it with you guys now again, because I think it's a very.

Very popular question that I get. You know, what does a day of eating look like for you? And so I'm going to tell you.

Exactly what it looks like for me. And I also will tell you that different styles of training will definitely and I'm talking about fitness now, different styles of fitness training can get you different results in either performance or aesthetic. But really what is going to power those results is how you eat and what you eat. And so right now I'm in a pretty neutral place where I've got a hyrox coming up in November which is a a competition race. I did one in New York City in the spring, early summer and I loved it. And so now I'm not trying to win it, I'm just going out there to give it my best. But because I don't feel like my training is very specific ish for it.

My nutrition is pretty pretty similar to.

How I've been eating for a long time. And I'll tell you exactly what that is. So I wake up at around 5:15 every morning and I don't eat typically until about 8:39am and these days I'm.

Actually working out early in the morning. So I will train fasted and I will before I train I will have.

A pre workout typically and sometimes if.

I got a heavy heavy day I'll.

Put back a quick banana or an apple. But most days I'm just going right into the gym and I'm getting after it and my post workout meal every.

Single day, my first meal of the day, every single day. I'm sure you guys can guess it. You're right, it is creatures of habit.

Meal one. Now I require typically and I don't track my macros with a scale anymore just because I spent so many years tracking macros through the bodybuilding days that.

I kind of have a really good.

Eyeball for where my protein is, where my carbs are, where my fat is. But I know that protein is my number one priority when it comes to macros. And So I get 50 grams of protein every morning with my meal one. And the way I do that is when I make it the night before.

I pour in a pouch of meal.

One and then I just do an.

Extra scoop of protein powder. So that's getting me around 50 grams of protein, give or take in the morning.

And that is my first meal every day.

And you know, meal one just so.

You guys, for those of you who are on meal one, you know exactly what it is.

For those of you that are not Using meal one. It is arguably one of the greatest first meals you can have every single day. It's super easy, super convenient, super tasty.

But it's a high protein overnight oatmeal.

And we make it with gluten and glyphosate free oats. We use plant based protein, so we use a blend of pea and fava protein.

Then there are chia seeds, flax seeds.

Pumpkin seeds in there and that's where we get our Omega 3s. We also use pink Himalayan salt for electrolytes, so there's a fair amount of sodium in it so that you get those electrolytes in the morning. There's also vitamin D3, probiotic and digestive enzymes that we add to it. So it is really getting you this high protein blast. You're getting the carbohydrates from the oats, you're getting healthy fats from the seeds, and then we're also tackling gut health with the probiotic digestive enzymes. And then you're getting vitamin D3, which many of us are deficient in. So that's my first meal of the day. I always make it with around 5 ounces of almond milk. And the way I make it is I take my creature container, I pour in the milk first, then I pour in the pouch of oats, then I do the extra scoop of protein and then I mix it really, really well. I cover it and I throw it in the fridge. I pull it out in the morning.

I add a little bit more milk to loosen it up.

I'll typically add some frozen blueberries and cacao nibs to it and I go to town and that's my first meal of the day and it's around with the extra scoop of protein. I'm getting 50 grams of protein, probably about 40 grams of carbohydrates, 10 grams of fat or so, and it's running me around 500ish calories, which is the.

Perfect meal for me post workout.

It's exactly what I need to refuel and to feel satiated.

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And so that typically takes me. So if I eat that at 8:30 or 9, that typically takes me till around 11:30. And my first snack of the day is a meat stick. I use Maui Nui venison meat sticks. I've eaten a lot of meat sticks over the years. Maui Nui venison meat sticks are without a doubt the best meat sticks I've ever had in my life. They are incredibly clean, venison is incredibly lean, and the venison that they use for Maui Nui venison sticks are incredible, like stress free, harvested, environmentally friendly, and just like ecologically amazing. And so I love Maui Nui venison.

And so those are the meat sticks that I use.

And I have two to three of those a day. My first snack, depending on how hungry I am, is going to be dependent on how hard I lift it in the morning. But typically one meat stick for me at 11:30 is kind of where I feel good. That like tides me over until 1:00 when I have my lunch. And for lunch every single day, I have five and a half to six ounces of chicken breast. Chicken is just easy for me for lunch. It's easy to cook. I typically roast my chicken breast. And so I'll do a big batch of chicken breast and a bunch of veggies on Sundays and I make my lunches for the week. And so it's five and a half to six ounces of chicken breast. I will do about three to four ounces of broccoli. Two to three ounces of asparagus, a couple of handfuls of green, and a chopped cucumber. And I typically dress that with a really simple homemade vinaigrette, which is either, depending on how I'm feeling, I'll either use balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar, a little bit of olive oil and some honey mustard. And I shake that in a little jar and. And that's what I use to dress my salads or my, you know, the greens in lunch. And then I typically have some kind of a hot sauce, like some simple hot sauce that I'll throw on my chicken. But that's my lunch every single day. And it's simple.

I don't think about it.

It's what I eat every day. It actually tastes delicious. I always season my veggies really well, and it's filling and satiating. And I'm getting an additional 50 grams of protein there. At around 2:33, I'll have my second snack of the day.

And that'll either be one or two.

Maui Nui venison sticks. I just love having those things around. They're super convenient. And so I really do eat somewhere between two and three of those things a day. And sometimes I'll have a ready to drink protein shake that I like, but really it tends to be. I get the protein in my snacks from the venison sticks. And I will also have a matcha in the morning. I gave up coffee. Just been really nice for my gut. But I always have with my meal one every day. I have a matcha in the morning and I'll have another matcha in the afternoon. And something that I love to add to my matcha, which is a massive game changer for me, is this Manokura Manuka honey. Holy smokes. It's literally liquid gold, this stuff. It's arguably the best honey ever made in the world. I mean, it's honey made in New Zealand, in a remote area of New Zealand from the manuka flowers. And the bees pollinate these manuka flowers and they make this manuka honey. And there are some antibacterials in this honey that you can't find anywhere else on the planet. So it's like the antioxidants, the antibacterial in this honey is just bananas. So I love my Manokura honey that I use in my matcha in the morning and in the evening. And it also has some carbohydrates in there to give me a little extra energy. That's a slow burn.

And then I go to dinner and.

I typically for dinner, my wife tends to cook dinner Monday through Thursday and some Fridays, and we have dinner at 6 o'clock every night at home around the table with my family. And dinner always is some kind of protein, whether it's salmon or chicken or bison or venison or beef. Those are typically the proteins that we use, you know, any kind of fish. But my wife is an amazing cook, and so she'll cook some kind of protein and it's typically gonna be around 6 or 7 ounces of protein for me. And, oh, something that I forgot about my lunch, depending on what my training is like, will be dependent on whether or not I add quinoa to my lunches every day or not. I tend to like to have a bunch of carbohydrates in and around when I work out. And then I peter off my carbohydrates throughout the day. So typically for dinner, I'm not really eating a lot of carbohydrates. It's a lot of veggies. And if there are carbohydrates involved, it's either going to be sweet potatoes. And it's typically 3 to 4 ounces of sweet potatoes. And now, mind you, I'm not measuring this out. I just have been doing this for a long time, so I have an eye for it. So it's typically for dinner, you know, some sort of a protein, 6-7 oz. So I eat a little bit more protein towards the end of the day, and I would rather have fats than carbohydrates towards the end of the day. So it'll be protein, veggies, some avocado, something like that, and like a big salad. My wife makes the best, the best salads, and she typically uses ingredients in those salads that are growing locally. So, you know, right now there, I mean, we just had a salad the other night that was off the chart. So there's like late harvest strawberries that she picked up and some peaches still around. And so she made a really delicious salad with kale and arugula, strawberries, peaches and avocado. And it was just so goddamn good. So that's typically what my dinner looks like, quite frankly. That's kind of the end of my eating for the day. I always have Nightcap or Creature Sleep. I'm not sure when this podcast is gonna drop, but we're changing the name or we've already changed the name of Nightcap, our sleep support product, to Creature Sleep, just to make it a little bit Easier to understand. But I typically have that at around 8 o'clock at night, an hour or so before I go to bed. And that's kind of like my sweet tooth quencher for the night. And that's typically what a day of eating looks like for me. And it stays the, you know, the only adjustments that I really make, my protein tends to stay exactly the same. The only adjustments I tend to make are in my carbohydrate intake based on if I'm training for something specific. I mean, that was far more like prevalent in my life when I was competing in bodybuilding. So there were times where I had to just have a ton of carbohydrates to refuel my glycogen so that I can like really go harder and heavier in the gym. But right now I'm not doing that. So I wouldn't call myself low carbohydrate, but I'm on like a moderate carbohydrate protocol right now where I'm eating 40 to 50 grams of carbohydrates in the morning, I'm probably eating 30 to 40 grams in the afternoon, and then maybe 20 grams a night. So it's probably somewhere between 100 and, you know, 120 grams of carbohydrates a day. My protein is around 180 grams of protein, somewhere between 160 and 180 grams of protein a day. And my fat is probably somewhere between 60 and 70 grams of fat. So I just wanted to share that with you guys in more of a little bit of an in depth way outside of just posting something on Instagram, because I get that question all the time. And you know, I'm gonna be 44 years old if maybe this podcast drops. And I'm already 44 years old. Cause my birthday's coming up. But you know, I gotta say, I'm in like some of the best shape of my life. And I owe it to my consistency with nutrition specifically. And then of course my training protocols. I train hard, I love training, but I really focus on nutrition. It's a big part of my life because I mean, I've been in the food business forever and now my business is really in healthy habitual nutrition. So I hope that was helpful. Share this with someone. Share this podcast with someone that you.

Love, that you think would appreciate it. Share it with a friend, a family member. What would mean the world is if you guys gave us a five star rating and a review. I'm really trying to grow this podcast and I'm gonna say it at the end of every episode going forward because it's so.

That is such a crucial component to.

Growing a podcast, getting ratings and reviews. So the more I get, the more we're able to grow, the more people I'm able to engage with and impact potentially.

And there you have it folks. I hope we delivered some valuable content for you to implement into your life on a daily basis. Please remember that our habits have the power to make us or break us. Replacing bad habits with great ones is the answer to living a life of happiness, optimism and high performance. We are capable of achieving anything. We all have what it takes to.

Give it all we've got.

Commit to one great habit each day and truly commit to and watch how everything in your life starts evolving from good to great. If you enjoyed this podcast, please follow us wherever you listen to your podcast. Give us a five star rating and a nice review that will help us grow this podcast, bring on more amazing guests, and continue to deliver invaluable content on a weekly basis. Lastly, please share this podcast with any friends or family that you think might appreciate it. And always remember, want plus do equals have until the next one Fam Peace.