The Complete System

The Ground Beef Diet

For Football Coaches Who Don't Have Time to Think About Food

You already know the problem.

6 AM workouts. 10 PM film sessions. Recruiting dinners where you're eating whatever the family ordered. Road trips where the hotel breakfast buffet is your only option. Game weeks where you literally forget to eat until 3pm.

You make hundreds of decisions every day. Play calls. Personnel groupings. Practice schedules. Recruiting priorities. Film cutups. Player discipline. Parent conversations. Coordinator meetings.

You don't have decision-making capacity left for food.

But you also know this: physical presence matters in your profession. Recruits and parents notice. Your players notice. The way you carry yourself on the sideline, in the weight room, at the podium—it compounds into credibility.

And mental clarity isn't optional. Not when you're calling plays with the game on the line. Not when you're making the decision to bench a starter. Not when you're up at 2am cutting film for tomorrow's install.

You need to look great, think sharp, and have energy for 80-hour weeks.

Without meal planning. Without Tupperware. Without one more thing to manage.

That's what this system is built for.

The ground beef diet is a high-protein, low-cost eating system built around one anchor food: cooked ground beef. It's designed for people who need to build muscle, stay lean, and maintain mental clarity—without spending hours meal planning or weighing food.

This system was originally built for poker players, founders, and entrepreneurs—people who make high-stakes decisions in hostile environments. People who can't afford to look weak, think slowly, or waste decisions on food.

Sound familiar?

Football coaches are the original field generals. You lead 100+ young men. You manage coordinators, position coaches, GAs. You answer to ADs and boosters. You deal with media, parents, agents. You do all of this while being judged every Saturday in front of 50,000 people.

And somehow you're supposed to also figure out what to eat?

This page contains the complete system. Same framework I used to go from 295 to 240 lbs while growing my arms. Same framework that's worked across hostile environments—construction sites, casinos, airports, foreign cities, and yes, football facilities.

The core idea is simple: You need a readily available protein source you can eat hot or cold, travel with, and eat 365 days in a row. For me, that's cooked ground beef. 30 minutes of prep on Sunday eliminates food decisions for the entire week.

Everything else below—the tiers, the rubric, the meals, the protocol—is execution detail. Copy it exactly or adapt it to your situation. Either way, you'll stop thinking about food.

This is a system for coaches who refuse to trade their body for their program.

Section 01

The Evolution

8 years of cutting the same 60 lbs

Where It Started: College Football

2009-2012 • Age 21-24 • 290 → 325 lbs

NOT A GENETIC FREAK

Many people look at someone at 18 to see how good of an athlete they were. Here's the truth: I was not that person.

At 6'7" and 290 lbs in this photo, I could bench press nearly 400 lbs. But look—tiny arms, incredibly stiff, horrendous athleticism. I was a skinny offensive tackle who had to geek out hard on building muscle just to compete.

Age 21 - 290 lbs, nearly 400 lb bench

I took a slow, long-term approach to muscle and strength building. By the time I was playing in the CFL at age 24, I was 325 lbs with a 425 lb bench press. But still a pretty trash physique.

Age 24 - CFL, 325 lbs, 425 lb bench

Today I can't walk through a Vegas casino without someone thinking I'm an NFL tight end. That didn't come from genetics—it came from obsessively learning how to build muscle. As you'll see shortly, things didn't work out. I ended up super fat. And the focus for the next 10 years became learning how to cut weight. But the reason I don't look like a basketball or volleyball player these days is because my focus is and always will be on building muscle. The balance of 7 years chasing muscle with 10 years chasing weight loss is how I'm able to carry muscle with little fat as a tall person.

Phase 1: Post-Football Decline

2015-2016 • 320 lbs

ROCK BOTTOM

After football, I got into construction and stopped training. The weight that was functional as a lineman became just fat. I ballooned to 320 lbs and knew I needed a change.

THE PROBLEM

  • • Former athlete identity tied to size
  • • No structured training post-college
  • • Eating like a lineman without the activity
  • • Construction work ≠ athletic training
At 320 lbs post-football - needed a change

Phase 2: Keto → Carnivore Breakthrough

2016-2017 • 320 → 242 lbs

BREAKTHROUGH

Keto was the breakthrough. Then I went full carnivore—just BBQing whatever meat I felt like every night. Filling the grill and eating one massive meal. Lost 78 lbs in less than a year.

Farm haul during carnivore phase

It worked. Rapid fat loss. Simple decision-making. When you're severely obese, carnivore is probably the best default—appetite naturally regulates, no thinking required.

But here's what broke: my training suffered. I got fairly weak. And when I looked in the mirror at 242 lbs, I didn't like what I saw. Skinny-fat. I had lost muscle along with the fat.

Result of carnivore - 242 lbs but skinny-fat

I had learned how to lose weight. But I hadn't learned how to keep the muscle I spent 7 years building. That became the next problem to solve.

Phase 3: The Yo-Yo Years

2017-2022 • Cycling between 240-275 lbs

STALLED

For 5 years I repeated the same cycle: bulk back to 275, then cut down to the 240s with weight loss bets with friends. Same problem every time—whenever I got low in weight, I didn't like how I looked.

My main cutting meals were steak and eggs. Pretty much every meal looked like these. Not only was this incredibly expensive, but it took so much time to cook and clean every day. I'd spend an hour in the kitchen each night. Even with one meal a day, this is too much time.

Steak and eggs OMAD - expensive and time-consuming
Another steak and eggs meal
T-bone steak meal prep

The pattern: Cut to 240s → look skinny-fat. Bulk back to 275 → feel strong but soft. Repeat every 8-12 months. Never found the sweet spot.

Yo-yo years - doing pullups but no back muscle

Years of excess cardio, weight loss bets, and zero carbs. Could do pullups but had no back muscle. I needed a system that could preserve muscle while cutting, didn't require an hour of cooking per day, and didn't cost $50+ daily in steaks.

Phase 4: 2022 - The Worst Year

2022 • Back to 290 lbs

CRISIS

2022 was terrible. My father passed away, and I had to return to construction to renovate the family home. I ballooned back to 290 lbs and reached obese levels again.

Obese at 290 - back

⚠️ WARNING

Click to unblur

(Fairly nasty)

Obese at 290 - front

⚠️ WARNING

Click to unblur

(Fairly nasty)

Obese at 290 - side

⚠️ WARNING

Click to unblur

(Fairly nasty)

Obese at 290 - side 2

⚠️ WARNING

Click to unblur

(Fairly nasty)

Phase 5: The Drastic Move

2023-Present • 290 → 239 lbs (hovering 248)

CURRENT SYSTEM

After the renovation, I did something drastic: I moved cities. Purely to get in shape. I needed to remove all expectations, pressures, and habits. Give myself the right time to get in shape properly.

My goal was always to be the fittest 40 year old. Giving myself 2 years took off the pressure of drastically cutting. I'd focus on weight lifting, moderate cardio, and rebuild my diet with keto fundamentals - but optimized for someone building businesses and playing poker.

Current shape - front
Current shape - front 2
Current shape - back
Current shape - back 2

RESULTS (6 MONTHS)

  • • New low weight: 239 lbs (hover ~248)
  • • Semblance of abs for first time
  • • Arms bigger than ever before
  • • Sustainable with travel/poker/social life

I know it sounds silly, but as a 6'7" person constantly struggling to lose weight, with a former identity as a powerful lineman, having arms that show my strength matters to me.

I tweaked everything so I could slowly lose weight while slowly building my arms. All while dealing with constant travelling, late poker nights, a social life, and a snacky girlfriend.

The Insight: System Over Diet

I knew I needed a system over a diet. I know me - I can't be wasting time in the kitchen or thinking about food.

Similar to Steve Jobs wearing the same thing every day to save decisions for what matters, I do that with food. I don't want to waste a single ounce of mental energy thinking about food, but at the same time want to eat food I love while accomplishing two conflicting goals: get abs and build arms.

How to Look at Food

Foodies live to eat. Survivors eat to live. Most winners fall somewhere in the middle.

Bodybuilders look at food as fat, protein, and carbs. They focus on meal prep, timing, and weighing food. Coaches cannot afford to waste so many decisions per day on this. The same effort it takes to weigh foods, manage a spreadsheet, enter foods into an app is the same amount of effort that could go into film study, recruiting, or practice planning.

You need the 80/20 of bodybuilding, but automated.

But you also need to look at food as more than calorimetry.

The Elimination Option: Carnivore

One option is elimination: only eat meat. This will work. Shawn Baker's approach has saved me when I was at ground zero.

But to do this long term you're going to want incredibly high quality meats and now we're looking at >$50 a day in food. If you've already exited a company, you could surely do this. The amount of time in the kitchen and sourcing food eats away at your day. You will lose weight 100%. If you're 40% bodyfat aiming for 20%, this is a great default.

But I don't think it's optimal while coaching a football team.

Good luck always having a steak available when things get messy. Good luck eating out with recruits or boosters. Good luck having a "mess up" and getting right back on track. (A handful of almonds is a mess up in this world.)

And elimination is leaving things off the table. There are foods out there where eating them will make you coach better. Just got bad news or took a tough loss? Blueberries, yogurt, and a bit of chocolate will curb your mood much better than a ribeye. Trying to build up your arms? Good luck eating one meal a day. You're leaving gains on the table completely cutting out all carbs.

Every Piece of Food Serves a Purpose

The way I look at food? Every piece of food is a tool.

Some things build muscle. Some things curb hunger without spiking insulin. Some things manage serotonin when you take a bad loss. Some things boost dopamine before a big game. Some things help you fall asleep after a 16-hour day. Some things sharpen focus during a 3am film session.

When you start looking at food this way—as a pharmacological toolkit rather than just calories—you start making different choices. Choices that compound. Choices that let you show up sharp, look incredible, and still have the flexibility to live your life.

That's what this system is built on.

The Three-Tier System

This isn't a meal plan. It's a framework. Three tiers. Each serves a specific purpose.

Tier 1

Readily Available Protein

You must have a long-standing protein source that you can eat hot or cold, travel with, repurpose, and can eat 365 days in a row.

That thing—if you were stuck on an island to survive—would do the trick.

Also: since this will be >50% of your calories, it should be affordable and the healthiest possible option.

For me? Cooked ground beef.

Cooked ground beef prep
Ground beef meal prep
Tier 2

Fail-Safe Catch-All

Something you can get anywhere. High protein, some carbs, some fat. Can travel with, eat cold, no prep time.

Maybe more expensive than Tier 1, but is always available when Tier 1 is not.

For me? Skyr (Icelandic yogurt).

Skyr with blueberries
Tier 3

Tool-Based Add-Ons

Things you can cherry-pick and add into meals to round things out.

Give you a little more energy when you need it. A little more flavor when you do.

Examples:

  • Blueberries
  • Protein powders
  • Creatine
  • Honey
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Other meats
  • Macadamia nuts
  • Chocolate
  • Tequila

That's it. Three tiers. Foundation, fail-safe, tools.

Everything else is just execution.

What meals look like now

Current ground beef meal 1
Current ground beef meal 2
Current ground beef meal 3
Current ground beef meal 4
Current ground beef meal 5
Current ground beef meal 6

This is the Ground Beef Diet.

John Hashem

John Hashem

6'7" · 295→240 lbs in 10 months · Arms grew while losing 55 lbs

See the System →
Section 03

The 12-Criteria Food Rubric

How I look at food beyond fat, carbs, and protein

Food Scoring Tool

See how any food scores against the 12 criteria. Pre-loaded with common examples.

★Perfect
✓Adequate
—Neutral
✗Detrimental
FOODTIERPRIMARYSECONDARYTERTIARY
MuscleBudgetBrainAccessBulkStorageCalsEnergyColdCleanNo SugarDaily
Cooked Taco Beef▶
S★★★★★★★—★★★★
Skyr▶
S★✓✓✓★★★—★★✓★
Frozen Organic Blueberries▶
S—✓★✓★★★✓★✓✓★
Protein Powder▶
S★✓✓✓★★★—★★★✓
Bone Broth▶
S✓✓★✓★★★—✓★★★
Ground Beef (Raw)▶
A★★★★✓—★—✗—★✓
Eggs▶
A★★★★✓✓★—✗✓★✓
Cheese▶
A✓✓✓★★★——★★★★
Salsa▶
A—★✓★★★★—★✓✗★
Coconut Milk▶
A—✓✓✓★★✓—★★✓✓
Quest Bars▶
A✓—✓✓★★★—★★✓—
Protein Chips▶
A✓—✓✓★★✓—★✓★✓
Electrolytes▶
A—✓★✓★★★—★★✓★
Cottage Cheese▶
A✓✓✓★★✓✓—★★✓✓
Honey▶
B—✓—★★★✓★★—✗✓
Tuna (Canned)▶
B★★✓★★★★—★✓★✗
Ribeye Steak▶
B★✗★✓✗—✓——✓★✓
Bacon▶
B——✓★✓✓✗—✓✓✓✓
Chicken Breast▶
B★✓✓★★✓★—✗★★✗
Greek Yogurt▶
B✓✓✓★★✓✓—★★—✓
Salmon▶
B★✗★✓—✗✓——✓★—
Fresh Blueberries▶
B—✗★✓★✗★✓★✓✓★
Rice▶
B—★✓★★✓✓✓—★★✓
Turkey (Ground)▶
B✓✓✓✓✓✓★——★★—
Avocado▶
C—✗✓✓✓✗——★✗★✓
Sweet Potato▶
C—✓✓★✓✓✓✓✗✓✓—
Oatmeal▶
C—★✓★✓✓✓✓✗✓✓—
Quinoa▶
C——✓✓✓✓✓—✓✓★—
Granola▶
C——✗★★★✗—★—✗✓
Fruit Juice▶
C—✓✗★★✓✗✓★★✗✓

PRIMARY CRITERIA— Define you as a builder

Muscle
High protein with bioavailable amino acids?
Budget
Affordable when buying in high volume?
Brain
Does it support mental clarity? (steady energy, no crashes)

SECONDARY CRITERIA— System compatibility

Access
Can you get it anywhere? (airport, small town, foreign country)
Bulk
Can you cook 7+ servings at once?
Storage
Will it last a week in the fridge?
Cals
Easy to track and adjust portions?
Energy
Provides quick energy for workouts?

TERTIARY CRITERIA— Quality of life

Cold
Can you eat it straight from the fridge without reheating?
Clean
Clean to eat? (office friendly, travel friendly, no mess)
No Sugar
Free of unnecessary/added sugar?
Daily
Enjoyable to eat daily without taste fatigue?

Key Insight

Notice what fails the test: expensive "status" proteins (ribeye, salmon), foods that need reheating (chicken breast gets dry), anything requiring meal timing or special storage.

Section 04

The Key to Everything: Pre-Cooked Taco Beef

30 minutes once a week changes everything

Cooking ground beef on demand is messy and doesn't scale. The secret to this entire system is batch-cooking taco beef.

Here's the thing nobody tells you: ground beef gets better after it's been cooked and refrigerated. I don't know why, it just does. And it scales beautifully.

1-minute walkthrough: spice mix, cooking, draining, freezing

How I Scale It

Currently I cook 5kg at once on two 12-inch skillets. Lasts me 5-6 days.

When I started this journey, I'd cook 30 lbs at once. I'd fly to other cities with frozen cooked taco beef in my checked luggage.

Nothing worse than hitting a road game or recruiting trip and not having food ready. If you travel for work as a coach, sometimes you have a good kitchen, sometimes you don't. The ultimate hack: travel with the food already cooked.

I once landed in LA and had a TaskRabbit person pick me up from the airport with 20 lbs of taco beef cooked and frozen for me. A little insane, but that's how I look at food. Try doing that with a steak.

DIY Taco Spice Mix

You can buy off-shelf taco seasoning but it has fillers. I make my own:

  • 3 packs chili spice
  • 1 pack cumin
  • 1 pack paprika
  • Pinches of salt & pepper
  • Eyeball garlic powder
  • Eyeball onion powder

Fill an old yogurt tub, store in a dark cool dry place. Lasts me 5-6 cooks.

Micro Meal Preps (While Your Beef Cooks)

Shred Cheese

Grate into a glass container. Ready to sprinkle all week.

Spicy Skyr

Add a few drops of Dave's Ultimate Insanity to a pint of Siggi's. One vial lasts a year - a few drops per pint.

That's it. 30 minutes once a week... or 1 hour once a month.

Critical Tips

01

Drain the fat seriously

Dried fat turns into gross taco butter. You want your beef bone dry - we add our own fats with skyr, cheese, guac. Dry beef stores better.

02

Let it cool before fridging

Don't freeze until the next day.

03

Storage times

Frozen: good for 1+ month (no issues). Fridge only: goes gunky around day 8.

This is not buying ground beef and frying it in the same pan as your eggs like you see on Twitter.

That doesn't scale and won't last long term. This is the ultimate high-leverage meal prepping you can do.

Groceries Database

Source of truth - all prices normalized to $/100g

Saskatchewan Costco prices. Edit any price to personalize. Changes saved to your browser.

🏪Costco

IMGProductPackagePrice$/100gCalPCF
Ground Beef Tube (Regular)
Ground Beef Tube (Regular)
(cooked)
4.5kg raw
→ 3.5kg cooked & spiced
$
$1.28
cooked
22023g0g14g
Ground Beef Tube (Organic)
Ground Beef Tube (Organic)
(cooked)
1.8kg raw
→ 1.5kg cooked & spiced
$
$2.61
cooked
22023g0g14g
Farm Ground Beef (Grass-Fed)
Farm Ground Beef (Grass-Fed)
(cooked)
8.16kg raw
→ 7.2kg cooked & spiced
$
$2.26
cooked
22023g0g14g
Large Eggs (30-pack)
Large Eggs (30-pack)
30 eggs
$
$0.67
14012g0g10g
Bacon Slab
Bacon Slab
1kg
$
$1.15
32121g0g25g
Hard Cheese Block
Hard Cheese Block
1kg
$
$1.80
39325g0g32g
Frozen Organic Blueberries
Frozen Organic Blueberries
1.5kg
$
$1.00
611g15g0g
Kirkland Salsa
Kirkland Salsa
1.2kg
$
$0.67
330g7g0g
Kirkland Whey Protein
Kirkland Whey Protein
2.27kg
$
$2.42
41987g6g5g
The Goods Protein
The Goods Protein
1kg
$
$4.50
40080g10g3g
Kirkland Creatine Monohydrate
Kirkland Creatine Monohydrate
1kg
$
$3.00
00g0g0g
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia Nuts
0.68kg
$
$3.68
7147g14g75g

🏬Other Stores

IMGProductPackagePrice$/100gCalPCF
Silk Coconut Milk (Unsweetened)
Silk Coconut Milk (Unsweetened)
1.89L
$
$0.26
180.2g0.4g1.8g
Siggi's Skyr (Plain 18g)
Siggi's Skyr (Plain 18g)
0.75kg
$
$1.07
10310.3g4g3.4g
Siete Lime Tortilla Chips
Siete Lime Tortilla Chips
142g
$
$4.23
5007g68g25g
Grass-Fed Bone Broth (Generic)
Grass-Fed Bone Broth (Generic)
473ml
$
$2.11
174g1g0g
Raw Honey
500g
$
$2.40
3040g82g0g
Espresso Shot
30 eggs
$
$Infinity
00g0g0g
Quest Protein Bar
14 eggs
$
$5.95
33335g35g15g
Bison Pepperoni Stick
544g
$
$4.04
17615g0g12g

How This Works:

  • • Package: What you actually buy (e.g., "4.5kg tube")
  • • Unit Price: Total cost for that package (editable)
  • • $/100g: Normalized cost per 100g (auto-calculated from your unit price)
  • • Macros: Per 100g of usable product (after cooking if applicable)
  • • Yield: Some items change when prepared (e.g., raw beef loses 20% weight when cooked and drained)

Meals (Dynamic Pricing)

All meals pull from groceries database - prices update in real-time

Select Beef Source

Note: Changing beef source updates ALL meal prices and macros automatically. All prices shown are for cooked & spiced beef (80% yield from raw).

Note on portions: All costs and macros are for a 6'7", 248 lb person. Scale down portions (and costs) for smaller builds. The ratios stay the same.

Inverted Nachos

Inverted Nachos

Inverted Nachos

Small

30g protein breakfast in style. Elevated dry pack with all your ingredients ready.

$2.40
38P 3C 23F
Breakfast
▶
Nachos & Eggs

Nachos & Eggs

Budget Variation

Half the beef from dinner nachos, add 4 eggs. Variance and saves money on beef.

$7.53
124P 7C 87F
Anytime
▶
Dry Pack

Dry Pack

Emergency Dinner

No-cook travel meal. Cold taco beef that actually tastes amazing.

$6.08
86P 15C 58F
TravelNO STOVE
▶

Skyr Bowls

Skyr Bowl

Skyr Bowl

Morning

Morning skyr with balanced berries and protein. Light and refreshing.

$4.48
44P 20C 6F
BreakfastNO STOVE
▶
Creatine Skyr

Creatine Skyr

Morning Dose

Morning skyr with creatine. Get your daily 5g dose with protein.

$4.76
44P 24C 6F
BreakfastNO STOVE
▶

Broth

Bone Broth

Bone Broth

Straight Broth

Warm, sippable protein. Great for fasting days or light meals.

$3.38
6P 2C 0F
Anytime
▶
Beef Soup

Beef Soup

Broth + Beef

Hot way to get 30g protein in the morning while hitting hydration goals.

$4.66
29P 2C 14F
Breakfast
▶

Shakes

Post-Workout Shake

Post-Workout Shake

Recovery Shake

Fast protein + carbs after training.

$2.76
56P 14C 8F
Post-WorkoutNO STOVE
▶

Eggs

Bacon & Eggs

Bacon & Eggs

The Classic

You know what this is. Weekend treat.

$2.25
41P 0C 40F
Anytime
▶

Drinks

Pre/Intra Workout

Pre/Intra Workout

Training Fuel

Quick carbs + electrolytes for training.

$1.98
0P 16C 0F
Pre-WorkoutNO STOVE
▶
Morning Electrolytes

Morning Electrolytes

Wake Up

First thing in the morning. Hydration before food.

$1.50
0P 0C 0F
BreakfastNO STOVE
▶
Espresso

Espresso

Focus

Mid-morning caffeine.

$0.50
0P 0C 0F
AnytimeNO STOVE
▶
Coconut Milk Latte

Coconut Milk Latte

Afternoon Pick-Up

Espresso with coconut milk. MCTs for sustained energy.

$0.83
0P 1C 2F
AnytimeNO STOVE
▶

Snacks

Macadamia Nuts

Macadamia Nuts

Calorie Bomb

High calorie snack for weight gain phases.

$1.10
2P 4C 23F
AnytimeNO STOVE
▶
Quest Bar

Quest Bar

Emergency Protein

Portable protein for travel or emergencies.

$3.57
21P 21C 9F
TravelNO STOVE
▶
Bison Pepperoni Stick

Bison Pepperoni Stick

Clean Meat Snack

Organic bison stick. No nitrates, high protein.

$2.75
10P 0C 8F
TravelNO STOVE
▶
Section 07

12-Day Training Cycle & Protocol

My actual eating schedule across the full PPL rotation - swap meals to customize

My 12-Day Training Cycle

Prices automatically update based on your grocery selections and beef source above. Calorie intake varies by workout intensity.

12-Day Cycle Overview

Average Daily Intake (12-day cycle)

Avg Cost/Day
$32.44
Avg Calories
2970
Avg Protein
326g
Avg Carbs
95g
Avg Fat
133g
¢ per Calorie
1.09¢
¢ per g Protein
9.95¢
12-Day Cycle
$389.28
Weekly Cost
$227.08
Monthly Cost
$973.21
Yearly Cost
$11840.67

* All prices in Canadian dollars (CAD) - Saskatchewan pricing

Day 1

Push (8-12)

Daily Cost
$32.88
Calories
3012
Protein
330g
Carbs
97g
Fat
134g
8:00 AM
Morning Electrolytes(Wake Up)
0 cal • 0g P • 0g C • 0g F • $1.50
8:10 AM
Beef Soup(Broth + Beef)
247 cal • 29g P • 2g C • 14g F • $4.66
10:00 AM
Espresso(Focus)
0 cal • 0g P • 0g C • 0g F • $0.50
11:00 AM
Espresso(Focus)
0 cal • 0g P • 0g C • 0g F • $0.50
12:00 PM
Creatine Skyr(Morning Dose)
354 cal • 44g P • 24g C • 6g F • $4.76
2:00 PM
Coconut Milk Latte(Afternoon Pick-Up)
23 cal • 0g P • 1g C • 2g F • $0.83
4:00 PM
Pre/Intra Workout(Training Fuel)
61 cal • 0g P • 16g C • 0g F • $1.98
5:30 PM
Post-Workout Shake(Recovery Shake)
342 cal • 56g P • 14g C • 8g F • $2.76
6:15 PM
Inverted Nachos(Large)
1480 cal • 139g P • 16g C • 92g F • $9.28
8:30 PM
Skyr Bowl(Evening)
505 cal • 62g P • 24g C • 12g F • $6.10
Section 07

Real-World Rules & Situations

How to handle recruiting dinners, road trips, and game days without falling off

1. Drinking

Low carb + alcohol = hits you hard

Since we're generally low carb, drinking will hit you hard. I don't drink much now, but at the start of my weight loss journey I was drinking 3x/week during a month-long "find myself" retreat in Los Angeles. Still cut weight and built muscle.

EAT BEFORE GOING OUT

Ensure you eat carbs, fat, and protein before drinking. Helps with absorption and slows the hit.

ONLY DRINK TSLs

Tequila, soda, lime. Zero carbs. Avoid beer, sugary cocktails, and mixed drinks.

KNOW YOUR END-OF-NIGHT MEAL

Having my skyr bowls waiting for me at home—which are so delicious—gave me something to think about to avoid the end-of-night street food or pizza. Being a little tipsy and imagining my skyr and blueberries kept me from falling off the deep end many times.

2. Hangover Days

Not about the gym—about not eating awful

Hangover days are not about hitting the gym. It's about not eating awful. You need to recover. What you can't do is turn a hangover day into a no-workout binge fest.

THE UBER EATS TRAP

It's super common to order in. I do it. Hung over... I WANT to hammer Uber Eats and have someone deliver me food while I'm binging a show. It's bliss. Key is what you order.

ORDER: BBQ OR RAMEN (OR BOTH)

You need salt and à la carte protein. I almost always elect for a BBQ place and I don't care about spending $60 on a meal if I'm getting 100g+ of protein.

My order: Brisket, pulled pork, smoked wings, smoked sausage. Make it count... but don't make it count so much on the scale.

Way better than spending $35 on a fried chicken sandwich. Sushi or a Sweetgreen salad just isn't gonna hit when you're hung over—you need to make sure this meal hits.

3. Out of Food / Drive-Thru

The cheat code that holds the system together

This is actually super important. It happens. Key here: A&W in Canada (States—find something comparable). A&W has grass-fed organic beef.

THE ORDER

"Hi, I'd like 6 of your 3oz patties. Can I get cheese on half of them? An order of bacon and a side of your spicy habanero sauce. Can put it all in one box."

$18. Delicious.

You will lose weight if you ate this every night and spicy skyr for lunch—I promise. You can go even stricter and just order 6 patties. Sometimes I do this and make my own burger sauce at home (spicy skyr + primal ketchup + salt + pepper + garlic) as their sauces have junk in them.

WHEN TO USE THIS (COACH EDITION)

  • • Driving back late from a road game
  • • On the road for recruiting visits
  • • Between facilities and practice
  • • Post-game when catering ran out
  • • A&W is open 24/7 and they're everywhere

À la carte burger patties are the glue that keeps this system together.

4. Recruiting Dinners & Booster Events

À la carte protein—same rule as BBQ

Better to pay more and not eat garbage than to pay middle and eat awful. I'd rather spend $60 for a ribeye with 60g of protein and zero carbs than $45 for a pasta with 20g of protein and 100g of carbs.

THE VALUE EQUATION

(Grams of Protein − Grams of Carbs) / Price = Value

Aim for a value of 1 or higher

AT BOOSTER EVENTS

Steakhouses are your friend. Prime rib, filet, ribeye. Skip the bread, skip the potatoes if you can. When boosters are paying, get the protein. You're networking anyway—nobody notices what's on your plate.

Whatever you do, get what you pay for. Avoid places where you pay for stuff you throw out. Creates a negative feeling with the experience. Not a huge fan of ordering a meal and leaving a side of fries or whatever—nothing good here. À LA CARTE IS THE KEY.

5. Game Days

The most important day to stay on track

Game days are chaos. 14-16 hour days. Catering that's all carbs. Concession stand temptations. This is where the system pays off.

THE STRATEGY

  1. 1. PACK YOUR DRY BAG — Cooked taco beef in a container. Siggi's. Maybe some cheese. This travels in your work bag.
  2. 2. EAT BEFORE PREGAME — Don't wait until halftime. Your brain needs fuel for in-game decisions.
  3. 3. SKIP THE TEAM MEAL CARBS — Grab the protein from catering, skip the pasta and rolls. Nobody's watching what you eat.
  4. 4. POST-GAME PLAN — Know exactly what you're eating after. A&W run or your packed food at home.

THE SECRET

Game days test your system. When you nail game day nutrition, you prove the system works under pressure. Your decision-making stays sharp in the 4th quarter. You're not crashing from sugar during critical moments.

6. Holidays & Off-Season

Don't let your diet be your identity around friends and family

I don't like my diet being my identity around friends and family. I don't want to upset my guests who have me over by not eating the stuff they put effort into making. These are typically my cheatiest meals.

THE STRATEGY

  1. 1. HUGE workout BEFORE — Whatever muscle group you want to grow, or full body. Set up your programming the week of Thanksgiving/Christmas/Easter so you're crushing your favorite workout BEFORE the meal.
  2. 2. Be the fun person — You get to eat, don't feel guilty, have a drink (you have food in you!).
  3. 3. Double down on cardio the next day — You'll be RIGHT ON TRACK (sometimes even better gains).

THE SECRET

A big cheat meal once every 2-4 weeks followed by intense training (pre = muscle to grow, post = big cardio) often puts you 5 days away from your lightest weight. Countless times my best weigh-ins come about 5 days after Thanksgiving/Christmas. Your body likes change and being shocked—use it to your advantage with timing and not to set you back.

Sourcing Guide

Where to buy and what to pay

Costco Essentials

One-stop shop

90% of your diet comes from one Costco run. Membership pays for itself in the first month. These prices are Canadian and fluctuate - but the value ratio stays consistent.

Ground Beef Tube (Regular)
S

Ground Beef Tube (Regular)

$30 CAD•4.5 kg
Cal
220
Pro
23g
Carb
0g
Fat
14g
Per 113g (4oz) cooked

Usually marked down. Best value protein. When prepped properly (cooked, drained, spiced), this is unbeatable. Can upgrade to organic ($40/1.8kg) or farm direct (~$10/lb) later.

Kirkland Whey Protein
S

Kirkland Whey Protein

$55 CAD•2.27 kg
Cal
130
Pro
27g
Carb
2g
Fat
1.5g
Per 31g

Massive value. Can't beat Costco supplements. Mix with water post-workout or blend into shakes.

Kirkland Creatine
S

Kirkland Creatine

$30 CAD•1 kg
Cal
0
Pro
0g
Carb
0g
Fat
0g
Per 5g

Pure monohydrate. 200 servings per container. Best value creatine you'll find.

Frozen Organic Blueberries
S

Frozen Organic Blueberries

$15 CAD•1.5 kg
Cal
85
Pro
1g
Carb
21g
Fat
0.5g
Per 140g (1 cup)

Flash frozen > fresh. Picked at peak ripeness, frozen within hours. Fresh berries sit in transport losing nutrients. Plus 3x cheaper and lasts months.

Macadamia Nuts
A

Macadamia Nuts

$25 CAD•680g
Cal
200
Pro
2g
Carb
4g
Fat
21g
Per 28g

Half the price of anywhere else. High fat though - with a ground beef diet you already have plenty. Best for keto, otherwise choose higher protein snacks. Requires discipline.

Bacon Slab
B

Bacon Slab

$35 CAD•2 kg
Cal
90
Pro
6g
Carb
0g
Fat
7g
Per 2 slices (28g)

60% cheaper than pre-sliced packs. Cut into portions, freeze. Lasts months. Weekend treat - I only have bacon once a week for fun.

Hard Cheese Block
A

Hard Cheese Block

$18 CAD•1 kg
Cal
110
Pro
7g
Carb
0g
Fat
9g
Per 28g

Get real cheese and grate it. Bagged shredded cheese has cellulose (wood pulp) and anti-caking agents. Slows absorption. First thing I cut when cutting weight.

Eggs
A

Eggs

$10 CAD•30 eggs
Cal
70
Pro
6g
Carb
0g
Fat
5g
Per 1 large egg

Good value at Costco. I used to eat 6+ daily, now less since I have prepped beef ready. Farm direct eggs are worth the splurge if you can find them.

The Goods Protein
A

The Goods Protein

$45 CAD•1 kg
Cal
120
Pro
24g
Carb
3g
Fat
1g
Per 30g

Sometimes at Costco, otherwise their website. Incredibly clean protein that mixes perfectly into Skyr. Adds variation and tastes amazing. Worth the premium.

Salsa
A

Salsa

$8 CAD•1.2 kg
Cal
10
Pro
0g
Carb
2g
Fat
0g
Per 30g

Flavor without calories. Check labels for sugar though - some brands sneak it in. Goes on everything: beef bowls, eggs, even Skyr-based sauces.

Worth the Extra Trip

Specialty items

Some items aren't at Costco yet. These are worth the separate grocery run.

Siete Lime Tortilla Chips
A

Siete Lime Tortilla Chips

$6 CAD•142g
Cal
140
Pro
2g
Carb
19g
Fat
7g
Per 28g (10 chips)

Grain-free and taste amazing. Essential for Inverted Nachos crunch. Quest chips work but are way too expensive. These are worth hunting down.

Siggi's Skyr (Plain 18g)
S

Siggi's Skyr (Plain 18g)

$7 CAD•500g
Cal
110
Pro
18g
Carb
6g
Fat
0g
Per 170g

THE product. Must get the 18g plain unflavoured Siggi's. Flavoured versions are junk. Amazing with protein + blueberries, or as base for burger/rib/taco sauce. I clear the entire shelf weekly.

Sourcing Pro Tips

  • •Check markdown section - Ground beef tubes are often discounted approaching best-by date. Perfect for immediate cooking.
  • •Buy supplements in bulk - Costco's Kirkland brand whey, creatine, and collagen can't be beat. Stock up when in stock.
  • •Frozen > Fresh for berries - Flash frozen at peak ripeness. Fresh berries are picked early and lose nutrients in transit.
  • •Grate your own cheese - Pre-shredded has cellulose and anti-caking agents. Takes 30 seconds and tastes better.
  • •Farm direct is worth it - If you can find a local farm for eggs and beef, the quality difference is noticeable. Upgrade path once you're established.
Section 09

Training & Cardio Balance

The workout system behind the results

Current Program: Ryan Humiston Strength/Hypertrophy Mix

Currently on a very lean bulk

I follow Ryan Humiston's programming for the strength/hypertrophy balance. Great for building muscle while maintaining functional strength.

▶

Watch: Strength Hypertrophy Mix Program

youtube.com/watch?v=vB1l1opGR94

WHY THIS PROGRAM FOR TALL PEOPLE

  • • At 6'7", most programs don't account for leverage disadvantages
  • • Exercise selection matters when you have long limbs
  • • Strength/hypertrophy mix builds functional size
  • • I defer to expertise rather than write my own program

TRAINING FREQUENCY

Days per week:6 days
Session length:60-75 min
Split:Push/Pull/Legs 2x

LEAN BULK APPROACH

  • • Slight caloric surplus
  • • High protein (Ground Beef Diet)
  • • Minimal cardio during bulk
  • • Focus on progressive overload

Cutting Program & Diet Adjustments

Coming Soon

Hard Cut Protocol

Diet adjustments, cardio strategy, and program modifications for aggressive cuts.
Based on my 295→240 lb transformation.

Bottom Line

Follow a proven program (like Ryan's), do cardio when cutting, minimize it when bulking/maintaining, and let the Ground Beef Diet do 80% of the work. Diet is the foundation—training is the catalyst.