NO BULLSH*T GUIDE:
GUILT-FREE
GASTRONOMY
HOW TO EAT AND DRINK OUT
DURING A BODY TRANSFORMATION
WHY
I believe everyone can achieve an impressive body transformation.
If this is your goal I have a lot of respect for that.
The tricky part which gets overlooked is doing so without sacrificing important
areas of your life.
Holidays, events and travel can often derail your progress or worse, have you join the
millions of people who are perpetually dieting.
Here I will present you with a quick synthesis of the best tips from some of the
industries leading science-based bodybuilders, my experience coaching people
through this, with practical adjustments for when your life does not revolve around
fitness.
So if you are an adult who wants to lose fat and gain muscle, this guide is for you.
ABOUT ME
My name is Josh Brett, I make
documentary style videos on for a
more honest and effective fitness
industry.
As someone who struggled with
disordered eating behaviors and
extremely rigid dieting methods,
glorified by the industry, these topics
are extremely important to me.
I want to help you become more
resilient.
This is why I try to keep most of my
content free.
If you would like to help directly
support the mission, please
subscribe to the channel, and
consider running through the
skinny-fat transformation workshop.
which is will help get you out of the
skinny-fat stage for good.
How this guide will help:
1.
Understand the nutrition fundamentals
for fat loss and muscle gain.
2. Understand eating out is not something
you should feel guilty about.
3. Apply some of the tips depending on your
level of flexibility.
4. Experiment with the tips you can enjoy
the most.
5. Continue to occasionally drink and eat-out
for the rest of your life without guilt.
REFRESH THE BASICS
WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERS WHEN IT COMES
TO IMPROVING BODY COMPOSITION?
1. Calorie Balance
Caloric deficit for a cutting phase.
Caloric surplus for a bulking phase.
2. Macro-nutrient quantities
0.8 - 1.2g of protein per lb of bodyweight (or 1g per cm of height).
0.3 g + fat per lb of bodyweight.
We dive into this on more depth inside the workshop but this is the vast
majority of what matters.
The tricky part is sticking to this.
Aiming for a diet consisting mostly of whole foods with less minimally
processed foods is usually best for ensuring you can stick to this long term.
A variety of textures and colors within your meals is a good sign you are
getting ample micro-nutrients (important vitamins and minerals).
THE PROBLEM
EATING OUT
IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT.
For most people food is
far more than just fuel, it’s
often deeply integrated
with celebration, tradition
and culture; offering an
opportunity to relax and
bond with others.
But eating out can often
lead to anxiety and concerns
about straying from our
nutritional goals.
As a result, many people
try to compensate with
guilt cardio, yo-yoing their
calories up and down or
perhaps worse still; trading
all flexibility for accuracy.
This is something I used to do...
turning down events and social
gatherings out of fear of gaining fat
or losing muscle.
In his book “The Adonis Complex,”
Dr. Harrison Pope, a Harvard
psychiatrist who works with men
with body dysmorphia, described
a bodybuilder who refused to kiss
his girlfriend before a show due to
fear of her transmitting calories.
Meanwhile, some people even track
the calories in their toothpaste.
As extreme as these examples are,
millions of men are turning down
important occasions and events in
order to be more accurate with their
nutrition.
I used to be one of them. I’ve seen
friends bring scales to restaurants,
and you’ve probably seen many
Hollywood actors boast about their
meals of unseasoned chicken,
broccoli, and rice.
This is no way to live and raises the question:
HOW CAN YOU EAT OUT, MAINTAIN
SOME FORM OF FLEXIBILITY IN YOUR LIFE
WHILE STILL GETTING THE RESULTS?
THE SOLUTION HERE
IS FLEXIBLE DIETING
This will be different for everyone, the
important thing is to understand is that
you can (and should) eat out from time to
time.
Most people can still eat out fairly regularly,
drink alcohol in moderation while getting
in the best shape of their lives without the
guilt that takeaways and restaurants can
often induce.
(Not suggesting this is ‘optimal’ but on the right the
following transformation was achieved while eating out
2x a week with a few drinks every other weekend, over the
course of 2 and a bit years.)
ACCURACY VS FLEXIBILITY
That ruler was too rigid.
It SNAPPED.
Would be a shame if that happened
to you right?
This is why you must understand the
relationship between these 2 variables:
FLEXIBILITY
ACCURACY
CONSISTENCY
This balance will look different for everyone and will change
over the course of your life.
Chris Bumstead can afford to sacrifice his flexibility for
accuracy; the incentives to do so for him are just so high.
A single father with 3 kids and an office job simply will NOT
have the same balance.
The first ever diet I tried to follow was
a bodybuilding prep diet similar the
example on the right.
This ultimately lead me down a path of
constant guilt and inconsistency.
I was tracking foods to the gram, eating
an exclusive small group of foods and
would just fall off over and over.
In fact, binge eating became a big
problem.
THE BALANCE WAS OFF.
I’m currently making much more progress and
don’t feel guilty about falling off track because
I allow myself more flexibility. If I’m going to
an all-inclusive buffet, there’s a 0% chance I’m
leaving hungry. Christmas and other holidays
are also untracked without any guilt.
Unless you are a competitive bodybuilder I
highly recommend a similarly flexible approach.
The following guide
is my best attempt
to help you find your
balance between
accuracy and
flexibility to ensure
you reach your goals
with your sanity
intact.
WHAT PHASE ARE YOU IN?
The first important distinction I would like to
make is the phase you are currently in.
BULKING
You can have a lot more flexibility, as you have more calories
to play with.
Even some of the most regimental natural professional
bodybuilders will be having pizzas and ice cream in
moderation on their off seasons.
MAINTENANCE/RECOMPOSITION
Slightly less flexibility than a bulking phase but still plenty of
room to enjoy a few treats.
CUTTING
You have less flexibility since you have less calories. Ensuring you are
satiated, which is best achieved through a nutritious mostly whole
food/ less processed diet becomes more important. Chefs love to
add cream, oils and fats to things because it makes them taste
incredible at the downside of making them very easy to over eat
while providing less protein and micro-nutrients.
While these suggestions are most useful in a cutting phase where more
‘nutritional finesse’ comes in handy, this information will be useful in all
phases.
WORRIED ABOUT GAINING FAT?
!
If your maintenance calories
are 2,500, to gain 1lb (454g)
of fat in a day you would
have to consume roughly
over 6,000 calories
Gaining fat is usually a gradual
process, the result of your diet as
opposed to a meal or ‘cheat day’.
This is what 1lb of fat looks like
A simple rule to follow to keep things in perspective:
1LB OF FAT = 3,500 CALORIES
HTTPS://WWW.HEALTHLINE.COM/NUTRITION/CALORIES-IN-A-POUND-OF-FAT
The damage you feel like you might have done
probably isn’t as bad as it would seem!
Noticed you are a 1-3kg heavier the day after a
big meal out?
Chefs love to add salt to dishes. A side effect of
this is of course increased water retention.
This alone can explain the weight gain so do not
get disheartened!
Many call this WATER WEIGHT.
The guilt you feel if you do eat a fairly hefty
portion is often only going to hold you in place.
This is why zoom out, use AVERAGE WEEKLY
WEIGHTS and always keep things in
perspective!
EASY RULE FOR NORMAL PERSON
An easy rule I have followed for the past couple of
years and something which works well for most
is the 1 rule rule:
1 drink
1 dessert
Simple.
Think this is too relaxed?
This is actually a frequently used
strategy used by
REVIVE STRONGER, some of the
world’s leading evidence-based
coaches who help bodybuilders
win shows.
1 portion size of a plate
If you are eating out occasionally
this is a great option to go with,
after, simply move on with things!
Want to take this a step further
in a cutting phase?
Aim for at least a quarter of the
plate to be protein and half the
plate to be vegetables.
This is a particularly useful when at
buffets, gatherings and events.
It will be more satiating per calorie
and will help ensure you do not
surpass your calorie target.
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TRACKING
For other instances where you would
like to have more accuracy while
SACRIFICING FLEXIBILITY you may wish
to continue tracking calories.
Today many restaurants provide
calories on the menu, if this is not
the case however, consider tracking
the meal as something similar on
your calorie tracker (e.g. all steaks
tend to have similar calories).
!
Note of caution:
Please do not be the
person ruining your family’s
Christmas dinner by getting
out weighing scales to
individually weight your
carrots...
CALORIE
TRACKING
3 MONTHS
INTUITIVE
EATING
The reason I
recommend most
to track calories
for the first few
months before either
continuing to do so or
eating more intuitively
is because this is often
a long enough time
period to allow you to
estimate things more
accurately.
Once you have an estimate for your meal I
would recommend the following adjustments:
BULKING = Loose tracking is usually great, no
major changes needed.
CUTTING = Add 25% to the fat content of the
meal; chefs love to add butter, oils and cream,
this may be a good thing to do if you would like
to be more conservative.
MAINTENANCE = Add 10% to total calories;
again, being conservative, especially if your
weight tends to creep up over time.
THINGS TO CONSIDER FOR STICKING
TO GOALS
So you now have a better idea of whether to track or
not, how to track here are some more tips to help you
stick to your goals:
1. SEARCH THE MENU BEFOREHAND:
This can make choosing a sensible
meal much easier.
2. LEAN PROTEIN IS GREAT!:
Steaks, fish, grilled chicken and meals
with a large portion of lean protein are
excellent choices.
3. DROPPING CALORIES:
If you plan on having a more
indulgent meal, consider dropping
your calories slightly a few days or
meals before or after the meal out.
This can be as simple as swapping
out your regular breakfast for a lower
calorie protein shake before a meal
out.
Note: This technique should be used in
moderation to avoid disordered eating habits.
4. VEGETABLES/ SALADS:
A very obvious point - adding a salad
or large portion of vegetables to your
meal can help make it much more
satiating for few extra calories.
5. LIQUID CALORIES:
Opting for sugar free drinks is almost
always going to be a better choice
unless you struggle to get enough
calories in.
6. ALCOHOL:
Unfortunately, as we will see
later alcohol is not great for body
composition, moderation is important.
7. SAUCES/ DRESSING ON THE SIDE:
Some restaurants like to drown their
meals in an unnecessary amount of
dressing and sauces, asking for these
on the side may be a wise option.
8. APPETIZERS:
Opt for those with a higher protein
content, dishes including a large
percentage of vegetables are also
great.
9. SIMPLE FOODS:
Dishes such as steak and potatoes/
chips/ salad tend to make great
options, the fewer the ingredients the
greater accuracy you will be able to
have when tracking, so having simpler
dishes may be a sensible option in a
cutting phase.
10.
EAT FOR THE OCCASION:
A lot of this stuff may sound extremely
restrictive, so it’s about picking and
choosing the options which suit the
occasion the most. If it’s a major event
with friends and family it will probably
be worth not tracking at all and eating
more intuitively, whereas if it’s just a
routine work meal, accuracy may be
more favorable over flexibility.
10 BIGGEST MISTAKES
1. EXTREME RIGIDITY:
A phase everyone should skip. If you are missing meals out, bringing scales to the
restaurant or being extremely rigid this is not going to be sustainable.
2. YOLO APPROACH:
Trying to eat as much as possible is very rarely a good idea, eating 5,000+ calories
may help you gain muscle but for many dirty bulking just results in excess fat gain.
3. BLINDLY EATING “HEALTHY”:
The options which claim to be ‘healthy’ may actually be less suitable than options
that are not advertised in this way, just because it is advertised in this way do not
assume it’s the best option.
870 CALS
The meal to the left can be deceiving...
The addition of mayonnaise, oils and
heavy seasoning can turn a fairly light
looking ‘healthy salad’ to a much
higher calorie meal.
Blindly picking the ‘healthy’ option isn’t
always the best bet!
4. NOT REMEMBERING THE INSIGNIFICANCE:
If you feel guilty after a large meal, this guilt will often hold you in place. Always
remember the 3,500-calorie rule; long term consistency is the most important thing
so make sure to have some room for ‘error’.
5. NOT MOVING ON:
Guilt cardio after overeating and extremely restrictive days after ‘cheat days’ is not
a sustainable solution, this can often set you up for yo-yo dieting and can evolve to
disordered eating habits, very often its best to move on, look at the bigger picture.
10 BIGGEST MISTAKES
6. DRASTIC CALORIE REDUCTION BEFORE OR AFTER
MEALS OUT:
Dropping your calories slightly a few days before an event can
be great but there needs to be moderation.
7. GUILT CARDIO:
Compared to eating less, cardio is extremely inefficient for
creating a caloric deficit, remember this should be used as a
tool with some degree of moderation unless you really enjoy it.
8. RESTRICTION:
The amount of people on extreme fasting diets, cutting out
certain food groups for the sole purpose of weight-loss is
tragic. Please refer back to the nutrition fundamentals for
what ACTUALLY matters when it comes to improving body
composition.
9. DISREGARDING HEALTHY SUBSTITUTES OR
MODIFICATIONS:
Switching from Coca-Cola to sugar-free drinks or from French
fries to potatoes really is not much of a sacrifice but can be
massively beneficial to body composition in the long run!
10. NOT SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP IF NEEDED:
Your mental health is far more important than how you look,
if you suspect you are falling into disordered eating habits,
struggling with body dysmorphia to the point where it is having
a negative impact on your life, I strongly recommend you seek
professional help. This may involve taking a step back from
things for a short while.
ALCOHOL
One of the most popular drugs on the planet.
Alcohol is often referred to as empty calories, it has no
nutritional values with each gram having 7 calories.
If we look at the current scientific literature alcohols
effect on body composition is not great...
■ Reduces rates of muscle growth.
■ Increases changes of losing muscle in a caloric
deficit.
■ More likely to over-eat.
■ Increases chances of sleep disruption.
■ Increased chances of dehydration.
(Source: The Renaissance diet 2.0)
In short, alcohol can negatively affect our
decision making and negatively interfere
with the fundamentals.
THE ‘PARETO DOSE’
Despite this cutting out alcohol may
be a difficult task for many.
In most instances moderation is
best, having enough to enjoy an
event more but not so much that it
interferes with your goals.
THIS IS OFTEN REFERRED TO
AS THE “PARETO DOSE”.
The smallest amount of alcohol that
you can drink without interfering
with your body composition goals
while also getting what you want
out of the experience.
WHEN ALCOHOL MAY BE A BAD IDEA
The following situations are where you may want to
reconsider consuming alcohol:
■ You are exceeding your weekly total calories.
■ It is interfering with resistance training.
■ It is interfering with our weekly sleep cycle goal.
■ You are consuming so much that it negatively effects your
testosterone levels.
ACTION
Since alcohol is its own macro-nutrient, it causes confusion when tracking.
I recommend you simply track this as carbs.
Or ‘borrow’ the calories from your carbs,
especially if you are in a cutting phase.
We are doing this because protein is
the most muscle sparring and satiating
macro-nutrient. Hitting our minimum
fat’s goal is important for vitamin
absorption, hormone regulation and
general health, whereas we can survive
without carbs.
Try to ensure your meals
consist of a large portion
of lean protein with lots of
vegetables.
MINIMISE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF
ALCOHOL
To help mitigate the negative effects alcohol can
have on body composition, there are a few things
you can do, some more obvious than others:
1. SLEEP:
Try to ensure you get as much sleep as you can. Consider adding a nap
to your day if possible.
2. LIGHTER DRINKS:
A lot of the calories from alcoholic beverages often comes in the form
of sugar (carbs), especially with cocktails, beer and sugary liquors.
Consider spirits (vodka, whiskey etc) with a lower calorie mixer.
3. CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING TO HELP PREVENT
HANGOVERS:
■ Choose drinks lower in congeners: Alcoholic drinks with high levels
of congeners seem to increase the frequency and intensity of
hangovers. Colorless drinks like vodka, gin, and rum have low levels of
congeners.
■ Drink a non-alcoholic drink in-between drinks: Drinking plenty of
water can help reduce some of the main symptoms of hangovers,
including thirst and headache.
■ Consume a breakfast containing fruit, complex carbs: Eating a
nutritious breakfast is a notable hangover remedy. It can help restore
blood sugar levels, which mitigates some symptoms.
■ Consume caffeine the next day: Can help with symptoms while
boosting performance in the gym.
CONCLUSION
This is the accumulated advice which has helped me
the most with eating out while gaining muscle, losing
fat and more importantly; without stressing out.
Something I wish I had when I first
started.
A mix of evidence-based suggestions
and practical applications from
someone who has struggled with this
for years.
Bodybuilding or dieting is not my
main focus, it’s something I like to
keep in the background. I’m often
extremely busy so being extremely
flexible with things and being able
to eat out is really important for me,
I would imagine it’s also important
for you, hence why I have put this
together.
Now this may feel like a lot to take
in so please remember the longer
you have been doing this the
easier it gets.
It’s like driving a car, at first,
everything is incredibly
overwhelming but a year down
the road and you can rely on your
own intuition, it just gets easier
and easier.
The last thing I would like you to
remember is that all of this is your
choice.
This is an important distinction to
make when framing these things.
Action Plan
1. Understand the fundamentals.
2. Determine your level of flexibility vs accuracy.
3. Implement the suggestions which you like the most.
Instead of telling yourself “I have to do this” change this to “I get to do
this” or “I choose to do this”, this subtle switch in framing can make all of
the difference.
Always keep relativity in mind.
One takeaway isn’t going to kill you, nor is a couple beers.
The most important thing is that you keep going.
Life events obstacles and obligations will arise, the best thing you can do is to
allow yourself some space to veer off course without going too far.
Improving your habits and environment gradually over time will make this
process more automated and easier to stick to.
SUCCESS
What people think it
looks like
What it really looks
like
The above graphic is overused by cringe motivational gurus, but in the context
of achieving a body transformation where emotional eating and habit formation
can be such a hurdle, I just want to remind you that nobody is B-lining to their
‘dream body’.
With over 8 billion people on the planet, many will make more progress than you
with significantly less effort.
Unfortunately we cannot change the genetics we were born with.
What we can change however, is our approach to exercise and nutrition.
I wish you the best of luck with your progress but please always remember to be
flexible :)
Credits To:
This guide would not be possible without the following people, if you ever have the opportunity
to buy from these people to pay it forward I am confident it will most likely be worth it!
- Revive stronger
- Team 3DMJ
- Renaissance Periodization
- Dr Harrison Pope
- James Smith
- Ben Carpenter
- Michael Matthews