The No White Diet

I'm currently providing dietary advice for a client who is preparing for a figure competition. She's in good shape already, has striking features, and possesses an effervescent personality that is sure to translate into great stage presence. In other words, I know she's going to do well if we can whittle away those last few stubborn pounds.



I almost always base meal planning around lean proteins, fresh vegetables, and a small amount of healthy fat. Well timed (meaning post workout) fruit consumption is also a must. Whole grains and low (or no) fat dairy are okay in moderation. But, if you're not seeing results like you should, they gotta go.

While working on the details of her diet, I was envisioning the foods she could eat and those she should not. I soon realized that there was a prevailing theme in most of the foods that I was telling her to avoid. They were all white. "Don't eat white stuff," I thought. And with that, the "No White Diet" was born.

It's really pretty simple when you think about it. No white means no sugar and nothing made with added sugar. No cakes, cookies, pies, or candy. It also means be wary of food with a lot of natural sugar, like fruits or dairy, except in moderate proportions and at the right times, like immediately before or after a workout.

It also means no white flour, polished rice, peeled potatoes, or other simple starches unless they have ample amounts of fiber or other nutrients.

It means no hydrogenated oils, for obvious reasons (vascular and systemic inflammation, heart disease, cancer to name a few).

When you think about what's left to eat, it becomes very similar to the "Paleolithic" "Caveman," or hunter/gatherer diet. If you can hunt it, or fish for it, or pluck it from the sea, you can eat it. If you can pick it from a tree or bush, consume it directly from a plant, or dig it up, you can eat it.

If you start eating this way, you really don't need to count calories. Your foods will be naturally filling without being overly fattening. It will help reestablish your natural hormonal response to eating, dramatically reducing the hunger pangs often tied to those nasty white foods. You'll have more stable blood sugar levels resulting in more constant energy levels, even in the face of calorie restricted or pre-contest diet.

Of course, this "No White Diet" dramatically over simplifies things, especially when you're striving for single digit body fat percentage, but it is a good rule of thumb.

Most importantly, having such a rule of thumb makes your eating more mindful. You are aware of what you're eating and how much. And that is the true secret, the beginning of being truly lean and healthful.

So, don't eat white stuff. Follow the "No White Diet" and see how you feel and how your body reacts.