The Navy Seals are known as one of the most elite fighting forces in the world and to fuel their bodies so they can go out to conquer, they stick to a rigorous diet and exercise plan.
While you may not quite be ready to head for the high seas and start training to be the next generation of Navy Seals, you can certainly start to eat like them!
Your body needs certain foods to function properly and maintain your body weight, strength, and overall good health.
This strict diet used by the Navy Seals and other high-level military branches is one of the best to keep your body healthy and active.
What is a Warrior Athlete
Warriors were the elite fighting forces of the ancient world. Lean, mean, and ready to take on the world, warriors were the ones who weren’t afraid of a little competition and spent the better part of their adult lives bettering themselves.
The same concept applies to warrior athletes. Rather than only looking to others to apply competition for the long haul ahead, warrior athletes focus on bettering themselves and start to compete by looking within before looking without.
By applying the unique and sometimes strict principles that governed ancient warriors, the high-level athletes of today look to the basic building blocks of fueling their bodies to get ready for competition.
The basic building blocks of nutrition and fitness are what make up the warrior athlete mentality and diet plan and it’s the same for the Navy Seals diet.
The Fuel for Human Energy
All fuel can be broken down into three main macronutrient blocks: carbs, fats, and proteins.
These are what fuel you for a long day at the gym, office, or training grounds. Choosing the way you take in this fuel and the time you take it in is crucial to your overall success!
Each of these different building blocks can be applied in different ways. There are some different types of fuel that you’ll need if you’re planning to run a marathon, a sprint, or start to lift weights.
Once you know and understand each of these building blocks, the structure for the Navy Seals diet and workout plan begins to make a lot more sense.
You can apply each of these building blocks to nearly every area of your life. Whether you’re training for a huge lifting competition or you just want to make the most out of your simple, daily walk with your dogs, fueling your body correctly and efficiently is what matters.
The Navy Seal diet is all about fueling your body for intense physical activity and mental acuity.
Feeding and fueling your body in these high-stakes competitions well makes or breaks you when you’re trying to get things done.
Carbs
Carbohydrates are often considered the scourge of the dieting world.
Dozens of different diets tell you to skip all the carbs, all the time. They can be a powerful source of good fuel when you’re trying to stick to a diet and turn yourself into a warrior athlete.
Once inside your body, carbs break down into glucose which is absorbed into your cells and creates ATP, a specific type of energy. This energy then travels throughout your body and helps you get things done.
You’ve easily encountered a wide range of carbs, perhaps even at the breakfast table!
Simple carbs like sugar, maple syrup, and corn starch will give you a quick burst of energy when you’re going to get things done as it doesn’t take long for your body to break down the carb into glucose.
Complex carbs like apples, oatmeal, and bread, take longer to break down and give you a more slow-burning level of energy.
Carbs do a lot of good for your body especially as you’re trying to feel well for a good workout. You need to take in some sort of carbs before your workout as the glucose that’s broken down can then be stored as long-burning stored energy.
The best time to take in some carbs is a little bit before your workout so your body has time to process them before you hit the gym.
Since it does take time to break down those “better for you” carbs like oatmeal and bread, they need a little bit of time to kick in.
Healthy Fats
Another leg on the triangle of healthy macronutrients, healthy fats can be found in a variety of foods like avocados and salmon.
These healthy fats are the slowest burning of all the energy fuels and they help you keep going when you’re on your way through a marathon.
Make sure that you eat these healthy fats strategically. Trying to take them in in the middle of a workout can leave you feeling sick to your stomach and nauseous about everything.
Take them before a workout and you won’t get the energy you need to finish things out.
Healthy fats should be taken long before you’re ready to hit the gym and long afterward to aid in the recovery of muscles. Healthy fat also helps keep your organs safe by cushioning them and gives your muscles some support.
These fats are also stored in your muscles so you need them to keep your muscles lean and ready for the next contest. Keep them in mind as you plan out your next few meals.
Protein
To build lean muscle mass, you need plenty of protein. Whether you’re trying to get lean and mean or bulk up those muscles, you need protein in your diet. The more protein you take in, the more muscle you’ll build.
The easiest way to get good protein in your body is to eat plenty of meat like pork, beef, and chicken. Several different plant-based options will give you lots of protein for your muscles but the majority comes from animal products.
Protein is best to aid in recovery after a big workout. You’ll often see champion athletes eating a big steak after their last workout of the day. As the microscopic tears in their muscles work to heal, they utilize the protein to repair and build up.
Protein like this is also going to keep fueling your body for a long time as your body works to break down the protein and take it to other parts of your body.
Typical Daily Diet of a Navy Seal
When you’re ready to channel your inner warrior and get on the path to becoming a warrior athlete, one of the best places to start is with your diet.
Having a quality plan in place is a great way to keep yourself and your family on track with every meal.
While you may not need to meal prep for each of your meals and keep them in a container, knowing what your meals will be like consistently is a step toward success. You’re less likely to fall off the bandwagon when you know exactly what your next meal will be.
Breakfast
Breakfast comes early when you’re in the Navy Seals!
6 a.m. is when breakfast happens and this is where healthy fats come in. This meal is packed with more healthy fats so your body will have time to utilize them throughout the entire day.
Start with a 5 egg-white omelet. Use some cheese, pepper, ground turkey, or vegetables to taste. Include 2 slices of whole-wheat toast or a multi-grain bagel with low-fat peanut butter or sugar-free jelly.
After breakfast, you’ll head out to do some cardio.
Lunch
A long morning of training and workouts leads to a lunch that will keep you full and focused for the rest of the day.
This meal is light on fat and high on protein. One of the most recommended options is a ground turkey breast with cheese in a whole-wheat wrap.
You can add some veggies if you’d like since they contain no fat and are full of great nutrients. Pair this with a simple side like baked Lays chips, broccoli, or a piece of fruit to conclude the meal.
Snacks
With so much high-level fitness happening throughout the day, your body is bound to get hungry between your three square meals a day.
This is where it’s easy to fall off the bandwagon and get into some bad habits. Snacking has a bad connotation already and when you tend to dig into some chips rather than some broccoli, you might end up in bad habits fast.
Snacks that fit into the Navy Seals diet are things like fruits, low-fat or no-fat yogurt, and some steamed vegetables. Keep your fat levels low and avoid processed foods when it comes to snacks.
You’ll also want to steer clear of processed sugar products like candy bars and other snacky items.
Dinner
The last meal of the day is the one that’s going to propel you through a good night’s sleep and help your muscles recover well so you can fight another day!
This is where you’ll introduce some good carbs like multi-grain pasta and some turkey breast or lean steak for protein. Avoid lots of fat-filled products since you’ll be going to bed and your body won’t have time to burn away that fat.
There’s a good chance that those high-fat foods would stick around in fat deposits if you don’t give them a chance to be used up when you’re working out.
Timing of Training and Nutrition
Training and nutrition go hand in hand when you’re working on building up your body or your lean muscle mass. Most experts recommend that on top of your regular meals, you space out certain types of snacks and protein shakes throughout the day.
Protein shakes are best taken right after your workout to help you recover.
In addition to planning out your meals and snacks throughout the day, incorporating plenty of water into your routine is one of the best ways to help you build up that lean muscle mass and stay fit for duty.
Building Muscle Mass as a Navy Seal
Since Navy Seals are the elite fighting forces of the US, their strength can’t be all for show. Most military branches rely heavily on calisthenics to keep their soldiers in shape and the Navy Seals are no different.
The calisthenics and weight lifting programs they employ help their soldiers build functional strength rather than just muscles for show.
That being said, there are plenty who want to keep building and bulking up with their muscles as well as continue to have that functional strength. One of the best things you can do to help build up those muscles is to make sure you’re getting enough protein.
Protein is the way your muscles build on each other and eventually get big enough to show off to others. You can incorporate more animal products into your diet as well as introduce more subtle methods like extra milk and whey products.
Your protein shakes do a lot to aid in the recovery of your muscles and let them continue to grow even while you’re sleeping.
Building muscle mass is a balance between calisthenics and weight lifting exercises. Calisthenics does a lot for your body by simply using your body as the resistance when you’re lifting, pulling, or pushing.
By adding in a few additional moves that utilize the weight system, you’ll end up building muscle mass in no time.
Dining Out and Ordering Takeaways as a Navy Seal
The same concepts you use while cooking at home apply when you’re eating out or ordering takeaway as a Navy Seal.
Keep your protein, healthy fats, and carbs in your mind when you’re ordering food.
Many restaurants offer diners a way to see the carb count and nutritional information before they decide to order. By understanding what it is that your body needs, you can make healthy choices even when dining out.
Choose lean meats and proteins like chicken, fish, and lean beef. Ask servers and restaurants if they offer whole grain bread or pasta as an option.
Look for additional healthy fats that you can add or substitute like avocado rather than sour cream on your tacos.
Supplements for Navy Seals
When it comes to supplements, everyone offers a different case study. Each person’s body operates differently and needs different types of minerals and nutrients to accomplish your overall health goals.
Since the Navy Seals are focusing on stamina and functional strength and body movement, there are some specific supplements you’ll want to be sure you take.
Utilizing protein powder is a great first step toward reaching your health and fitness goals. You can also incorporate other types of supplements that your doctor or health care provider offers as an option to help you meet your fitness goals.
What to Avoid as a Navy Seal
Just like there are things you want to seek out when you’re a Navy Seal like healthy fats, protein, and good carbs, there are some things you should always avoid.
This may require a whole new level of dedication when it comes to quitting some bad habits or getting into some new ones!
Tobacco Products
Whether it’s cigars, cigarettes, or chew, tobacco products can wreck your whole system. Smoking causes all types of diseases and can ruin your capacity to keep pulling in deep breaths as you work out.
Tobacco also causes cancer and has been linked to different types of gum and mouth disease.
Tobacco products are common all around the world but when you avoid them, you save your teeth, your lungs, and your overall health. Avoiding them can help you keep pushing on toward the fitness goals you want.
Alcohol
There might be nothing you want more than to kick back with some friends and some brews and settle in for some fun on the deck. But when you’re seeking to fuel your body well and reach your health and fitness goals, alcohol offers no nutritional value.
Instead, alcohol is all empty calories. Sugars and carbs are all that alcohol is made of and there’s no redeeming quality when it comes to your health.
Alcohol is empty calories that go straight to your gut. They slow you down and make your mind slower the next day which may mean a less than successful workout and effectively put you on the downward spiral when it comes to your health.
Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids
These types of steroids may seem like a shortcut to the fitness goals you’ve been dreaming of for years. But taking steroids is addictive and can end up harming your body.
The chemicals that make up steroids can throw off your body’s natural balance and you’ll end up a step behind.
These steroids process and eventually make their way out of your system but they can still offer up quite a bit of damage in the meantime. Dealing with the after-effects of steroids not only messes with your body but with your mind as well.
Steroid Alternatives
Your body is a balanced and well-oiled machine. Throwing steroids in is like boosting a car which burns through all the fuel in no time.
Steroids throw off the natural balance your body is always trying to achieve and the after-effects can be disastrous.
Steroid alternatives can also include chemicals that may damage your body more severely. The steroid can be laced with anything that will cause you some serious harm when put into your system.
Ephedra
Ephedra is a banned substance in the US due to safety concerns about its usage.
While in other countries it’s been used as a medicinal herb, within the US it’s often turned into potent forms of ephedrine which can cause massive weight loss.
Ephedra, while used as medication, is often used as a form of speed. The drug eats up everything in your body and throws off all the natural balance you may have built up over the years.
When it’s done, all you’re left with is a craving and a hollow feeling in your chest.
Antihistamines
While ephedra makes you lose weight and seem to speed around the world, antihistamines end up making you feel sleepy and drowsy.
This ends up making it hard to get through a workout or be alert enough to stand to watch for the Navy Seals. You may be sniffling from hay fever, but at least you won’t fall asleep on the watch!
NSAIDs
This drug helps with pain relief but can quickly raise your risk of having a heart attack or stroke or even cause stomach bleeding. The increased risk is minimal for most people as the pain relievers are taken over long periods.
Takeaway
Building your body like a Navy Seal takes dedicated nutrition and training. Even if you’re not ready to join the elite special forces unit, you can build your body up to be a warrior athlete!
Knowing and understanding the nutritional building blocks is the first step toward success in creating your ideal Navy Seal body!
