¶ Nutrition Starter Kit (1 week)

Minimum effective dose

Build meals around protein + plants, and make minimally processed foods the default.

¶ Quick wins

Add one protein-forward meal/day (e.g., yogurt + berries; eggs + veg; tofu bowl; fish + veg).
Add one fiber-forward meal/day (legumes, vegetables, whole grains, berries).
Make a “no‑decision” breakfast (same 2–3 options).
Reduce liquid calories (sugary drinks; frequent alcohol).

¶ Core routines

¶ The plate template

½ plate: vegetables / fruit
¼ plate: protein
¼ plate: whole grains / starchy plants
Add: olive oil / nuts / seeds as needed

¶ Grocery defaults (the 10 items)

2 proteins you like
2 vegetables you’ll actually cook
2 fruits you’ll actually eat
1 whole grain (oats/rice/bread)
1 legume (beans/lentils/hummus)
1 “easy meal” backup (frozen veg + canned fish/tofu, etc.)
1 snack default (nuts, yogurt, fruit)

¶ Evidence anchor (Mediterranean-style pattern)

Mediterranean-style dietary patterns have robust evidence for cardiovascular outcomes; in a large randomized trial of high-risk adults, Mediterranean diet interventions reduced major cardiovascular events compared to control diet counseling.^[1]

¶ 7‑day plan (simple)

Day	Do this
1	Pick default breakfast + buy ingredients
2	Add protein-forward lunch
3	Add a fiber-forward dinner
4	Create “snack defaults” (reduce grazing)
5	Plan 2 dinners you can repeat
6	Shop with a list (protein + plants first)
7	Review: what caused cravings/outliers?

¶ Troubleshooting

Weight drift / cravings: Weight gain troubleshooting
Timing experiments: Fasting & caloric restriction
Deep dive: Nutrition

¶ References

Estruch R, Ros E, Salas-Salvadó J, et al. Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease with a Mediterranean Diet. N Engl J Med. 2013;368:1279–1290. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303 ↩︎