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An Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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New York, NY 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
Copyright 2018 by Fit Men Cook, LLC
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information address Touchstone Subsidiary Rights Department, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
First Touchstone hardcover edition December 2018
TOUCHSTONE and colophon are registered trademarks of Simon & Schuster, Inc.
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Photography by Kevin Marple
Photos of author by Jason Nelson
Interior design by Laura Palese
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available
ISBN 978-1-5011-7872-6
ISBN 978-1-5011-7873-3 (ebook)
This publication contains the opinions and ideas of its author. It is intended to provide helpful and informative material on the subjects addressed in the publication. It is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering medical, health, or any other kind of personal professional services in the book. The reader should consult his or her medical, health or other competent professional before adopting any of the suggestions in this book or drawing inferences from it.
The author and publisher specifically disclaim all responsibility for any liability, loss or risk, personal or otherwise, which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this book.
DEDICATION
To Ronnie , thank you for stopping me while I wandered around the vitamin store that day. You were the first person to show me that my diet was the key to making progress in my training.
To T-Dub and JB , thanks for giving me the first opportunity to share my passion for healthy eating. Not all family is blood related.
To Benji , from drinking Kalimotxo on stoops in Beantown to getting in over our heads in mud races to burning the midnight oil on projects to looking for ways to prank each other, couldnt imagine this wellness journey without your friendship.
To my close friends from DeSoto to Cambridge to Bosnia and even Peru, the Bible says that a merry heart is like medicine. So thank you for providing memories that continue to nourish me. I think often about our times together, and I laugh or smile, usually both.
To my family , ever since I proposed the idea of quitting my job at the Thanksgiving table, youve taken every opportunity to encourage, pray for, and promote me. No matter what my wellness journey may reveal, Im blessed to have already experienced some of the greatest health of alland thats knowing what real love looks and feels like through each of you. So thanks, Momma, Dad, Chris, Dee, Jack Jack, Jacob, Jordon, and Jamison.
To Max Frito , thank you for keeping the kitchen floors clean whenever I drop food. Youre not the best taste tester, but you are a great, reliable friend. I love our morning walks.
To my (future) bae , I look forward to: cooking oat waffles for brunch; binge watching TV with semihealthy homemade snacks; watching my mother lovingly critique (and innocently shade) your kitchen skills; jogging around the city with Max; stuffing our faces with unfamiliar cuisines as we discover the world; playing practical jokes together; and creating failed recipes that only well know about. Im planning, prepping, and repeating for that lifeI hope you are, too.
And to the FMC community , especially those who first knew me as FitnessandFaith on Instagram, thanks for allowing me to be a part of your journey. You have changed my life.
CONTENTS
IF YOURE READING THIS, ITS NOT TOO LATE.
PREFACE
Chances are weve never met. And even though Facebook may show that we have a (distant) mutual friend, our paths have likely never crossed.
So heres a little bit about me...
I enjoy alternative music but not as much as southern rap (particularly early 2000s) and contemporary Christian. Some of my favorite foods are sushi, papa a la huancaina , candied sweet potatoes, and collard greens with flank steak (not necessarily in that order). My close circle of friends resembles something like the United Nations, with a representative from almost every continent. I was raised in a southern Christian household where Sundays were spent running between pews while my parents led the choir. My mom is from Louisiana, and my dad is from South Carolina, but my brother and I ended up being born in Philadelphia. Ive spent the majority of my life in Texas, so I identify as a southerner (with northern roots). My favorite sports are tennis, MMA, football, basketball, and drinking aged whiskey blends (note: in Texas we consider this an acceptable sport).
I say all this to underscore that we may be different in many ways.
YOU SIMPLY CANNOT OUTTRAIN A POOR DIET.
Even so, if you picked up this book, I know you .
If you are disenchanted with the bland meals that others call healthy, were much more alike than you may realize.
I, too, struggled with wanting to do right in my diet. But doing right can sometimes taste so bad. Any of this sound familiar?
Choking down a chunky iceberg lettuce salad smothered in ranch dressing (so you will actually eat it).
Chewing a dry chicken breast until your mouth feels like the Sahara (because its healthy).
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