Jocko Willink, a retired Navy SEAL, has become known for his philosophy of discipline, which he shares through his leadership consulting firm Echelon Front, his podcast, and his books. One of his core beliefs is that "Discipline equals freedom," a phrase he popularized and even used as the title of his 2017 book. This principle extends to his approach to diet, where discipline allows freedom from the constraints of bad choices, poor habits, and cravings.
The Foundation: Discipline and Control
For Willink, diet is not just about what you eat, but about the mental fortitude to control your impulses. He emphasizes the importance of resisting temptations and making conscious choices about food. "We have food all around us all the time, and if we haven't eaten for three hours we think we're starving," he said. "You're not starving. Don't eat the donuts. Don't eat the bagels." This mindset is about taking pride in overcoming the "hunger bully" and reinforcing the idea that you are in control of your choices.
Dietary Principles
While Willink doesn't prescribe a specific diet for everyone, he personally follows a diet similar to the Paleo or Keto diet, focusing on whole, unprocessed foods. He finds that this way of eating optimizes his performance. Key aspects of his dietary approach include:
- Eliminating Grains, Starches, and Corn: Willink avoids these foods, focusing instead on vegetables, meat, and healthy fats.
- Prioritizing Real Food: He emphasizes eating "clean," which means avoiding processed foods and sugary treats.
- High-Fat Intake: He doesn't shy away from healthy fats like butter, often adding a generous amount to his eggs.
Fasting as a Tool for Discipline
Willink incorporates fasting into his routine as a way to further develop discipline and recalibrate his understanding of hunger. He typically does a 24-hour fast every two weeks and a 72-hour fast once per quarter. He emphasizes that fasting isn't as difficult as it seems and that it can help you realize you're often just bored, not truly hungry.
The 99/1 Rule: Striving for Consistency
While Willink advocates for consistency, he acknowledges that occasional deviations from a strict diet are acceptable. He suggests aiming for a "99/1" rule, meaning you stick to your clean eating plan 99% of the time. This allows for some flexibility without derailing your overall progress.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Handling Unavoidable Temptations
Willink recognizes that situations arise where only unhealthy food options are available. In such cases, he advocates for simply not eating. He emphasizes that fasting is often beneficial and that you don't need to constantly consume food.
The Importance of a Strong Breakfast
Willink is a proponent of eating a large breakfast every day. He prepares his breakfasts in advance to ensure he starts his day with a nutritious and satisfying meal.
Practical Strategies for Implementing the Jocko Willink Diet
Here are some practical strategies to help you incorporate the principles of the Jocko Willink diet into your own life:
- Start Strict for Two Weeks: Commit to following a Keto or Paleo diet 100% for two weeks to get a feel for the diet's structure and develop discipline.
- Meal Prep: Prepare your meals in advance to avoid impulsive, unhealthy choices.
- Carry Healthy Snacks: Keep healthy snacks like beef jerky or nuts on hand to avoid hunger pangs when you're on the go.
- Embrace Fasting: Incorporate intermittent fasting into your routine to develop discipline and recalibrate your hunger cues.
- Prioritize Protein and Vegetables: Focus on consuming plenty of protein and vegetables at each meal.
- Eliminate Temptations: Remove unhealthy foods from your environment to reduce the temptation to indulge.
Integrating Discipline into Daily Life
Willink's philosophy extends beyond diet to encompass all aspects of life. He emphasizes the importance of building structure and routines to support your goals.
Early Rising
Willink emphasizes the importance of waking up early to get a head start on the day. He believes that this allows you to be more productive and proactive.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Morning Workout
Willink starts his day with a workout, which he believes helps to clear his mind and set a positive tone for the day. He does some kind of workout, whether it's going for a walk around the block, going for a jog, doing some calisthenics, lifting weights, or going to a pool and swimming. The biggest obstacle for people developing workout routines is putting in extra effort to make them work. Willink's favorite form of exercise is Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Avoiding Morning Overthinking
Willink advises against overthinking in the morning, instead advocating for executing a pre-determined plan. He suggests making tomorrow's to-do list the night before to facilitate this.
Strategic Napping
Willink incorporates short naps into his routine to combat fatigue. He recommends elevating your legs during these naps to promote blood circulation.
Time Management and Scheduling
Managing a demanding schedule requires prioritizing key activities and optimizing time. This might mean focusing on the most critical tasks during work hours and ensuring quality time is spent with family when at home.
Optimizing Exercise and Fitness Routines
Willink recommends incorporating no-sweat exercises into your daily routine with minimal disruption. One set of pull-ups, for example, is unlikely to cause you to sweat but can be an effective exercise to integrate into your routine. He suggests installing a pull-up bar in the office to utilize those small moments when you're already up from your desk.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Managing "Sprint" Periods
During intense periods, such as having a new baby, certain activities and responsibilities may inevitably be placed on hold. Willink advises maintaining discipline, especially in one's diet, during these hectic 'sprint' periods. Despite the disruptions, it is crucial to avoid completely slacking off.
The Mental Game: Overcoming Obstacles
Discipline is not just about following rules; it's about developing the mental resilience to overcome obstacles and resist temptations. This requires a shift in mindset and a commitment to personal growth.
Identifying and Eliminating Time-Wasting Activities
A great way to identify where there is wasted time is to write down everything you do in a day in thirty-minute increments. More often than not, we become enslaved to time-wasting activities, while thinking just the opposite.
Building Intrinsic Motivation
To truly develop long-lasting discipline, you must rely on yourself and your intrinsic motivation to want your goal more than what has gotten in the way. There is nothing wrong with being accountable to another person, like a personal trainer, health coach, or best friend, but the goal of an accountability partner should be to foster accountability and confidence within yourself.
Embracing the Importance of Exercise
Willink emphasizes the importance of exercise to mental health and physical wellbeing.
Recalibrating Hunger
Fasting will recalibrate what hunger is to you. You will realize that you aren’t actually hungry most of the time. You are just bored.
Addressing Emotional Bullying
When you're getting bullied by your emotions, you're getting bullied by your feelings, you should take a little bit of pride in that, he said. "So when you feel hungry and that hunger bully starts to creep up on you and and pull you towards the donuts, slap that bully in the face. That should feel good. You should like that. And that's for a good reason, because you did the right thing. You beat up the hunger bully.