How Many Calories Are in David Goggins Diet?
David Goggins consumes around 750-1000 calories daily by eating small and frequent meals throughout the day.
But it’s recommended to consult a healthcare professional or nutritionist to make sure this diet and calorie range is suitable for you.
Consuming these numbers of daily calories that come from healthy foods combined with regular exercise can provide many benefits to your body.
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The Benefits of David Goggins Diet
David Goggins Diet can help:
- Improve Digestion and Eliminate Toxins
- Boost Energy Levels and Promote Weight Loss
- Enhance Mental Clarity
Improving Digestion and Eliminate Toxins
David Goggins Diet focuses on whole, unprocessed foods that are nutrient-rich and easy to digest. It includes drinking plenty of water to help digestion. By eliminating processed foods and toxins, the diet helps your body's natural detoxification processes through urination and bowel movements [1] [2].
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According to research published in Nutrition & Metabolism, consuming lean proteins such as poultry, fish, and legumes supports muscle protein synthesis and maintenance, crucial for overall muscle health and function (Source: Phillips SM, et al. Nutrition & Metabolism. 2016;13:64).
Boosting Energy Levels and Promote Weight Loss
David Goggins Diet is based on eating nutritious foods and at least 30 minutes of moderate daily physical activity. Exercise helps boost your metabolism to burn more calories and as a result, combining a nutritious diet with frequent exercise allows for healthy and sustainable weight loss [3] [4].
Enhancing Mental Clarity
David Goggins Diet can help boost brain function, as it’s high in protein and moderate in carbohydrates, which has proved to enhance mental clarity and focus.
Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants like vitamins C and E, and flavonoids that protect brain cells from oxidative damage. For example, blueberries and leafy greens are excellent sources of these protective antioxidants [5].
Lean proteins like chicken, fish, and beans provide the amino acids needed to create neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin that regulate mood and focus [6].
Low-fat dairy like Greek yogurt and milk contain vitamin B12, crucial for red blood cells and myelin sheath formation around neurons for efficient cognitive function [7].
Along with these benefits, there may be risks and side effects you should consider before starting this diet.
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Risks or Side Effects of David Goggins Diet
In some cases, especially if you have an underlying disease like diabetes, this diet can cause the following side effects.
- Keto Flu: Since David Goggins Diet is described as a high-protein and low-carb (keto) approach, those starting it can experience symptoms known as the keto flu. These can include fatigue, headaches, nausea, and sleep difficulties as the body adapts to using fat instead of carbohydrates for fuel. However, these symptoms are usually temporary [8].
- Dehydration: The exercise routines recommended alongside the Goggins Diet can lead to excessive sweating and fluid loss, increasing the risk of dehydration if proper hydration is not maintained by drinking enough water and electrolytes. So it’s important to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration and electrolyte imbalance [9].
- Overtraining or Injury: Pushing too hard with extreme workout regimens without adequate rest and recovery can result in overtraining syndrome or injuries like muscle strains, joint pain, etc. Your exercise routine should align with your body’s condition and needs [10].
So, if you have decided to follow this diet, you can use the following sample 3-day meal plan to get started.
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A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition investigated the effects of high-protein diets, including lean proteins, on weight loss and metabolic health. It found that higher protein intake can aid in weight loss by promoting satiety and preserving lean body mass (Source: Leidy HJ, et al. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2015;101(6):1320S-1329S).
ِDavid Goggins Diet Sample 3-Day Meal Plan
Here is a sample 3-day meal plan for David Goggins Diet. You can modify it based on your body's needs and health goals but you should watch how many calories you're taking and stick to the foods allowed in the diet.
Day 1
- Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs with 1 cup of spinach and ½ cup of diced tomatoes
- Lunch: 4 oz. grilled chicken breast, 1 cup of quinoa salad with mixed vegetables (½ cup of bell peppers, ½ cup of cucumbers, ½ cup of carrots)
- Dinner: 4 oz. baked salmon, 1 cup of steamed broccoli, 1 cup of brown rice
- Snacks: 1 cup of Greek yogurt with ½ cup of mixed berries, ¼ cup of mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, pistachios)
- Food supplements: 1 multivitamin (if needed), 1000 mg omega-3 fish oil supplement
Day 2
- Breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal topped with half of a banana and a drizzle of honey, 1 hard-boiled eggs
- Lunch: Turkey and avocado wrap with 1 whole grain tortilla, Mixed green salad with 1/2 tbsp of olive oil and lemon dressing
- Dinner: 3 oz. stir-fried tofu with mixed vegetables (1 cup of broccoli, ½ cup of bell peppers, ½ cup of snap peas) in a light soy sauce, 1 cup of quinoa
- Snacks: 1 apple sliced with 1 tbsp of almond butter, 1 cup of carrot sticks with ¼ cup of hummus
- Food supplements: 1000 IU Vitamin D (if needed, especially if sunlight exposure is limited), 200 mg magnesium supplement (to support muscle function and recovery)
Day 3
- Breakfast: Smoothie made with 1 cup of spinach, 1 banana, ½ cup of berries, 1 cup of almond milk, 1 scoop of protein powder, 1 slice of whole grain toast with 1 tbsp of almond butter
- Lunch: 1 serving of lentil soup with vegetables, 3 whole grain crackers
- Dinner: 2 oz. grilled lean steak, 1 medium roasted sweet potato
- Snacks: 1 cup of cottage cheese with ½ cup of pineapple chunks, ½ cup of edamame (steamed soybeans)
- Food supplements: 1 scoop of protein powder (for post-workout recovery), 5 grams of BCAA (Branched-Chain Amino Acids) supplement (optional, to support muscle recovery and endurance)
The following table shows the calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat you can get from this meal plan.
Day | Calories (kcal) | Protein (g) | Carbohydrates (g) | Fat (g) |
1 |
970 |
100 |
50 |
80 |
2 |
940 |
80 |
55 |
86 |
3 |
950 |
84 |
54 |
84 |
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Summary
David Goggins Diet is a kind of ketogenic diet for weight loss with a focus on healthy and nutritious foods and daily exercise.
This diet is popular and used by many people but since there is not enough academic research on David Goggins Diet, it’s better to consult a nutritionist or healthcare professional to ensure it is safe for you and aligns with your needs and health status.
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