In Defence of the Bro-Diet

Why Mastering The Basics Is Important for Longevity in the Kitchen

In order to take full advantage of the hard work we put in at the gym, we need to be consuming nutritious, high-protein meals, often. Something something gains are made in the kitchen. The bro-diet is what we usually think of when we think meal-prep and gym bros in general. Because it’s so common, it often gets scoffed at as being boring and bland. But why does it persist and is there more to the bro-diet than meets the eye?

The Bro-Diet

What is the bro-diet? You can think of the bro-diet as the quintessential gym food, ie. chicken, rice, broccoli, salmon, oats, and yogurt etc.. It’s straight-forward and we know it works. Best of all, it’s usually quite simple to make.

The bro-diet is made for you reach your macros. The only downside is that it can be horribly boring. Hence, the fashionable recipes that come and go to ‘keep things interesting’ are a permanent fixture in the fitness community.

Getting Fancy in the Kitchen

Keeping our diets exciting is an important aspect of not falling off. It’s important we don’t let boredom get in the way of us eating healthy. In fact, my latest recipe for Slow Roasted Gochujang Chicken with Potatoes & Kimchi is quite delicious.

So, is there a problem with getting fancy in the kitchen? No, however, if you’re newer to dieting for gains, the case needs to be made for why you should learn to master the bro-diet first. Here’s why.

1. You Wont Always Want to Cook New Meals

   If you’re the kind of person who can dedicate themselves to tracking all the macros of every new recipe to keep things delicious and nutritious for months and months at a time, the more power to you. But for the rest of us, that can get overwhelming, fast. The bro-diet should be your ultimate fallback plan. You need to be able to make this stuff in your sleep and in a crunch. How else do you get good at something if you’re not doing it over and over. Keeping things simple and basic is the key here. Salt, pepper, olive oil is all you need to make chicken, broccoli, and rice half-decent.

2. Discipline is it’s own Reward

   What you’ll find from adhering to a high repetition lifestyle in the kitchen are the rewards of dedication and discipline. Discipline rewards us with predictability, among other things. That predictability can better-inform you on dietary rule-bending and breaking that can help make your meals more enjoyable. Knowing your nutritional intake intimately will teach you better how to break and bend the rules - it is immeasurably important.

3. It’s a Great Way to Learn Fundamental Nutritional Concepts

   Perhaps most importantly is the opportunity to learn the core nutritional concepts better. The simplicity the bro-diet offers allows the newer lifters to break down their diets much more easily than, say cooking a vat of stew could. Could you break down the macronutrients in a stew, sure. Will it be more complicated than breaking down grilled chicken and rice. A lot more.

Conclusion

Before we can solo like Jimi Hendrix, we need to learn some chords first. The bro-diet are your basic chords. If you need a non-music analogy, you need to learn to crawl before you can walk and the bro-diet is your key to both. Dont underestimate the value of discipline in sticking with the tried and true. You may find that the discipline alone guides you to making more creative decisions in the kitchen.