BHP Shorts 045: High Performance Nutrition Lessons from Steve Smith

Two weeks ago, Steve Smith and I team taught a High Performance Practices seminar for the Fairfax County Police Department.

Steve, aka @fuelingperformance on the IG, has worked as the resident chef and nutritionist for the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, the NFL’s Houston Texans, and the most elite operators in our nation’s Special Force Operations.

For this seminar, we spent two eight-hour days working closely with SWAT officers, 911 dispatchers, Detectives, Patrol officers, police psychologists and more. Our mission was simple: provide tools to help these individuals become better humans and better performers.

Here are some of my takeaways from Steve’s talk. PRESS PLAY for the details and lessons.

We can have success despite what we do (diet).
- Lesson = evaluate actions/process
We want answers so badly, we’ll take whatever is thrown at us.
Socially accepted disordered eating (south beach, Keto, paleo…) –
- Most work because they eliminate the BS
Eat real food. Be consistent. Don’t eat like an asshole.
Beware the reductionist approach
In a carbohydrate restricted state, RPE is higher, in other words, everything feels harder.
We ALL have biases.
- Be careful NOT to allow our biases to permeate what we teach. Present all sides – not just the one that supports our stance. (Confirming/disconfirming information.) At the very least, be open about them.