Common Sense Nutrition
Common Sense Nutrition
By Ron La Fournie
Internal Lnks
Most people think nutrition is complicated. They jump from diet to diet, follow rules they can’t remember, count things they don’t understand, and eventually give up because life gets in the way. But Common Sense Nutrition isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle component—simple, sustainable, and designed to work alongside your fitness goals. You can follow it anywhere, at any age, with trackable results that show up in how you feel, how you move, and how you live.
For decades, I’ve watched people struggle with food because they were told it had to be difficult. The truth is the exact opposite. Your body knows what to do when you feed it real food. What it can’t do is thrive on ultra-processed products engineered in manufacturing plants. So, we remove the confusion and return to the basics—foods humans have eaten for thousands of years, long before the modern food industry complicated our health.
The Prescribed Food List
1) Beef and Wild Game
Whether it’s beef, bison, elk, moose, or deer, these protein sources have been foundational for human strength and survival. They provide essential amino acids, iron, zinc, and B-vitamins—nutrients that help maintain muscle mass, stabilize energy, and support immune function. For seniors, especially, nothing builds and protects muscle quite like these foods.
2) Chicken and Wild Fowl
Chicken, turkey, duck, and other wild birds offer excellent protein with versatile cooking options. These foods help repair tissue, sustain energy, and support mobility. They’re simple, affordable, and reliable—everything Common Sense Nutrition is meant to be.
3) Pork
Pork is a traditional food that provides healthy fats, minerals, and flavour. It keeps meals interesting and satisfying, helping you stay consistent without feeling deprived.
4) Seafood
Salmon, shrimp, cod, mussels, and other ocean foods deliver omega-3s and anti-inflammatory nutrients that support brain function, heart health, joints, and recovery. Seafood is a powerhouse food for longevity and vitality.
5) Fresh Vegetables
Vegetables provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre—everything your body needs for daily function and disease prevention. Colourful vegetables are especially valuable; colour on your plate is a simple visual indicator that you’re doing things right.
Kids in schools are taught to ‘Eat the Rainbow’. They have fun with it, and they enjoy it. Click here for more information on this aspect.
6) Fresh Fruits
Fruit offers natural carbohydrates, hydration, and antioxidants. They satisfy sweet cravings without the downsides of processed sugar. Apples, berries, oranges, melons—simple, fresh, and real.
Two Simple Rules That Make Everything Easier
Rule #1:
If it comes from a plant, eat it.
If it's made in a plant, don’t.
This single sentence removes 90% of the nutritional noise in your life. Eat foods that grow. Avoid foods that require factories. Avoid all processed foods or engineered foods.
Rule #2:
Eat what’s good for your body.
Don’t eat what’s bad for your body.
This sounds almost too simple—but that’s the point. You already know the difference. You know sugar is bad for you. You know alcohol is bad for you.
Your body tells you through energy levels, digestion, sleep, and recovery. When you eat real food, you feel better. When you eat processed food, you don’t. ‘Common Sense Nutrition’ strengthens that awareness so that smart choices become automatic.
Daily Accountability: The Yes/No Questionnaire
Staying consistent over the long term requires awareness—and a little accountability. To help with that, I’ve developed a simple daily questionnaire with a handful of yes/no questions. It takes less than a minute to complete, but it does something far more important:
It keeps you thinking about your choices. Here is the daily questionnaire from my book, 'Fitness Saved My Life'. It is meant for you to do this every day, it takes but a minute while having your morning coffee.
Date___________________
- Eat from the prescribed list? yes/no
- Eat 2 basic meals daily, a late breakfast and dinner?-yes/no
- Eat until 80% full? Yes/no
- Eliminate snacks? Yes/no
- Eliminate processed foods? Yes/no
- Avoid fast food? Yes/no
- Reduce Alcohol? Yes/no
The act of checking in with yourself each day builds a habit loop. You become more mindful. You catch slipping patterns early. You reinforce positive behaviour. And, you start to notice how your nutrition influences your energy, weight, mobility, and overall fitness.
When you track something daily, it improves. When you ignore it, it drifts. This questionnaire keeps your nutrition top-of-mind, so you never drift far from your goals.
Why This Approach Works
Common Sense Nutrition works because it aligns with human biology. It doesn’t fight your natural instincts—it supports them. Real food restores energy. It stabilizes blood sugar. It supports muscle, bone, and joint health. It reduces inflammation. It keeps the digestive system running the way it was designed.
Most importantly, it fits perfectly with any exercise program. When you fuel your body properly, your ability to bend, lift, push, pull, rotate, stride—and simply live—improves dramatically.
Common Sense Nutrition is not restrictive. It’s not complicated. It’s not a temporary fix.
It’s a lifestyle that works with your body rather than against it.
Eat real food. Move your body. Track your progress.
That’s the formula.
For information on vitamins and minerals, download my free chart here.