No one is more qualified to lead transformative lifestyle changes in diet than a highly decorated former Navy SEAL. Jocko Willink’s approach toward every area of life, especially food, is summed up in his famous motto, “Discipline equals freedom.” Following his diet principles not only produces results but also reshapes mindsets that will ensure success, vitality, and performance in the long run.
Jocko Willink follows a diet that is high in protein and fat, while he reduces his carbohydrate intake in a manner similar to the paleo diet. Paired with his favorite food (steak), he includes generous servings of vegetables and limits his fruit consumption, while completely avoiding processed foods, including fast food. Additionally, he incorporates intermittent fasting into his monthly routine to complement his strict dietary regimen.
Jocko Willink Diet = Paleo & Low-Carb
Willink has been transparent about his approach to food to fuel the body, even discussing it in length in his book, Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual. In one excerpt, he discusses the longevity of the modern diet, which has existed for close to 10,000 years, consisting mostly of foods that could be grown and harvested.
Discipline Equals Freedom: Field Manual Mk1-MOD1 – Hardcover – (Amazon)
“These foods were grains: wheat, rice, corn. Our bodies have not adapted to eating grains yet. When we eat grains, they are turned to sugar in our stomachs. The insulin level spikes and punishes our bodies internally.” – Jocko
A remedy that Willink recommends is the diet of the Paleolithic man or “caveman” diet. A paleo-like diet is his path to becoming a disciplined machine.
Also see: The David Goggins Diet: Eating For High Performance
Jocko’s Paleo Diet: High Protein, High Fat, Low Carbs
Since the Paleo diet is based on what early humans would have hunted and gathered from around 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago, foods typical to the diet include lean meats, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It also excludes foods that became common with the inception of small-scale farming, including legumes, dairy products, and grains.
Jocko’s Doesn’t Eat Before Important Things
Intermittent fasting is a principle of Jocko’s diet that he actually stumbled upon accidentally from his days as a Navy SEAL.
“You get a certain level of mental clarity when you haven’t eaten a bunch of food. So, going out on missions, I would never eat before I would go out on a mission.”
Jocko on intermittent fasting, on Huberman Lab podcast #104
As far as eating, I don’t like to do physically active things with food in my stomach, so no, I don’t eat a big meal until I’m kinda done with the physical stuff for the day which is usually at night, 6 or 7pm at night…I don’t want to have food in my stomach when I’ve got to perform or execute on anything.
Jocko Willink on eating a small lunch and big dinner, on Huberman Lab Podcast #104
Jocko does not like to eat breakfast and if he does have lunch, it is usually small. The reason for having a light lunch is that he wants to avoid feeling sluggish in the afternoon when he does jiu-jitsu. Once all his responsibilities for the day are accomplished he enjoys having a big dinner.
Occasionally, Jocko extends his intermittent fast all the way to late afternoon or night if he has important client meetings, and he also mentioned that he doesn’t eat before podcast episodes.
Also see: The Ultimate Joe Rogan Diet Guide: How To Stay on Top
Foods Jocko Eats
With Echo Charles, Jocko joked on the Jocko Podcast #35, that people always want to know “exactly” what he eats. While not going into specific details of the exact foods, he noted that the principles are more important, and said:
All I say is, ‘oh you know, I eat mostly very low carbs. I eat a lot of meat, I eat a lot of protein, I eat a lot of fat.’
Jocko Willink on what foods he eats (Jocko Podcast #35)
Also see: Who is Echo Charles? Jocko’s Co-Host and BJJ Buddy
The #1 food in Jocko’s diet is steak, usually for dinner. He partnered with Primal Beef Company, which delivers high-quality, organic steaks right to your door. He consumes roughly 1500-2000 calories per day of high-protein, nutrient-dense foods. And here is a list of acceptable foods in his diet:
- Poultry (free-range)
- Beef (grass-fed)
- Fish (wild caught)
- Vegetables
- Some fruit
- Eggs
- Fungi
- Nuts
- Roots
- Some dairy (cheese, yogurt, cream, full-fat butter)
In sticking with the Paleo diet, here is a list of foods that Willink restricts from his diet:
- Legumes (beans)
- Potatoes
- Grains
- Refined sugar
- Refined salt
- Processed oils
Jocko Loves Wild Game
Jocko took up bowhunting and went on his first ever trip with Joe Rogan, Cameron Hanes, John Dudley, and Andy Stumpf. Naturally, wild game such as elk has become a preferred meat in his diet. The beautiful part about sourcing your own meat is that it is organic, free-range, and free of antibiotics and hormones.
“You couldn’t really ask for a better group of people.”
-Jocko on his bowhunting trip with Rogan, Stumpf, Hanes, and Dudley
Lots of Water
Jocko admitted that he “sweats a ton”, therefore he is a big proponent of drinking lots of water to stay hydrated. On the Huberman podcast #104 with Andrew Huberman, he said that different people need different amounts of water to stay hydrated.
Also see: Dr. Andrew Huberman’s Optimal Morning Routine Revealed
In his days in the SEALs, he had a buddy that was a “desert rat” and could still function even with limited amounts of water. Jocko’s self-diagnosed water necessities were different and it “sucked” because he had to carry a lot of water in his pack, and of course, water is quite heavy.
99/1 – Jocko’s No Cheating Diet
While most diets follow the 80/20 rule, the Jocko Willink diet has been nicknamed the 99/1 because it requires discipline and clean eating 99% of the time. In other words, there are no cheat meals or cheat days. It is not a short-term fix but a lifestyle change.
Willink is so dedicated to his diet that he prepares for any food situation. For example, when traveling, he makes sure to pack a small bag of nuts or jerky just in case the food options along his journey don’t coincide with his diet. Having these food items on hand is a great alternative to skipping meals on non-fasting days.
By the way, have you ever tried elk jerky? It is fantastically delicious and available on Amazon:
Jerky.com’s Original Elk Jerky – 3 PACK – The Best Wild Game Elk Jerky on the Market (Amazon)
In addition to preparing for limited food options on the go, Willink does not accept free food if it does not abide by his Paleo diet. According to Willink, a colleague brought in a box of donuts, a bag of bagels, and some pizzas as a gesture of generosity, but while being well-intentioned, it had the opposite effect. Willink felt the food was “sabotaging the health of the coworkers.”
Also see: The 15 Best Jocko Willink Quotes on Discipline
Jocko’s Intermittent Fasting Mindset
For Jocko Willink, intermittent fasting is just as much about a mindset shift as it is about resisting temptation. He’s been quoted referencing the psychological benefits of fasting, more specifically, exercising the will. He recognizes that our over-access to food makes it seem as though we are starving when we haven’t eaten for a few hours when, in reality, humans can survive many days without food.
Willink has pushed his own limits with fasting, going up to 24 hours with no food a couple of times a month and as much as 72 hours every three months. During fasting, he carries on with his daily routine, including working out and training jiu-jitsu.
A typical fasting day for Willink includes drinking water and sometimes tea throughout the day. He even implements a helpful trick that eases the mind into fasting: chewing on sunflower seeds in the shells. Doing so appeases the oral fixation of the act of eating.
Benefits of Intermittent Fasting According to Jocko Willink
Fasting isn’t just an exercise of willpower. There are proven physiological benefits to fasting that Willink lays out in his book. Each one is backed by scientific data from studies conducted by various groups.
- Improves cell, gene, and hormone function
- Reduces the overall type 2 diabetes risk and insulin resistance
- Reduces inflammation and oxidative stress
- Increases endorphin levels
- Increases brain-derived neurotrophic factors
- Induces body fat loss
- Induces cell repair
- Induces detoxification
Jocko Willink’s Favorite Supplements
Supplementation is used to boost performance and hasten recovery, but it is not a substitute for clean eating and regular exercise. Willink believes in the power of quality supplements so much that he created his own brand to assist his training and recovery.
Here is a list of Jocko Willink supplements and their functions:
Jocko Molk Protein— Builds muscle and improves recovery
Jocko Mölk Whey Protein Powder (Chocolate Peanut Butter) – (Amazon)
Jocko Pre-Workout Supplement— Boosts Energy and Performance for workouts
Origin Jocko Fuel Pre Workout Powder with L-Citrulline, Nootropic & Caffeine for Endurance & Stamina – (Amazon)
Jocko’s Go Energy Drinks — Improves focus and energy without a crash
Jocko GO Energy Drink – KETO, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Electrolytes, Sugar Free (Amazon)
Jocko Greens Superfood Powder — Improves digestion and acts as a nutrition gap filler, organic
Jocko Fuel Greens Powder (Coconut/Pineapple Flavor) – (Amazon)
Jocko’s Super Krill Oil (Omega-3)— Boosts cardiovascular health and immune function, DHA, & EPA
Jocko Fuel Antarctic Krill Oil – (Amazon)
Jocko Joint Warfare— Provides collagen for joint support, mobility, & flexibility
Jocko Fuel Joint Support Supplement – (Amazon)
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