Have a Food Diary you’d like to share? Email ccunningham@washingtonian.com.
As an investor at two top DC restaurants—Tail Up Goat and Del Campo—Kevin Doyle could easily chalk up lots of dinners out to “professional research.” But dining out can really pack on the calories, sodium, and fat.
“As someone who invests in restaurants, I was always eager to try everything from every restaurant in Washington,” says Doyle. “On top of that, I am big wine drinker and collector, so the wine was always flowing when I went out to eat.”
But when 2017 rolled around and Doyle started thinking of his goals for the year, improving his health was one of them. He went out and hired a personal trainer, Errick McAdams, and started paying more attention to what he was eating. Months later, he’s surpassed his initial fitness goals. And while he keeps to a pretty strict diet during the week, he still leaves room for dining and drinking out.
“These days, I choose my meals based on balance, how my body feels, and what I need in order to reach my fitness goals,” says Doyle. “I am very disciplined during the week, so I can really enjoy eating at great restaurants and also having that pint once in a while.”
To see what Doyle eats in a normal day of his weekday diet, take a look through the food diary below.
Morning Snack
“I wake up at 6 AM every morning, and the first thing I do is drink a few glasses of water to get my metabolism going. Depending on the day, I will either do a Solidcore class or run to Georgetown and do sprints on the Exorcism stairs,” says Doyle. “If I do an early morning Solidcore class, I will have some form of bar for quick energy. I love Everbars. They are vegan and also have 14 grams of protein.”
Breakfast
“After my early morning exercise, I keep it as lean as possible and will cook up a three egg white omelettes with spinach and throw a chicken breast on the plate,” says Doyle.
Lunch
“Before my noon strength straining session, I will have a piece of salmon with whatever vegetables I bought fresh from the market,” says Doyle. “Whole Foods and Dean & Deluca have awesome options. Healthy fats are essential, and salmon is my favorite source by far.”
Afternoon Snack
“After an hour of strength training, it is really important to get protein in your body as soon as possible so the muscle repair process can begin,” says Doyle. “I make a protein smoothie, and I always keep it vegan so I not only get many grams of protein, but I am also getting my source of greens for the day. I have this shake around 2 every day. It consists of a bag of kale (around three cups), and a scoop of vegan protein.”
Pre-Dinner Snack
“I am a big fan of Siggi’s yogurt,” says Doyle. “It has a lot of protein and it holds me over until dinner. I also throw almonds on top, which is a great source of energy when you are starting to feel slouchy around 5 or 6.”
Dinner
“Always keep it pretty light at dinner and drink a couple Brita filters on top of it,” says Doyle. “I also never [eat] close to when I go to sleep, usually giving myself three to four hours in between. Today I had chicken, beets, and green beans with figs and nuts. I will drink a ton of water for an hour after dinner.”
Have a Food Diary you’d like to share? Email ccunningham@washingtonian.com.
Consult with your doctor before beginning a new diet. Washingtonian does not endorse any diet without the supervision of a medical professional.
Caroline Cunningham joined Washingtonian in 2014 after moving to the DC area from Cincinnati, where she interned and freelanced for Cincinnati Magazine and worked in content marketing. She currently resides in College Park.
