The Bulletproof Diet for Beginners

The Bulletproof Diet can sometimes be confused with things like the Keto or Paleo diets. While there is overlap with some of their philosophies, the Bulletproof Diet is more akin to a comprehensive way of supporting a healthy lifestyle.

The diet involves viewing food as fuel and challenging nutrition norms by using quality fats as energy for your body and mind. The Bulletproof Diet also advocates for challenging preconceptions about nutrition and personalizing your approach to wellness to discover what better feels like for you.

Get started with the Bulletproof Diet

The Bulletproof Diet philosophy encompasses a wide range of factors. From following a higher-fat, lower-carb diet (often referred to as Keto) to implementing intermittent fasting protocols to using supplements to optimize your recovery, there are several critical components to get familiar with.

Below, we’ve broken down the key pillars of this diet to help you get started. Plus, you’ll find additional resources to guide you, including inspiring success stories from people who made the switch to adopting the Bulletproof Diet.

Food philosophy

What you put into your body matters. It’s important to make mindful choices about the food that fuels you and the impact food can have on your body in the long term. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to the Bulletproof Diet.

Forget about counting calories and embrace fueling your body with healthful, nourishing foods—especially quality fats. The Bulletproof Diet can support a healthy metabolism, help keep you fuller longer and give you the energy to accomplish whatever’s on your to-do list.

Key principles of the Keto Diet

At its core, the ketogenic diet is a way of eating that involves reducing carb intake and increasing fat consumption. Eating very few carbs while including plenty of foods that are high in quality fats like avocados, grass-fed butter and pure coconut oil—especially MCTs (medium-chain triglycerides)—in your diet can help you enter ketosis—a metabolic state where your body burns fat and ketones (instead of carbs and sugar) for fuel. ^[1]

Our keto guide for beginners provides a full breakdown of everything you need to know to get started.

What is intermittent fasting?

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a way of eating that is regimented by scheduled periods of eating and fasting. A diet that focuses more on when you eat than what you eat, there are many ways to practice intermittent fasting. From fat-burning to memory support, many studies make the connection between IF and certain brain and body benefits.^[2]

The benefits of IF make the philosophy a staple of the Bulletproof lifestyle. Plus, there’s flexibility to try different types of IF protocols to determine which one works best for you.

Do I need supplements?

Ideally, all the nutrients we need could come from the whole foods in our daily diet. And luckily, a lot of the principles of the Bulletproof Diet encourage more nutrient-dense eating habits. That said, often in this busy world with work, exercise, family obligations and more, it can be difficult to get all the nutrients we need through diet alone.

Whether it’s collagen peptides, MCT oil or a nootropic, supplements can go a long way toward rounding out your daily wellness routine. Along with embracing the principles of the Bulletproof Diet, you should feel empowered to use supplementation for support. Here’s how…

Collagen Peptides

Protein is the most important macronutrient and collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. Not only does collagen provide the building blocks for healthy muscles, joints and bones,^[3][4][5] but it also supports healthy hair, skin and nails.^[6][7] You naturally produce collagen, but that starts to slow down as you age—starting around age 25. ^[8] You can replenish it by eating things like organ meats and bone broth. But it’s not easy to eat enough of those foods to replace the collagen you lose every day.

That’s where a collagen supplement can help. Collagen Peptides make it simple to get more collagen in your diet. Just add 1-2 scoops to your morning coffee, post-workout shakes or even plain water.

MCT Oil

MCT oil is a quality fat that can support a healthy metabolism, ramp up ketone production and support cognitive function.^[9][10][11] In fact, pairing a keto diet with MCT oil can be an effective way to reap the rewards of this metabolic state more easily.† C8 and C10 are the two most ketogenic MCTs.

Beyond diet: The Bulletproof lifestyle

How we fuel up is important, but how we take care of our bodies and minds on a daily basis is too.

From supporting sustained energy to optimizing recovery and sleep, being Bulletproof encompasses several key areas that should be taken into account every day so you can feel your best.

Energy

Starting your day with sustained energy is a more healthful approach than enduring the spikes and crashes you get from consuming sugar.^† From what you do upon waking to your shower temperature, there are easy-to-implement strategies that can help you feel energized.

Exercise and Recovery

Our bodies are meant to be challenged, and exercise is the ultimate way to keep your muscles (and your mind) engaged. Of course, you won’t be able to go hard in the gym consistently if you neglect the recovery process.

So, whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle or both, how you move—and what you do after—counts.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Fitness, Exercise Supplements and Recovery

Stress

Stress is present in many forms on a daily basis, but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn new practices to help us manage daily stressors. From meditation to exercise, living Bulletproof means doing everything in your power to help manage your stress levels so you can focus on what matters most.

Sleep

Training hard and eating a quality diet will get you far but sleep is a critical component for recovery and your overall health and well-being. We value quality rest, bedtime routines and eliminating late-night distractions that’ll hinder you from feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the next day.

Self-care

No matter how busy your schedule may be, it’s important to dedicate some time to your well-being daily. Whether it’s listening to a motivational podcast during your morning walk, doing a relaxing yoga routine after work or cooking a delicious, high-quality meal. As with anything, consistency is key! So, try to incorporate small self-care practices daily.

Bulletproof success stories

Over the years, Bulletproof has helped many passionate, driven people reach their goals—here are some of their stories.

Michael Garcia, Fueled Firefighter

It took a highly demanding job at a Brazilian steakhouse to finally convince Michael Garcia to swap his sugar-laced java for Bulletproof Coffee. And by switching up his coffee game, the former high school football player transformed his future. A proponent of intermittent fasting and fueling with quality fats, Michael used those tools to manifest his successful firefighting career.

Tunde Oyeneyin, Inspirational Peloton Instructor

It took Tunde Oyeneyin quite some time to harness her natural athletic skills. But once she put her mind to it, she began to realize her incredible potential. Losing weight helped her gain confidence and a deeper understanding of herself. Viewing food as fuel allowed her to build a robust schedule without worrying about not having sustained energy. And by using it every day to tap into her best, Tunde continues to embody exactly what being Bulletproof is all about.

Additional Bulletproof Resources

This beginner’s guide is meant to equip you with the tools you need to get started. However, there’s no shortage of resources available to help increase your knowledge. Need tips for creating healthy recipes? Want to know more about where our coffee comes from? Not exactly sure what “good gut bacteria” is? You’re in great hands. At Bulletproof, we fully embrace your curiosity, which is why education continues to be at the core of what we do.

Recipes

Ready to turn your grocery store haul into delicious Bulletproof Diet recipes? We’ve got you covered with hundreds of easy-to-follow recipes to make everything from protein-packed Pasture-Raised Egg Bites to keto-friendly Slow Cooker Beef Stew to gluten-free Tres Leches Cake.

Coffee

Our Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee is produced in a way that supports sustainability and local coffee farm communities. We take a stance on all things’ coffee; from other improvements you can make to your mug to what to leave out of it entirely.

Other health goals

From maintaining gut health to supporting weight management goals, learn more about how to support a consistent health and wellness routine. Take a deeper dive into the Bulletproof Blog so you can work toward finding a purposeful path to feeling your best.

This article has been updated with new content.