Performance nutritionist and chef Dan Sargeant — who has worked with England football captain Harry Kane — cuts through the noise with his no-overwhelm guide to what your body genuinely needs, meal by meal, every day
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UPFs, supplements, protein – there’s so much noise when it comes to what we should and shouldn’t be eating!
And with such an overload of advice and trends on ‘what’s healthy’, it can be hard to know where to start – and what you even need in the first place.
While we so often want a quick fix, according to expert nutritionists, the answer to so many health and fitness problems is so often nutrition based – and consistently improving this element can help with overall wellbeing, performance, mood and general health.
“Fixing your diet can feel hard and overwhelming,” says fitness nutrition expert and performance chef, Dan Sargeant. He has a wealth of experience, including working with the likes of former England Captain Harry Kane.
He combines nutritional science with real-world strategy and culinary expertise to improve focus, recovery, and resilience.
We asked Sargeant where to start when it comes to eating better:
Firstly, what does nutrition even mean?
“Nutrition means eating in a way that gives your body what it needs to function, recover, and thrive consistently,” says Sargeant. “It’s not about eating perfectly 100% of the time or cutting out entire food groups. A nutritious diet is varied, colourful, built around whole foods most of the time, and sustainable for your actual life.”
And what is essential for a good diet?
According to Sargeant, there are a few key elements when it comes to maintaining a nutritious diet.
“Strip it back to this: protein at every meal, plenty of vegetables and fruit in a variety of colours, wholegrains, healthy fats, fibre, and lots of hydration,” says Sargeant.
“Don’t overlook hydration,” he advises. “Your body needs water to perform its daily functions, yet most people I meet are operating with some level of dehydration.
What do we essentially need each day?
According to expert Dan Sargeant, these are the things we need in our diet each day for a nutritious intake.
Daily:
• 1.6 to 2g of protein per kg of bodyweight
• 5+ portions of fruit and vegetables
• 2 to 3 litres of water
• Healthy, good-quality fats
• A good source of fibre
And what about across the week?
“Variety is key,” says Sargeant. “Make sure you consume diverse protein sources, different fruits and vegetables in as many colours as possible, different wholegrains, and quality dairy sources. This is all beneficial for gut health and the microbiome, where diversity is incredibly important,” he explains.
“You don’t need to be perfect every day, but over seven days your body keeps score. Good health is built over time by being as consistent as possible with the basics.
Day in the life: Dan’s Menu examples
Here’s Sargeant’s example vegetarian menu of what you could eat in a day to get some of the essentials in.
Feeling overwhelmed about improving your diet?
Sargeant says if you’re feeling anxious about how to improve things, it’s all about introducing things a bit at a time. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to achieve everything instantly. “Stop trying to overhaul everything at once,” he says.
“Too many people try to do too much too quickly. You wouldn’t go from no training to running a half marathon overnight. It becomes overwhelming, too strict, and ultimately unsustainable.”
His advice? “Pick one meal, usually breakfast, and make it count. Get your protein in, add some colour, and ditch the heavily processed option. Once that feels normal and you’re being consistent, move on to lunch and repeat.”
“Think addition, not subtraction,” he suggests. “Instead of asking, ‘What do I need to cut out?’ ask, ‘What can I add in?’ Add a vegetable to your existing meal. Add a protein source to your snack. Add more colour to your plate. Make small, better choices consistently.
Sargeant recommends batch cooking on a Sunday to help fit healthier eating into your lifestyle. “It can completely change your week,” he says. “You don’t need to be a chef, you just need to be organised with a couple of simple recipes.”
Sargeant also swears by his slow cooker. “You can fill it up before work in the morning, and dinner is ready when you walk back through the door.”
“Nutrition doesn’t require a complete life transformation overnight,” he adds. “Small, consistent upgrades compound over time.”
