How Chef Allen Campbell Optimizes His Mind & Body For Peak Performance
I believe the only way to conquer insanity is to first understand the definition of the word. To repeat the same thing over and over again expecting different results. We can live in delusion or we can humble ourselves enough to take the steps necessary to improve little by little. For me, lowering the expectations of myself, others and the world as a whole, committing deeply in what I believe to be my true purpose combines very well with the simple mantra, “this too shall pass.” But negative thoughts will still pop in my head, it’s just our survival instincts doing its job. Our mind wants us to be on watch at all times. It’s not to be silenced (it can’t be) but to be managed and used to our advantage.
As a part of our series about “How Athletes Optimize Their Mind & Body For Peak Performance”,
I had the pleasure of interviewing Allen Campbell. Allen Campbell is widely known as a leader in the sports nutrition world. Through his culinary acumen, various publications, speaking engagements, consulting, and highly publicized work with athletes, actors and entertainers, he has revolutionized traditional culinary artistry by maximizing health benefits and sustainable practices. Allen’s culinary education began at the age 14 in the Boston suburbs. After 20+ years in the hospitality industry, he earned his stripes, crafted his own culinary style, and sought out a deeper meaning of the traditional “chef” position. Then, the lifestyle itself nearly ended his career.
Instead of burning out, Allen woke up, made some radical changes, and began to morph into his calling. And today, Allen is all about one thing — cooking with health as THE priority, period! His efforts locally and nationally, are part of much larger social efforts to bridge the gap between healthcare and the food industry. While sustainable, healthy foods are gaining more and more traction among consumers, the challenge is to keep this momentum going so that more Americans will benefit. The vision of Allen’s latest venture, AC Kitchen is to continue the creation of delicious, healthful foods that do not sacrifice the integrity, flavor, or traditions of our cultures, and cuisines. Allen’s work can be found in The Game of Eating Smart, as well as the TB12 Method and the TB12 Nutrition Manual. His home base is Boston.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! It is a great honor. Our readers would love to learn more about your personal background. Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I was born to be an entrepreneur, to rise up and create something new. My family and I are originally from a housing project outside the city of Boston. And as those who’ve lived in similar environments, know you either sink or swim — and for most, you grow up fast. As the story’s told, the upside to a tumultuous upbringing is the resilient character, hilarious stories and, if you choose to, an incomparable drive to succeed. I started in the industry young, worked hard, put myself through college and created a food brand designed for the future of human health and the health of our planet.
What or who inspired you to pursue your career working with high level professional athletes? We’d love to hear the story.
After years of working in the restaurant industry, the lifestyle started to take a toll on me — mentally and physically. I needed to make a change. I first created a food philosophy that was best for my own body. I then set out to connect with those that truly wanted to reap the benefits of whole foods the way that I did. Athletes (most of the time) are looking to reach optimal performance goals, to push their body to its maximum potential and be their best. It’s a natural fit.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?
I’ve had a few mentors/close friends in my life that helped shape the brand and lifestyle I abide by today. The support they gave me was more unconditional love, open mindedness and encouragement to believe in myself. And with this, I have the will to push and thrive.
What advice would you give to a young person who aspires to follow in your footsteps and emulate your career?
You have the innate ability to cook, or you don’t. The philosophy is deeply personal and most of the time, will come from a place of personal experience.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
My latest project is AC Kitchen, Inc. AC Kitchen is a multifaceted food brand that focuses on personalized nutrition. We are currently operating an organic, customized meal service that goes from Boston to NYC and will roll out a market, shelf-stable products and two physical locations over the next 12–14 months.
OK, thank you for all of that. Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview. As you know, athletes often face high stakes situations that involve a lot of pressure. Most of us tend to wither in the face of such pressure and stress. Can you share with our readers 3 or 4 strategies that you teach to optimize your mind for peak performance before high pressure, high stress situations?
The mind is a terrible thing to waste and left to its own devices, it will self-destruct. A well-rounded lifestyle is key to sustain not only a healthy, positive narrative but also to remain humble and receive the guidance we all need on a regular basis. There is no quick fix here.
Sleep — a solid sleep pattern is key. Be consistent, quiet down as the sun goes down and rise with the sun. By no means have I perfected this but could be the secret to allowing the circadian rhythm to do what it does best, create consistency.
Eat — again, be consistent. Get in touch with your body and what it needs. Know the difference between a drug-like craving for junk food and the body’s craving for whole foods.
Meditate — for me, this means simply being in a conscious state. I choose to tap into my inner source through breathwork, in the sauna and traditional meditation focusing on my breath in a seated position.
Practice — every single day. Getting outside of our comfort zone on a regular basis is the key to building an unshakable foundation to stand on. The stress at the negotiating table, the game, the presentation, the relationship is inevitable. The same way that we prepare for all of life’s other inevitable situations, we need to build the emotional stability, resilience and know how to be present as we walk through any of life’s challenges.
Do you teach any special or particular breathing techniques to help optimize yourself?
I find box breathing to be an effective tool in relieving angst and clearing the mind.
Do you have a special technique to develop a strong focus, and clear away distractions?
Setting an intention before every action is key. For me, coming from a place of love and kindness as opposed to selfish behavior for personal/monetary gain is important when your personal goal is to help others rejuvenate their well-being.
How about your body? Can you share a few strategies that you use to optimize your body for peak performance?
Strength is as important as flexibility and mobility. Lazy glutes and bad posture are not talked about enough. As someone who enjoys being in the best physical shape I can be, I focus on compound exercises such as deadlifts and squats, as well as practicing a variety of yoga/therapeutic exercises to benefit posture, flexibility and balance.
These ideas are excellent, but for most of us in order for them to become integrated into our lives and really put them to use, we have to turn them into habits and make them become ‘second nature’. Has this been true in your life? How have habits played a role in your success?
From a young age I picked up bad habits that were very hard to overcome. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I was able to do so. What it comes down for me now is how much I’m willing to sit in the discomfort, to sacrifice, and rewire a brain and body that was conditioned to think and live a certain way. When it comes to pain, whether it be physical or emotional, it’s something I learned how to navigate. I’m fortunate to have been through quite an extensive medical history from the time I was born which prompted the adaptation to the new, sustainable lifestyle I live today.
Can you share some of the strategies you have used to turn the ideas above into habits? What is the best way to develop great habits for optimal performance? How can one stop bad habits?
We make hundreds of choices every single day. Many of those choices are influenced by previous thoughts and actions and so on. Therefore, the habits we create are 100% in our own hands. A new habit isn’t so hard especially an easy one like starting a new hobby. It’s the habits that we have a love/hate relationship with that are harder to kick.
Immediate strategy — prioritize your own quality of life and lower expectations around timeline to achieve balance and create new habits.
Long term — Invest! When we invest in what’s truly important without seeking immediate gratification, we suddenly find ourselves living a life void of the things that have been holding us back from reaching our potential.
High performance athletes often experience times when things are in a state of Flow. Flow has been described as a pleasurable mental state that occurs when you do something that you are skilled at, that is challenging, and that is meaningful. Can you share some ideas from your experience about how we can achieve a mind state of Flow more often in our lives?
This is a topic I LOVE! It’s always been a big challenge. For me the flow state has a couple of components. One is our ability to ride the wave continuously for any length of time as is determined by the work we’ve put in to build that foundation I talked about previously. The self-awareness, humility and intentions one has to contribute significantly to finding their true purpose is where they suddenly find themselves in a flow state.
Do you have any meditation practices that you use to help you in your life? We’d love to hear about it.
As I mentioned earlier on, when it comes to mediation, I truly focus on being in a balanced, conscious state. Through various breathwork, box breathing to be specific, I can better engage with my inner source, sit down and clear the mind.
Many of us are limited by our self talk, or by negative mind chatter, such as regrets, and feelings of inferiority. Do you have any suggestions about how to “change the channel” of our thoughts? What is the best way to change our thoughts?
I believe the only way to conquer insanity is to first understand the definition of the word. To repeat the same thing over and over again expecting different results. We can live in delusion or we can humble ourselves enough to take the steps necessary to improve little by little. For me, lowering the expectations of myself, others and the world as a whole, committing deeply in what I believe to be my true purpose combines very well with the simple mantra, “this too shall pass.” But negative thoughts will still pop in my head, it’s just our survival instincts doing its job. Our mind wants us to be on watch at all times. It’s not to be silenced (it can’t be) but to be managed and used to our advantage.
Ok, we are nearly done. You are by all accounts a very successful person. How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
I will continue to have an impact on eating culture and human health. Through building a trusted brand that people can turn to when they need it most, when they’re ready to utilize food the way it was intended.
Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?
“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Gandhi. Although a bit overplayed but resonates deeply with me.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we both tag them :-)
Elon Musk!
