FIRE (Almost Unemployed) 'Lunch Revolution' - A Story of Saying Goodbye to a Salt-Soaked Past

Escaping from Instant Noodle Addiction

Good grief... Back when I was a newbie FIRE practitioner, my lunch was instant noodles every day. Instant noodles are delicious, come in a huge variety, and new flavors are always being released!
At the time, I had completely surrendered to the holy trinity of cheap, fast, and zero dishes to wash. However, I learned later that the salt content in instant noodles is quite vicious; if you drink the soup, you've basically finished your daily salt allowance. I was about to shorten the lifespan of a FIRE practitioner.
So I thought to myself.
'Even though I'm unemployed, why am I treating my body so poorly?'
'I have nothing but time, so why am I not investing in my health?'
Thus, the ponta-style lunch menu was born.

ponta-style lunch (Initial Version)

1. 100g yogurt + appropriate amount of honey
2. 1 banana
3. 180cc soy milk + 20g protein + green juice if I feel like it
The key point of this menu is 'salt-free + potassium'.

It became a gentle lunch, the exact opposite of the 'salt violence' of my instant noodle days.
However, there was a problem.
Making 100g of yogurt with honey is surprisingly tedious. Having to wash a spoon and a container is also a subtle stress.
FIRE practitioners are creatures who not only 'don't work' but also 'don't wash dishes'.

Current Lunch (Optimized Version)

So, it's like this now.
1. 1 banana (approx. 100g)
2. 180cc soy milk + 20g protein + green juice
That's it.
Few dishes to wash. 30 seconds to prepare. Solid nutrition.

Nutritional Analysis Results by AI

NutrientDaily RequirementLunch Percentage
- Calories: 250 kcal, equivalent to about 10%
- Protein: 22-24g, equivalent to 22-28%
- Fat: 4-5g, 6%
- Carbohydrates: 35-40g, 12-15%
- Potassium: 700-800mg, 25-30%
- Salt: Zero, 0% (Godly)

Overall Review: An excellent lunch that you wouldn't expect from a FIRE practitioner, keeping salt low while getting plenty of potassium, protein, and dietary fiber.

For FIRE practitioners, the afternoon is the real test.

- Reading
- Walking
- Checking stocks
- Writing notes
- Philosophical worries
If lunch is heavy, the afternoon is dead.
But this lunch has the benefit that it's light to digest -> blood sugar levels are stable -> concentration doesn't drop.

Second Lunch (around 3 PM) ~The Privilege Time of FIRE Practitioners~

Since lunch is light, I have a second lunch around 3 PM.
1. 500ml non-alcoholic beer
2. Snack (chosen based on mood)

Even if it's non-alcoholic, the guilty pleasure of drinking beer in the middle of the day. This is the true privilege of the FIRE community. Note Sometimes, I do drink real beer.

Snack candidate ①: AMAZON special mixed nuts (almost salt-free, no oil added) ← This is too excellent.

Per 100g: Energy 669kcal, Protein 17.5g, Fat 58.8g, Carbohydrates 17.4g, Salt 0.005g

In Ponta Taro's estimation, it's about 40% almonds, 35% walnuts, and 25% cashews. Look at the photo.
I eat about 50g of this. (Since it's 1kg, that's about 20 servings. It's cheap per serving!)

Nutritional analysis by AI

・ Energy (334.5 kcal)
・ Protein (8.75 g, about 8% of the daily requirement)
・ Fat (29.4 g, about 42-59% of the daily requirement)

A: Walnuts are 'top-class Omega-3 in the plant kingdom'

This is the characteristic of walnut fat.
・ ALA (alpha-linolenic acid) = very high in plant-based Omega-3 fatty acids
・ Per 100g around 9g (overwhelming among nuts)

Omega-3 is an 'oil that modern people tend to lack' that improves blood flow, suppresses inflammation, lowers heart disease risk, and supports brain function.oil that modern people tend to lack'.

B: Almonds are the 'King of Vitamin E'

Almond fat is mainly oleic acid (same as olive oil).
It has antioxidant effects, lowers blood LDL (bad cholesterol), and prevents arteriosclerosis.
Furthermore, because it is high in Vitamin E, it has a cheat ability to 'prevent oil oxidation by itself'.

C: Cashews are 'gut and metabolism-friendly fats'

The fat contained in cashews is mainly oleic acid, the same as almonds.
Furthermore, they are rich in magnesium, iron, and zinc, which are good for metabolism and mental health.

Breaking down the 'good fats' in 50g of nuts looks like this (estimated)

・ Walnuts (fat content approx. 10.3g) → ALA (Omega-3)
・ Almonds (fat content approx. 11.8g) → Oleic acid
・ Cashews (fat content approx. 7.3g) → Oleic acid
→ The 'ultimate combo' of oleic acid + Omega-3 → Bad fats are almost zero

Snack candidate ②: 300g cotton tofu (microwaved + 1 part soy sauce : 3 parts vinegar + Japanese mustard)

・ Low calorie
・ High protein
・ Soy isoflavones
・ Refreshing with vinegar
・ Low salt

This is truly a 'chunk of health'.

Snack candidate ③: 1 pack of natto + vinegar + Japanese mustard + a small amount of soy sauce or olive oil

・ Fermented foods
・ Protein
・ Nattokinase
・ Cutting salt with vinegar
・ High-quality fats with olive oil

Things that make your gut happy.

Snack candidate 4: Potato chips (Consommé or Pizza flavor)

On lazy days, this is it.
FIRE folks are human too. A life that doesn't allow for potato chips is unhealthy in its own way.

There are also these arranged menu options

Summary

ponta Taro's lunch is 'Salt cut x Potassium x Protein'

・ Cup noodle era → Excess salt
・ Now → Salt-free + Potassium + Protein

Second lunch → FIRE folks' free time
・ Nuts, tofu, natto → Healthy snacks
・ Potato chips → Mental health

Precisely because FIRE folks 'have time', it is worth investing in health.

And above all, 'drinking non-alcoholicbeer in the middle of the dayis the freedom' I think this is the real thrill of FIRE.

Continue reading here↓↓↓

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Finally
if you visit my Ameba blog, ponta Taro's '10 yen per hour project' will progress.

This is an article about the FIRE diet.↓↓↓