So, What Is The Best & Most Effective Diet?

 THERE ISN’T ANY! I DON’T BELIEVE IN ANY OF THEM!

    There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose some weight or dropping some body fat, but most people go about it the wrong way.  Most people think starting on some crazy diet or to completely stop eating every thing that they love is the right answer. Seeing and feeling results are all about a lifestyle change and making the necessary adjustments.

    First of all, you can not lose weight in some crazy short amount of time.  Refrain from watching shows like the “Biggest Loser”, and thinking that this is the way to go about training and dietary choices.  TV fails to show us that these people eat like hamsters and workout longer than all of my Division 1 athletes.  Do yourself a favor, and do some research on the contestants. Most of the contestants either put the weight back on or they are unable to maintain that type of lifestyle when they are done with the show.

    What I want to bring to your attention is something I call permanent weight loss. Getting interested? Permanent weight loss is brought on by  losing 1-3 pounds per week, by keeping your body fueled with the right foods, and never in a starvation state. This also comes along with the right type of training.

    The first thing you need to learn is to change how you look at food. Food is used to give us energy to go about our lives, being able to perform daily activities, work out, play our favorite sport, etc. Initially, it was put on this earth to give us energy. Many look at food and abuse it and themselves. This happens with mood changes and hormones, where gluttony becomes a factor. Foods that are processed, full of chemicals and preservatives, GMO, and unnatural are being consumed more and more each day taking away that ability to lose weight and see results.

Here are 3 tips that I use to help people change the way they  think about food:

#1 Stop Eating With Your Eyes.

    A perfect example would be a baby. A baby knows when he/she is hungry. The baby also knows when to stop eating. At some point in growing up, we stop listening to those sensory receptors that tell us we are full. We then become faced with the decision  to either say yes or no to the choices that are in front of us.  Boredom plays a major factor in unnecessary food grabbing. Ever sit on the couch and just crave something out of no where? Grab a glass of water! Most times your body is telling you that you are thirsty, but your mind is receiving the message differently. All in all, eat when you are hungry, not when you are bored.

    #2 Stop Making Excuses And Start Seeing The Results By Being Realistic!

     Stop with the excuses! Constantly, I hear blames being put on genetic, or "I get salads all day and I still don’t get results". The most common excuse is "I have no time".

STOP!

Stop lying to everyone around you, and most importantly, stop lying to yourself.  Set realistic goals that you can follow, and are maintainable.  Set realistic calorie counts and weight loss goals. If you were consuming around 4000 calories a day, make a small adjustment and cut down your caloric intake by 1000 calories.

    Here is a tip, 3500 calories equals 1 pound. To lose 1 pound a week, you have to cut your calorie intake by 500 kcals per day or you can burn an extra 500 calories per day. As long as the calorie deficit equals 3500 calories by the end of the week, you will become that much closer to your goal. This does not mean if you fall off track, try to burn off 3500 calories in one day. Respect your body, and do it the right way. Be patient, and the results will come. Space out your training so your body has time to recover and fuel your body after training. Eat every 3-4 hours to keep that metabolism burning.

    If you happen to fall short of reaching your goal, do not fall off track. Track what you have been doing and see where you can make a change. Continue on the right path and make necessary adjustments. Remember, stay stress free, focused, and rest!

#3 Mistakes Happen

    Mistakes even come to play in my life. Yes, I make mistakes! For example, I start my day off with oatmeal and a protein shake. When it comes time for lunch, I have a double cheeseburger and fries. Guess what, YOUR LIFE IS NOT OVER!!!  Do not think that your day is ruined and you can just throw the rest of the day down the drain. Understand what you did, think about why you did it, and realize that the buck stops here.  You can not make up for what you did in the past, but you can make changes and fix what you do in the future.

Weight loss does not start in the gym.

Weight loss starts in your mind.

“Make your mind right and your body will follow”