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It's Your Diet, Stupid!

By Travis Speegle

I thought the statement was a bit harsh the first time I heard a coach say to his client “It’s your Diet, Stupid!” in reference to his weight loss, or lack there of. True, it may not be the most tactful language to use with someone he was trying to help, but it may be necessary to take a more aggressive tone at times to get the point across.

In this case, the client had been somewhat regular in showing up for his training sessions, but was very regular in his complaints about how he wasn’t losing weight as fast as he thought he should. (This may sound familiar) In this case, the “politically correct” approach wasn’t likely to work.

As Coaches, our main concern is to help our clients achieve the results that they really want as quickly as possible and instill healthy habits that will last a lifetime. We also have to realize that we only have input on about 3 hours a week of a client’s time.

That leaves 165 hours each week in which you have to take responsibility for the success of your fitness program. During that time the most important thing you can pay attention to and control is your nutritional intake. Each week you will have at least 35 opportunities to make healthy food choices that will help you reach your fitness objectives.

Does it make sense that you could show up for 3-5 very intense training sessions per week and still sabotage your results during the 35+ feeding opportunities in that week?

You must take control of your diet in order to make significant rapid changes in your body composition! (fat loss, muscle gain, or weight loss)

Since most of us have some idea of what healthier choices are, I’m going to give you a few simple tips here.

  1. Think before you eat anything. Ask yourself this question: “Is this food going to help me toward my goal, or will it hurt my progress?” If it will help, eat it. If will hurt or even if “it won’t hurt that bad” Don’t Eat It!
  2. Avoid all foods that contain High Fructose Corn Syrup or any form of Hydrogenated Oil. Read labels and if you see these ingredients on the list, don’t eat it. Many people will eliminate these two ingredients and start losing weight immediately.
  3. Chew your food. Take the time to thoroughly chew and enjoy your food. Improved digestion and nutrient availability will help your body utilize the food you eat more efficiently and you will be able to recognize when you have eaten enough.
  4. Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables.

These are the absolute foundational basics of a healthier diet.

Implement these actions first.

If you need more help with creating a healthy eating lifestyle, the “STOP DIETING!” nutrition program is simple to follow and will guide you through the process of discovering the exact foods that allow your body to melt away fat and support your health for a life time.

About the Author:

Author of the best selling fitness book "STOP WORKING OUT!" and the 100% successful "STOP DIETING!" nutrition program, Travis Speegle has been delivering simple, effective solutions to complex fitness, business and personal performance challenges for over 17 years. Discover the secrets to unlock your unlimited success at http://www.StopWorkingOut.com