Regardless of your fitness goal, following a diet can be difficult. Without discipline, consistency, and adherence, most diets fail and people end up spinning their wheels over and over again. Below are helpful tips to help you stay on track with your diet!
TIP #1: COOK FOOD IN BULK
Meal prep and bulk preparing your food will keep you ready for each week and you won’t have to cook each meal individually. This will help you stay prepared if you know you’re going to be busy and you’ll easily be able to go into the fridge and grab a meal. Pick one or two days out of the week to cook and you'll be all ready to go.
TIP #2: CONSUME A VARIETY WHOLE FOODS
85 to 90% of your diet should consist of high quality and nutrient dense calories from mostly whole food sources. This includes lean meats, eggs, fish, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Consuming a variety of foods will decrease food boredom and reduce cravings. The remaining 10 to 15% can consist of lower quality foods you enjoy, in moderation.
TIP #3: FOOD SCALE
The scale doesn't lie, your feelings do. Utilizing a food scale for weighing your food portions is vital to make sure you're accurately tracking your food intake and not estimating. This will help you stay consistent with your diet and you’ll know exactly how much food you’re eating on a daily basis.
TIP #4: FOOD TRACKING APPLICATION
Tracking daily dietary intake of all foods you eat is an essential component to ensure you’re on target with your macronutrient goals and is very important to be successful. It is recommended to use Cronometer. Cronometer has technology that enables you to scan the barcode of whatever food product you’re eating and provide the relevant nutrition facts. Also, it has the best accuracy for making flexible meal and food substitutions when needed.
TIP #5: FIND WHAT WORKS FOR YOU
There isn't a best nutrition plan for everyone. The best nutrition plan is the one you can adhere to and stay consistent with. In the beginning, you may have to experiment a little bit to find a nutrition plan that is sustainable with your lifestyle and goals. The diet must be enjoyable in the sense you are not force feeding yourself meals that you do not like. There is enough good tasting nutritious food out there to find something you can enjoy daily!
TIP #6: HIRE A COACH
A valuable asset to help you achieve your fitness goals and stay on track with your diet is to hire a coach. This provides you with professional accountability and takes the stress and guesswork out of trying to do everything yourself. Having another set of eyes will guide you in the right direction and personalize the nutrition plan to keep you on track as you make progress.
SUMMARY
Overall, there is no magic supplement or "quick fix" to achieve your desired body composition. The magic is in the work. Remember why you started and prioritize your goals! Gaining muscle or reaching a new low body fat percentage isn't supposed to be easy. Embrace the challenge, find what works best for you, and reach new heights.
What do you struggle with the most when it comes to dieting? Leave comments or questions below!
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