There is so much going on in the nutrition field right now, especially if you spend any time online doing research. “Clean eating” is now a dirty word….especially among the “If It Fits Your Macros” (IIFYM) crowd. The word “diet” is just as dirty. Paleo is taking over the crossfit world and of course crossfit lets the rest of the world know everything they are doing. Some believe it’s just calories in vs calories out and some believe your macronutrient breakdown plays a bigger role in body recomposition. Pretty much everyone thinks they are gluten intolerant and many believe dairy should be avoided like the plague.

Everyone’s an expert and everyone criticizes everyone else. For the uninformed, the newbie or even a well-read gym rat….all of this can be extremely confusing and has the potential to leave someone spinning their wheels for weeks trying to figure out what works for them. I would like to share some of my beliefs and experiences that I come to realize over the course of my years in nutrition:

• Almost anything works if you stick to it. If you are currently practicing unconscious eating habits and your diet consists of random unplanned meals and you suddenly start following a plan and being more aware of what you eat, it’s going to work.
• If you cut out an entire macro-nutrient such as carbs with low carb diets, or severely restrict food choices, such as with paleo, it’s going to work. Limiting food choices is an obvious and easy way to restrict calories and get you eating under maintenance.
• If you severely restrict the amount of time you have in any given day to shove food in your face, as with Intermittent Fasting, it will work. Because as I said above, limiting feeding time is an obvious and easy way to restrict calories. Now with both time restrictions and food selection restrictions, overall calorie levels can and often do hit above maintenance and still progress a person because they are still following a plan (see first point above). They are conscious of what they are doing and they want to succeed. So over-indulging is less likely to happen.
• Sometimes you need to do the opposite of what you’ve been doing. Some people get into ruts and do the same thing day in and day out and some people just do it because they think they’re doing the right thing. The person who routinely skips breakfast, and lunch and eats a huge dinner almost always needs to eat breakfast and lunch and balance out her calories throughout the day in order to make some progress. The person who has been eating bird seed six times a day almost always needs an increase in protein and larger fewer meals in order to make progress.
• I believe in following a plan. You can call it a diet or a nutrition plan or whatever you want to call it, but people who unconsciously stuff food in their face do not reach their physique goals. Following a plan, and knowing what, how, when and why you’re eating what you’re eating is the way to success.
• I believe macro-nutrient breakdown and calorie intake are equally important. If you simply lower your calories without regard to macros, you simply end up with a skinnier thinner you. Most people want a leaner tighter body. If you manipulate your macro-nutrient breakdown without regard to calorie levels, it may take longer to reach your goal because although you are eating better more balanced meals, you may still be eating too much food for your activity levels.
• I believe in protein. I believe in fats. I believe in carbs. And I believe in manipulating all three for optimal health, goals, satiety, pleasure and sanity.
• I believe in clean eating most of the time. And yes I know that “clean eating” is now a dirty word in the nutrition industry but I will continue to use it until someone comes up with a better term and I will continue to define “clean eating” as I use it within the context of my nutrition plans to my clients when they hire me.
• I believe in flexible nutrition plans for most situations. That means you get a choice of what you eat. Your entire nutrition plan is based on foods you choose anyway, but we all know your day to day tastes are going to change. You have socials to go to. Maybe you travel. Your nutrition plan should fit into your life, your life should not revolve around your nutrition plan.
• I believe there is a huge psychological component to successful dieting…whether it be for a special event or a lifestyle change. Just like your training, it needs to fit you…your situation, schedule and personality. That is not to say it will always be easy or won’t take any effort. There will always be work and effort required, but finding that balance between “this sucks” and “I can do this” is what we want to help you do.

The Plan

After you contact me for a nutrition plan, you will be sent a questionnaire to fill out and send back. In addition to providing details on your training, your work habits and extracurricular activities, and your current nutrition habits; you will choose the foods you want in your plan from a pre-approved list. After I receive your questionnaire I may contact you with further questions. And then I design your custom meal plan.

Your meal-by-meal plan will consist of 1-3 days (training, conditioning/cardio, off) with at least 2 options for each meal. Everything is based on the foods you chose, as well as your activity levels, goals, and what I think will be best for you based on your answers in the questionnaire. You will be expected to provide regular progress and compliance reports and I hope that we work together to ensure your continued progress.

If you’re ready to get started or need more information, please send me a message!