The fundamental problem with dieting is the logistics of it. How can someone be expected to completely alter their lifestyle as it relates to food choice, portion control, and lifestyle habits overnight even if its for their benefit and with the utmost motivation in mind? Bottom line, they cant! I'm a realist and a pragmatist and know that some things that are founded in psychology and human nature just dont work like that...such as dieting.

I've always thought there was such a vast divide between the individuals who don't dieting at all and those who try to impliment it to a tee. Understanding that most people want to be either one extreme or the other left me in a quandry when it came to my own dieting; there was little or no middle ground it seemd...no transition period to ease into a given diet plan. So, with an Occhams Razor type mentality, I tried to devise a transition diet that could put me on the right track to get results immediately with the smallest change to my daily routine and most minimal effort so that it may lead to a way of life that would foster health, strength, and confidence within myself and others.

It really is this simple:
1. EAT BREAKFAST! Do what you need to do in order to get nutrients into your system before noon so that you can start your day off right. Not only does this promote a healthy and productive schedule to your day but will establish a high energy state that will propell you throughout the day. Breakfast foods are generally lower in calories and more rich in beneficial nutrients like fiber, lean protein, and dairy products. Plus, studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are less likely to over eat during lunch or dinner which are typically higher in calories and fat particularly and inevitably consume fewer calories over the course of the day. Also, consuming 3 to 5 servings of dairy has been shown cause an increase in fat burning capability of the body as well.
Some possibilities include:
- Non-Kiddie cereals like Rasin Bran, Cinnamon Life, Honey Bunches of Oats, Any of the Cherios, Honey Nut Clusters, and Basic 4 are some of my favs
- SPAM (an ideal bfast choice)
- Egg Whites (for lean protein...the yolks contain excessive cholesterol so beware)
- Yogurt, expecially low or non fat (the 16oz flavored tubs are most economical)
- Multigrain bread with jam/jelly
- Fruit of any kind, especially bananas which are high in potassium and essential for proper muscle functioning (super awesome to add flavor to otherwise bland things like plain SPAM)
- Breakfast Ham is another great source of lean protein (salt really isnt an issue for anyone young and without high blood pressure so no need to worry...im sure you don't as is haha)
- Pancakes are easy to make and customizable
- Coffee or Tea is great for the little caffine upper and are full of electrolytes

*French toast, full egg omlettes, bacon, bagles with cream cheese, donuts, and anthing else you know just is flat out bad for you should be avoided at all costs...there are plenty of other choices for sugary or salty items.

2. TAKE A MULTI VITAMIN. We lack a balance mineral intake many times which inhibits our cells from functioning at full capacity. As an analogy, think of a car as your body and the oil and the nutrients that flow through every portion of your body. If the balance isn't just right then then, although the car may still run, it won't be optimally efficient at generating energy and your risk catastrophic collapse if its maintained for very long (ex. vit C deficiency aka scurvy or vit D deficiency aka Rickets). They're very inexpensive with a high return in terms of benefit so you have nothing to lose. I'd recommend taking them with breakfast everyday for consistancy sake.

3. YOU ARE WHAT YOU DRINK. Drinks contain a huge reserve of pointless and often unnoticed calories throughout our daily lives. One 20oz bottle of pop contains 250 calories and drinking only 1 per day will add up to the equivalent of over 1/3 a pound of fat calorically by the end of the week...thats over 20lbs of extra fat each year. Clearly, what you drink is going to take a huge hit to prevent this and the are where you can cut the most calories easily. Therefore, your relegated to drinking ONLY water, lowfat milk (ideally skim b/c it has no fat or cholesterol), coffee/tea, and 100% fruit juice like orange juice, apple cider, pomegranate juice, apple juice, or any other blend thats strictly 100%. Carrying a Nalgene water bottle around with you will keep your hydrated but stave off hunger in betwee meals with no added calories. Furthermore, ordering water when you go out to eat can save you between $2 and $10 per meal which obviously adds up to quick savings and added health. No soda, no energy drinks, no alcohol (its a carcinogen and messes up your game)!

4. ZERO TOLERANCE ON FAST FOOD. It's true, there are healthy choices at most fast food places these days but the temptation alone is often more than we can handle and give into just one burger or one taco. So stay away from fast food places at all costs. That means no burgers, no combos, no market fresh sandwiches (which are 1200 calories), or taco salads with milkshakes. For the purposes of this diet its better to eat nothing than something from a fast food place. Exception include no more than 2 slices of pizza (which is suprisingly well balanced) with no more than 1 type of meat on it and anything prepared by yourself (ex. burgers on the grill, hotdogs, or home made tacos in moderation). If you put the time in then you deserve the reward. Prevent hunger by being prepared and having your premade snacks like fruit, protein bars, a meal replacement shake (slimfast and ensure, as well as bodybuilding powders work wonders), or taking the 5 or 10 minutes to pack your own lunch with something that is both healthy and enjoyable for yourself. It saves on costs and weight in the long run.

5. GET RID OF ALL SNACKS AND BAD FOOD IN YOUR HOUSE AND REPLACE THEM WITH HEALTHY OPTIONS. Or just do your best to do so...something is better than nothing. The best way to fight off a food craving is to not have the food around. Simply put, if it's not there you can't eat it. The increased energy to obtain it will hopefully drive you to reconsider and become inventive with the healthy options that surround you. Throw out or use up the peanut butter, ice cream, chips, dips, and candy in your place and get used to low butter pop corn, pretzels, seeds and nuts (peanuts, cashews, pestachio, sunflower seeds, and almonds especially), pita chips, salsas, crackers, protein bars (Clif Builder Bars, granola bars, Powerbars, etc), fruits, and vegetables (carrots, celery, broccali, etc) that you can not only sometimes cook with but use as little tidbits to tide you over between meals. Lean meats like chicken, turkey, tuna, fish fillets, lunch meats, lean ground round and veal are ideal for BBQ's and cooking as sources of protein. Red meats like steaks and pork chops are also fine in moderation. Most importantly, when you go to the store you must resist the temptation to rebuy the same crap thats lead you to dieting in the first place and will demolish any gains you've accumulated.

6. ONE FREE MEAL PER WEEK, NO MORE. I understand there are such things as holidays, dates, weekends, or otherwise weak days when you just want to eat Taco Bell and you can, but only once per week. Chances are that you are already eating far more calories consistantly that this simple diet in combination with one uncontrolled belly bustin meal per week will be well below your current intake. In keeping with the diet though, try to select healthy option when you go out to eat and this mental toughness, persistance, and dedication will slingshot your results and your lifestyle transformation. You can add them up for all intensive purposes as well...if you go 3 weeks without cheating, you can take 4 uncontrolled meals during the 4th week...although by that point you may have reached a realization and not even want to, believe it or not.

so to sum it up
1. Eat breakfast and start your day right
2. Take a multi vitamin daily.
3. Drink ONLY water, low fat (skim) milk, coffee/tea, and 100% fruit juices.
4. Absolutely NO fast food.
5. Get rid of as many bad foods and snacks and replace them with only healthy options. Be in control when you're grocery shopping!
6. One uncontrolled meal per week, no more.

These 5 very basic concepts have done wonders for me and can be done in coordination with a strength training workout to supercharge your outcome or just standing alone to produce results and I'm not sure they can be any more straighforward. This is about forcing yourself to change by creating investment and situational contexts where healthy eating is the easiest result, not just eating a bowl of cabbage soup now and again like fad diets. They say it takes 3 weeks to create a new lifestyle habit so i challenge you to do this for 21 days and not feel better and more in control of your body than ever before. The committment to this will serve as a transition into a lifestyle in which you're fully aware of what you're putting into your body and how it impacts not only your physical appearance but your emotional state (inner game) as well. I not only dislike fast food and soda now but find it disgusting once I was able to realize how many better options exist and how you can feel with the right nutrients. The personal empowerment will surely flow over into other areas of your life and your new outlook as well as appearance will be just one more hurdle that you've overcome in being a successful businessperson, PUA, or anything in between.

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Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.
Make it happen.