After I recently finished the Seven Steps to a New You section I remembered just how long it took me make an effective dietary habit change let alone seven meals worth. It would be unreasonable to slap a meal plan in front of anyone and say “Here, Eat This Forever!” You can’t switch your entire diet overnight. Your body and brain will reject it and will probably make you stuff in some extra bags of Cape Cod potato chips for trying to confuse it with your trickery. Here are a few effective diet switches you can make without any short circuits. I’ve arranged them in order of their impact divided by their difficulty to do. I’m sure you’ll be enjoying loads of okra and ostrich jerky before you know it. Just kidding. mmmmm


Drink plenty of water - It’s important to have a tall, cold glass when you wake up and another an hour before you workout. Lack of hydration is the number one catalyst for daytime fatigue and can slow your metabolism by around three percent. Having several glasses of ice water will actually boost your metabolism since your body needs to expend energy to get the water to match your internal temperature. This could probably burn an extra thirty calories a day which comes out to an extra three pounds a year. Not bad for sipping some ice water. Impact = 3 / Difficulty = 1

Shift your Meal Size - Curb late night eating by having a bigger breakfast. The old adage is to eat like a king for breakfast, queen for lunch, and pauper for dinner. One lady I trained with would have the best workouts but then the next session she would tell me that she had a handful of chips and spinach artichoke dip right before bed. Drove me bonkers! Calories taken in at the end of the day, mainly carbs, will not be burnt off and will head straight for your fat stores. Impact = 7 / Difficulty = 3

Drop Soda and Refined Sugars - I made this switch in high school. I remember thinking ‘This soda isn’t doing anything aside from making me a chub.’ Start making the conscious decision to avoid soda, junk foods, and candies. I know it is common sense so be cognizant of your dietary decisions. Impact = 8 / Difficulty = 4

Eat every two to three hours - It doesn’t have to be an entire meal; even very small portions will do the trick. Not eating for extended periods will cause your body to start pumping hormones that signal your body to store fat, not burn it. A handful of nuts would be handy to nosh on between meals as would the always convenient protein shake. Impact = 6 / Difficulty = 4

Focus on lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats - These types of food help your body maintain muscle mass, keep hormones and neurological functions running smoothly, and give you a steady stream of energy. Eating simple/sugary/white carbs or high fat snacks will have your energy levels come crashing down while your belt line is blowing up.
Impact = 10 / Difficulty = 7