It’s 2019, almost 2020.

There is endless information out there about nutrition. It’s called “Google.”

I argue that the majority of people know enough to be dangerous. What I mean by this is, most people who have access to the internet, TV or magazines nowadays have enough knowledge to lose weight. Really, it is not that hard to lose a few lbs.

Eat less food.

Along with eating less food, we almost all know that we should be drinking more water, drinking less soda (insert beer, wine etc or any drink with calories), eating more veggies and fruits, maybe eating more protein and not eating candy for dinner.

If you do all of those things you will lose some lbs. I guarantee that. You HAVE enough knowledge to lose weight, so you can stop researching and trying to find the next best diet, supplement or nutrition plan to get you where you want to be. 

What you and most people actually need is not more knowledge….

Keep reading please…you will see what I am getting it. I understand there is more to this process than JUST eating less food…

What you and most people actually need are the skills and environment needed to apply that knowledge consistently, over months and years. Seriously, trust me. You know enough to be dangerous and reach your goals. I don’t teach clients many new things they  haven’t heard before. What I help clients with is learning how to apply their knowledge in a way that fits their individual lifestyle. 

Let’s use that bookworm kid you knew in high school or college as an example. You know that kid who knew all the test answers and never stopped reading. That kid how aced every written test and had straight As. I knew a few people like this. Well, once it was time to apply this knowledge in a physical sense or in the real world, that knowledge didn’t go too far if they couldn’t critically think and adjust on the run. 

Back to nutritional knowledge and weight loss. I don’t care how much you or anyone knows about calories, macros, fasting windows, high protein recipes, nutritious salads or green smoothies. What I care about for my clients is their ability to apply there knowledge in day to day life and get REAL results…the results they truly want…SUSTAINABLE weight loss…not just “learning about nutrition.” I have talked with so many people who almost seem to want to just “learn” about nutrition, but aren’t willing to apply it…the hard work. I will be honest with you. I stopped reading about nutrition a few years ago once I got my nutritional certification. Nothing new is coming out. Food is food. Calories are calories. What I realized is that I didn’t need to learn any more from a book, I needed to APPLY my skills more consistently (6-7 days per week and not 3-5 days per week) to see the results I wanted. I think most people need to do the same. Now, I still do read articles, but it’s almost always AFTER I discovered something in my own life by applying skills and habits. Then I read and find background information for WHY this happened. Instead of me constantly looking for the “perfect” diet (which only causes stress by the way), I apply, apply, fail, learn, fail again, read a bit, apply again until I find the result. No stress here…just learning and results.

I know this is not easy and that’s why I have some tips below.

Tips to simplify your nutrition, mindset and see more results with sustainable weight loss:

1. Stop reading a new nutritional book every week or month. You have information overload. Narrow down your focus to 1-3 “experts” and follow their plan (s) for 6-12 months. Don’t quit early. Be consistent. You WILL succeed. None of this “I tried it for 3 weeks and it wasn’t for me. ” Follow through 
2. Surround yourself with people who truly support your goals and don’t sabotage you. We’re all human and need support. Think about…if you hang out at a bar all weekend are you going to lose weight? Let’s be real…probably not. 
3. Simplify your eating. Find 4-5 “go to” meals that have a protein + veggie. Eat these meals 80% of the time. You will see results. You don’t need a new menu every week…again…information overload is never a good thing. 
4. Be “ok” with thinking about your nutrition…it’s not a bad thing to plan out your meals and snacks. You can always change your mind…no one is MAKING  you eat that snack if you planned on eating it this morning and now don’t want it.  To be successful in your career do you need to think about your job all day? Yes, you do. Same with weight loss. You must be planning and thinking about your eating in a strategic and objective way. Thinking about your eating is necessary. 
5. Head up. Be positive. No reason to be hard on yourself…ever. When I learned this after college, my nerves and anxiety over even the littlest of things, stopped. Think of the positives not the things you “think” you are doing bad. I can’t help you change this mindset, but I can remind you that you need to do it. Eventually…it will click, right? Positive thoughts. 

Overview: Learning is not always reading new stuff. Learning is applying, failing, adjusting, doing better, failing again, figuring it out, then failing again, perfecting “it” and then finding a new challenge. You know enough. Have more discipline, buckle down, be more positive, find more consistent skills and you will succeed.