Often when embarking on a new health journey we spend too much time cutting so many different food groups out of our diets. 

These include all wheat based products such as bread and pasta because we believe they're "fattening", or different fruits as you were told that any sugar is "bad for you", or certain whole grains and pulses due to their phytates. 

Any form of dairy as it maybe causing your "acne" or "bloat", even red meat and eggs get a bad rap for the fear of their saturated fat content and all foods that contain cholesterol!

Sure there are people with allergies and intolerance's but most of us believe it or not do not, I repeat do not have these food related issues. 

You may not only leave yourself with a brand spanking new eating disorder, deficient in specific nutrients, deprived and unsatisfied, while binging and splurging, but with the inability to digest these food groups over time due to enzyme down regulation. 

So I invite you to think a little differently...

Instead of being exclusive and removing all the food groups that you've read in your favorite magazines, or from your latest guru's Facebook post, be inclusive and include new food groups that will benefit you as a whole. 

These include all fruits and vegetables, whole grains, a variety or meats and dairy, oily fish, beans, and pulses. 

Doing so will not only add more variety to ones crappy diet, but provide a much wider variety of nutrients that nourish your body and optimize all of its functions including hormonal support, digestion and absorption, and the big one "detoxification". 

Ensuring your covering your vitamin and mineral needs will allow you to enjoy some of the finer things in life, like a little hot sauce, some gravy on your roast potatoes, sugary custard, some pots of joy, dam I could go on and on. You wont get a guru's gold star for eating any more additional nutrients as you'll just secrete anything that's not needed!

Instead of looking at each individual food as say fattening or high sugar, it would be better to look at your nutrition as a whole and learn how much protein, fats, carbs and fiber you actually need to function at your best. If you ate a certain food that was say 30 grams of fat that wouldn't matter much if your fat allowance for the day was 70 grams. Learning what certain foods provide will allow for a greater degree of flexibility and the freedom to chose the foods you want to eat!

Now more chicken, broccoli and sweet potato or a shitty plain tuna salad!

At some point you'll need to realize that it's not the foods themselves that's making you gain the unwanted pounds, it's simply poor eating habits! 

We simply lack the knowledge to balance and vary our meals, which leaves extreme calorie drops and weekend binges, while wasting hard earned cash on the next health supplement, or juice diet. 

Really think about where your at, and question if it's working? If not put in the time and effort to making it work, and build your knowledge of specific food groups. 

Be mindful, aware and accountable for your own goals and others. Accept responsibility for everything in life, not just the times you thought you were "good".

Just think how you'd feel to actually know why your feeding your kids and loved ones the way you are, nourishing their futures.

Preparation is another tool you can use to get the most out of your day, especially when optimising your health and transforming your physique. 

Setting up for the day or even the week ahead should be a priority for everyone looking to get in shape as it will allow you to focus on what matters the most without worrying about where your next meal is going to come from, Now ensure you at least have the option to eat healthier by preparing some meals and snacks, making sure you get a great balance of whole foods (protein, fats and carbs depending on goal), and not only you will now have a choice but this will help you avoid foods that are less likely to get you the body you want over time.

Here are a few tips to help!

1. Plan your schedule whether it be clients, family time, appointments. You can do this in the morning at night, or even at the weekend.

2. learn something new every day, I like to listen to podcasts regarding business management and then I tend to listen to more when I walk the dogs, while doing some light exercise, then mid day and night I will repeat this process studying nutrition or training listening to guys like Phil Learney, 

3. Prepare your food! Now I like to do this in 2 ways either prep 2 days per week usually a Wednesday or a Sunday, at night or in the morning for the day ahead and I can usually get a whole days cooking done within 40 minutes using a very easy strategy

4. Keep a logbook; this is the most important part of your training apart from training itself. 

5. Track our progress, now this can be done with not only your training log book but with progress pics, and the best way to do this is front, back and side

6. Make time for you!! Set some time aside to relax and clear your mind!

Have a great day