As I always say; The basics of nutrition are very simple, figuring out what works for you and sticking with that is the hard part. We all know that we should focus more on eating whole foods rather than processed foods and we’re all aware that eating a good amount of protein, vegetables and some healthy fats will benefit anyone. But these are the basics, from here out it gets tricky because everyone, every body and every lifestyle needs something different. For example, my body might function really well when eating a high fat diet, whereas you might feel flat and unenergized when you do. Another example, maybe your lifestyle is super hectic and intermittent fasting is the way to go, but your neighbor might have a more relaxed schedule and doesn’t like the time restricted eating. Everyone has their own needs and wants. Even if you would take two exact twins together, they both would have different needs based on what is happening on the inside, what their lifestyle looks like and what their preferences are.

Because there are so many different factors to consider it’s hard to figure out what works well for you. Mix that in with the insane amount of information and opinions that are out there right now and you got a one-way ticket to being confused and uncertainty.

Figuring out what works for you shouldn’t feel like a failure, because all you’re doing is taking a step closer to the nutrition/diet that actually works for you. So, let’s talk about some of the most common nutrition mistakes, to help you get on your way.

Impatience

It takes time for your body to adjust and get used to new things. This can take anywhere from a couple days to a couple weeks or even months. The most relatable example is sugar. If you’re used to eating sugar, it can take your body anywhere from 2-8 weeks to get used to the lower amount of sugar your body gets in. Using this example, let’s say you cut down your sugar intake for a week and then stop because you feel like crap. Yes, you’re right, you might feel bad but that just goes to show that your body is so used to getting that much sugar (which is a problem) and it proves that your body needs more time to adjust.

When you’re changing things up within your nutrition, do your research on how long it ”should”* take for your body to adjust. 

*I say should because with everything, it will be different for everyone.

Too many things at once

Number 2. I have been here, you’re so excited to start a new chapter in your life. You’re so excited to start your new nutrition, you want to live a healthier lifestyle now and you decide to change everything all at once. This would be great if you feel really good all the time, but the chances of that happening are small. What happens when your energy dips down when you change everything all at once? What was it that caused this energy dip? You won’t be able to identify it as easily because everything has changed.

This is why I always recommend changing 1-3 things at a time, rather than everything at once. Using the previous point of giving the body time to adjust, give those 1-3 things a couple weeks’ time, analyze and re-assess before moving onto the next 1-3 things.

Not knowing your body’ needs

The number 1 reason most people are not reaching their fitness goals is because they’re not fueling properly. So many of us are not eating enough to gain muscle mass/weight and eat too little to actually lose weight. You have to figure out the amount of food your body needs to reach the point you want. If you want to gain muscle mass you have to figure out the number of calories your body needs to be in a surplus, while you also have to figure out your macronutrient breakdown (carbs, fat and protein). If you want to lose weight you will have to figure out the number of calories that will get you to lose weight at a rate that you’re able to sustain over time. If you’re just cutting your calories down to 1000 calories a day, yes you might lose some weight at the start but that will stop really quick.

Your calorie and macronutrient needs are THE KEY to your fitness and body goals. Without knowing these numbers it’s like walking through a maze, while blindfolded.

Not knowing what you’re getting in

A lot of us think we know what we’re getting in, but rarely do we know what that actually is, we’re just guessing most of the time. It’s very easy to be generous towards your calorie and macronutrient count. Being off by 200-300 calories can have a big impact on your overall physique. Think that is hard to do? A tablespoon or two of peanut butter will already get you there.

If you really want to reach your goals and you’re struggling to get there, you will have to start tracking your food. Knowing the number of calories and macronutrients you’re getting in each day might explain why you’re not reaching your goals.

Think again

Have you ever heard someone say something like this: ”I eat healthy but I can’t seem to lose the weight”. Let’s be honest with ourselves here, if you think you’re eating ”healthy” and you’re busting your ass in the gym, but you still can’t lose weight? Clearly something isn’t right. Maybe you think you’re eating healthy because you’re following everyone else, as we have discussed before, everybody needs something different.

I also love the answer to the question, what are you eating then? When I ask the question, 9 out of 10 times I get the same answer. A lot of people base their diets on carbs, carbs and more carbs, where are the proteins and fats? Just to clarify, carbs are not bad, but they shouldn’t be the only nutrient you’re basing your whole diet around.

If this sounds like you, I would highly recommend re-assessing what your nutrition actually looks like. Track your food for a couple days and you will probably see why you’re not losing weight or unable to gain muscle mass.