hether you want to admit it or not, nutrition is the most important factor for losing body fat and maintaining a healthy weight.  Unfortunately many athletes try overcomplicated and extreme diet protocols in hopes of accelerating progress.  The reality is these types of diets may help you lose more weight initially, but will lead you to an inevitable plateau.  This can be very discouraging and cause some to stop dieting altogether or lead to a frustrating cycle of trying new diets with little progress to show for it.  How can an athlete break this cycle and start to see measurable results?  Simplify! Follow these 3 steps to simplify your diet and improve your results!

Start Small

The road to change is paved with a lot of small habit changes.  Instead of making a huge change first, start with something so small you know that you can accomplish it!  You can start by taking a multivitamin or drinking more water.  Maybe you eat breakfast each day or prep lunch before going to work. Pick something you know you can easily do.  Many successful small habits can create a snowball effect into bigger behavior change down the road. 

Focus On One Habit at a Time

If making one small change is good, then making 5 at one time is better, right?   Not necessarily.  You need to set yourself up for success!   Focus all your energy on perfecting your small habit.  Spend a week or two nailing this behavior each day.  Add a new one only when the first habit is second nature.  Follow this method and 2-3 months down the road you will have made many great habit changes!

Do It Consistently

This final step is what ties it all together.  What good are new nutritional habits if you can’t practice them consistently?!   Constant cheat meals and diet breaks won’t get you to where you need to go.  The hard truth is that results only come from long-term consistency.  Start small, create your habits, and do them consistently for a long time!  There will be ups and downs along your journey, but trust the process and the results will come. 

If you find yourself struggling with your nutrition and far from the results you want, start by asking yourself a few questions.  Am I starting with something too big?  Am I trying to change too much at once?  Have I really been consistent with my behavior change?  If we are honest with ourselves, the answer is probably ‘no’ to one of these questions.  So take a step back, analyze your nutrition, and start small.  Set yourself up for success and wellness for many years to come!