(The answer probably isn't what you're hoping to hear.)

So, my free, 4-week workout program is in full swing, and I am having a blast coaching everyone. As I was writing out my daily tip to the group, it dawned on me that I really should make a blog post about it. And to answer the question of "What is the Magic Diet," surprise surprise, THERE IS NO PERFECT DIET! The advice I am about to give you is probably about to trigger your side eye (or maybe you already gave me side eye from my prior statement), but before you throw any more shade at me, hear me out!

Just think about it. Have you ever followed someone who was doing the paleo diet, a vegan diet or some other fad diet? Did you try it but found it just didn't work for you? That is because we are all uniquely different. One person's food can be another's poison! If I ate a raw vegan diet of fruits and veggies, I would be so bloated and uncomfortable! But guess what, it works for some people!

The steps towards a perfect diet are simple in theory, but for some reason, we all struggle with implementing them. Therefore, you need to think of changing your eating habits like you are developing a new skill-set, such as learning how to play the piano. Before you move on to an advanced scale, you must master the simple scales and where to place your fingers first. Just like playing the piano, you must learn to master some skills in eating before moving on to the more "complicated" ones.

Knowing what type of food to eat is only half the battle.

I know this sounds really silly, but you know exactly what I am talking about! Knowing what kind of foods to eat is not even half the battle. The most difficult part of eating healthy and sustaining healthy habits is behavioral change! Therefore, mastering something like eating until you are only 80% full and not overly stuffed would be a good place to start. Until you master this skill, don't even worry about the breakdown of your protein, fat, and carbs. Simply, learn to eat the RIGHT portion for you.

There is no one solution. You have to find what works for YOU! However, there are a few commonalities in all the fad diets that actually do work!

What's the perfect diet for you?

1. Pay attention to what you eat! This is a duh statement, but it's effective! How many of you are scarfing your food down without even thinking about it?! I bet most of you...I do all the time! This week, simply pay attention and SLOW DOWN. AKA, chew your food! You will naturally eat less!

2. Eat until 80% full, not 100% stuffed. This is an incredibly hard skill that takes practice. Really work at this over the course of this program.

3. Focus on real, nutrient-dense food! That means, really try to crowd out processed, artificially-flavored food items by incorporating real foods (all the foods in my go-to grocery list are real food items)!

4. Be physically active. By incorporating healthy eating habits that work for you, you will naturally be motivated to get moving! Before you know it, you will be pumped to complete the killer core day rather than dread it! 💪

5. Lastly, balancing hormones is critical! Hormones will begin to balance out (lower cortisol levels, controlled ghrelin (hunger hormone), insulin sensitivity, etc.) once you start eating foods that support you and your specific dietary needs. Do you have any idea how crucial balanced hormones are in controlling appetite... VERY! I could get in to all the bells and whistles, but let's keep it simple for now.

By eating the correct portions of whole, nutrient-dense foods for your body type, hormones will naturally begin to balance out, leaving you feeling full and satisfied!

Your turn to go and master a new eating skill!

Make sure to add this post to your favorites and read it whenever you need a reminder that there is no perfect diet! Keep it simple, eat intuitively and eat REAL food! Mic drop...

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References:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/4-training-and-diet-arguments-resolved
http://www.intuitiveeating.org/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/
http://www.precisionnutrition.com/best-diet
http://physiqonomics.com/the-best-fat-loss-article-child-friendly-version/