I can’t help but cringe every time I see a diet or meal plan being advertised.

I was wrong about this.Here I go on another rant but I can’t help it. We are heading into a season where marketers will do their best to plump you up only to turn around and sell you a solution to de-plump you.

Isn’t that something!

Call it what you want, a metabolic center, a diet center, weight loss .. it doesn’t really matter. The common denominator is they confirm that you need to lose weight, sell you an expensive meal plan and an even more expensive cart full of vitamins, supplements, detox B.S. that you “need” to take to make the diet more effective.

“Well, you can get results with the meal plan alone but if you are really serious you need to take these over-priced supplements, herbs and whatever other crap we think we can sell you. You are serious about making a change aren’t you?”

We have been conditioned to “make a new start” by throwing out food and coming home with bags of ultra healthy food and an armful of vitamins.

But does this really work?

Not really. A lot of my clients ask me for meal plans and I could easily get some software and print out a grocery list. In fact I used to do that for free. I would print out a 20 page menu with grocery shopping lists, nutritional values and recipes. While everyone was impressed, not one person used it. And it was not because they were lazy. It just got too complicated.

 The fitness industry knows that slick marketing that promotes the easy solution will always sell.

I always joke that fitness coaches are never the first choice for someone wanting to get back in shape. My clients usually try all kinds of silly crap before they realize they need a professional. Listen, I hear you. I will do everything I can to fix a plumbing issue before calling a plumber.

So since you are reading the rantings of a professional trainer, let me share this with you.

In my opinion there are only three parts of any meal planning system that bring results.

1. Portion Control

2. The elimination of processed foods.

3. More protein.

That is it. All the rest is pure profit dressed up as cutting edge science. All the vitamins and supplements in the world may get you a 5%-10% increase in results. But 80% of your budget will be spent chasing that 5% to 10%.

The exception to the rule would be the high end athlete that has the money and time to control all the variables that go into the process of preparing for an event.

Example: A Bodybuilding who needs to drop to 4% body fat for the day of the show.

Example: An elite marathoner trying to fuel up for the big race.

These are trained athletes who are in tune with their body to a high degree and an investment in

The rest of us can relax because we are nowhere near that level. Myself included.

Here is an easy chart to help you.

I won’t charge you for it but if you feel the need to pay, please make a donation to your favorite charity on my behalf.

As a coach with Precision Nutrition, I am happy to share this with you.

So let me lay another fitness nugget on you.

Fat loss should be a by-product of your training not the main goal.

Check out this story. A while back I decided to do some networking with some diet centers. It seemed like a good pairing. Clients are getting their nutrition taken care of so let me help them with exercise and fixing any muscle/joint pains. Seems like a good idea, right?

All the places I went to informed me that you don’t have to work out to get results with their system. Huh?

That is why most people are doomed to failure.

Spend a bunch of money, stay with their system as long as you can until you quit.

Gain all the weight back and blame yourself for failing.

The real truth is that they set you up for failure. Either your liver will give out from taking all those pills or your bank account will.

So enough of those clowns, let’s talk about how to get the odds in your favor.

Let me say this again, Fat loss is a result of you getting in better shape.

This is very different than what most people believe.

You don’t lose fat and get in better shape.

Do you see the difference? These are the same people who say, ” let me lose 10 pounds and I will start running again.”

No no no no no no!

This is like looking at your empty fireplace and saying “give me some heat and then I will throw some logs on you”.

If you optimize your body, body fat will fall off without you thinking about it.

Wouldn’t that be a nice change?

If you are ready to work and put in the time you can change your life.

This is what M Factor Training is all about.

My clients get strong, lean and learn how to fit nutrition into their lifestyle. Let’s face it, that is the only way you are going to be happy with yourself. Here is another strange (to me) concept. Someone who has to starve themselves to lose 10 pounds. He/she will never feel happy because they know the moment they lose their discipline the weight will come back. Counting calories, passing up on dessert and making other terrible sacrifices like not going to happy hour is no way to live. Again, just my opinion.

Whether you are an in home client or someone who has joined my online training program, (ridiculously cheap at $10/month), I will teach you theM Factor way of getting in shape.

Most people don’t mind working hard if they see the results.

If you agree with this, you are a good fit for my coaching.

Here are the steps to getting back in shape. You can’t skip any of them.

1. Fix existing injuries, imbalances. If you don’t, you will never be able to train consistently without getting injured and you will never see your full potential.
2. Change the way you think of yourself. You aren’t a dieter. You are an athlete in training.
3. You have food issues/body image issues because of something much deeper that you have to work on and sort out.
4. Getting strong is good. You can never get too strong.
5. Learn how to optimize leverage and move with good mechanics. This is the key to minimizing injuries.
6. Volume is your friend. Always try and do more.
7. Adequate sleep is the best way to make progress.
8. You can diet for a short time but you can eat sensibly all your life.

Work hard so you can enjoy your life and get out of this crazy diet/gain weight/diet/gain weight cycle.

If you are interested in learning more, please go to my homepage.