Being a Coach, it is my job to experiment and then bring my data to my team!
With summer arriving today, I know that everybody is looking for ways to improve their physique.
What I have found in my years of Coaching is that in order to get somebody started that is "dabbling" with their diet, we must drop the hammer.
Start with some extremes and then "open" up.
What do I mean?
Most people are suffering from carb, sugar and caffeine addiction. I cut all of that. By cutting these "perceived essentials" we allow the body to begin a process of healing and recalibration.
This "cut" will show you that you didn't actually need these items, but you were suffering from mild to severe addiction to them. As stress elevates, we typically see people increase their intake of these foods/ beverages to counteract the internal chaos that is going on as a result of their "fight/flight" state.
Or as the holistic folks like to classify it as, "Adrenal Fatigue" aka overworked, under rested and over stressed. Or better yet, somebody that needs a vacation.
So by making a drastic changes, you also fully engage the persons psychology. They know they are making a change. Their awareness is now heightened. With heightened awareness comes better awareness of choices.
When you are focused on improving dietary health, you are less apt to grab the cookie, take the trip for ice cream, add the fries or have a late night frappuccino. You are now playing the game. You have made a choice that your outcome goal is larger and greater than the acute pleasure you get from eating or drinking those items.
Now their are some nutrition folks that would completely disagree with what I am saying. But, for me, somebody that has worked with type A, bullish leaders and athletes that are used to being challenged and in-charge, this works. It is a challenge to them.
They are focused on the challenge and as a result they are achieving massive results and incredible habit reform, as well as physical and psychological results. We are changing habits and patterns rapidly.
After about 8-12 weeks on the program, we then begin to reduce the competition and create a more balanced plan. At this point it is much easier since bad habits have been broken.
As for the how and what to eat, getting them started using the Paleo eating system has shown itself to work well.
What is Paleo? Whole foods. Lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. That is it. No additives. No extras.
Simple, clean eating.
I have been doing this myself for the past few weeks and it has reduced bloating and inflammation, improved my energy and gives me the feeling of "tight" in my midsection. I moderate the amount of meats I eat, sticking more with chicken and fish while increasing my green veggies drastically.
For the past few years I have been mostly eating plant-based, with minimal animal product. This had left me feeling more fatigued, weaker and craving carbos. Increasing my animal product by about 15-25% has helped eliminate starch cravings.
Focusing on a strong balanced eating plan, that eliminates starchy carbohydrates such as breads, muffins, pastas, rices and potatoes while increasing greens and lean meats/ poultry and fish will help lean out your physique and give you the chance to add lean muscle. The addition of this muscle will also create a greater metabolic effect for fat burning and fuel burning day to day.
Give this a try. Make the change. Make it drastic up front.
I will leave you with this. After consulting with one of my clients yesterday, I reminded him that SUCCESS only comes when we have a Purpose and a WHY greater than ourselves. Greater than just saying, "I need to lose weight, I need to be healthier".
Those statements are a given. If you say "I need to lose 10lbs. so I can feel confident dating again, or so I can win the Tennis Open at my Country Club" those are much different drivers and success rates are guaranteed to be higher.
Dana Cavalea
Dana Cavalea is the World Champion Director of Strength and Conditioning & Performance of the New York Yankees.
Currently, he is a High Performance Speaker & Consultant to Pro Athletes, Entrepreneurs, Business Executives, and Workforces on lifestyle strategies to reduce stress, improve work/life integration, and most importantly improve daily performance /outcomes.
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