I’m going to come right out and say it: I don’t believe extremely clean diets & “boxed in” diets are the right way to go for 99% of the population.

Whether it be keto, veganism, or just trying to be 1000% “clean” , we’ve been led to believe that THIS is the only way to get the body you want. From unwavering discipline. From denying every donut you come across. From brining your meal preps to the family gathering. We’ve been led to beloieve that this is the only path to success.. and it’s not.

So, what are you supposed to do?

The unfortunate answer is that most people do what the masses do.

They spend 2 week eating their bland chicken & rice, or their salads & green juice.

Here’s what usually happens next:

• You’ll drop a few lbs in week one

• Progress stalls after that

• You start getting hangry, lethargic & itching like a fiend for your favorite foods

You don’t have the discipline to support an extremely clean diet

99% of people who are attempting to cut all of their cravings cold turkey, don’t have the mental fortitude to do so. And the fact is, it’s not necessary.

You don’t HAVE to eat clean & avoid every food you remotely enjoy, just to lose weight & get the body you want.

In a study done by the International Society of Sports Nutrition, the results say the same. Over a 10 week time period, they had a group of clients eat extremely clean, and a group take a more flexible approach. At the end of the 10 weeks, the group that ate clean experienced NO additional fat loss or muscle gain.

But they DID experience less satisfaction & enjoyment over the 10 weeks, citing that they probably couldn’t have done it much longer. The group that flexibility dieted, thoroughly enjoyed the process & stated they could make it a lifestyle.

Don’t believe me? Here’s an excerpt of the study, and the full article, here.

So now, you’ve got scientific proof that you don’t have to eat the world’s most boring, bland food just to trim fat, tone up & get healthy.

But how exactly do you eat flexibly?

I’ll show you.

1. use the 80/20 Rule.

The 80/20 rule is simple. 80% of your foods should be whole, minimally processed, and hopefully prepared by you. The other 20%, maybe some Ben & Jerry’s. Or a slice of pizza. Maybe a nightly glass of wine.

So let’s say you need 2,000 calories a day, to lose 1lb per week. That means 1,600 of your calories should be whole, minimally processed food. The other 400, WHATEVER YOU WANT.

Here’s a diagram of what 80/20 looks like, practically:

Now, I don’t know about you; but I’d MUCH rather be able to have a small bag of chips & ice cream every day than not, if the outcome would be the same either way.

But there’s a few things you need to be able to do, to make this successful for you. If not, your attempt at flexible dieting will just turn into a binge.

How to Add in These “Cheats” And Still Stay on Track:

There are 3 things that I have all my clients (and myself) use to make sure we stay locked in while still enjoying things:

1. PLAN MEALS IN ADVANCE / MEAL PREP! If you don’t even know what clean meals you’re gonna eat, you don’t have the room (or the right) to flexibility. Let’s not forget that 80% is the majority. So if you haven’t been on point w/ your diet that day, it’s probably a good idea to skip the ice cream that night.

2. Get just enough. I know places like Sam’s Club & Costco encourage & make it easy to buy a 500 pack of your favorite chips, or a party sized tub of ice cream. But that’s BAD for what we’re trying to do. You need solo, individual packs of processed foods. If you know you plan to have a donut every day, than either buy 7 donuts at once, or go buy ONE donut every morning. And if you binge & eat all 7 at once, oh well. The rest of the week, you’ll go without it. Don’t get me wrong, this still takes discipline. It’s just a more fun way to go about it.

3. Plan those flexible meals / snacks around workouts. Most processed foods / drinks have fast burning carbs that actually make them good for workouts / physical activity. So maybe get in a couple of Reese’s Cups before a workout. That way you add even more strategy to these foods.

So that’s it! This is how myself & my clients get such great results, still eating what we want. The key is being able to moderate yourself, and do this in a smart way. But once you master this skill, you’ll never have to go on a diet again. You’ll burn fat & tone up like crazy, and you’ll be kicking yourself for all the years you tried to restrict yourself from any & everything you craved just to lose weight.

When you’re ready, here’s how we can help you:

1. The Lean Body 8 Week Challenge for Men: This program is designed to help men sculpt their chest, shoulders, back & abs, while shedding 8-16lbs of unwanted body fat.

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3. Promote yourself & your brand to subscribers of this newsletter.