The diet and fitness industry is a monstrously big one. Gyms are packed solid, and diet companies around the globe are doing backflips for your dollars.

Well, the good news is, I’m here to help you navigate the maze known as the fitness and diet industry. There are dozens of diet methods, and hundreds, if not thousands, of diet companies all vying for your attention.

And guess what? I’ve tried a whole lot of them – both on myself and on my clients. Hopefully, I can share some of my wisdom with you so you don’t have to do it the hard way.

Here are some of the top learnings and observations I’ve had over the years in the industry:

1) Massive calorie-cutting doesn’t seem to work for long-term fat loss

I’m not sure what it is, but I have yet to meet anyone personally that has kept the weight off for longer than a year.

Theoretically, cutting calories long-term can lead to a lowered basal metabolic rate and a loss of lean mass, both of which are the kiss of death for successful fat loss. And so far, this theory has held true with every client I’ve met.

Hey, if you’ve met someone who’s kept it off, kudos to them!

I’ve just never met one myself.

2) Wheat might be the devil’s food

The more people I work with, the more I’m convinced that the majority of people are intolerant to wheat.

Over the years, I’ve observed how my clients’ health improved considerably when they took wheat out of their diet. Some of the health benefits that they experienced have ranged from any of the following:

1. Weight loss
2. Improved digestion
3. Disappearance of joint pain
4. Improved skin complexion
5. Improved mental clarity
6. Improved emotional balance
7. Improved sinuses and respiration
8. Disappearance of chronic headaches and migraines

Give it a shot and see for yourself. It might just change your life.

3) Nutrition counts for 99.6734%* of your fat loss results

(*rough estimate)

There is one sad conclusion I’ve come to over the years. If you exercise your ass off, and don’t make any real changes to your nutrition, you’ll likely be wasting your time.

Don’t get me wrong. Exercise is good for you. People with active lifestyles generally are happier, healthier, and more productive.

It just won’t necessarily make you skinnier.

If you want to lose fat, the majority of your results will come from changes in how you eat.

4) Getting super-lean is WAAAY harder than you think

Every once in a while, I get someone that shows me a picture of what they want to look like: rock-hard abs with nary a cell of fat anywhere. And they lament that they’re working out 5 days a week at a gym, and watching what they’re eating, and … annnd….. aaaannnnnnndddddd!!!!

Lemme let you in on a secret. It’s still not enough.

Those bodybuilders and physique athletes you see on the covers of fitness magazines are working out ALL THE TIME. And they’re freakin strong. They’re probably lifting more weights in one hour than you do in a week.

If you’re a woman, multiply your efforts by a few. It’s insanely hard to put on muscle and get a six-pack. You have to understand the massive efforts that these athletes go through in the gym and with their nutrition. (And let’s face it… sometimes… in the pharmaceutical lab… cough *ahem* cough).

So if you want to build that kind of physique, be prepared to do the work and make the sacrifices. It is NOT for the faint of heart.

5) Be wary of professionals who push THEIR method as the ONLY method

When I started out in this industry, I was pretty arrogant. I mentored with one of the top strength coaches in the world, and whatever he said WAS THE TRUTH. Now, I’ll admit, I got a great payoff from being arrogant: I got to make fun of other people, and it gave me a massive superiority complex, but it didn’t really help my clients get the results they were paying for.

Here’s a hard lesson I’ve learned: there is no ONE perfect fat loss method. Sure, there are some diet companies out there that are a total farce, but there are quite a few great options out there that may be a perfect fit for you.

If you haven’t noticed already, humans are complicated. We all come from different ethnicities, cultures, environments, histories, and genetic predispositions. To say that there is only one diet that works for all these factors is a bold statement, and one I no longer subscribe to.

But lemme clarify something here: there are professionals who specialize in one particular method of fat loss. This is their expertise. And if you’re looking for XYZ method, then they’re the go-to person. I don’t have a problem with that. I’ve got a problem if those same professionals believe that their way is the only way. ‘Cuz it ain’t.

6) Forget about what your trainer looks like. Pay closer attention to what his/her clients look like.

There has been a longstanding argument in the industry whether you should ever hire a fat trainer. And then they go on to argue, would you hire a broke financial advisor? Or a poorly-dressed stylist?

My take? Yes, it would be nice to hire a trainer that also looks fit and healthy. But in the end, the more important factor is: what do his/her clients look like? Do they look their same, pudgy selves year after year? Or are they getting fitter and healthier as the months go by? THAT IS THE TRUE TESTAMENT TO A GOOD TRAINER, and that is the trainer I’d want to work with in the end.

7) If you’re not willing to make permanent changes to your lifestyle, then all of the above won’t do you a lick of good.

If you approach fat loss as some kind of temporary thing that you can do for a few weeks at a time, and then go back to how you ate before, think again. Being fit, healthy, and vibrant is a lifestyle. PERIOD.

So, there you have it. Just a bit of my wisdom that I’ve been so fortunate to learn over the years.

I hope it helps you guide your way to your best year yet. Rock on!

In health & high heels,

Mina.