Week 5 Optimal Nutrition Course

by Matthew Palfrey March 01, 2015 0 Comments

Welcome to the 5th week in the Optimal Nutrition Course - well done for sticking with it so far! It's often said that any change gets easier after the initial 30 days and I'd say that is about right for most people. Once you get past the point that things are new (sometimes also uncomfortable) and the doubt that it might not be working, you start to see some results of the effort that you've been putting in. Remember that results can be positive or negative but that learning is always a positive outcome. 

From a dietary perspective it's also important that you give most things a chance and don't give up after 2-3 days. Your body is a pretty complex thing and it can take time for you to adjust to new patterns and routines. Being a "serial switcher", someone who is constantly switching between one thing and another without being fully committed for enough time, is a sure fire way to achieve nothing. 

This week, therefore, is an adjustment week. I'd like you to take everything that we've done so far and, if necessary, make some adjustments that are right for you. After all, your diet is a dynamic thing and needs constant attention to work. 

Lesson 1

Thinking about your initial goals, what have you achieved so far? Are you closer or further away from them? Lesson 1 is about taking stock of what has happened so far. In week 1 I gave the following examples of potential goals:

• Losing or gaining weight
• Reducing or increasing your body fat %
• Gaining energy
• Feeling happier and healthier

Many of you also shared specific goals that were personal to you. Based on those initial goals that you set I'd like you to take an honest look at where you are now. For more quantitative goals (e.g. "I want to lose 3 lbs") it's an easy process to take a measurement. For qualitative goals (e.g. "I want to feel happier") we still need to measure, but that measure requires that you think about how you are currently feeling in relation to the initial goal. 

Lesson 2

Armed with the information from lesson 1 I'd like you to make some clear decisions regarding what to do next. Do you continue as you have been, assuming you're making progress, or do you need to make some adjustments? Adjustments might come in the form of the types of foods you're eating, the times that you eat, the amount that you eat, the amount of water that you drink or any number of other things. As during the food diary stage I'd love it if you shared your questions with me in the comments field below this post so I can help with some specific advice. 

Did you follow the low carb week 4? If so, how did you feel during the week and at the end of it? That could have a major bearing on what to do next. 

See you next week!

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