We all know that starting a new nutrition or health plan isn't easy.  It takes time, education, support and some mental planning. There are road blocks that can trip anyone up and derail even the most dedicated person from reaching their goals.  Here Mark Macdonald, creator of Venice Nutrition and author of NY Times Bestseller, Body Confidence, reveals how to move past any obstacles when embarking on a healthier lifestyle. 

What are some of the concerns people have when beginning a nutrition plan?

Time is by far the biggest concern.  We are all looking for more time, and the difficult part about taking on a solid nutrition plan is that it takes time.  Think about anything you do in life that fulfills you;  building a business, being in a relationship, raising children, etc…the list is endless.  My point is that everything you want to be great at takes time and your health is no different.   Most people start a nutrition plan without any idea of how they are going to work it into their world and this is a big reason why so many people fail. 

You must carve out time in your life, make room for your health and treat it like all the other core parts of your life.   Making your health a priority is not the easiest thing, but what you get from it is everything….

What are some mistakes people often make when starting a nutrition plan?

The biggest mistake is setting unrealistic goals.   It goes back to the feeling of being at your “tipping point”, you emotionally cannot take it anymore and need to get the weight off.  The challenge with this mindset is that your current lifestyle is why you put the weight on in the first place.  So you set a goal based on emotion and forget to look at the effort it will take to achieve that goal.  As you begin the plan, you progress but not fast enough in your mind, then you become de-motivated and choose to abandon the plan. 

This can easily be avoided by simply setting goals based on the effort you can initially put into your health.  Each week you can re-address your effort and results and then make the necessary adjustments to either increase your effort or change your goals.  The reality is that with the right plan all health goals can be achieved, the only unknown is the time frame in which you will achieve your goals.   Everything in life is an ever evolving process and your health is no different.  There are many variables that determine the pace of your results.  Staying present with your goals and evaluating them on a weekly basis keeps your emotions in check and sets you up to win.

by Mark Macdonald, creator of the Venice Nutrition system and author of NY Times Bestseller, Body Confidence