John Berardi – Precision Nutrition System V3

It’s no big secret:

You can exercise all you want, but until you change your nutrition and start eating better, you won’t get great results.

We all know we need to eat better. The trouble is…how?

Lots of people have ideas on that, of course. I’m one of them. Though my ideas are likely a little different than what you’ve heard before.

My name is Dr. John Berardi and I’m co-founder of Precision Nutrition, the website you’re reading right now.

I’ve worked in the nutrition and fitness industry for over 2 decades.

Along the way I’ve done some nerdy things like earn my PhD in nutritional biochemistry and teach university-level nutrition courses.

I’ve also done some not-so-nerdy things like work with pro athletes and show personal trainers how to get better results with their clients.

The thing I’m most proud of, though, is the work I do with my Precision Nutrition team.

Over the last 15 years, we’ve tested the method behind Precision Nutrition Coaching with over 100,000 clients. Plus, several peer-reviewed research papers have documented the safety and effectiveness of our approach.

In our coaching research program, we take the most up-to-date science and actually test it with real people to see what works and what doesn’t work. There’s nothing else like it in the world.

Helping people take control of their own health and fitness is meaningful work we truly love and take a lot of pride in here at Precision Nutrition.

Which is why I’m a little saddened — and, honestly, a little angry — with the state of the nutrition and fitness industry right now.

It’s way too confusing for most people to figure out. And that bothers me. Especially whenever “the next big diet” comes around.

I’m saddened because I see a bunch of hopeful people put their trust in a diet or philosophy that will end up failing them in the long-run…but that will make the creators and proponents of that diet rich and famous in the short term.

Of course, I don’t blame the people who want to make a change and get in shape.

I feel for them, because those are the kind of people we work with every day.

They’re people with real lives and jobs and responsibilities to focus on. All they want to know is how to eat better so they can live healthier, more fulfilling lives. And in my opinion, everyone deserves access to the best information.

No, the people I blame are the “experts” who crank out diets or claim that one way of eating is superior to every other way of eating.

They make this whole nutrition thing way more confusing and polarizing than it needs to be.

I’ve been around long enough to see wave after wave of new diets.

Zone. Atkins. Weight Watchers. Low fat. Paleo. Vegetarianism. Low carb. And on and on and on.

Now of course, not all of those diets are bad. In fact, many are quite good, especially the ones that help control appetite, improve food quality, and raise nutrition awareness.

However…and here’s the kicker…they’re all still diets.

They’re all essentially saying the same thing: “My way is better than your way.”

And that’s what gets me. The finality of it. The arrogance of it. It’s my way or the highway.

You’re either gonna eat low carbs and high protein (or all raw veggies and no meat, or whatever)…or you’re never gonna get in shape.

But here’s the thing everyone seems to be missing: There is absolutely no “best diet” that every person should follow.

Let me say that again:

If you want to take control of your nutrition and lead a healthy lifestyle, then there is absolutely no “best diet” that you should follow.

And if the people who write diet books spent enough time actually working with clients — like we do at Precision Nutrition every day — they may start to feel the same way, too.

Why there isn’t a “best diet.”

Think about this: Over the last 15 years my team and I have coached over 100,000 clients in 100+ countries; through our coaching research program.

You can imagine the diversity of the people who come to us.

• Body type: Some clients come to us tall and thin. Others come short and stocky.
• Dietary preferences & exclusions: Some clients come to us eating lots of meat every day. Others come eating no meat at all.
• Budget: Some clients come to us with an incredibly low budget. Others come with an unlimited budget.
• Relationship to food: Some people are emotional eaters who tend to overeat when they’re stressed or alone. Others tend to undereat when they’re stressed.
• Organic / conventional: Some clients come to us eating only boxed and packaged foods. Others come eating only natural, organic, whole foods.
• Nutrition knowledge: Some clients come to us as devout followers of a certain dietary practice. Others come with very little nutrition knowledge whatsoever.
• Time: Some clients come to us with lots of free time for a health and fitness project. Others come with very little time to devote to health and fitness.

You get the picture.

And here’s the important part, one that many “diet experts” seem to miss completely:

There’s simply no way to help all those people eat better and get healthier if you’re militant about a single diet or nutrition paradigm.

I mean, can you imagine hearing something like this:

“I know you have a super-low budget for food. But if you sell your vehicle, or maybe one of your children, you’ll be able to afford the organic and free-range whole foods we recommend in our program. That’s the only way to get healthy and fit.”

Or…

“Carbs? You’re not alone. We all like ’em. But this program is all about cutting way back. Low carb is what works, period. So say goodbye to pasta. Potatoes too. And rice. And sugar …”

Or even…

“Sure, I understand the moral and ethical obligation you feel. But eating animal foods … that’s how we do it. You need the protein and the fat. And it’s how our ancestors ate. So suck it up, throw a steak on the grill, and let’s get this party started.”

While these responses are a little extreme, they’re not that far from what I hear every day in the gym or read on Facebook.

It’s a shame because the nutrition industry is confusing everyone.

And when people are confused…they end up getting frustrated and failing. Or worse, they do nothing and never change.

In that scenario, nobody wins.

The best-kept secret in the nutrition industry?

As you can probably tell by now, here at Precision Nutrition, we know it’s possible to get healthy and fit whether you eat high carbs or low carbs, meat or no meat, large meals or small meals…and the list goes on. There is no one “best way.”

And yet…most people are still missing something.

Something incredibly important. So important, in fact, that without it, most people don’t have a chance of actually fixing their nutrition and getting in shape, no matter how much information they have.

So what’s missing?

A nutritional progression model rooted in science and real-world research.

That’s what we use at Precision Nutrition. In some ways, it’s the direct opposite of a diet. And it’s why our clients have been so successful.

At Precision Nutrition, we use a nutritional progression model that helps you change your habits. It’s the opposite of a diet, and it works.

If “doing a diet” means overhauling your life on Day One and adopting a set of “rules” to follow, a nutritional progression model builds habits intelligently and sustainably over time.

That means you get better results that last.

At Precision Nutrition, we’ve spent the past few years refining and perfecting our approach.

So much so that our system is known by some of the top coaches in the fitness industry as “the best-kept secret in nutrition.”

We don’t just give people information and send them on their way. Instead, we teach them how to use that information, and put it into daily practice.

That way they’re in control. That way they have the power.

And when people have the best information, specific habits to follow, and know how to fit it all into their busy lives…well, that’s when truly remarkable things start to happen.

Get the best information science has to offer.

Learn how to take control of your nutrition and transform your “bad habits” into a healthy lifestyle.

After working with over 100,000 clients with the Precision Nutrition method, we’ve learned what truly works when it comes to getting in better shape and leading a healthy lifestyle.

The trouble was, unless you were a coaching client of Precision Nutrition and worked directly with us, there was no way to get all that useful information.

Well, that had to change.

With the nutrition industry confusing everyone by pumping out diet after diet and arguing over who’s “nutrition philosophy” is better, we felt morally obligated to give people another option.

So recently, we worked hard to put everything we’ve learned about nutrition, eating well, and lifestyle habit-change into one complete program: the Precision Nutrition System.

If you’re someone who wants to take control of your own health and fitness, make a lifestyle change, or just learn our best-kept nutrition secrets…then we made this just for you.

Get our self-guided nutrition program

11 exclusive modules — delivered directly to your door

The Precision Nutrition system is both a thing you get and a thing you become a part of.

In other words, not only do you have access to our online fitness and nutrition blog, we actually ship you a package with everything you need to begin your journey toward making change and taking control of your own health and fitness.

Here’s what that package contains.

Success Guide

Before beginning any nutrition plan, it’s important to start with the right mindset. In this introductory guide to Precision Nutrition we provide an overview of the program and present 10 success strategies guaranteed to help you stick with the plan.

Diet Guide

After a whole page of me railing against the word “diet” you’re probably surprised to see the title of this guide. But fear not. This isn’t a “diet” as you know it, but rather a complete, beginning-to-end system that fills in the blanks and puts everything into proper perspective. We cover everything from food selection to meal timing to nutrition program design. In short, it’s everything you need to start making change.

Quick Start Guide

I’ll show you the exact steps you need to take right away if you’re going to succeed. Every step is laid out in detail, and in less than 45 minutes you’ll have done precisely what most people never think to do.

Super Shake Guide

Most of us are on-the-run all day long and don’t always have time for a “healthy meal.” Enter the Super Shake. Filled with healthy recipes that fill you up and taste great, our Super Shake Guide is customizable depending on your body type and goals. All you need is a blender.

5-Minute Meal Guide

You’ve got a job, a family, friends, hobbies, and more. What you don’t have is endless time to plan and prepare meals.

With the 5-Minute Meals Guide, however, you’ll have dozens of delicious Precision Nutrition meals that can be made in under five minutes. Great nutrition has never been this convenient.

Plant-Based Guide

Everyone can improve their health and fitness by eating more plants. Unfortunately, many vegetarians don’t eat that well. This section helps those who choose not to eat meat adapt the Precision Nutrition principles to their way of life.

Plant-Based 5-Minute Meal Guide

Just like the 5-Minute Meal Guide, we give you a complete list of dozens of delicious, perfect plant-based Precision Nutrition meals that can be made in under five minutes.

Individualization Guide

As your body changes, your needs change. And so your nutrition plan must change too. There’s only one way to continue to get results, and that’s to tailor your diet specifically to your body, your goals and the results you’ve gotten in the past. This guide shows you how.

Measurement Guide

At Precision Nutrition, we have a battery of assessments, questionnaires and tests that our clients undergo regularly. Coupled with the Precision Nutrition System, these assessments allow us to get rapid results with clients.

In the Measurement Guide I’ll teach you exactly what to do…from body measurements like scale-weight and inches lost to performance testing and blood work. It’s all here.

Maintenance Guide

Believe it or not, the most challenging aspect of eating well for most people is not changing their body in the short term, but rather maintaining it in the long term. In other words, it’s easy to lose weight. It’s hard to keep it off.

In this Maintenance Guide, we’ll show you exactly how to keep the body you’ve worked so hard for.

Support Guide

From the very beginning, Precision Nutrition has incorporated what we’ve learned is the critical component of a successful nutrition program: support.

You can’t do this alone, nor should you have to.

In the Support Guide, we show you how to make use of the support around you. And if the people around you aren’t as supportive as you’d like, we show you how to make use of our circle: the coaches and experts of Precision Nutrition.