When it comes to diet and exercise, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. We all have different lifestyles, unique physical needs, limitations, and metabolic speeds. Even identical twins won’t digest the same food at the same rate or burn the same number of calories for every exercise. It’s important to understand what your body tolerates, how it reacts to certain foods, what keeps you energized, and how best to incorporate a diet and fitness regimen that fit your schedule and lifestyle.

Your attitude and discipline both play important roles too. You may have the best workout routine mapped out but you won’t be able to adhere to it if it started out too difficult or if it was scheduled during the most tiring hours of your day. Same goes if your meal plan is too restrictive and boring. I’d suggest striking a balance between foods you like and ones that are good for you. Aim to rotate everything as often as possible to obtain the right amounts of nutrients that you need to fuel your workouts.

You can do this on your own, but you may find that you’ll need to experiment on a lot of things before you can figure it out. If you’re in a hurry to lose weight or build muscle, you might want to work with an online personal trainer who can customize workouts and meal plans that would match your physical needs, health status, and your lifestyle. You might want to check out Optimized Fitness for this.