How often do you tell yourself, "If I hit the gym extra hard tomorrow it won't matter that I eat these two double bacon cheeseburgers"? We all love to make excuses for why we eat poorly, and we make promises of what we will do to justify a binge.
What we need to realize is that our increased output (exercise) does not negate the increased input (two double bacon cheeseburgers).
Whether your goal is weight loss or muscle gain, what you put into your body is far more important than how much you train.
Fitness has to start with nutrition and should be complimented by exercise.
Here are some tips on how to keep your nutrition in check and stop making excuses.

• Have a plan.
  Plan out your meals for each day.
  If you can, plan out your meals for at least a week at time.
  Waiting until lunch or dinner time and saying "let's see what's in the cupboard, I'm starving", is a sure way to nutrition disaster.
  Planning your meals will ensure that you make good choices and keep you from taking a trip to the nearest drive-thru.
  
• Keep a daily log.
  Along with planning, tracking your nutrition will help ensure that you stick to your plan.
  Having to write down those two double bacon cheeseburgers will bring reality to a poor decision.
  If you have to write it down you are less likely to cheat.
  
• Cook in advance.
  Do some bulk cooking on the weekends.
  Grill or bake some chicken breasts with your favorite seasoning.
  Bake several potatoes or cook up a big pot of healthy soup.
  The point is, make your choices quick, easy and healthy during the workweek so you don't fall back on unhealthy eating habits.
  
• Choose healthy snacks.
  Eliminate the junk food from the house and have healthy snack available every day.
  Fruits and vegetables make great snacks and are easy to take with you.
  If you have a sinful food limit it to once a week and use it as a reward for sticking to your plan.
  
• Plan to take a day/meal off.
  Don't be afraid to take a day or a meal off and eat whatever you want.
  If you need to, start with a day each week and then stretch that out to every two weeks.
  Then try to take only a meal off each week and stretch that out as well.
  These little vacations from clean eating can really help you stick to your plan throughout the week.
  Reward yourself for healthy eating but be careful not to fall back into unhealthy habits.
  

The old saying holds true, "You are what you eat".
Follow the five guidelines above and you can avoid becoming a double bacon cheeseburger.
And remember...
input matters more than output! Get Fit & Stay Fit.