It’s been said over and over: “Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the gym!” If you want to get in shape, most experts believe that 80% of the battle is diet and 20% is exercise. The problem, of course, is that there are thousands of diets to choose from. But if you understand the principles, you’ll know which dietary approach is best for you and your clients.

For a thorough education, here are my top five nutrition resources. Go through each one, and by the end, you’ll understand the key principles of proper eating and how to design an individualized diet.

Precision Nutrition
Whenever a personal trainer asks me for a comprehensive nutrition program, this is the one I recommend. Dr. John Berardi and his team left no stone unturned with the Precision Nutrition System.

You Are What You Eat
I’ve listened to this audio program so many times, the CDs are worn out! I’ve even bought copies for clients as holiday gifts. Paul Chek does a fantastic job. Keep this in the car and learn while you drive.

Lean and Mean
Nine out of ten people go to a personal trainer to get lean. Here’s a tried-and-true system that integrates diet, supplementation, exercise, and recovery methods to achieve that six-pack look in no time.

Nourishing Traditional Diets
I absolutely love this seminar by Sally Fallon Morell. I’ve gone through it multiple times and even had my wife watch it as well. The information is so important—it will make a dramatic difference in your life, your family’s life, and the lives of your clients.

Eating Psychology Online Conference
I kid you not—I took 69 pages of notes from this conference. My right forearm was an inch bigger by the end of it! There were courses in university where I didn’t take that many notes. This conference was loaded! Kudos to Marc David and his team for putting it together. You’ll need 50+ hours to get through it all, but it’s worth the investment.