I wish I knew that sugar was the real enemy, not fat, when I was first trying to get lean.

I wish I knew that sugar was the real enemy, not fat, when I was first trying to get lean.

The Fat-Free Snacks That Kept Me Fat

In my teens, I was on a mission to get lean, and I was terrified of dietary fat. My diet was full of “fat-free” yogurts, cookies, and salad dressings. I didn’t realize that to make those products taste good, companies loaded them with sugar. I was constantly on a blood sugar rollercoaster, always craving my next fix, and I never lost any weight. I wish I had known that a diet rich in healthy fats would have kept me full and satisfied, while the hidden sugar was the real thing derailing my progress.

I wish I knew about the importance of protein for satiety and muscle growth when I was 18.

The “Hardgainer” Who Was Actually Just Protein Deficient

At 18, I was hitting the gym but seeing minimal results. I labeled myself a “hardgainer.” My diet was mostly carbs—cereal for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, pasta for dinner. I was always hungry and never seemed to build any muscle. I wish I had known the simple rule of thumb: aim for one gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. The moment I started prioritizing protein, everything changed. I was fuller after meals, my cravings disappeared, and I finally started building the muscle I was working so hard for.

I wish I knew how to read a nutrition label properly when I was a teenager.

The “Healthy” Cereal That Was Actually Dessert

As a teenager, I thought I was making a healthy choice by eating a “whole grain” cereal for breakfast every morning. The box had pictures of wheat fields and smiling families. I never once looked at the nutrition label. Years later, I picked up the same box and was horrified. The second ingredient was sugar, and it had more sugar per serving than a candy bar. I wish I had known how to ignore the marketing on the front of the box and just read the simple, honest truth on the back.

I wish I knew about the negative effects of seed oils when I was eating processed foods in college.

The Inflammatory Foods I Thought Were Harmless

My college diet was built on a foundation of cheap, processed foods: frozen pizza, instant noodles, and cafeteria fries. I knew it wasn’t “healthy,” but I didn’t understand why. I felt sluggish and foggy all the time. I wish I knew then about inflammatory industrial seed oils (like soybean, canola, and vegetable oil) that are present in almost all of those foods. I was fueling my body and brain with ingredients that promote inflammation. Switching to cooking with stable fats like butter, ghee, or coconut oil made a world of difference in my energy and clarity.

I wish I knew that eating whole foods was the simplest and most effective “diet” when I was trying fad diets.

The Complicated Rules and the Simple Solution

I tried every fad diet in my early twenties—low-carb, keto, paleo, you name it. They all had complicated rules, restrictions, and required expensive specialty foods. I could never stick to them. The stress of it all was overwhelming. I wish I had known that the best “diet” isn’t a diet at all. It’s simply eating real, whole foods: meat, fish, eggs, fruits, and vegetables. There are no complicated rules, no points to count. Just eat the stuff that doesn’t need an ingredients list. It’s the simplest and most sustainable path to health.

I wish I knew how much my diet affected my skin when I was blaming everything else for my acne.

The Breakouts That Started in My Kitchen

For years, I battled painful acne. I blamed my hormones, my stress levels, and my skincare routine. I spent a fortune on creams and washes, but nothing seemed to work. I never once thought to blame the sugary cereal I ate for breakfast or the daily glass of milk I drank. It wasn’t until I did a 30-day elimination diet as a last resort that my skin cleared up almost completely. I realized I had been trying to fix an internal problem with external solutions.

I wish I knew that creatine was safe and effective when I was first getting serious about the gym.

The Supplement I Was Scared of for No Reason

When I first started lifting, I heard people talking about creatine. I was scared to try it. I thought it was some kind of “unnatural” steroid-like substance that would have crazy side effects. I wasted years of training without it. I wish I had known then that creatine is one of the most researched, safest, and most effective supplements on the planet for increasing strength and performance. It’s a naturally occurring compound that simply helps your muscles produce more energy. It’s a game-changer.

I wish I knew that I didn’t need to fear carbs, especially around my workouts, when I was younger.

The Workouts I Was Sabotaging

In my attempt to be “healthy,” I went through a phase where I was terrified of carbs. I avoided them at all costs. But my performance in the gym was terrible. I felt weak, my muscles felt flat, and I had no endurance. I wish I had understood then that carbohydrates are the body’s primary and preferred fuel source for intense activity. Eating a good source of carbs like oatmeal or a banana an hour before my workout would have given me the explosive energy I was so desperately missing.

I wish I knew how much better I’d feel just by drinking enough water when I was always tired.

The Fatigue I Couldn’t Seem to Shake

For a long time, I walked around in a state of chronic, low-grade fatigue. I couldn’t figure it out. I thought I needed more coffee or more sleep. I never paid attention to how much water I was drinking. I wish I had known that even mild dehydration can have a massive impact on your energy levels and cognitive function. The simple act of carrying a water bottle and sipping it throughout the day would have been the most powerful and free “energy drink” I could have ever asked for.

I wish I knew that getting my blood tested to check for deficiencies was better than guessing with multivitamins.

The “Health Insurance” That Wasn’t Insuring Anything

Every morning, I took a generic “one-a-day” multivitamin, thinking it was my health insurance policy, covering all my nutritional bases. But I still felt tired and foggy. I finally decided to get a comprehensive blood test. The results were surprising. I wasn’t deficient in most of the vitamins in my multi, but I was severely deficient in Vitamin D and magnesium. I was taking a shotgun approach when I needed a sniper rifle. I stopped guessing and started supplementing what my body actually needed, and it made all the difference.