• Robert Karpathios

Inclusion vs Exclusion

How many times have you heard this?

"You should never eat _____"

"Stay away from _____, it's so bad for you"

"If you eat _____, it'll cause _____"

How do these statements make you feel when you hear or read them? I'm no psychic, but I bet it's a combination of:

  • Confusion

  • Helplessness

  • Defensiveness

  • Fear

This comes down to our human reactions to inclusion and exclusion surrounding nutrition.

The truth is, (aside for those with allergies) no food or ingredient is inherently "bad for you". That being said, it's also far more effective to focus on INCLUDING new foods than it is to EXCLUDE current foods.

What we typically see using this method is that the new foods push out the less favorable ones.


If I'm working with a new client who's diet currently consists of highly processed, nutrient-void foods, I instruct them to start every meal with a large serving of fruits or vegetables. I very rarely engage in any dialogue that surrounds the exclusion of anything they're currently eating.

By default, when they start each meal with a large serving of fruits or vegetables, they're much less likely to consume the usual amount of processed, nutrient-void foods that they routinely would during that meal.

This results in the client getting exactly what they need (more nutrient-dense foods, less nutrient-void foods), without feeling deprived or restricted, and without their trainer telling them not to eat "this" or "that".

"Lets try including some of these new foods at the beginning of each meal."


"Stop eating 75% of the things you're currently eating."

See the difference? Inclusion vs Exclusion.

If you're new to this journey and a little unsure of where to start, give this a try. Don't pay attention to the misinformation, fear mongering and propaganda surrounding nutrition. Focus on simply including some new things for a while. Maybe that's more fruits and vegetables, more water, more fiber, or more lean protein.

I think you'll be surprised at how quickly these can become new positive habits.

You got this!

This post is pulled from our new Facebook community - The True Strength Nutrition Academy.

If you're interested in objective, evidence-based nutritional education, join me along with our 200+ members and set yourself free from fat diets, gimmicks and misinformation. There's no time like the present to take control of your relationship with food.

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