Q) I was losing weight early in the year, but I am no longer seeing results. Now I’m losing motivation and need to get back on track. Any advice?

A) Think of the old expression, “You can’t outrun a bad diet.” It’s totally true! After all, you can lose weight with diet alone, but no amount of exercise combined with poor eating will let you to lose weight consistently. So, if you already follow an exercise plan for at least four hours per week, including cardio and strength training, put more focus on balancing your diet. One trick is to plan and prepare a week of food in advance to avoid making poor choices mid-week based on convenience. A food journal can also keep you accountable for what you eat.

Most of all, resist the temptation to reward yourself with junk food after exercise. Trust me, that’s just not how it works!

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver, B.C. For more info call his office at 604-420-7800 or visit KarpFitness.com. You can also find Karp Fitness on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Google+.