Understanding Nutrition

For most of us, counting calories and staying away from fat is the definition of nutrition. We look up to social media where almost everyone has less than 10 percent body fat looking lean and desirable. The monstrous promotion of crazy fad diets and custom meal plans has intoxicated the world of nutrition.

Nowadays, nutrition is about measuring our macros to the tee, making sure we hit our protein goals at all costs, and that is the problem. We have become a species driven by numbers and results. So much so, that we have ignored the food we put into our bodies. It is not about the food anymore, it is about the results, the calories, the macronutrients. We must fix our broken relationship with food, with nutrition. We should aim to understand our bodies, and to do so we must understand nutrition. This article will help you on your way, to understanding what we fuel our bodies with.

Nutrition

Understanding what our body needs to function healthily is essential on the journey to a healthy lifestyle. To this end, we must understand nutrition. Nutrition, is made up of 5 essential aspects that together, define nutrition. These 5 elements are:

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
3. Water
4. Fats
5. Vitamins

These 5 elements when consumed in moderation are what form the base of a nutrient dense lifestyle.

The 3 macro nutrients (proteins, carbs, and fats) are what our body needs to function. Protein has the function of strengthening and repairing broken down muscle tissue. Which is why it is heavily stressed upon for muscle gains. Carbohydrates are what give us the energy, it is the soul food of our bodies. Our bodies and our brain mainly run-on carbohydrates. Therefore, it is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Fats, the nutrient under most scrutiny, is present mainly for added energy. When we run out of carbohydrates our body switches to fats for energy.

Water, as we have all come to know is pivotal for our bodies. Our bodies are mainly made up of water and so it is essential for the smooth functioning of our bodies. Lastly, vitamins regulate our growth. They help our physiological needs, helping strengthen our immune system in the process.

Nutrition and You

You might be wondering how to apply all the above knowledge. After all, it is a bulk of information and little practical information. It is important to know that all our bodies are different. Every single person’s body requires different amounts of the 5 elements of nutrition. There is no uniform formula that will work, so stop using the meal plans online. The best way to figure what is best for you is to try different mixes of the 5 elements in moderation and finding the spot where you feel your best. How you feel is not measurable with any scale. You must listen to yourself and observe how your body reacts to the 5 elements of nutrition. For listening to your body is a sketch, your job is to paint it.