Eating properly is important, regardless if you’re trying to lose, gain, maintain weight, or change your body composition. To a lot of people, this may seem like a particularly complex matter, but, in reality, it’s everything but. All you need to do is understand several basic dietary principles and get your dreams’ physique. So, let’s get right into it! Here are the top five things you need to know about nutrition to achieve your health and fitness goals.
Count calories
The simplest way to understand the change to your body weight is to state that to lose weight, and you need to eat more calories than you burn. To gain weight, it should be the other way around. In other words, you need to start counting how much you eat. First, however, you should start by estimating your metabolic rate. Then, you need to make a plan according to it. This is as simple as it gets. Also, you should buy a kitchen scale and use google to check the caloric value of various foods that you consume.
Watch out for the nature of nutrients
How much you need is not the only important thing there is. You see, knowing what you eat is just as important. There are three macronutrients and dozens of micronutrients that you need to pay attention to. Macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Ideally, you would consume 30 percent of calories through protein, another 40 percent through carbohydrates, and about 30 percent through fats. The quality of food that you eat matters as well. For instance, when it comes to protein, the quality of meat is paramount, which is why you should look for a reliable online butcher where you can place your orders.
Micronutrients are just as important
Many people obsess over macronutrients so much that they completely forget about micronutrients, which can be just as important for your overall health. Vitamins A, C, D, E, B2, B6 and B12, and folic acid, beta carotene, iron, selenium, and zinc are pivotal for your immune system. These nutrients can be found in various foods that should be incorporated into your diet regularly. In a scenario where you’re struggling with all of this, there is an alternative way to handle the situation in question. Speaking of which…
Use supplements
Supplements are the simplest way to enhance your diet with all those elements (nutrients) that it currently lacks. Vitamin complex, magnesium, zinc, and other micronutrients also come in powder and pill form and are completely safe. They are particularly recommended to athletes and people who lead an active life. Those who struggle with daily protein intake should look for a quality protein shake. This is especially true if they’re trying to build muscle mass or don’t have the luxury of regularly eating home-cooked food (due to their work).
Consistency matters the most
The biggest mistake that many people make with their diet is to see it as a short-term method to achieve their short-term goals. A proper diet is a way of life, not a 5-week starvation plan before the next beach season. Keep in mind that dropping several percents of body fat can take as much as 20-30 weeks, so expecting quick results may be incredibly counter-productive. All in all, it’s a consistency that matters the most. So, it’s far better to set a goal that is a tad more modest or start slowly.
In conclusion
The above-listed five tips are probably all that you’ll ever need to make a healthy and balanced diet. Every effective diet in existence can attribute its effectiveness by honoring the above-listed five factors. As we’ve already stated, consistency is key, so you also need to change the way you see foods and diet, in general. Changing your habits is hard, but it’s crucial to your health and well-being.
