Knowledge is very important to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. I think it is very important for everyone who wishes to start a healthy lifestyle to get all the information on nutrition they can. So let’s start:

There are three macronutrients that you have to become familiar with:

• Carbohydrates
• Proteins; and
• Fats

These three macronutrients are what go into your body when you eat food. Each play a significant role in the body.

Carbohydrates

• Are the main source of energy (which is essential prior to a workout).
• Are stored in the muscles and liver for future use and could potentially be stored as fat.
• Grab proteins and puts them inside the muscle cells for repair and recovery (also known as protein synthesis).

There are two types of carbs - complex carbs and simple carbs. Complex carbs provide sustained energy while simple carbs provide an instant boost, but wear off quickly. The most valued are the complex carbs that have a low to medium Glycemic Index. The only time I have simple carbs are after my workout. Examples of Complex carbs are brown rice, vegetables (potatoes, beans, broccoli, etc.), and oatmeal. Examples of Simple Carbs are most fruits (strawberries, apples, etc.), and table sugar

Proteins

Protein is what makes up tissue in our bodies. Proteins are used to build muscle and burn fat. When you ingest protein it increases your metabolism and helps release carbohydrates more flulently. Examples of proteins are chicken breast, tuna, eggs, whey protein, and turkey.

Fats

Fats play a significant role in the body - they lubricate your joints and produce hormones. Without fats in your diet, and there will be little chance of success. It has been noted that a healthy diet should contain 20% fats. There are three types of fats - Saturated, polyunsatgurated, and monounsaturated. Saturated fats are found in meats, and oils in packaged foods (which is why you should avoid them). They are associated with heart disease and high cholesterol, and should be kept to a minimum. Polyunsaturated fats are found in most vegetable oils. A good example is flax seed oil which is an Essential Fatty Acid. Monounsaturated fats have a positive effect on good cholesterol. Sources of monounsaturated fats are olive oil, and peanut oil (natural peanut butter would be a better choice than normal peanut butter).

Now Let’s Talk Calories…

1g Protein=4 calories
1g Carb = 4 calories
1g Fat = 9 calories

Now there are many factors that go into how many calories you need to maintain, lose and gain weight. I use the CalorieKing Calculator to figure out what my maintenance level is then subtract 500 calories if I’m cutting (losing weight) or add 500 calories if I’m bulking (gaining mass). I just did the calculation, and to maintain my weight I would need to consume 2319 calories per day. Since I’m currently losing weight I eat around 1800-2000 calories a day. Any less than that and I would be sacrifice losing muscle mass.

How Many Times To Eat Per Day…

Most people are used to eating three round meals in a day. The problem with that is when you have only three meals usually spaced about 4-6 hours apart your body thinks you are starving so the body stores some of the food as fat for later use. Also, when you have three round meals per day you tend to eat until you are full instead of eating until you are content. Your body does a poor job of telling you when you are actually full or hungry. The ideal amound of times one should eat in a day is 4-6 times. The rule of thumb I follow is to eat every three hours. If I eat every three hours I won’t be tempted to snack.

In Which Proportions?

The diet I have always followed, and found most successful is the 40/40/20 diet. This means 40% carbohydrates, 40% proteins, and 20% fats. A good way to keep track of this is to use an online meal tracker. I use FitDay, and find it works very well.