There is just so much to talk about when it comes to good nutrition and many people perceive good nutrition in a variety of ways.  Some examples are: reducing processed carbohydrates, eliminating fast food, eating only raw foods, eating more fruits and vegetables, the south beach diet or the zone diet.  These are just a few examples.  While some of these things can be good nutritional choices most of them are incomplete for good nutrition.

Simply put, the basis of good nutrition is eating a variety of nutrient dense foods, from the different food groups in moderate amounts.

ALL GOOD NUTRITION PLANS SHOULD:

Properly Control Our Energy Balance:  Food calories and water taken in and the calories being used in our bodies for our daily energy requirements.

Provide Nutrient Dense Foods:  Nutrient dense foods provide the most nutrients per total calories.

Promote Improved Body Composition, Health and Performance:  When we improve the way we look (increase lean mass and reduce fat mass), we improve the way we feel (improved health and medical screenings), and that improves the way we perform (our functioning level).

Be Honest and Outcome-Based:  Making the choice to be honest about your diet to yourself.  If you do not see and feel the results at the outcome of your plan, you may not truly be executing your plan, or it may not be the right plan for you.  In the end, good nutrition equals results.

Very few of us have perfect diets.  But if we make healthy choices with a variety of these nutrient dense foods from different food groups with the proper energy balance, we will improve our body composition, health and performance.

Once you’ve made the choice to fill your diet with nutrient dense foods and plenty of water, you will then need to know how much of these foods are required for your body’s energy (caloric) needs.  Some of us may require a negative energy balance for the reduction of fat mass, while others may need a positive energy balance for muscle gain.  Whatever your needs are, the beginning process is to calculate your daily caloric needs.  Than you can break that down to determine what you need from each food group.  See my page on ENERGY BALANCE and CARB/PRO/FAT to help you get on your way.

Aside from helping you maintain a healthy weight, the benefits of good nutrition are multiple:

Increased energy level
Promotes restful sleep
Improved cholesterol (increase HDL/lower LDL)
Improved heart and lung function
Lower Health Risks (diabetes, pulmonary disease, cancer)
Lower blood sugar
Lower blood pressure
Enhanced mood
Increased metabolism
Decreased stress, depression, and anxiety
Increased life expectancy

The list is endless!  When you consider the benefits of good nutrition, how could you not want to eat healthy when it’s just so easy to do?  Why refuse your body of nutrients it needs to look better, and more importantly feel better and perform better.  With a lifetime of a good nutritional plan you reduce the chances of needing many prescription medications.  That reduces the side effects and other complications these medications can have on our bodies.  There are too many diseases out there beyond our control, so why not battle the ones we can now, to help prevent them from stealing from our lives tomorrow.

LEAST NUTRIENT FOODS (Calorie-Dense)

MOST NUTRIENT FOODS (Nutrient-Dense)

THE IMPORTANCE OF HYDRATION