You keep hearing about nutrition and how important it is, but what does that mean exactly and how do you apply it in everyday life?
In order to maneuver through the confusion that is nutrition, you must have knowledge of the very basics. This knowledge can give you what you need to make healthy… or not so healthy choices everyday, so let’s get started!
What is Nutrition?
The formal definition per the Merriam-Webster Dictionary is:
| 1 : the act or process of nourishing or being nourished
specifically : the sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes in and utilizes food substances 2 : NOURISHMENT |
Is that all cleared up now? What it basically means is feeding your body and your body using that food to function.
SO, what does that mean for you? It means just that, you need to feed your body and the better you feed it, the better it functions. Think of it like a machine. If you want a machine to run properly and last a long time, you must give it the proper care whether that be giving it oil, gas, a regular cleaning, etc.
What Does the Body Need?
In order to care for your body so it functions and lasts a long time, it’s important to know what it needs.
One important thing to know and pay attention to is that everybody is different. That means that what worked for your friend may not work for you. It also means that there are different needs for those that may have any kind of health condition such as diabetes or an auto-immune disorder.
This is why it’s so important for you to pay attention to you. How is your body reacting to a particular food or how does that food make you feel? These cues are very important when it comes to knowing how to fuel the body.
Getting Started
To get started, let’s discuss six areas of nutrition that you should be aware of in order to help in your decision making when purchasing and eating food.
- Essential Nutrients
- Food Labels
- Calories
- Ingredient Lists
- Portion Size
- Knowing You
Essential Nutrients
There are 6 essential nutrients the body utilizes to function. They are essential, because the body is unable to make them on it’s own, so you must provide them through diet. More on this in Nutrition Basics – Part 2
Carbohydrates (CHO), Fats, Proteins, Vitamins, Minerals and Water
Food Labels
It is very important that you learn to read and understand a food label.
These are full of information that will help you decide if it is something you want to purchase or put in your body, and in what quantity.
Calories
These may be helpful depending on your goals and meal plan.
Many people get hung up on counting calories. I do believe there is a time and place for that, but calories are not where the focus needs to be for most people. You can get my perspective on calories here.
Ingredient List
This is very important when it comes to knowing what food or chemical is in the item you are purchasing.
Chances are, if you don’t know what it is that is listed in the ingredients list, you likely don’t need it. Those are often the ingredients that are put in the product to give it a longer shelf-life.
Portion Size
This is where many people are surprised and often disappointed as one portion is not at all what they thought it would or should be.
Often people are challenged in weight loss because they are eating more food than is required. Over the years, portions have become increasingly large compared to those of the past, which causes us to believe we are getting duped when we receive a “normal” portion. This is better known as portion distortion. Check out this video. (The music is a little annoying, so I recommend muting it if you agree.)
Knowing You
This one is so important and really does seem basic, but so many people have lost touch with the not so simple concept of being in touch with your body.
How do you feel, both physically and emotionally? Do certain foods make you tired or energetic? Is your brain at high capacity after eating certain foods or doing certain activities? Do you feel sluggish several days out of the week?
All of these feelings and emotions could be directly related to your eating habits and patterns or to a particular food you eat on a regular basis. Learning to listen to your body could change everything.
Well, there you have it. Some very basic information to get you started. Begin familiarizing yourself with the above listed items and keep reading posts to learn more.
If you enjoyed this article and/or have questions or suggestions for future articles, I would love to hear from you, so please leave me a comment.