Good Nutrition Defined
Good nutrition is a phrases that means different things to different people. Some people might consider good nutrition to be eating less sugary foods while another’s definition of good nutrition eating more fruits and vegetables. While other will define good nutrition as eating less meat, eating less carbohydrate, or having what they consider to be a sensible and balanced diet. What is missing from the definition of good nutrition from all of these is that they are incomplete, and if you follow some wacky fad diet it can be flat out wrong. Also what is missing is the limiting factors of good nutrition. I will discuss the four important criteria for good nutrition which all good nutrition plans must meet. We will see that good nutrition is a combination of controlling energy balances, choosing the right foods, be goal oriented, and finally; good nutrition is based on honesty with yourself. We can also see from above, that there seems to be “confusion” in the definition of what good nutrition constitutes. After reading this article you will understand how to parse out all of the mythology about good nutrition and have an understanding of how to judge a good nutrition plan.
Four Criteria for Good Nutrition
Good Nutrition and Energy Balance
Your Goal: Calories In = Calories Out
Simply stated, when we talk about energy balance and good nutrition we are talking about energy in versus energy out. Energy in is the food and drink represented by calories. Energy out is represented by the calories being used to meet our daily energy requirements. This relationship is know as the laws of thermodynamics. Thermodynamics is the study of energy and the specific principles that govern energy exchange. For our topic, thermodynamics will focus on heat exchange and the performance of work which dictates whether weight is lost, gained, or remains the same.
Good nutrition and energy balance is not just perceived when there is weight gain or weight loss; it takes place at the molecular level in your cells. When your energy balance is off you will either be in a positive energy balance (more energy in than energy out0 of a negative energy balance (less energy in than energy out). When you are not practicing good nutrition and get into one of these imbalances, it will directly impact your entire body system including your metabolism, hormones, and mood. I’m sure we all have felt sluggish if we have not eaten in a long time. A severe negative energy balance can lead to metabolic decline, reductions in thyroid hormone production, lower testosterone levels, with an increased inability to concentrate and decline in physical performance.
I can read your mind. You are thinking that if I want to lose weight I must have a negative energy balance. Yes, that is true; however you must have good nutrition along with the negative energy balance. If you don’t have good nutrition and start to starve yourself, your body will go into emergency shutdown mode. It will slowly start to shutdown all the non-survival functions such as reproduction, metabolic functions, brain functions, and a host of other bad things.
Not following good nutrition and having a positive energy balance has it negative consequences too. Over eating (most likely along with lack of exercise) will lead to weight gain and a myriad of other heath related issues. Some of these include hardening of the arteries, increased blood pressure, high cholesterol, a tendency to become diabetic, and the list goes on.
The main takeaway about good nutrition and energy balance is that a proper good nutrition program will help maintain and control your body’s energy balance.
Good Nutrition and Nutrient Density
Nutrient Density Rich Foods
Good nutrition also relies on choosing foods that have a high level of nutrient density. Nutrient density is the ratio of nutrients (such as vitamins and minerals) relative to the total calorie content of the food per 100 grams. For good nutrition you should choose foods with a high nutrient density because they contain a large amount of the key nutrients that your body needs. A quick guide to selecting foods with a high nutrient density is that they are the bright or deep colored fruits and vegetables, they are the unprocessed whole grains, and the lean meats.
Good nutrition not only looks at the nutrient density of foods, but also looks at the calorie density. Calorie density is the ratio of calories to the actual physical weight of the food. Foods are considered to be low in calorie density if they contain very few calories per 100 grams of food.
To optimize good nutrition and move toward a fitness lifestyle, you will want to select foods that are high in nutrient density and low in calorie density. Good nutrient choices like this will help promote an easily controlled calorie intake, help keep you satiated for longer longer periods after eating, make it difficult to overeat, and increase your overall nutrient intake.
Good Nutrition and Your Personal Goals
Good nutrition should not just be about weight gain and loss. It should be about striving to live a fitness lifestyle where there is a long-term goal of healthy dietary habits based on the combination of three majors life long goals. These goals focus on: improving your body composition, improving your overall health, and improving your physical performance.
Goals: Improved Body Composition, Improved Health, and Improved Performance
I think that there is a large majority of people that would love to be able to lose fat, gain muscle, have six-pack abs, and look great naked in front of a mirror. These are all powerful motivators to be lured into the latest fad diet, possible risky surgeries, or even worse; going down the road of taking performance enhancing drugs. Sure, these are all quick fixes to improving one’s looks, but these temporary fixes will be sacrificed in the long run with a fast and steady decline in one’s health and overall well being.
What is missing from this equation is the focus on improving ones’ overall health and overall performance. Good nutrition and a fitness lifestyle must focus on all three: composition, health, and performance. There are many fad diets and crazy pills to take that make erroneous promises. The main point is that if you concentrate solely on one of the three goals and exclude any of the others, it can lead to long-term health problems in the future. Good nutrition must include a plan that improves the way you look, improves the way you feel, and improves your physical performance.
Good Nutrition is Based on Honesty
Honesty and Good Nutrition
Good nutrition is based on an honest assessment of your food choices. While many of us think that we have good nutrition I bet that you have heard a few phrases similar to these: “I eat like a bird and still can’t seem to lose weight”, “I exercise 5 times a week and still can’t seem to manage my weight”, “My diet is perfect, but I am always tired”, or “I have good nutrition but can’t seem to be able to control my high blood pressure”.
Here is a way to think about these types of statements. Is it really possible to have good nutrition and be eating a great diet and still not be able to lose weight, have low energy, or not get control of their high blood pressure? Yeah, sure it is possible; but not likely. These people who think they have good nutrition in their diets usually don’t have the physic or health profile to show for it. Here is where the honesty and good nutrition come head-to-head. They may actually have a good nutrition plan, but are not executing it, or their good nutrition plan just isn’t sound.
If you are on some sort of plan and are not seeing results in an improved body composition, improved overall health, and improved physical performance; you need to be honest with yourself. Bottom line is that good nutrition requires results. It is that plane and simple. Good Nutrition = Results.
