This time of year I have a lot of clients that freak out about their nutrition plan. Some get frustrated when they overindulge and feel like they ruined all their hard work. Of course this isn’t the case but it is hard to not let your emotions get the best of you when it comes to nutrition.
I was teaching a workshop this weekend in Phoenix and one of the topics we covered was nutrition. This really got me thinking and wanted send this email out to hopefully help you out. Whether you are trying to be good over the holidays or want to really have a plan to follow in the New Year, I have a few key things you should keep in mind that we discussed there.
Unfortunately when you look online for advice you will get thrown around with all of the different nutrition beliefs out there. From vegan to carnivore to Paleo and more. It is very rare for me to recommend a specific eating program, because I think if you focus on the foundations that every nutrition plan should cover, how you implement it, is really up to you and your preferences.
Whatever type of plan you follow, try and avoid having a myopic view of nutrition. What I mean by this is when people will say weight loss is simply about calories in and calories out. Or you might hear that carbs are bad or fat is bad. Statements like this are missing the whole point of nutrition which is to fuel and nourish your body with what it needs.
Instead you have to be aware of 3 keys to nutrition which are calories, macronutrients, and micronutrients. You have probably heard of all of these before, but until you can master all three you will likely be struggling to find the solid nutrition plan that works for you.
1. Calories – Yes calories matter. If you eat too much you will gain weight. This is the big picture though. Total energy consumed makes a difference in terms of the results you are looking for. Keep in mind that if you are constantly trying to loss weight by dropping calories, it can cause issues in the long run. Some times it is good to reduce calories, but then it helps to increase them temporarily. For example, This time of year when races are not as often, it is a good idea to think about reducing calories to improve body composition. Yes during the holidays this can be tough, but focusing on dropping body fat will require a reduction in calories that will help in training for next season. Or maybe you are trying to gain more muscle and you need to increase total calories. Then as race season hits, we might shoot for maintenance so you are getting enough nutrition to support your training intensity.
There is no perfect calculator to determining how many calories you should be consuming but you are start with something like https://tdeecalculator.net/ as a starting point.
2. Macronutrients – Not all calories are equal. In terms of total energy consumed they are all calories, but keep in mind you don’t simply consume calories. You consume fats, carbs, and proteins. Each of these macronutrients have very specific jobs within your body. One is not more important, they each serve a different role.
Carbs are going to be a great source of energy for the body especially during higher intensity efforts. Fats will also be important for energy, but also play a role in the nervous system, vitamin absorption, and cell membrane repair. And protein of course will be crucial for muscle development but also joint repair, enzymes, and more.
You diet should never try to avoid these macronutrients. Of course there is the keto diet, but I think this should only be used in very specific situations.
3. Micronutrients – Just like you don’t only consume calories, you don’t only consume macronutrients. Within the food we each are vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that our body needs to run smoothly. Often when we see overweight or obese individuals, based on the low quality of food that is typically consumed, we have overfed and undernourished individuals.
Despite all of the calories they consume, they are deficient in many key nutrients that are effect the body. While there are too many nutrients to list here, it is important to get a variety of whole foods that will cover your micronutrients.
It helps tracking your food with a food log like Cronometer, in order to see where you might have deficiencies. Then you can make better decisions on what types of foods to increase in your diet or where you may need supplementation.
I know this can be a lot to take in, but any nutrition plan you are following I highly recommend be aware of these 3 areas to make sure you are getting exactly what you need to support your training and your goals.
Keep Training Smarter
Mike Deibler
OCR Underground
