Nutrition Basics

"Arrrhhh I don't know where to start with my nutrition...." - I hear this often so I decided to make this page as a how to get started.

Calories - The starting point

Start off with calculating your Basel Metabolic Rate on the calculator.

The calorie calculator is based on the Mifflin - St Jeor equation. It allows you to find your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) - the amount of energy needed for your body to support basic vital functions only. It is different for men and women!

To determine your total daily MAINTENANCE calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

Sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
Moderately active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

Remember that this is still maintenance calories, if your looking for weight loss or weight gain you need to adjust your calories accordingly. For weight loss you need to be in a calorie deficit.

What is a Calorie Deficit?
A calorie deficit is the number of calories you need to eat in a day to lose weight compared to the calories to maintain your weight. You create a calorie deficit by either eating less calories, burning more calories (through exercise) or a combination of the two.

For example, if the amount of calories to maintain your weight is 2000 calories, you need to create a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. You'd need to eat less than 2000 calories and/or burn extra calories through exercise.

When you create a calorie deficit, your body will dig into your fat stores for the extra energy it needs. When you burn up your fat stores, you lose weight.

Use below percentages as a guide to get started -

15 % less (Slow but steady)

20% less (Average loss)

25% less (Moderate)

30% less (Aggressive - not recommended for newbies)

Next is Protein - Protein is a very important macronutrient and one of the only macro's that doesn't really change from plan to plan.

Other recommendations, for example the one issued by the Food and Nutrition Council of the National Research Council, give you the maximum allowed amount of proteins in grams per kilogram of body mass. An adult should consume about 0.8 g protein per kilogram of body weight per day. This value can be higher for pregnant women, or athletes.

What's left? Fats and Carbohydrates !

Here is where you can find out what suits you best. Some people prefer a higher carb diet while others prefer higher fat, either way you go you must do only one (a high fat and high carb diet is highly NOT recommended). The best way to do this is to spend some time experimenting and finding out what works best for you.

FAT -

Although widely demonized, fat is VITAL for the proper functioning of our bodies. Since hormones are constructed from cholesterol and other fat molecules, consuming too little fat can actually suppress the normal hormone levels. This also has a negative effect on bodily functions that depend on those hormones. This includes growth, metabolism, reproduction and more. Fat is also necessary for vitamin and mineral absorption.

However not all fat is created equal. Not all fat has the same nutritional value to your body. That is why it’s important that you prioritize healthy fat sources like monosaturated fats (these include egg yolks, nuts, olive oil), medium-chain triglycerides (coconut oil), and omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, chia seeds, tofu, beans, wild rice). As long as you choose the right kind of fat, you can feel comfortable with adding it to your diet!

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates, just like proteins or fats, are macronutrients. They come in many different forms, such as sugars, starches, or fibers, and are present in most of our foods. You can come across them in bread, potatoes, and pasta, but also in fruits, milk, or cookies.

One of the possibilities to group carbohydrates is to split them into simple and complex carbohydrates.

Simple carbohydrates. Called simple carbohydrates as their chemical structure is fairly uncomplicated, they are easy to digest. They provide a lot of energy, but you will soon feel hungry again. Sugars, both naturally occurring and processed, are types of simple carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates usually contain no vitamins or minerals and are often a source of empty calories.Some sources of simple carbohydrates include white bread, cookies, and white sugar.
Complex carbohydrates are more complicated chains of sugar molecules. They are considered healthier and tend to fill you up for longer. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain a lot of complex carbohydrates.

STILL CONFUSED?

It's OK, I know what your thinking "Doug, I'm now even more confused than ever"..... Don't worry I understand, I have given you A LOT of information and your not sure where to start. I'm still here for you, take these steps.

Step 1 - Calculate your calories, remember to lose weight you need a deficit and to gain you need to add calories.

Step 2 - Calculate your protein

Step 3 - Workout the rest of your Macro percentages by higher carb or higher fat. Below is another guide on how you may breakup your macronutrients using your body type.

Ectomorph: If you’re an ectomorph, you’re naturally thin with skinny limbs and a high tolerance for carbohydrates. Usually, your metabolic rate is fast. A good starting macronutrient ratio for you would be something like 25% protein, 55% carbs and 20% fat.

Mesomorph: Mesomorphs are naturally muscular and athletic. They have a moderate carbohydrate tolerance and a moderate metabolic rate. Mesomorphs can usually start at a 30% protein, 40% carb, 30% fat macronutrient ratio.

Endomorph: If you’re naturally broad and thick, you’re probably an endomorph. Endomorphs have a low carbohydrate tolerance and a slow metabolic rate. If you’re an endomorph, try a ratio of 35% protein, 25% carbs and 40% fat.

What now?

I recommend that you download some sort of app that can track your food and allows you to adjust your calorie and mocronutrient breakdown as needed. I recommend My Fitness Pal which can be downloaded on both IOS and Android devices.