If you asked a thousand different people what “good nutrition” or “healthy eating” means, you would likely receive a thousand different answers.
About good nutrition
Some believe that eating good nutrition means eating less carbs. Others think of it as eating less sugary desserts. Others believe it is eating all-protein-no-carb-all-organic juices. All of these are simple to remember, yet each one is INCOMPLETE when it comes to nutrition.
All of the great nutrition experts (including Kinetic Strength Co.) have a different view. We ask one simple question, a question that anyone pursuing a “diet” should be asking themselves right now: “What objectives do I want to accomplish with my nutrition plan?”
In fact, I will venture to say that this is a dynamic thought; one that should be revisited every few months or so to make sure you are remaining true to your goals.
Here are three things that ALL good nutrition programs should accomplish:
1. Improve Body Composition
You want to gain muscle mass, lose body fat, and have sexy legs and a six pack (or as they say: look great naked). But there are numerous drugs, surgeries and crash diets that can do this for a price, typically your health, wellness, or performance.
2. Improve Health
Maybe you have a specific health related issue you wish to solve. From reducing blood lipids to increasing insulin sensitivity, from decreasing diabetes risk to improving good cholesterol, a sound nutrition program should enhance the health profile of anyone.
There are many health – directed programs out their for the “health nut”, including very-low calorie diets, meat elimination diets, and/or heavy supplementation with vitamins and minerals. Unfortunately, many of these practices will reduce your overall metabolic rate (not good) and lean mass (super not good), while others create severe nutrition deficiency that prevents the body from operating at its optimal levels (super-duper not good).
3. Improve Performance
Whether the average gym goer or professional athlete, proper nutrition will enhance performance. People choose many ways to improve performance, including performance-enhancing drugs, crash dieting/diuretics to make weight, carb loading the night before a big race, etc. None of these ideas are good for long-term achievement and typically compromise your health and body composition
Keep these concepts in mind as you develop your nutrition program. Challenge the theories of the diet and test them against these ideas. If it fails, modify the diet to ensure all components or scrap it and find another one. If all else fails, contact a professional (such as us here at Kinetic Strength Co.) and we can help you sort it out.
