When you make the decision to kick-start a healthy eating plan, the very first thing that you need to do is learn the fundamental concepts that will lead to good nutrition. Many people don’t take the time to learn the basics of what they need to be knowing and this is only going to lead to them failing to see the results they’re after.
Right now, we’re going to walk you through some of this basic information that will help you formulate a plan for optimal success.
Determining Your Optimal Calorie Intake
The very first step in creating any sound nutrition plan regardless of your goals is determining your ideal calorie intake. Your body weight is going to be determined by how many calories you take in over the course of the day, so getting this right is vital for any sort of body composition changes.
Tracking your calories on a daily basis will allow you to guarantee that you see the fat loss results you’re after, so it’s a must for success.
We’ll go into a few more details on this shortly, but a simple and easy-to-follow formula is to keep in mind that most people will maintain their body weight on roughly 14-15 calories per pound, lose weight on 10-13 calories per pound, and build muscle on 16-20 calories per pound.
The more active you are on a day to day basis the higher on that continuum you should be. Remember to constantly be adjusting your calorie intake based on the results you’re getting so you can see continued progress over time.
Making Smart Food Choices
Next, it’s also important that you always strive to keep health in the picture. Many people who are setting up diet plans get too wrapped up in their calorie intake and it becomes all they think about.
Their food choices don’t seem to matter – only how many calories they take in.
Now, while calories do dictate whether you gain or lose weight, they do not dictate your health status and how you feel while you’re on your nutrition plan.
Your food choices are going to be what matters there. So what you want to do instead is to start focusing on eating foods that are as pure and natural as possible. The less manufacturing that has gone into any food that you’re eating, the better off you’ll be.
Striving For Balance
Finally, make sure to strive for balance. In a world where there are a million and one diets out there – many of which do tend to take things to the extreme, it can be challenging to know which route to go.
Always strive to maintain some degree of balance, taking in foods from a wide variety of food groups. As soon as a particular diet has you cutting out entire food groups, alarms should instantly go off in your mind.
So there you have three guiding principles to use as you begin to structure a diet plan for yourself. Now let’s take a slightly closer look at your calorie intake so that you can fully understand this concept.
Jason is a lifetime fitness and nutrition enthusiast, Founder of WeChangeLivesDaily.com and an AdvoCare Diamond Distributor. With a goal of helping the masses reach their health and wellness goals, Jason and his Team have set out to provide a place and means for convenient, proven, real-world fitness and nutrition coaching and solutions!
