Introduction to Nutrition: What is it?

Elevating Human Performance Through Proper Nutrition and Resistance Training

This introductory blog is dive into the subject of basic nutrition.The textbook definition has it written as, “The sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes and uses food substances for growth and tissue repair.”1 Since we know that nutrition is a form of energy absorption and usage, we can find out exactly what in our body can be  negatively or positively affected by nutrition.

Nutrition can be broken down into two main categories: macronutrients and micronutrients. In this blog I will be discussing macronutrients and their role in the human body. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are classified as macronutrients, these nutrients are essential for a human being to live and function without problem. Now each of these macronutrients has a caloric value. For every gram there is a certain number of calories associated with that gram of macronutrient. The conversion for each macronutrient is as follows: Protein: 4 calories per gram, Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram, Fats: 9 calories per gram.2 As you can see from these statistics, there is a reason when the word “fat” is mentioned, most people tend to have a negative perception of it as an energy source.

Now while it should never be the main staple of any diet, fats play an extremely important role as far as proper nutrition is concerned. Considering that fat has 9 calories per gram, it’s considered “the most energy-rich macronutrient”2 that we as humans have access to. Carbohydrates are considered the most efficient fuel source humans have access to because of how easily the body digest and absorbs the nutrients within them. Carbs should encompass roughly 50-60% of an individual’s diet based on their activity levels. Lastly there is protein, which is the most important of the three because of its ability to allow the muscles, to repair themselves at an incredibly fast pace. The general rule of thumb that many people who are physically active adhere to is that for every kilogram of bodyweight, that individual should intake that many grams of protein.

Now while this is just the very tip of the iceberg when dealing with nutrition and how it affects the human body, hopefully this information provided sufficient evidence to help promote you as an individual to live a healthier lifestyle by eating not only to satisfy, but to perform at optimal levels as well.

1 Clark, M., Lucett, S., & Corn, R. J. (2008). NASM essentials of personal fitness training. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

2 Paula, E. (2014). Macronutrient Ratios in a Diet. Retrieved September 15, 2016, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/388545-macronutrient-ratios-in-a-diet/