Nutrition is an incredibly misunderstood science. This is due to the fact that the majority of articles written on the subject are based on little or no science. Much of what you hear and read begin with a grain of truth and wander off into the realm of fiction. The purpose of this article is to provide some nutrition basics.

Calories are the units of measure for the energy that can be derived from food. The calories in all foods are made up of various ratios of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. Protein also has 4 calories per gram. Fat has 9 calories per gram. Alcohol acts nutritionally as a carbohydrate, and has 7 calories per gram. From this information, it is easy to see cutting down on fat and eliminating alcohol can considerably lower your calorie intake.

One pound of fat contains 3,600 calories. Decreasing your calorie intake by 360 calories per day should result in a weight loss of 1 pound of fat every 10 days. This is the equivalent of two 16 ounce soft drinks per day, replaced with water. This can work, but there are other factors that can complicate the weight loss process.

When deciding what to eliminate from your diet, you may also need to add something you are not taking in enough of. Carbohydrates can be simple or complex carbs. Simple carbs are sugars that have the ability to rapidly raise your blood sugar levels. Table sugar or sucrose, fructose, and honey are some common sugars. Most soft drinks contain high fructose corn syrup, which is primarily fructose. Cane sugar is sucrose. All syrups are are some combination of simple sugars. Simple sugars are empty calories, which means they have little or no vitamins or minerals or any other nutritional value. Upon eating simple sugars you will feel a rush of energy within 10 minutes or less. As your blood sugar rises it will eventually rise to a high level, signaling your pancreas to release insulin to reduce your blood sugar levels. The insulin will rapidly lower your blood sugar resulting in a wiped out feeling with little or no energy. To add insult to injury, the sugar that is removed by the insulin is converted to fat to be stored. This is why the majority of carbs you eat should be in the form of complex carbohydrates.

Complex carbohydrates are chains of simple sugars. Think of simple sugars as small links of chain that are small enough to enter the bloodstream and be used. Complex carbohydrates are long chains of simple sugars, that must be broken down into simple carbs to be used. Enzymes act as a chemical chain cutter to slowly cut the chains and allow the use of the simple sugars. Although the ultimate result is simple sugars, this process allows complex carbs to be slow released and provide energy over a long period of time. Insulin is much less likely to be released, as the blood sugar level is more controlled. Some examples of complex carbs are, breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, cereals, and vegetables. Complex carbs provide a constant source of energy over a long period of time, essential for any activity involving endurance.

Proteins are the building blocks of the body. Ideally one gram of protein per kilogram (every 2.2 lbs) of body weight should be consumed in a healthy diet while on an exercise program. This will help maintain healthy tissue and build muscle. Most people who lose weight, also lose muscle mass, thus decreasing their basal metabolic rate. This means they have slowed their metabolism, or the number of calories they require each day of their lives. Building muscle, even a small amount, raises your basal metabolic rate, increasing the number of calories you expend each day and aiding in fat loss. This is the most misunderstood factor in attaining fitness goals. Proteins come from meats, milk, eggs, fish, and some plants. Animal proteins are the best utilized, because they contain the same proportion of amino acids as the tissues in your body. Your body cannot utilize proteins unless all of the essential amino acids, so when using plant proteins you must understand how to mix them properly to achieve this.

Fats are essential to nutrition, but we need only a small amount to be healthy. All oils, shortening, or grease are fats. Saturated fats, and trans fats are to be avoided as much as possible. Poly unsaturated fats, and vegetable oils, such as olive oil and safflower oil are more heart healthy. You cannot completely eliminate fat, nor do you need to. All of your nerves, including your brain and spinal cord are coated with a sheath of fat to aid in nerve transmission. In fact, the loss of this sheath results in multiple schlerosis. I am not saying a low fat diet causes this but, I mention this to remind you that fat does serve a purpose. The omega 3 fatty acids in cold water fish like salmon and tuna have actually been shown to be beneficial in heart and brain function.

This is just the first article in a series about nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. I hope this aids you in attaining and surpassing your fitness goals.