Why Nutrition is a Big Deal

I know most of you have heard this before, probably many times. But it’s importance cannot be overstated. Nutrition is a big deal! It plays an integral role in your health as well as your fitness goals. Regardless of what those goals are. Whether it’s to lose weight and burn fat. Or gain weight and build muscle. It all comes back to nutrition. 

Don’t get me wrong, exercise is very important in helping you get those desired results. But it's often what happens in the kitchen that determines whether or not you really go the extra mile. It all comes back to that old saying, you can’t out-train a poor diet. So let's take a quick crash course again. 

If your goal is to lose weight, you must be in a calorie deficit. Which means, you must burn more calories than you consume on a day to day, week to week basis. By doing this your body will turn to your fat stores for those needed calories to maintain its energy balance. But here’s where it gets interesting. While you will start to burn fat and lose weight in a calorie deficit over time. If you are not careful, you can actually work against yourself. By staying in that calorie deficit for an extended period, your body will actually start to lower your metabolism. Making it harder to burn those calories. Which is why you want to make sure you don’t stay in a calorie deficit too long. 

On the other side of the spectrum if your goal is to gain weight and put on muscle, you want to be in a caloric surplus. Meaning you actually consume more calories than your body burns. You also want to make sure you are getting enough protein to help build muscle during the weight gain process. Close to 1 gram of protein for 1 lb of lean body mass. Over time you will start to see yourself gain some muscle provided you are following a strength training program. So whether you are trying to lose or gain weight in terms of fat or muscle remember, it all starts with nutrition. 

Coach Dylan