the problem

I all too often see people prioritising their diet from the top to the bottom, neglecting the foundations and paying too much attention to the intricate details.

In my opinion, the diet industry (as usual) is largely to blame. They take a minute detail of scientific research, package it up and market it to the general population as the missing key to their compositional success.

With so much misleading information out there it raises the question: What is the foundation of a successful diet?

Pyramid of Nutritional Priorities

This diagram shows how to prioritise the various elements of a diet in order of importance. We need to address each of these areas in ascending order from the bottom, before jumping straight to the top of the pyramid.

The Foundation

Calories - a unit of energy assigned to measure the energy value of food or drink.

You need to ensure that your calorie intake is in alignment with your goal. If you’re trying to lose weight / fat, you have to consume less calories than you burn. If you want to gain mass, you need to consume more calories than you burn.

Having no awareness or control over your calorie consumption is like playing darts blindfolded. You can only hope you’re on target to your goal.

Macros - MACRONUTRIENTS is the ratio of caRbohydrates, Fat & protein you consume.

Each macronutrient serves a specific purpose in the body to help us function properly. I believe we need to consume a healthy balance of all three macronutrients, not eliminating or neglecting carbs or fat.

That being said, the macronutrient we want to pay closest attention to when it comes to getting in shape is Protein. Protein is responsible for cell growth and repair and is therefore crucial in growing or maintaining muscle tissue. When trying to look ‘more toned’, ‘leaner’ or ‘in shape’ it helps to hold onto as much muscle as possible whilst keeping body fat to a minimum.

The top of the pyramid

Although supplements and meal timing can play an important role in your health, performance and composition. In my opinion, without having the basics covered they prove little better than a distraction.

As an example, John, decided to buy himself some arginine and creatine to help him reach his goal of building muscle. But, John isn’t eating enough calories to have the surplus energy required to build new muscle tissue.

Despite those supplements potentially being of use to him at some point in the future, until he builds a solid foundation and gets his calories aligned to his goal, they’re going to distract his focus and burn a hole in his wallet.

What about Micronutrients?

Micronutrients - vitamins & minerals that contribute to the health and function of a person.

Micronutrient intake falls right in the middle of our pyramid. We are all taught from a young age to eat our vegetables and get in our ‘5 a day’.

If you’re somebody who doesn’t eat a lot of fruit & vegetables, or just about anyone for that matter. I suggest taking a multivitamin to help make sure that you’re covering your bases when it comes to micronutrients.

The message

Don’t run before you can walk.

We need to cover the BASICS and PRIORITISE in order to reach our goals

Harry Morris PT