Fit Tip Friday

Nutrition and your Caloric Needs

So we have all heard the the saying you are what you eat. The thing is, its a common saying because its so so true.  I'm sure you also know that your body needs a certain amount of calories to operate, and anything we eat over that it stores for later reserves, aka fat. So common sense says, when considering healthy nutrition it is important to know your caloric needs. 

Eating to many calories we all know is not a good thing, but neither is eating to few. Your body needs those calories to have enough energy to make it through the day, let alone workouts, and repairing muscle tissue post workouts.  

So how do you figure out your caloric needs. There are many formulas out there to help you get a good starting place, but its also very important to listen to your body.  I like the Harris-Benedict Equation because it takes into consideration height, weight, gender, age, and activity level.

Here is a link for a good easy calculator.  

Keep in mind that eating the amount of calories you get from this link will maintain your current weight. To lose weight you need a caloric deficit, and to gain weight you need a caloric excess. A good starting point would be to add or subtract 500 calories based on your fitness goals. Again I reiterate, this is a starting place, it is important to listen to your body. 

Learn more about Shakeology here. 

So how do you listen to your body, you say? Well first it is important to eat a "clean" (non-processed) nutrient dense diet, so your body gets all the vitamins and nutrients it needs. Otherwise while meeting its caloric needs but still lacking in nutrients, your body will tell you its still hungry and exhibit cravings. Multi vitamins are good, but your body absorbs nutrients best from whole foods. That's why I love Shakeology! I get my daily servings of fruits and veggies in one delicious shake.

Then its simple if you are starving, exhausted, your brain feels foggy, you get dizzy standing up, etc...  You are not eating enough! Your workouts will not be as effective, you risk your body going into "starvation mode," and you are just plain miserable. Or if your goal is to gain weight, you're bringing it in your workouts , and you are consistently still not gaining, consider increasing your calories incrementally and see how that goes.  Vice versa, if your goal is to lose weight, you're killing it in workouts, and still not losing, then incrementally decrease calories. Its as easy as that, haha! I know, I know easier said then done, but you can do it! It just takes discipline, and then practice and patience listening to your body and watching for those results.