What Should I Be Eating For Optimal Body Composition

Exercise

Posted on February 05, 2014 by Jenny Cromack

Food has become so much more than a source of fuel to us, it has become an obsession. It causes serious problems, all you have to do is look at the rising level of obesity in this country to see how bad our relationship with food is becoming. There is so much misunderstanding that no-one seems to know what they should be eating for optimal body composition.

The desire for cheap easy quick meals has downgraded our food quality so dramatically that the majority of the population are deficient in key micro nutrients. Most of the companies trying to “help” you improve your nutrition are just as bad as the stuff you normally eat, in fact the world of nutrition, diet and health has become so warped its hard to know what to do anymore regarding food.

Below are some of the most common misconceptions and tips to help you reach your body composition goals so  you no longer have to ask what you should be eating for optimal body composition.

Common Diet Misconceptions

  1. Soy is a healthy source of protein– Okay the evidence is mounting on this food source, still people consume this terrible food. The need to avoid soy, participially modified soy is slowly catching on, it negatively effects hormone levels raises your risk of cancer and has been shown to elevate oestrogen which is terrible if your trying to reduce body fat. Instead of this terrible food consume grass fed meats, despite all the scare mungers telling you red meat is evil, they are generally misguided or ill informed, research carried out on red meat generally includes the rubbish that is pumped full of steroids, antibiotics, growth hormones and filled up with Omega-6 from a grain-fed diet. Grass fed meat is a different story and needs to be viewed as such! Eat high quality grass fed meats rich in omega-3 fats and high in conjugated linoleic acid.

  2. Margarine has less fat so it must be healthier– Fat free does not mean healthy, in fact if you see something that says fat free it probably is just a marketing ploy, you should steer clear. The people that promote low fat dieting are clearly out of there trees, eliminating fat from the diet has disastrous effects on everything to do with the human body, from the cells that make us to the hormones that keep us going. Low fat diets are associated with nutrient defficences, insulin resistance and FAT GAIN!! Butter is not unhealthy just make sure you’re getting it from grass fed organic sources.

  3. You Need Amazing Exotic Super Fruits in your diet– Yes there are some amazing fruits in this world packed with tonnes of antioxidants however the difference between these and LOCAL SEASONAL fruits is relatively small. See what your local grocers has in and use local foods, this dosen’t only apply to fruits but all food groups from vegetables to meat produce.

  4. You need to count your calories– I’m not saying you should go crazy and disregard portions completely however research is starting to highlight how ineffective “dieting” actually is, long term changes in body composition can only be achieved through lifestyle changes. That means no shakes, fruit diets, liquid broccoli smoothies, mars bar diets, unleaded petrol and toast, protein bars etc. Research has shown that eating a high protein, low glycemic index diet including healthy-fats is the most effective for long term body fat loss. Not only this but markers of health such as insulin resistance, inflammation and glycemic control are all superior during this style of eating.

In conclusion don’t believe everything you see and hear, the majority of nutrition lessons learnt from some of the leading diet brands are utter rubbish. Remember losing weight and body fat are two very different things – you can be skinny and have a high body fat percentage with the cholesterol level of the cookie monster. If you want a lean athletic physique with the health to match it you must make long term lifestyle changes. Chris If you want to know more about nutrition check out the articles below Related Articles: