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The Basics of Nutrition

The internet is packed with nutritional advice. Some of it says, “Eat this, avoid that,” while others claim, “This food will save you, that one will kill you.” It can feel overwhelming trying to sort through it all. That’s why this post is here — to break down the essentials and help you make sense of it.

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What is a Calorie?

At its core, a calorie is just a unit of energy. That’s it. Calories measure the energy in food, which our bodies use to function.

Everyone burns a different amount of calories each day, similar to how cars have different fuel efficiency ratings. For example, a child burns fewer calories than an adult, and a larger adult burns more than a smaller one.

Why? Because your body uses energy to keep all your tissues functioning, and different tissues require different amounts. For instance, your brain alone uses about 20% of your daily calories, while muscles burn more when you’re active compared to when you’re at rest.

So, the bigger you are or the more active you are, the more energy you need. Let’s break this down with an example:

Imagine three people:

• A 5’5” woman weighing 145 lbs

• A 6’5” man (not an NFL Player) weighing 220 lbs

• A 6’5” NFL player weighing 245 lbs

Who needs more energy?

1. The NFL player burns the most because of his size and activity level.

2. The non-NFL man burns more than the woman because of his size, though he's less active than the NFL player.

3. The woman requires the least energy due to her relative size compared to the first two men. She would, of course, need more energy than a young child.

Now, if the woman and man ran a marathon, while the NFL player slept all day, they’d burn more calories than him. But generally speaking, larger people need more energy.

Energy Balance

Energy balance is simple: it’s the ratio between the calories you eat and the calories you burn.

Let’s say you burn 3,000 calories in a day but eat only 2,000. That 1,000-calorie deficit has to come from somewhere — and that’s usually your body’s fat stores. Fat (also known as adipose tissue) is like a backup generator, storing energy for when you need it.

So, when you burn more calories than you eat (a calorie deficit), you lose weight. When you eat more than you burn (a calorie surplus), you gain weight.

But here’s the kicker: Most people don’t want to just lose weight, they want to lose fat. There’s a big difference.

Weight vs. Body Composition

Society tends to focus on “losing weight,” but what you really want is to lose fat and maintain (or even build) muscle.

Muscle and fat both add to your weight, but they affect your body differently. For example, LeBron James is around 6’9” and 250 lbs—he wouldn’t be healthy if he weighed 100 lbs! So, focusing on weight alone doesn’t paint the full picture of health. A better measure is body fat percentage, or the ratio of muscle to fat.

When you aim to improve body fat percentage rather than just dropping pounds, the focus shifts to maintaining muscle, which brings us to an important point:

Muscle Maintenance is Key

When you lose weight, it’s possible (i.e. - highly likely) to lose muscle along with fat. And since muscle burns more calories than fat, your body might start shedding muscle to save energy during a calorie deficit.

Think of your calories like a budget. If you had to cut expenses, you’d probably drop the most expensive item first—like an $800 car payment over a $200 grocery bill. Your body does the same with muscle when calories get scarce.

That’s why building and maintaining muscle is critical. More muscle means more calories burned, even at rest. It's like increasing your income—you get to spend more, or in this case, eat more, without gaining fat.

Macronutrients: Protein, Carbs, and Fat

Let’s talk about macronutrients. These are where your calories come from. Protein, carbohydrates, and fat are the three macronutrients, and each plays a role in your body’s energy and muscle management.

Protein

• 1 gram of protein = 4 calories.

• Proteins are made up of amino acids, the building blocks of life.

• Complete proteins (from animal sources and some plant sources) contain all the essential amino acids your body needs. Most plant based protein sources don’t contain all essential amino acids. A good plant based protein powder will, along with soy.

How much protein should you eat? Aim for 1 gram per pound of body weight. Protein helps build muscle, keeps you full, and even boosts your metabolism.

Carbohydrates

• 1 gram of carbs = 4 calories.

• Carbs don’t make you fat — eating too many calories does.

Carbs break down into glucose, your body’s preferred energy source, especially for muscles and the brain. Carbs come in two forms: fast-digesting (like sugar, white bread) and slow-digesting (like vegetables, whole grains). Both serve a purpose, but slower-digesting carbs are generally healthier for most people.

Fats

• 1 gram of fat = 9 calories.

• Fat doesn’t automatically make you fat. However, it’s calorie-dense, so it’s easy to overeat.

Fats are essential for hormone production (like testosterone) and overall health. There are four common types of fats:

• Saturated Fat

  • Found in animal products like meat, butter, and cheese, as well as some plant oils like coconut oil and palm oil.

• Unsaturated Fat

  • Monounsaturated Fat: Found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts.

  • Polyunsaturated Fat: Found in fatty fish (salmon, mackerel), flaxseeds, walnuts, and vegetable oils like sunflower and corn oil.

• Trans Fat

  • Found in some processed and packaged foods, such as baked goods, snacks, and fried foods. Most trans fats are artificially created through hydrogenation.

NOTE: There is a TON of debate on which fats are good and bad. This is the seed oil vs anti-seed oil debate. This is outside the scope of this post, and will be covered in the future.

Conclusion

Calories are energy, and managing them is key to fat loss or muscle gain. Don’t fear carbs or fats. What matters most is the balance. And above all, prioritize protein to support muscle health and metabolism.

Start tracking your food intake with a tool like Cronometer. It’s easy to use, and it’ll help you understand your caloric needs and macros.

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