The only diet you will ever need

Everyone processes and assimilates nutrients differently, which is why a one-size-fits-all diet is a diet which fits no one.

Here are several principles that hopefully educate, empower and allow for self-experimentation.

Don’t count calories, count nutrients

We have become obsessed with calories. Our basic understanding is that if we eat too many of them we become fat and if we eat fewer of them we become thin. In an attempt to combat the current obesity epidemic, scientists wrote a lengthy article which details our current understanding of energy balance and body fat.

They reiterate the old “energy in” and “energy out” approach to dieting.

The problem is that there are thousands of variables that can render this calorie-counting approach flawed. For example, your cooking methods can have a huge impact on the food you eat.

We are not calorie-counting machines. We are complex chemical factories.

For this reason, be calorie conscious but don’t count them. Cue our next principle.

Love fat and protein

High-protein diets are fashionable right now. That’s because when used correctly they work.

Nutrition bible The Complete Guide to Sports Nutrition says strength and speed athletes should consume 1.7g of protein per kg of bodyweight. This is considered optimal to help the muscles repair and regrow.