).png)
April 24, 2023
Today’s newsletter is going to expound on a fundamental principle of nutrition that everyone needs to understand: protein and energy.
Understanding this simple framework will allow you to evaluate any type of food or combination of foods in light of what your body needs. It will enable you to become your own nutrition expert.
Unfortunately, many people are needlessly confused about nutrition, and they end up asking questions like, “Which diet is best? Should I be vegan or carnivore? Low carb or high carb? Is ‘x’ food better than ‘y’ food?” Many people type these questions into Google or scroll social media in search of expert answers. What they don’t realize is that if they understood some basic nutrition principles, they could answer these questions for themselves and avoid the “magic 8 ball” situation altogether.
The only thing you really need to understand to become your own nutrition guru is the difference between protein and energy.
Once you understand this, you’ll see many benefits:
You’ll have the recipe for satiation at every meal.
You’ll know how to modify your diet to suit your goal (whether that be to lose weight, gain weight, or maintain).
You won’t have to track calories or macros to get to your goal weight (unless you want to).
Here's what you need to know.
First, prioritize protein at each meal.
Protein is the most fundamental thing you need from your diet. Protein is the building material that your body uses to construct and repair every cell and structure.
When most people think of protein, they think of bodybuilders interested in building the most muscle possible. This is an unfortunate misconception. Protein is not just for bodybuilders - it’s for every human being with a pulse, no matter their age, gender, or situation in life.
The number one thing you need to do at each meal is to determine where you're getting your protein. For reasons that we can't get into in this newsletter, animal protein is your best bet for getting easily digestible, high-quality protein.
This means that you're going to build each meal around a solid portion of animal protein: meat, fish, eggs, or high-protein dairy products like Greek yogurt.
Next, decide where your energy calories will come from.
Fat and carbs have often been pitted against one another as if they are mortal enemies. The reality, however, is that fat and carbs are more like twins. Both are basically carbon chains, with different chemical structures that determine how they are burned in your body. But when it comes down to it, both are fuel sources. It’s very inefficient for your body to use protein for energy, but fat and carbs can be easily used as fuel.
And here’s the kicker: if you eat more energy than you can use, your body will store it.
It can store a limited amount in the liver and muscles, but guess where it has the most storage space available?
Your fat cells.
So getting enough protein from your diet is non-negotiable, but with energy, you have a choice - fat, carbs, or a combination?
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to make this choice easier:
Do I prefer eating carb-rich or fat-rich foods?
Would I rather have a few slices of bacon or a baked potato?
Which makes me feel best after eating?
How are your energy and mental clarity levels right after eating, as well as a couple of hours after?
Which foods allow me to feel like I can go for several hours between meals comfortably?
Which do I digest better?
Do you notice any signs of indigestion (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, intestinal pain, etc.) after eating a particular food? If so, that’s a sign that food isn’t serving you very well right now.
How much extra body fat am I carrying around?
The more body fat you have, the less energy you need from your diet.
TL;DR
Every food exists on a spectrum of protein and energy content. Start asking about every food you eat: “Is this supplying mainly protein or energy?” Understand that your body has a foundational need for protein (building material), and this will always be the priority of your diet. Understand also that your body has energy needs (from fat or carbs), but the more body fat you’re carrying around, the less you need from your diet.
If you start to understand the difference between protein and energy, you’ll be well on your way to becoming your own diet guru.
P.S. If you're interested in learning more about the protein and energy framework, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The P:E Diet.
If you enjoyed this newsletter, click the button below. You'll be taken to the email subscriber page to get each edition of HWB in your inbox every Friday.
Comments