It is simple and easy – if you know it!

Many people have a problem reaching goals they have in their diet and exercise program simply because they are not knowledgeable about the simple truth about basic nutrition. If you are trying to lose weight you should know that reaching your weight goal is simply a matter of burning more calories than you take in.

You should also be concerned with improvement in your overall health at the same time, which is why having good nutritional skills are so important. Poor nutrition can lead to higher risks for of a variety of health problems including heart disease and cancer. You need to eat a balance of healthy foods and watch your caloric intake at the same time. A proper diet reduces cholesterol, blood pressure, and aids in weight lose.

For optimal body function you must eat the right combination of nutrients. One of the most important of these, contrary to some popular diets, is carbohydrate. They are used to create glucose, which can be used right away or stored to use later. An over abundance of carbohydrates will cause your body to store the extra glucose as fat. Carbohydrates are broken into two categories, simple and complex. Sugars fall into the simple category, while starches and fibres are complex carbohydrates. White bread and pasta reacts like sugar (simple carbohydrate) and can easily end up in fat storage. Whole grain products are complex

carbohydrates. They might have more calories at the label of the package, but not in your body! To digest complex carbs your body needs more energy and it takes much longer to distract the energy out of it, so you are longer satisfied and not hungry.

Protein is another crucial nutrient for your body; they help your body build and repair muscle and other tissues. They also function in the creation of hormones. Do not fall into the trap of eating excessive amounts of protein, as protein reacts acidic in your body. The two main protein sources are animal and vegetable. You need to avoid a high consumption of animal protein because too much of it can cause high cholesterol due to the high levels of saturated fat.

To burn fat your body must also have a certain level of fat intake. Particularly polyunsaturated and rich on Omega 3 and 6.

Omega-3 and omega-6 are types of essential fatty acids – meaning we cannot make them on our own and have to obtain them from our diet. Both are polyunsaturated fatty acids. In modern diets, there are few sources of omega-3 fatty acids, mainly the fat of cold-water fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, mackerel, black cod, and bluefish. There are two critical omega-3 fatty acids that the body needs. Vegetarian sources, such as walnuts and flaxseeds contain a precursor omega-3. They are essential to build hormones that control immune function, blood clotting, and cell growth as well as components of cell membranes.

Vitamins of course are also on the list of required nutrients. All vitamins perform different jobs within the body and work with your body’s metabolism to increase energy levels. Many studies have proven that certain vitamins can also prevent disease such as vitamins A, C, and E, also called antioxidants, which assist with the prevention of coronary artery disease by helping to prevent plaque build up on artery walls.

Your body also needs minerals and trace elements, which are used in many different body processes. Chlorine is essential for digestion; calcium and phosphorus are essential for strong bones and healthy teeth. Your body also needs salt; the best one is Himalayan salt followed by sea salt.
Make sure that you eat food as close to their natural state as possible and avoid excessive amounts of animal protein. Eat at least two cups of fruits and three cups of vegetables daily and drink a gallon of water spread out over your day.