One of the first questions I am asked by people in search of a lean, athletic physique is: “what food should I eat more and what food should I stay away from?”

Sure, there are certain foods that are much more beneficial than others, but there are many other factors that must be taken into consideration. This is why I can never give a short answer to that question, and certainly not if I expect the person asking to make real progress. For that to happen it’s important to provide insight into what food is.

For the purpose of the body, food is the raw material that provides energy for every cell in our body. Three things happen when we eat food:

1) It can be burned as immediate energy

2) What is not immediately used as energy can be stored in the form of fat cells.

3) Excess sugars can be stored short term as glycogen in the muscles and liver.

There are three main subgroups of calories, known as macronutrients:

1) Carbohydrate

2) Protein

3) Fat

All three macronutrients supply energy. Whereas carbohydrate and fat provide energy, protein also provides the structural components necessary for growth and repair of muscle tissue, which is why it’s the most important of the macronutrients when it comes to fat loss and muscle growth.

Choose carefully, nutrition is half the battle!