Eat Better - Stay Fit

I like to keep things simple. Life throws all kinds of crazy stuff our way, so I really don’t see the point in adding to all that complication. When making choices, I usually stand back, take a deep breath and choose the path that makes the most sense. That includes simple, fun exercise and simple, healthy foods. Give me a gym and some weights, followed by a bowl of fresh veggies and a little organic, free-range chicken and I’m a happy camper for the day. In fact, I like simplicity so much that I’m going to make it my next Law of Nutrition.
Every day, a new diet plan comes out pushing a needlessly complex series of caloric equations leading up to the “perfect” percentage of carbs, protein and fats guaranteed to give you results that you’ve previously only dreamed of. To some degree, wading through all that math might be useful if you’re new to eating right. It can help you figure out what calories are and roughly how many you need. It can also help you learn what carbs, protein and fat are, exactly, and how they affect your body personally. But following it to the number probably won’t be the life-changer you’re hoping for, so don’t get lost in the arithmetic! Remember, dietary calculations are nothing more than a starter guide. You can’t rely on math to figure out your unique metabolic needs for one simple reason: you are not a computer. Everyone’s needs are different.
The other day, a woman asked me, "Tony, I'm 5'7", 137 pounds. What would be the fat/protein/carb ratio for me to lose 15.5 pounds in the next eight weeks?"
I responded with the only honest answer I could give. “I have no idea,” I said. “I have no idea and I don't care about those things.”
My arms, my abs, my legs, they don’t care about these things. This body that I’ve put so much work into, it doesn’t care about those things. It’s doesn’t care about exact calorie counts. It doesn’t care about carb/fat/protein ratios. What it does care about is looking and feeling its best -- and that just comes from healthy food and exercising every day. No maths to it. No calculations. No flow charts. I know it's not scientific, I know it's not the instant gratification that people want, but that's the reality of the situation. I don't make it complicated. Some people love complicated, but I simply don’t buy into it.

At this point, I bet you’re asking, “How do I do that, Tony? How do I know what to eat?”

Again, the answer is simple. Listen to your body.

Of course, if you’ve spent a lifetime eating junk food, that might be tough. Right now, your body is probably telling you that it needs sticky soda, crisps and ice cream. If that’s the case, this is one of those times when, as I mentioned above, a nutrition plan might be helpful. But don’t stress out about numbers. Use the calories that the calculator gives you as a loose estimate. If you’re supposed to eat a certain amount of carbs, protein and fat, roughly hit those numbers. Instead, put more energy into focusing on the quality of those carbs, proteins and fats. Any nutrition guide worth its salt (so to speak) will provide you with a list of healthy foods. Use that list when you feel lost and you’re tempted by junk food. Eventually, you’ll lose the cravings for high fructose corn syrup and trans fat. When that happens, walk away from the guidebook, take off the training wheels and start eating the Tony Horton way -- simply according to your body’s needs.

If your diet is filled with salads, and raw nuts and healthy proteins, your body will tell you if you need more of one or less of another macronutrient. If you’re slouching through your workouts, you probably need more carbs or fat. If your muscles aren’t recovering the way they should, you might need a little more protein. This kind of adaptability is a prime factor in my flexitarian way of eating.

Science is fantastic. I love all the things it’s taught us about food. But there can be too much of a good thing. Don’t get lost in the science of nutrition. Instead, listen to your own body. That’s the simplest -- and most effective -- way to get the job done.