Learning to Love Nutrients

Nutrients are the sustenance of all nourishment. They are essential for optimal health, growth and vitality. However, nutrients are not something your body can produce on its own. To thrive, you need to provide your body with certain levels of quality nutrients daily. The best way to do this is through your diet.

Many people think of the word “diet” as a way to lose weight. However, this is not the exclusive use of the term– your diet is actually how your body remains nourished. When you transition to a healthier diet, you are providing your body with the nutrients you need to grow, to stay healthy and have positive levels of energy.

What are the Nutrients?

There are six types of nutrients. The exact function and benefit of each nutrient varies slightly. While some are essential for energy and vitality, others are necessary for the body’s basic functioning.

The six types of nutrients are:

Water
Carbohydrate
Fat
Protein
Mineral
Vitamins

When nutrients are missing from your diet, you may develop a nutritional deficiency. When this happens, your body lacks enough of a particular nutrient to thrive, and so systematically starts to shut down so to preserve what is left of that nutrient. Dehydration is a form of nutritional deficiency, as is scurvy, which results from a lack of vitamin C.

Some of these nutrients, particularly fats and carbohydrates, have a poor reputation across the weight loss* community. The bottom line is that while these nutrients are healthy and necessary in moderation, eating too many of them, or indulging in the wrong form of the nutrient can lead to weight gain.

Keep these tips in mind as you focus on nutrition:

Eat whole grains and avoid simple carbohydrates, which include refined sugar and white breads
Eliminate or reduce consumption of saturated and trans fats, which are found in fried and processed foods
Focus on eating healthy fats, which are mono and poly-unsaturated fats. These are found in avocado, fish and nuts.

During your medical weight loss* program, you will be provided with guidance from your weight loss* doctor so you can develop a nutritionally balanced diet that will encourage weight loss*.