9781422269916

free and readily available: intermittent fasting and eating in moderation. But before we get into eating windows, moderation, and a healthier relationship with food, we should probably understand some basics about nutrition. Macronutrients—The Building Blocks of Food All food can be broken down into four major macronutrients : protein, fat, carbohydrates, and alcohol. The overwhelming majority of food isn’t alcohol, though, so we’ll be focusing on protein, fat, and carbs. You will find these in everything you eat, though not everything has all three. They’re the major players on the nutritional labels in stores, and they exist even if the food doesn’t have a nutritional label. Each of these macronutrients has a different function in the body, and each causes different effects in your body. Protein Proteins are the building blocks of all life, and not a single cell can exist without some manner of protein. For humans, protein provides energy—around 4 calories per gram—and helps rebuild muscle. From ligaments to biceps, blood cells to cartilage (your nose), your body uses protein nearly everywhere. If you’re an athlete, protein is especially important to help you get stronger and repair your muscles after practice, exercise, or a game. When you exercise, your muscle fibers are striped with little tears, and your body uses protein to patch them back up. If that happens with regularity, your muscles get bigger, which is what happens to bodybuilders. Protein is usually self-limiting in terms of overeating, which means it can be hard to eat too much in one sitting. Even if you love steak, the meat by itself can be difficult to overindulge in, because it makes you quite full rather quickly. If you do overeat protein, you’ll likely just feel uncomfortably full for a while.

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Eating in Moderation and Intermittent Fasting