What is the one thing all fit, cut and healthy people all have in common? They all know how their body works and are experts of their own lifestyles. That, however, does not make them experts of other people's lifestyles. The main reason is simple, all those people have had a sample population of 1, themselves only. Research and science is based on large samples, every scientist knows that a study with a small sample size gets ripped apart and criticized big time. I learned this though one of my inspirational professors at school, Dr. Jeremy Koenig. I was presenting in a journal club on the topic of a specific supplement, someone in the audience asked me about my own experience with this controversial supplement and so I gave them my account of it. After my presentation, my professor pulled me aside and said "be careful giving your own personal experiences on such topics because you are only a sample population of 1". I have never forgotten that since. This applies to every "healthy" and fit friend you have out there, chances are their sample population is 1. I placed the word healthy in quotations because its definition varies largely depending on the scenario and the person. So here is my top advice for self education in nutrition:
1) Find a good book that will strengthen your connection to nutrition
There are many books to go to, I can't recommend one because different people will enjoy different books depending on the style. Head to the nearest bookstore/library, find the health section and pick a basic book about nutrition. Stay away from all the crazy diet books (wheat belly, atkins, gluten free etc). Personally, my favorite books are "Anti Cancer: A new way of life" by Dr. David Servan-Schreiber and "An apple a day: The myths, misconceptions and truths about the foods we eat" by Joe Schwarcz. Those 2 books are a bit heavy on the sciences but that is what I enjoy.2) Google your foods just for the fun of knowing!
Eating simple and basic is the best way to lead a healthy lifestyle. That means home cooked foods or foods that don't come with a huge ingredient list. So next time you are having almonds, eggs, spinach, chicken etc look at websites such as CalorieCount and NutritionData. These sites have a comprehensive list of foods with their nutrition breakdown. It also tells you the good and the bad about the food!3) Subscribe to a health magazine!
While this could be tricky because there are tons of magazines full of false information out there. Surrounding yourself with health related material will automatically encourage you to lead a healthier lifestyle and make you think twice before eating junk. There are countless magazines, my favourite being Men's Health and Women's Health. I find the basic nutrition information there reliable and they back it up with science.4) Surround yourself with "healthier" friends
It's a fact, the more healthy friends you have the more likely you will lead a healthier lifestyle yourself and learn more about nutrition. Being on the same page with your friends will go a long way to helping you reach your nutrition goals. For once you will most likely not be spending most of your time in restaurants, instead spend it being active or take turns cooking at home etc. Just remember to be wary of those who spread false information based on their sample population of 1.5) Ask a trainer or a dietitian
Honestly, there are tons of personal trainers out there who are not competent and thus I can not point you to your typical "gym trainer" because I don't know them. Dietitians (in Canada) on the other hand undergo an extensive education program and are competent in their fields (most of them at least). Just be aware that "nutritionists" and "dietitians" are not the same. "Nutritionist" is not a protected title and thus anyone can call themselves that. "Dietitian", is a protected title and is awarded after a comprehensive 5 year program and a license exam. While some nutritionists are very knowledgeable, they are not governed by any body, this is not the case with dietitians who are governed by the Dietitians of Canada.I will save you the trouble, since I am a personal trainer and a dietitian-to-be, then you can just direct your questions to me :)
6) Make it a habit to know why
This is my personal favorite. If you make it a habit to ask the next person who gives you nutrition advice why his advice works, I guarantee that you will quickly filter out a lot of false information. For example if a friend encourages you to eat raw eggs then ask them "why will that be good for me?". If he is unsure, cannot give you a reason, or says something that doesn't make sense, then you now know not to follow such advice (for the record you should not eat raw eggs). Research it or ask a dietitian instead. Never ever take nutrition advice without knowing why its good for you! Same goes for reading information online, always try and find out why.
That is it for now,
Love it, or use fitness and nutrition to change it!
Mohamed
