Intuitive eating has become a popular approach to food, but what exactly is it? Here are the ​principles of intuitive eating​ and how using them can change your relationship with food.

What is intuitive eating?

Intuitive eating (IE) is a non-diet weight-inclusive approach that promotes eating based on internal cues, satisfaction, and the health of the mind and body (1). This adaptive style of eating is an alternative to dietary restriction that focuses on the promotion of health independent of weight or dieting.

The term “intuitive eating” was coined by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, and was developed in response to concerns about the mental and physical side effects of traditional diets, which primarily focus on body weight.

Individuals who eat intuitively routinely respect their internal hunger and satiety cues. Intuitive eaters are not preoccupied with food or eat to soothe their emotions, rather, they eat what they enjoy, without disregard for health, and stop when they are comfortably full.

The Intuitive Eating Principles

Intuitive eating is based on 10 primary principles which were outlined by the research of Tribole and Resch and include:

1. Reject the diet mentality.

The first stage of intuitive eating is to reject diet culture. Between social media, movies, magazines, and chit-chat among friends, diet culture is everywhere. We are constantly being bombarded with weight loss programs, quick fixes, and health products we are told we can’t live without. Not only is it important that we become aware of this messaging, but that we dismiss and/or challenge the associated thought processes.

2. Honor your hunger.

Hunger is the body’s physical way of telling you it needs energy and nourishment and, to eat intuitively, we must listen and respect our biological hunger signals. Unfortunately, ignoring our body’s natural hunger cues can lead to increased food cravings and may even trigger binge eating. The hunger-fullness scale is an intuitive eating tool that can help you get more in tune with your natural cues and help to distinguish between physical and emotional hunger.

3. Make peace with food.

Giving yourself unconditional permission to eat is another key principle of intuitive eating. Diet culture has led us to believe that there are “good” and “bad” foods and that by choosing to eat certain foods you are being morally “good” or “bad”, which can lead to unnecessary fear and guilt around food choices. When you adopt an “all foods fit” mentality, you create the space to ask yourself questions like Do I really want this now? and Will I feel good when I’m finished eating it? as opposed to just eating it because it was “forbidden”.

4. Challenge the food police.

Traditional diets are filled with rules; “Don’t eat after 8 pm”, “Bread makes you fat”, and “Meals should be less than 500 calories”. Not only are most of the rules unfounded and non-factual; you can eat after 8 pm, bread doesn’t make you fat, and meals can be as high or low in calories as needed, but these rules are part of the policing of food that makes eating intuitively nearly impossible. Dismissing the food police, which can be the voice inside your head or real people judging your food choices, can help to create a more neutral approach to food.

5. Feel your fullness.

In addition to honoring your body’s natural hunger cues, it’s important to honor your body’s natural fullness cues. To feel your fullness, you must listen to and respect your biological fullness signals to eat to a place of comfortable fullness and comfortable satiety. Just like hunger, the hunger-fullness scale can help distinguish between physical and emotional fullness to ensure you practice intuitive eating.

6. Discover the satisfaction factor.

While food is fuel, it’s also pleasure and an important part of culture, tradition, and celebration. Finding satisfaction in our food goes far beyond our taste buds as it acknowledges how food makes us feel physically, spiritually, and emotionally, and the many roles food plays in our life. The satisfaction factor helps you find pleasure in food instead of solely focusing on what you are “supposed” to eat.

7. Cope with your emotions without using food.

Emotional eating is a way of eating used to suppress or soothe negative emotions. Be it stress, anger, fear, boredom, sadness, or loneliness, many people reach for food to cope with their feelings. Learning to comfort yourself and resolve issues without using food is one of the biggest principles of intuitive eating. While we can recognize that emotional eating does sometimes serve a purpose, it’s important to get to the root of these issues, through personal work or with a therapist, to find ways to nurture yourself without always turning to food.

8. Respect your body.

Respecting your body is about acceptance of your biology. We are all uniquely different shapes, sizes, and colors, and to respect your body is to accept your body and treat it with respect and kindness. Intuitive eating is about acknowledging your “genetic blueprint” and respecting the incredible functions and actions our body can accomplish to foster a more positive body image.

9. Exercise.

Learning to move your body in a joyful and energizing way can help you shift your focus from weight loss-oriented exercise to exercise that makes you feel good. The health benefits of exercise go far beyond weight loss and muscle building, as they can benefit everything from blood pressure to mood to self-esteem (2, 3, 4). Instead of exercising to burn calories, this principle of intuitive eating recognizes that it feels good to move your body.

10. Honor your health.

Contrary to popular belief, practicing intuitive eating still requires you to make food choices that honor your health. Intuitive eating is not about eating whatever you want whenever you want it, it’s about practicing “gentle nutrition” by eating in a healthy, balanced, and consistent way that makes you feel good. While you don’t need to restrict foods, you must prioritize nutrient-dense whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, dairy products, meat, poultry, and seafood, to create balanced meals and support your overall health.

Pros and Cons of Intuitive Eating

Some of the benefits of intuitive eating include (5):

• Acknowledges your individual wants, needs, and food tastes.
• Helps foster a healthy relationship with food.
• Helps identify between physical or emotional hunger cues.
• Encourages healthier coping mechanisms.
• Relieves you of dietary restrictions.
• Increases long-term sustainability.

Some of the downfalls of intuitive eating include:

• Requires a level of self-control.
• Can be too lacking in structure for some.
• Requires a level of nutrition knowledge.
• It is a practice that can take time.
• Difficult for people with dysregulation of satiety signals or eating disorders.
• Less practical for performance, weight loss, and body composition goals.

Is intuitive eating the same as mindful eating?

While both involve an increased awareness, intuitive eating and mindful eating are not the same thing. Intuitive eating is a framework that stretches far beyond mealtimes, while mindful eating focuses on the experience of eating. Mindful eating focuses on individuals’ sensual awareness of the food and the what, where, when, why, who, and how of eating.

That said, the principles of mindful eating can be used as part of intuitive eating to help honor your hunger, feel your fullness, and discover the satisfaction factor of your food.

Can I lose weight by eating intuitively?

While intuitive eating is not designed for weight loss goals, it can help in some cases (6, 7, 8). Unlike traditional weight loss diets, which require calorie counting, portion control, or food restrictions, intuitive eating addresses emotional hunger, which is a major factor in calorie intake for some.

To lose weight, you must consume fewer calories than you are expending to create a calorie deficit so your body utilizes stored energy (body fat) as fuel. For this reason, calorie-restrictive diets are generally recommended as they intentionally reduce the number of calories consumed. However, given the principles of intuitive eating include learning to feel your fullness and cope with your emotions without using food, if one can learn to do so, they may reduce calorie intake from emotional eating, which could cause weight loss to occur naturally. Albeit it’s not guaranteed.

If you have a goal of weight loss but don’t want to track calories or macros and want a more intuitive approach, there are several strategies you can implement to lose weight without counting calories.

Does the intuitive eating approach work for everyone?

Although intuitive eating can and does work for many, it may not work for everyone. Some research suggests that intuitive eating does not work for certain segments of the population, including those with eating disorders, due to dysregulation of their satiety signals (9). Moreover, for individuals with specific health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, specific dietary restrictions are required.

If you are unsure whether or not intuitive eating will work for you, it is best to speak to a registered dietitian to determine the best dietary approach for your health and your goals.

Whether your goal is to lose weight or build muscle, consuming enough protein while monitoring calorie intake helps reach your goals. So here is a list of the best high-protein, low-calorie foods you can add to your diet today.

Protein is essential for good nutrition and a high-protein diet has been shown to contribute to the development of greater muscle mass, preserve lean body mass, and improve bone health (1, 2, 3). Moreover, high-protein foods are some of the most filling foods and, therefore, consuming sufficient protein while dieting can help prevent overeating.

The current dietary guidelines recommend a minimum dietary protein intake of 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day, however, research suggests that the optimal protein intake is much higher than the recommended dietary allowance (RDA). Exactly how much protein a person needs will vary based on their height, weight, and personal goals, but the evidence suggests that individuals looking to promote healthy aging, appetite regulation, weight management, muscle building, and athletic performance can benefit from, at least, 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day (4).

While both animal and plant foods contain protein, plant protein sources do not contain all essential amino acids and have a lower protein-to-calorie ratio than animal protein sources. Overall, animal sources of protein are more efficient at increasing protein intake as they generally contain more calories from protein than fat or carbohydrates, while plant proteins tend to contain more calories from carbohydrates.

Furthermore, leaner cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products have a higher protein-to-calorie ratio than those higher in fat. Since protein and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram and fat contains 9 calories per gram, the less fat a protein source contains the fewer calories it will contain. Therefore, the most low-calorie, high-protein foods tend to be low in fat and carbohydrates.

List of Low-Calorie, High-Protein Foods

Here is a ranking of the highest protein foods with the lowest calorie content.

1. Shrimp

Shrimp is the highest protein, low-calorie food. While not as rich in essential nutrients as other seafood, shrimp is an incredibly lean source of protein, containing less than 1 gram of protein per 100 grams, making it one of the highest protein foods. A single 4-ounce serving of shrimp provides as much protein as a scoop of protein powder with fewer calories. Shrimp is great in stir-fries, taco bowls, paellas, or on the grill.

Nutrition Facts of Shrimp, per 100-gram serving of raw shrimp (5)

• Protein: 20.1 grams
• Calories: 85

2. Cod

Cod, along with other white fish such as tilapia, haddock, and flounder, is a great source of lean protein. While cod is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, it contains less fat than oilier fish, such as salmon and sardines, and therefore has a higher protein content compared to calories. Cod is great grilled, pan-fried, or baked.

Nutrition Facts of Cod, per 100-gram serving of raw cod (6)

• Protein: 17.8 grams
• Calories: 82

3. Chicken Breast

Chicken breasts are the highest protein and lowest calorie cut of poultry. Chicken breasts have less fat than any other cut of chicken and breasts contain almost 20% more protein than chicken thighs. Chicken is also a rich source of micronutrients, as chicken breasts contain B12 and zinc. Chicken breasts are very versatile and can be enjoyed in pasta, salads, casseroles, or simply cooked on the grill.

Nutrition Facts of Chicken Breast, per 100-gram serving of raw, skinless chicken breast (7)

• Protein: 22.5 grams
• Calories: 106

4. Egg Whites

While both the yolk and white are good sources of protein, egg whites contain fewer calories compared to whole eggs and, therefore, have a higher protein-to-calorie ratio. Egg whites are 99% protein with almost no fat or carbohydrates. That said, both whole eggs and egg whites can be included in a healthy diet, and whole eggs contain more micronutrients overall. Egg whites can be used in oatmeal, egg muffins, or scrambled on their own.

Nutrition Facts of Egg Whites, per 100-gram serving of raw egg whites (8)

• Protein: 10.9 grams
• Calories: 52

5. Turkey Breast

In addition to chicken breasts, turkey breasts are a great source of lean protein. While the skin-on, bone-in version is perfect for celebrations, skinless turkey breasts pack 27 grams of protein per 4-ounce serving, as well as a significant amount of B vitamins and magnesium. Turkey breast can be baked or grilled and used in salads or pasta, while sliced turkey breast can used in sandwiches. Turkey breast can also be found in ground forms.

Nutrition Facts of Turkey Breast, per 100-gram serving of raw, skinless turkey breast (9)

• Protein: 23.7 grams
• Calories: 114

6. Bison

Bison is an often-overlooked source of lean protein and is one of the best high-protein, low-calorie foods. Along with other game meat, bison is an excellent source of protein, B vitamins, iron, and zinc, and lean cuts of bison have a better protein-to-calorie ratio than lean beef. Bison steaks can be cooked on the grill, while ground bison be used to make burgers or meatballs, or used to replace ground beef in any of your favorite high-protein recipes.

Nutrition Facts of Bison, per 100-gram serving of raw, ground bison (10)

• Protein: 21.6 grams
• Calories: 106

7. Lean Steak

While steak might not be thought of as a lean protein source, as many cuts of steak are high in saturated fats, there are many cuts of lean steak that are great, low-calorie, high-protein foods. Lean cuts of beef, such as top round steak, eye of the round steak, sirloin steak, and loin steak, are high in protein and low in fat. In fact, lean cuts of beef are similar in nutritional value to chicken, and beef contains many micronutrients, including iron, zinc, phosphorus, magnesium, and B vitamins. Steak is great on the grill or used as a protein source for salads, sandwiches, or bowls.

Nutrition Facts of Lean Steak, per 100-gram serving of raw, grass-fed, lean-only, strip steak (11)

• Protein: 23.1 grams
• Calories: 117

8. Canned Tuna

Like shrimp and cod, tuna is a great source of lean protein. While all cuts of tuna are high in protein and rich in healthy fats, canned tuna tends to be leaner overall. Canned tuna can be found packed in water or oil; however, water-packed tuna is lower in calories as it contains less fat. Tuna can be used to make tuna salad, added to pasta salad, or used in casseroles or poke bowls.

Nutrition Facts of Tuna, per 100-gram serving of canned tuna, in water (12)

• Protein: 23.6 grams
• Calories: 128

9. Skyr

Skyr is a fermented Icelandic dairy product with resembles yogurt but has a thicker consistency and milder flavor. Since it’s made from skim milk, skyr is a low-fat protein source, which makes it a low-calorie food. In addition to being high in protein, skyr is a good source of probiotics and the extensive straining process used to make skyr removes more of the whey, which makes it lower in lactose and more suitable for people with mild lactose intolerance problems. Skyr can be enjoyed with berries and granola for breakfast, used as a topping for baked oatmeal, or enjoyed as is as a protein-rich snack.

Nutrition Facts of Skyr, per 100-gram serving of Icelandic non-fat skyr (13)

• Protein: 10.7 grams
• Calories: 60

10. Non-Fat Greek Yogurt

While all styles of yogurt contain protein, non-fat Greek yogurt contains the most. Greek yogurt has more protein than regular yogurt because the straining process removes whey and other liquids, which concentrate the protein content. Furthermore, low-fat Greek yogurt contains less fat than regular Greek yogurt, which ensures it has a higher protein-to-calorie ratio. Greek yogurt is great with granola, oatmeal, baked goods, or used to make salad dressings or dips.

Nutrition Facts of Greek Yogurt, per 100-gram serving of plain, non-fat, Greek yogurt (14)

• Protein: 10.3 grams
• Calories: 59

11. Low-Fat Cottage Cheese

Much like yogurt, cottage cheese is an excellent protein source. Low-fat cottage cheese contains more protein and fewer calories than full-fat cottage cheese, with 12 grams of protein per 72 calories versus 11 grams of protein per 82 calories, however, all forms of cottage cheese are high-protein foods. Cottage cheese is a versatile ingredient that can be used in salads, breakfast bowls, pasta sauces, pancakes, or as a simple snack.

Nutrition Facts of Low-Fat Cottage Cheese, per 100-gram serving of 1% milkfat cottage cheese (15)

• Protein: 12.4 grams
• Calories: 72

12. Pork Loin

Although many cuts of pork are higher in fat than fish, poultry, and lean beef, pork is still a great source of low-calorie protein. Pork loin, as well as pork tenderloin, pork chops, and pork sirloin roast, is lower in fat than pork belly, shoulder, or bacon, and has a better ratio of protein compared to calories. Pork loin is great on the grill, in the oven, or cooked in sliced and added to noodles.

Nutrition Facts of Pork Loin, per 100-gram serving of raw, boneless pork top loin (16)

• Protein: 22.4 grams
• Calories: 132

13. Salmon

While salmon is higher in fat than shrimp, white fish, or tuna, it is still a great source of lean protein. The fats in salmon are considered healthy fats as they are essential omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for cardiovascular health, brain functions, and inflammation. Salmon is good grilled or baked, used in bowls or tacos, or added to salad as a source of protein.

Nutrition Facts of Salmon, per 100-gram serving of Atlantic, wild, raw salmon (17)

• Protein: 19.8 grams
• Calories: 142

14. Ground Turkey

In addition to turkey breasts, ground turkey is a good source of lean protein. Ground turkey can be found in several fat percentages, ranging from 4% fat to 15% fat, however, all forms of ground turkey are high-protein, low-calorie foods. Ground turkey is a good lean protein replacement for ground beef and can be used for everything from burgers to chili to bowls or for meal prep.

Nutrition Facts of Ground Turkey, per 100-gram serving of raw, ground, turkey (18)

• Protein: 19.7 grams
• Calories: 148

15. Tofu

Tofu is the highest protein and lowest calorie plant-based protein source. Unlike many other vegetarian protein sources, tofu is a complete protein source, as it contains all essential amino acids, however, it does that contain them in the optimal ratio. Nevertheless, tofu contains a good amount of protein, as well as a decent amount of fiber and healthy fats. Tofu is good grilled, pan-fried, or roasted, and works well in curries, stir-fries, and sandwiches.

Nutrition Facts of Tofu, per 100-gram serving of raw, firm, tofu (19)

• Protein: 17.3 grams
• Calories: 144

16. Lean Ground Beef

Ground beef comes in many fat percentages and lean ground beef has a food protein-to-calorie ratio. While 80% lean ground beef is still relatively high in fat, 90% and 95% lean ground beef is lower in fat, including saturated fat, and therefore contains fewer calories compared to protein. Lean ground beef can be used in any recipe that calls for ground beef, including burgers, burger bowls, pasta dishes, and casseroles.

Nutrition Facts of Lean Ground Beef, per 100-gram serving of 90% lean meat / 10% fat, raw, ground, beef (20)

• Protein: 20 grams
• Calories: 176

Ranking of High-Protein, Low-Calorie Foods

Here is a ranking of highest-protein and lowest-calorie foods based on their ratio of protein content to calorie content.

Food	Protein per 100 grams	Calories per 100 grams	Grams Protein per Calorie
Shrimp	20.1 grams	85 calories	0.237 grams
Cod	17.8 grams	82 calories	0.217 grams
Chicken Breast	22.5 grams	106 calories	0.212 grams
Egg Whites	10.9 grams	52 calories	0.210 grams
Turkey Breast	23.7 grams	114 calories	0.208 grams
Bison	21.6 grams	109 calories	0.198 grams
Lean Steak	23.1 grams	117 calories	0.197 grams
Canned Tuna	23.6 grams	128 calories	0.184 grams
Skry	10.7 grams	60 calories	0.178 grams
0% Greek Yogurt	10.3 grams	59 calories	0.175 grams
1% Cottage Cheese	12.4 grams	72 calories	0.172 grams
Pork Loin	22.4 grams	132 calories	0.170 grams
Salmon	19.8 grams	142 calories	0.139 grams
Ground Turkey	19.7 grams	148 calories	0.133 grams
Tofu	17.3 grams	144 calories	0.120 grams
Lean Ground Beef	20.0 grams	176 calories	0.114 grams
Tempeh	20.3 grams	192 calories	0.106 grams
Edamame	11.9 grams	121 calories	0.098 grams
Eggs	12.6 grams	143 calories	0.088 grams
Ground Lamb	23.4 grams	282 calories	0.083 grams
Beef Jerky	33.2 grams	410 calories	0.081 grams
1% Milk	3.38 grams	43 calories	0.079 grams
Red Lentils	23.9 grams	358 calories	0.067 grams
Black Beans	21.6 grams	341 calories	0.063 grams
Chickpeas	21.3 grams	383 calories	0.056 grams
Peanuts	23.2 grams	588 calories	0.040 grams

All nutrition data is based on FoodData Central.

FAQs

If you’re confused about whether you should be focusing on food groups or calories, or stressing over meal timing or supplements, the nutrition pyramid of priorities is a simple tool that can help you make informed decisions to help support your health goals.

Food Pyramid vs. Nutrition Priority Pyramid

The traditional food pyramid is a simplified nutrition pyramid that focuses on the major food groups. While this model indirectly touches on macronutrient intake and lightly touches on food quality, it misses many other important aspects of nutrition.

Although the USDA’s dietary guidelines, and many other governing health bodies around the world, have replaced the food pyramid with a new model, their model remains focused on the major food groups and exercise, with limited regard for the other aspects of a balanced diet.

Fortunately, a new pyramid model has emerged, known as the nutrition prioritization pyramid, which focuses on the big picture of nutrition for optimizing health, while preserving a hierarchy.

What is the Nutrition Prioritization Pyramid?

The Nutrition Prioritization Pyramid is a tool that highlights the most important aspects of nutrition but strategically prioritizes them using a pyramid model (1).

The pyramid includes all the most important dietary principles, including calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, meal timing, and supplements, while showcasing their relative impact on one another and your overall health.

Although all aspects of nutrition are important, they are not equally important, and by understanding which aspects have a greater impact on your overall health, you can make more informed decisions to support your progress and success.

The 8 Priorities of the Nutrition Pyramid

Here is a detailed breakdown of my version nutrition pyramid of priorities.

1. Consistency

While often overlooked, consistency is the foundation of any healthy diet. Although eating whole foods, the right amount of food, and the right balance of nutrients is important, if not done consistently their impacts are minimal, if any. Adherence and sustainability are two of the most important factors in an individual’s dietary success, therefore, it is important to create a lifestyle, exercise, and healthy eating habits that you can maintain for the long term (1).

It’s important to understand that you don’t need to follow a healthy lifestyle and diet 100% of the time, rather, consistency is created by adhering to the priorities of the nutrition pyramid most of the time.

2. Lifestyle

After consistency, lifestyle is the biggest part of the nutrition prioritization pyramid. Lifestyle includes everything from water intake to exercise, sleep, and stress management, and plays a vital role in your overall health. Even the best nutrition plan will fail if lifestyle factors are not accounted for, improved, and done consistently.

So, before jumping headfirst into a crash diet or the new fad diet, focus on improving your water intake, reducing your alcohol intake, improving your sleep habits, spending more time in nature, moving your body regularly, and creating healthy daily habits you enjoy and can maintain long-term.

3. Food Quality

Put simply, the quality of the food that you eat is the most important food factor in your overall health. Whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, eggs, dairy products, poultry, red meat, seafood, and shellfish, are the most nutrient-dense foods and the ones that should comprise the majority of your diet and food choices.

Not only will prioritizing whole foods ensure you are organically consuming more nutrients and a better balance of macronutrients and micronutrients, but it will naturally impact how much you eat. Whole foods and minimally processed foods are far more satiating and less palatable than processed and ultra-processed foods, therefore, prioritizing your intake of unprocessed and minimally processed foods can help to control how many calories you are consuming without tracking a thing (2).

That said, there is room for everything in a healthy diet, even junk food and empty calories. Therefore, the objective should be to prioritize whole foods most of the time, roughly 80-90%, and indulge the rest of the time, roughly 10-20%.

4. Calories

How much you eat affects everything from your overall performance to health and weight. Being mindful of calorie intake is important to ensure you are not undereating or overeating for your personal health goals. Exactly how many calories an individual needs to consume can vary based on several factors, including age, sex, weight, height, and level of physical activity.

For weight-oriented goals, energy balance, also known as calorie balance, is key as it is the primary factor in weight management (3). For weight loss to occur, one must consume fewer calories than they are expending to create a calorie deficit, and for weight gain to occur, one more consume more calories than they are expending to create a calorie surplus.

While calories do not need to be tracked for general health, non-weight-related health goals, or even weight-related health goals, calories are the body’s primary source of energy, and consuming calories is vital for life.

5. Macronutrients

Unlike the different food groups, macronutrients are the building blocks of calories and the human body. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat make up the food that we eat and contain the sugars, starches, fiber, amino acids, and fatty acids our bodies need to operate and function optimally.

Carbohydrates and protein provide 4 calories per gram, while fats provide 9 calories per gram. Carbohydrates play key roles in digestion and gut health, glucose, and insulin action, as well as cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism; protein function as structural components in skeletal muscle, enzymes, hormones, immune factors, transporters, acid-base regulators, and neurotransmitters; and fats support the metabolism of fat-soluble vitamins, cell membrane function, the maintenance of structural integrity of the brain and nervous system, and hormone synthesis (4, 5, 6).

In general, consuming balanced meals with a source of protein, carbohydrate, fiber, and fat can help to ensure you are consuming adequate protein, fiber, and calories to support your health goals. Moreover, specifically tracking macros and manipulating your macronutrient intake can improve body composition and/or performance, however, the exact ratio required depends on a variety of factors including your activity level, exercise style, and personal goals.

6. Micronutrients

The next level of the nutrition pyramid of priorities is micronutrients. Micronutrients refer to all of the vitamins and minerals required for the body to function and include everything from iron and magnesium to B vitamins and vitamin C.

By prioritizing food quality (i.e. eating more whole foods) and macronutrients (i.e. creating balanced meals), you can ensure you are consuming an adequate intake and balance of micronutrients in your diet. While specific situations and health conditions may require tracking or monitoring of specific vitamins and minerals, focusing on the other aspects of the nutrition pyramid is typically a more than adequate strategy for the average person.

7. Meal Timing

When you eat is far less than what and how much you eat. Although nutrient timing can be important for athletes, for the average person meal timing is essentially a non-issue. Whether you want to have a larger breakfast and lunch and a smaller dinner, eat 5 meals instead of 2 meals, or eat later or earlier in the day, as long as you are prioritizing nutrient-dense whole foods, eating balanced meals, and eating enough calories to support your goals, when you eat doesn’t matter.

Food quality is more important to overall health and research has shown that calorie intake is more important than meal timing when it comes to weight loss (7, 8). While breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day and it’s commonly recommended to not eat before bed, it is the overall intake of calories and energy balance that determines whether weight is lost, gained, or maintained, not when you eat.

In the end, it comes down to personal preference, your personal hunger cues, and what makes you feel your best. So, unless you are an athlete looking for every competitive edge you can get, meal frequency and meal timing are far less important than most people think.

8. Supplements

While supplements are one of the most commonly discussed aspects of nutrition, they are the smallest piece of the nutrition prioritization pyramid. Supplements are often said to be the “magic pill” or “silver bullet” of health and weight loss, however, they have the smallest impact on overall health and are meant to be a supplement to a healthy diet and lifestyle, not a replacement for one.

Protein powder, collagen powders, electrolytes, and multivitamins can all be beneficial; however, their effects and impacts will be largely negligible if other lifestyle and dietary habits are not addressed. So, before you run out and buy all of the powder and potions you can find, ensure that you are prioritizing sleep, managing stress, exercising regularly, focusing on whole foods, and eating a balanced diet.