Nutrition Simplified

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Nutrition is a topic that can start Twitter wars and leave more people confused than informed about what's actually "healthy."

If you don't know me, my name is Noah. I've tried countless diets. From Vegan to carnivore to not eating anything at all (fasting) and everything in between. I've learned that two principles matter the most for my personal health and well-being: protein and calorie intake.

Here is my attempt at distilling down the bulls*** into an easy-to-understand framework.

Let's dive in.

Protein

According to the brilliant individuals at Harvard University -- who created this recommendation -- the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for protein is .8 grams per KG of body weight. Sounds reasonable, but it isn't.

I weigh 200 lbs (90 kilograms). To meet the RDA, I need to consume 72 grams of protein (90 kilograms x .8). If I consumed 72 grams of protein for the rest of my life, I'd be skinny as f***, exhausted, frail, and immobile.

Dr. Layne Norton and Dr. Peter Attia suggested on a recent podcast that if you're looking to build muscle AND maintain it, you should aim for .8–1.2 grams of protein per POUND of body weight. Big difference.

Here is a simple calculator I built to do the math for you!

If you want to be frail, then the RDA will suffice. But if you want to thrive, build muscle, and excel in your elder years, .8 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight is a better daily protein target.

Calories

The Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) is the best study on the effectiveness of caloric restriction in humans. And the data isn't black and white.

On the one hand, CR is associated with a loss of aerobic capacity and muscle mass — an adaptation that is not conducive to longevity or health. On the other hand, CR is associated with reduced inflammation and improved insulin sensitivity — both of which drive longevity. This begs the question: is it better to restrict calories or not?

I'm not sure we know the answer to that question with certainty. The answer might be yes if the alternative is a lifelong caloric surplus and no dietary restriction. With most things in life, it's essential to understand the game you're playing. Nutrition is no different.

A person who is obese should be okay with sacrificing a loss of muscle mass and aerobic capacity for a reduction in visceral fat (fat around the organs). And it would be wise for an individual who lacks muscle to be in a caloric surplus to catalyze muscle growth.

Here's a framework to make calorie optimization easier:

I'm a big fan of Dr. Peter Attia's three levers of nutrition; time restriction, caloric restriction, and dietary restriction.

Time restriction restricts the window of time in which you feed. An example is TRF or time-restricted feeding (i.e., 16 hours fasting/8 hour feeding window).

Caloric restriction is restricting the volume of calories. Meaning — it doesn't matter when you eat or what you're eating, but you limit the total caloric volume. An example would be eating 3000 calories instead of 3500 calories.

Dietary restriction refers to restricting specific foods. Standard dietary restrictive diets include keto, paleo, or carnivore.

Dr. Attia's rule is always pull one (lever), often pull two, and occasionally pull all three. Meaning, always practice one, often practice two, and sometimes practice all three.

Dr. Attia's framework allows for flexibility, structure, and inclusiveness in the diet by enabling individuals to choose which lever they pull on any given day.

Closing thoughts

Unfortunately, we can't perform prospective randomized trials on the effects of caloric restriction and protein intake in humans. Which means we cannot reach statistical conclusions. And even if we could, everyone is different. A carnivore diet may work well for some, while a pescatarian diet works well for others. Tomato, tòmato.

This article is not an ultimatum. It's my attempt at sharing what works best for me and what I've used to help clients look their best, feel great, and be healthy.

If you're interested in calculating your optimal daily protein intake or a rough estimation of your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), I've built a simple calculator to perform that task. You can visit it here.

Keep crushing.

Cheers,

Noah Cracknell

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