Nutrition Information

Understanding macronutrients can help you achieve your goals:

• Protein: Crucial for muscle growth, recovery, and satiety. A good target is roughly 1.6–2.2g per kg of body weight per day, but this can vary based on your activity level and goals.

  • • Standard recommendation: 10-35% of daily calories

• Carbohydrates: Your body’s main source of energy, important for workouts and mental focus. Include plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

  • • Standard recommendation: 45-65% of daily calories

• Fats: Essential for hormone health and brain function. Focus on sources like nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive oil.

  • • Standard recommendation: 20-35% of daily calories

Macronutrient intake will differ based on your goals. If your goal is to build muscle, you will want a higher protein intake. However, if you are engaging in intense cardio training, you will likely require more carbohydrates. If your goal is weight loss, a moderate calorie deficit (consuming slightly fewer calories than you burn) is typically effective. For muscle gain, you’ll usually want a slight calorie surplus. Remember: everyone’s energy needs are different.

In New Zealand, the Ministry of Health's Eating and Activity Guidelines recommend the following daily servings for adults:

• Vegetables: at least 5 servings

• Fruit: at least 2 servings

• Grain Foods: at least 6 servings

• Milk and Milk Products: at least 2 to 3 servings

• Proteins (Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, Fish and Other Seafood, Eggs, Poultry, or Red Meat with Fat Removed): at least 2 servings

Again, the same rule applies to the food groups. Everyone has different goals, requirements, and bodies and will require differing food consumption. 

Nutrition affects more than just body composition. What you eat can impact:

• Mood: Stable blood sugar and nutrient-rich foods support emotional well-being.

• Sleep: Avoiding heavy meals and excess caffeine late in the day can improve sleep quality.

• Performance: Fueling appropriately before and after exercise enhances strength, endurance, and recovery.

Losing weight can feel confusing, but at its core, it’s straightforward: your body runs on energy, and if you don’t consume enough from food, it needs to get energy from somewhere. The easiest way to do this is to create a calorie deficit by eating slightly less or moving slightly more than your body uses. A calorie deficit through eating less is typically more effective than moving more, as planned exercise typically burns fewer calories than you would expect, as well as an increased injury risk if overexercising occurs.

A calorie deficit alone won’t necessarily result in fat loss while keeping your muscle mass. Combining it with a high-protein diet and resistance training helps your body preserve, and in some cases even build muscle (especially common for new lifters). Essentially, if you tell your body, “Hey, I need that muscle,” it will look for energy elsewhere, and the most likely place is your fat stores.

Remember, losing weight is about more than just the scale. Eating nutrient-rich foods supports your mood, sleep, and performance while keeping you healthy. For more information, check out our Vitamin & Minerals page to make sure you’re getting all the nutrients you need, and visit our TDEE & Meal Plan page to learn how to plan your food in a practical, sustainable way.

There are many ways to track progress, and relying only on the scale can be misleading. Scale weight naturally fluctuates from day to day and week to week because of factors such as water retention, hormonal shifts, digestion, and more. Instead of focusing on a single number, it is more effective to look at trends over time, such as weekly or monthly averages. Here are some of my suggestions for alternative progress tracking:

• Body measurements - Check out the Body Measurement Guide page

• Strength gains

• How do you look in the mirror/progress pics?

• How clothing fits

The key is to find a combination of tracking methods that works for you and helps you stay consistent and motivated.