In March of this year I had a life changing opportunity. I met a nutritionist that changed the way I approach eating. From talking with him, going through a body composition exam, and figuring out the healthiest approach to eating I discovered some new things but more importantly discovered that there is so much bad information and misconceptions about nutrition and eating.

The simple version is we’ve been lied to. We’ve been told by our teachers, the experts and the doctors, by advertisements, and all the things around us that we need more food to be strong, healthy, active and vibrant. We do need food, but we don’t need to be eating all the time.

Dr. Bon really broke things down for me to better understand what was going on. His explanation is simple and it has to do with the cause and effect inside the body when we consume food. What hormones are being released, what is being shut off, and how do these hormones affect our muscles mass, fat mass, and energy levels. How does it influence our metabolism? Taking a look at how the hormones being released by the body really made me better understand the significance of what we eat and how that will change our body composition and mental state.

It really hit home when he said that exercise should be used as a form of stress reduction, not weight loss. Exercise trains the muscles and releases certain hormones that influence how we feel. How we eat will influence our body composition based on the type of hormones being released by the body. This will influence your metabolism and energy levels. I was skeptical but at the same time realized that he was speaking the truth. Exercise should be done to regulate stress and strength, diet should be done to regulate body mass index and energy.