The 10 Nutrition Principles — Principles vs Methods 

Written By Rebecca Ballstaedt

Nutrition can get confusing. One week carbs are evil, the next week you’re supposed to eat 300g of them. Keto, fasting, macros, detox teas (please don’t)… it’s a lot.

But underneath all that noise, there are some simple truths that always hold up. These are the fundamental principles; the stuff that actually makes a difference whether you’re trying to drop body fat, build muscle, or just feel better during your workouts.

I call them The 10 Principles of Nutrition. Once you get these down, you’ll never get sucked into another “miracle diet” again.

Here’s what they are

  1. Calories Decide Your Weight. Eat more than you burn — you’ll gain. Eat less — you’ll lose. It’s that simple.

  2. Macros Shape Your Body. Protein, carbs, and fats decide what that weight actually looks like (aka, your muscle-to-fat ratio).

  3. Meal Timing Only Matters If It Affects Quantity. Don’t stress about when you eat — focus on how much you eat.

  4. Micronutrients Fuel Your Health. Vitamins and minerals keep your energy, recovery, and immune system on point.

  5. It’s Never Just One Thing. No single food or hack fixes everything — it’s all about the big picture.

  6. All Diets Work the Same Way. Keto, paleo, fasting… they just help you control calories differently.

  7. Sustainability Beats Perfection. The best diet? The one you can actually stick to without hating your life.

  8. Processed Foods Are the Real Problem. The more whole foods you eat, the better you’ll look and feel. Processed foods mess with your gut biome. That messes with hunger cues, digestion, mood, and so much more.

  9. There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Plan. Your nutrition should fit you, not the other way around.

  10. Chasing Perfection Backfires. Progress > perfection, always.

These 10 principles are the backbone of our upcoming Gym Nutrition Challenge — a fun way to lock in better eating habits, crush your workouts, and actually see results that last.

We’ll keep it real, keep it simple, and keep it fun. No crash diets, no starvation, no weird rules — just smart habits that make you stronger, leaner, and more confident in (and out of) the gym.

So… ready to level up your nutrition game?

Reach out to rebecca@100yearathlete.com

Rebecca Ballstaedt

A personal trainer for over 25 years, Rebecca is an “OG” of 100 Year Athlete Online. She set the bar for how we build trusting relationships with online clients and support their outdoor adventures. These days, she continues to train 100 Year Athletes and mentors our team of online coaches. 

Prior to joining us in 2021, Rebecca founded and operated a CrossFit gym in Draper, Utah and ran her own nutrition consulting business. She is Kinstretch certified, a Certified Personal Trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and a Certified CrossFit Level 2 Trainer. She also studied exercise physiology and nutrition at the University of Utah, where she played softball and rugby.

Rebecca has successfully trained athletes for tough expeditions—like summiting Grand Teton with 100YA partner The Mountain Guides. In the gym, her personal goal is to be ready for any outdoor challenge, whether that is hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim or signing up at the last minute for a marathon (she and Nick, her husband, have done six so far). Outside the gym, Rebecca loves to trail run, hike, snowshoe, and camp. She wakes up at 4:30 am every day, so don’t expect her to respond to anything after 8 pm. 

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100 Days of Nutrition