Body Composition | Ideal Nutrition

04 Apr 2025

Why Your Calorie Deficit Might No Longer Be a Calorie Deficit

If you have ever found yourself in a position where you had been in a calorie deficit and losing body fat, but then things stopped working, this post is for you. For the sake of this post, it is assumed that you have a solid understanding of how calories and fat loss work. Great background reading on the topic would be this other post. Generally, the reason a calorie deficit stops being a calorie deficit isn’t solely due to one reason. Because of that, we will go through multiple explanations and then tie it together at the end. Actual Loss…

09 Jan 2025

By Aidan Muir

How to Choose the Right Sized Calorie Deficit for Fat Loss

Choosing the right sized calorie deficit to aim for can help improve many aspects of a fat loss phase. In particular, it has the potential to make it more efficient and more enjoyable. Going too high causes issues and going too low does too. The goal of this post is to summarise how to find the sweet spot for you and your goals. Fat Loss Fundamentals Going into this blog post, it is helpful to have a good foundational knowledge of how fat loss works. I’ve put together a comprehensive guide to this that is likely worth reading too if…

02 Jan 2025

By Aidan Muir

A Compilation of Fat Loss Tips

After almost 10 years of working as a dietitian and even longer learning about nutrition, I wanted to share some tips for losing body fat, with an emphasis on maintaining that loss too. This knowledge has been gained through the following: Self-directed learning about nutrition, largely starting in 2011. Formal qualifications, such as a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, graduating in 2016. Almost 10 years of working with clients. Throughout that time, I’ve refined approaches based on what I’ve seen works well in practice. Around 6 years of building the Ideal Nutrition team to consistently achieve these results on a…

09 Aug 2023

By Josh Wernham

DEXA vs InBody vs Skinfolds

Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA), InBody, and skinfold measurements are all methods used to assess body composition, which refers to the proportion of fat, muscle, bone, and other tissues in the body. Each approach brings its own advantages and complexities, catering to a diverse range of needs and objectives. Whether you are an athlete aiming for peak performance, a healthcare professional tracking patient health, or an individual embarking on a fitness journey, the choice of the right method can significantly impact the accuracy and usefulness of the information you gather. DEXA The DEXA is often referred to as the gold standard…

17 Jul 2023

By Monica Cvoro

Alcohol and Muscle Growth: Does Drinking Kill Your Gains?

Alcohol is one of the most widely consumed recreational drugs globally. If you’re one to socialise with alcohol post-training, have a beer (and then some) to celebrate a sporting win or as part of a team bonding sesh, you’re most certainly not alone. It is embedded in Australian culture with studies revealing that athletes are among the biggest users of alcohol, despite the potentially harmful effects it could have on health and performance. Some simply like to call it ‘balance’. It’s well known that chronic high intakes of alcohol are poor for your health. So what amount of alcohol in…

05 May 2023

By Aidan Muir

Does Eating Breakfast Help Weight Loss?

Whether or not you should eat breakfast for weight loss has got to be up there with some of the most debated topics in the nutrition world. One camp argues that breakfast consumption can boost your metabolism, while the other contends that intermittent fasting helps maintain lower insulin levels, potentially facilitating fat loss. In between those two points, you could also hear a statement like “eating breakfast simply makes it easier to make healthier choices later in the day, which in turn reduces calorie intake.” And similarly, “while there is nothing magical about fasting, it does make it easier to…

31 Mar 2023

By Aidan Muir

Can You Only Absorb 30g of Protein in a Sitting?

A common claim in the nutrition world is that you can only absorb X amount of protein in a sitting. Theoretically, going higher than that amount is “wasted.” The "X" number that is used often varies between 20g and 40g. In this article, I will systematically go through where this idea comes from, and how relevant it is. Absorption vs “Used for Muscle” As a quick note, we obviously “absorb” more than 30g of protein in a sitting. That aspect is not really up for debate. If we did not “absorb it” the calories would just go missing and “wouldn’t…

15 Feb 2023

By Monica Cvoro

7 Nutrition Mistakes When Trying to Build Muscle

Building muscle is at the top of many peoples’ lists of health & fitness goals… and for good reason. Not only does building muscle have physical benefits for athletes in their sport or for building one’s self-confidence… building muscle is health-protective and can help with managing chronic health conditions too. So, what are the key principles required for building muscle? How To Build Muscle A good strength training program is a non-negotiable for muscle growth. It is the necessary stimulus for the process to start. However, training for muscle growth without focusing on nutrition is like a job half done.…

08 Feb 2023

By Aidan Muir

Turkesterone: What Does the Research Say?

Turkesterone is a supplement that has gained a lot of popularity over the last few years as a potential option for helping muscle growth, without the downsides of anabolic steroids. It is an option that has some pretty strong claims, although the research is relatively limited as of right now. This post aims to cover what research we DO have on the topic. In addition, there will also be an interpretation of that research, alongside looking at the results people are seeing in practice. What is Turkesterone? Turkesterone is a form of ecdysteroid. Put simply, ecdysteroids are the insect equivalent…

16 Dec 2022

By Hanah Mills

How to Track Macros: A Step-by-Step Guide

Cutting, bulking, improving diet adequacy, or trying to achieve specific health goals? Tracking your macros properly will get you there. If done properly, it can be one of the most useful and successful ways to achieve your goals. Because you don’t have to cut out food groups (ie. keto) or meals (ie. Intermittent fasting) to achieve your goals. You get to eat the foods that you enjoy and simply adjust the portion in order to achieve body composition goals. Though it appears simple, research shows that almost no one can do it accurately. Background “Macros” is an abbreviation of the…