If your goal is to achieve optimal health, you should focus on finding balance in your diet. Optimal health means something different to each of us. To me, it means learning to find the balance needed in your diet to maintain a healthy body and build sustainable eating habits that will serve you long-term. Being lean is great, and getting strong is cool, but what good are those goals if they leave your health compromised?

If your goals are geared towards changing your body weight, body shape, or body composition, your focus should be on eating in a calorie deficit.

If you want to reduce your body fat percentage, build muscle mass, reach a goal weight, or improve strength in the gym, tailoring your nutrition to your goals is absolutely essential.