Nishaana
Nutrition terms.
Calories, macros, protein and the nutrition concepts behind building muscle and losing fat.
79 terms defined
16:8 Fasting
Eating within an 8-hour window and fasting for the other 16 hours.
Adaptive Thermogenesis
The drop in calorie burn that occurs during prolonged dieting.
Anabolic Window
The proposed period after training when nutrients best support muscle gain.
Bioavailability
How well a nutrient is absorbed and used by the body.
Biological Value
A score of how efficiently the body uses a protein source.
BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
The calories your body burns at complete rest to stay alive.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)
Three amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, valine) involved in muscle building.
Caloric Deficit
Eating fewer calories than you burn, leading to fat loss.
Caloric Surplus
Eating more calories than you burn, supporting weight and muscle gain.
Calorie
A unit of energy found in food and burned by the body.
Calorie Density
The number of calories in a given amount of food.
Carb Cycling
Alternating high- and low-carb days to match training demands.
Carbohydrates
A macronutrient that serves as the body's main energy source.
Cheat Meal
A planned indulgent meal that breaks from a strict diet.
Clean Eating
Focusing on whole, minimally processed foods.
Complete Protein
A protein containing all nine essential amino acids.
Complex Carbohydrates
Starches and fibers that digest slowly for steady energy.
Dietary Fat
A macronutrient essential for hormones, cell function, and energy storage.
Electrolytes
Minerals like sodium and potassium that regulate fluid and nerve function.
Empty Calories
Foods high in calories but low in nutrients.
Energy Balance
The relationship between calories consumed and calories burned.
Essential Amino Acids
Amino acids the body cannot make and must get from food.
Fiber
Indigestible plant carbohydrate that aids digestion and fullness.
Flexible Dieting (IIFYM)
Eating any foods as long as they fit your macro targets.
Fructose
A sugar found in fruit, metabolized mainly by the liver.
Glucose
A simple sugar that is the body's primary energy source.
Glycemic Index
A ranking of how quickly a carb raises blood sugar.
Glycemic Load
A measure combining a food's glycemic index and carb amount per serving.
Glycogen
Stored carbohydrate in muscles and the liver used for energy.
High-Protein Diet
An eating plan emphasizing greater protein intake to support muscle and satiety.
Hydration
Maintaining adequate body fluid levels for health and performance.
Insoluble Fiber
Fiber that adds bulk to stool and supports digestive regularity.
Insulin
A hormone that moves glucose from blood into cells.
Insulin Sensitivity
How well your cells respond to insulin to manage blood sugar.
Intermittent Fasting
Cycling between eating windows and periods of fasting.
Ketogenic Diet
A very low-carb, high-fat diet that shifts the body to burning fat for fuel.
Ketones
Fuel molecules made from fat when carbs are scarce.
Ketosis
A metabolic state where the body burns fat and produces ketones for energy.
Lean Mass
Body weight that is not fat, including muscle, bone, and water.
Leucine
The amino acid that most strongly triggers muscle protein synthesis.
Macro Split
How daily calories are divided among protein, carbs, and fat.
Macronutrient Ratio
The proportion of calories from protein, carbs, and fat.
Macros (Macronutrients)
The three main nutrients providing energy: protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Maintenance Calories
The number of calories that keeps your weight stable.
Meal Frequency
How many meals you eat per day.
Mediterranean Diet
An eating pattern rich in vegetables, olive oil, fish, and whole grains.
Metabolic Adaptation
The body's adjustment of energy use in response to dieting.
Micronutrients
Vitamins and minerals needed in small amounts for health.
NEAT
Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis: calories burned through daily movement like walking and fidgeting.
Negative Energy Balance
Burning more energy than you consume.
Net Carbs
Total carbs minus fiber and certain sugar alcohols.
Nutrient Timing
Eating specific nutrients around workouts for performance or recovery.
OMAD
One Meal A Day, an extreme form of intermittent fasting.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Essential fats important for heart, brain, and joint health.
Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Essential fats needed in balance with omega-3s.
Paleo Diet
A diet based on foods presumed available to early humans.
Plant-Based Diet
A diet centered on foods from plants.
Positive Energy Balance
Consuming more energy than you burn.
Potassium
An electrolyte vital for muscle and nerve function.
Processed Foods
Foods altered from their natural state, often with added ingredients.
Protein
A macronutrient made of amino acids that builds and repairs muscle tissue.
Protein Leverage
The tendency to keep eating until protein needs are met.
Protein Quality
A measure of how well a protein supports the body's needs.
Protein Timing
Strategically spacing protein intake to support muscle growth.
Refeed
A planned high-carb day during a diet to restore energy and hormones.
RMR (Resting Metabolic Rate)
The calories burned at rest, slightly higher than BMR.
Satiety
The feeling of fullness that reduces further eating.
Saturated Fat
A fat solid at room temperature, found mostly in animal foods.
Set Point Theory
The idea that the body defends a preferred weight range.
Simple Carbohydrates
Quickly digested sugars that raise blood sugar fast.
Sodium
An electrolyte that regulates fluid balance and blood pressure.
Soluble Fiber
Fiber that dissolves in water and helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol.
TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure)
The total calories you burn in a day from all activity and bodily functions.
Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)
The calories your body uses to digest and process the food you eat.
Trans Fat
An artificial fat linked to heart disease, now largely banned.
Unsaturated Fat
A heart-healthy fat that is liquid at room temperature.
Vegan Diet
A diet excluding all animal products.
Whole Foods
Foods eaten in or near their natural, unprocessed state.
Whole-Food Plant-Based
A plant diet emphasizing unprocessed foods and minimal oils.
Common questions.
What does the nutrition glossary cover?
The Nishaana nutrition glossary defines 79 terms, including 16:8 Fasting, Adaptive Thermogenesis, Anabolic Window. Each entry leads with a plain, one-sentence definition, then a worked example with real numbers so you can apply it in the gym.
Are these nutrition definitions free?
Yes. Every glossary definition is free and open — no signup, no paywall. When you are ready to apply a concept, Nishaana turns it into your actual training: it tracks it and auto-progresses your weights for you.
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