What are macronutrients, and how do they impact my diet?
Over the course of time, nutrition plans and diet strategies have evolved along with the reasoning behind them. In the 1980's, low-fat diets were pushed as the healthiest way to lose weight, regain health, and lower cholesterol. These popular diets led to the rise of "low-fat" foods that lined our grocery store shelves in the nineties.
In the 2000's, the low-carb craze caught fire, with people tossing out their pastas and potatoes in favor of foods with lower carbohydrate amounts. The Atkins diet, keto diet, low-carb paleo diet, and countless others caught fire, and, again our grocery store shelves and supplements shifted.
Over time, it's become abundantly clear that it is less what we eat, and it is more so how much we eat that determines success when it comes to a weight loss (or weight gain) diet. Ultimately, calories are king when it comes to changing our body weight one way or another, and caloric intake versus output (exercise increases output!) is all that matters when trying to lose weight.
However, are all calories created equal?
Despite the fact that calories determine weight loss and weight gain, the sources of each calorie we consume is important to how our bodies feel and operate. These sources of calories are called macros.
What is a macro? Macronutrients (“macros”) are the three categories of nutrients your body needs; they include carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
While each macro serves a purpose for our body and its processes, those functions differ, as do their caloric makeup. The calories per gram of each specific macro should be considered when trying to plan any diet with weight loss in mind, as well as trying to maximize energy and muscle recovery levels while dieting.
Carbohydrates - The basic function of carbs is to fuel our bodies with the energy to support bodily functions and physical activity. Carbs contain 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate.
Best Sources: sweet potatoes, beans, oats, leafy vegetables. These slow-digesting carbohydrates fuel our bodies over long periods of time, rather than spiking our blood sugar levels and leading to energy crashes.
Protein - The building blocks of muscle and lean tissue. Protein is how we repair our muscles after intense workouts and weight training. Protein also contains 4 calories per gram.
Best Sources: chicken, lean beef, turkey, whey protein, egg/egg whites. These types of protein are some of the leanest available, making them a smart choice for people looking to limit their caloric intake.
Fat - Supports healthy hormone production and cell function. Healthy fats promote heart health. Fats contain 9 calories per gram.
Best Sources: avocado, fatty fish, egg yolks, nuts, seeds, olive oil. These foods provide essential fatty acids that our bodies need to function and stay healthy.
In order to execute any nutrition plan successfully, start with a plan. Nutrition and diet coaching at Body By Ford Personal Training can help you develop a plan of eating that works for you and your goals. Once you have a plan, develop tracking and accountability systems that will monitor data and keep you moving in the right direction. A nutrition coach can teach you the best methods to keep you on track as your body changes and adapts over time.
Tips for any successful nutrition plan:
Use a calorie tracking app like myfitnesspal to track what you eat — both calorically as well as macros. If you don’t know how much you’re eating, it’s very difficult to adjust course over time.
Eat whole, minimally processed foods. Whole foods keep you healthy, full, and minimize your unhealthy cravings.
Eat at least one serving of protein at every meal to stay satiated and to optimize post-workout recovery. Shoot for 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight per day.
Drink water! Dehydration is often confused with hunger. Make sure you drink water to reduce cravings, optimize the absorption of vitamins and minerals, and to positively impact your energy levels.
Want help losing weight, gaining muscle, and feeling healthy once and for all? Hire a personal trainer and nutrition coach to get you on track and keep you there. The certified trainers and nutrition coaches at Body By Ford have experience working with all body types and levels of experience, and have gotten results consistently over time. Invest in your body and nutrition now, and your health and finances will be in better shape over the long haul.
Sign up for a free Body By Ford fitness consultation to get the ball rolling today!
