Macronutrients

Macronutrients

After my last post on nutrition and weight loss, I touched on macronutrients and wanted to write a short post on what they are. Macronutrients refer to fats, carbohydrates and proteins which are the basic components of every diet. By counting your ‘macros’ you can achieve certain goals within your diet. It is important to know that you cannot completely cut out a macronutrient, or would I recommend trying to. Recommendations in research suggest the following depending on your goals:

            Fats – 20-35% of total calories

            Carbohydrates – 45-65% of total calories

            Proteins – 10-35% of total calories

For example, if you wanted a low-fat diet, you could use the ratio of 20% fat, 50% carbohydrates and 30% protein. But you can change these ratios depending on what you want to achieve.

As discussed last time you can use apps such as My fitness pal to track these macronutrients more easily, as it can get very confusing trying to calculate them yourself. Counting macros can have several benefits, such as promoting weight loss by reducing portion sizes, improving the quality of your diet, educating yourself on the macros and calories in each type of food (some may surprise you) and how different brands of food differ from one another. Here are some examples of healthy options for each macro, via healthline (2018):

Carbs

  • Grains, including oats, brown rice and quinoa
  • Whole-wheat pasta
  • Whole-grain bread
  • Starchy vegetables, such as potatoes, sweet potatoes and winter squash
  • Fruits like berries, bananas, pineapple and apples
  • Beans, lentils and peas
  • Milk and yogurt

Proteins

Fats

  • Egg yolks
  • Olive and avocado oils
  • Butter
  • Nuts and nut butters
  • Coconut oil and coconut flakes
  • Avocado
  • Full-fat milk and yogurt
  • Full-fat cheese
  • Flaxseeds and chia seeds
  • Fatty fish like salmon and sardines

Counting macros can seem daunting at first, but I fully recommend that you do this, even if it is just for a week. It will give you an appreciation of what is in all the foods you like to eat daily. Having said that, counting macros is not for everyone, especially if you have a very busy lifestyle. Anyone who has had eating disorders in the past, is recommended to stay clear of counting macros. The most important steps in counting macros are setting a calorie goal and macronutrient range for carbs, protein and fat that works best for you. Then, log your food intake and aim to stay within your macros by eating a diet rich in fresh produce, healthy fats, complex carbs and protein sources (Healthline, 2018).

I hope this sheds a bit more light on the ways that you can live a healthier lifestyle and achieve those goals that you have set for yourself.

Dan Richards – Inspire Fitness Academy Member

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