Dialing in Macro Counting: Why?

It’s not secret that tracking what you eat on a daily basis is the best and quickest way to achieve the body you want.  People do it to lose weight and people do it to build muscle.  The concept of tracking to lose weight can be fairly simple, calories in through food & drink < calories burned through daily activity.   While this method is easier said than done, it is effective to help lose weight.  But what if you don’t want to JUST lose weight.  What if you want to achieve your ideal weight AND be as strong and muscular as possible? This is where tracking your macronutrients proves beneficial. 

What are Macronutrients?  Macros are simply carbs, protein, and fat. Your body needs carbs for energy, it uses calories from fat to optimize hormone function, and protein is a building molecule for muscles, tissues, etc. In a perfect world, your body would get an optimal dose of each in your daily diet. 

Think of it like this:  You own a cadillac, and cadillacs take premium fuel.  Sure, you could go to the gas pump and put in regular unleaded gasoline (I do not recommend this) and sure you could still drive your car and it would still take you places and sure, it would live on (trust me I had one).  Counting calories is like unleaded gasoline in a cadillac, it works.  But your cadillac is your baby, why would you want to put unleaded gas in your baby? You know it runs best on premium gas. Sure it’s a little more expensive and it takes more effort to afford premium but your car functions better, it will last longer, and it will take you to more places. You only get one cadillac right?  You might as well put that premium fuel in the tank.

Tracking your macros is like putting in the extra effort to add premium fuel to your cadillac.  If done correctly, tracking your macros can help you get to your ideal/goal weight with the best body composition possible i.e. with as much muscle and as little fat as possible. It will also get you there with as much energy as possible and with as few hunger pains as possible (not the same as a craving). Oh and once you get the hang of macro tracking you will get to eat more food than if you only counted calories.  When you put it like that, premium gas seems worth it, huh?

There are several macronutrient calculators on the internet that are free to use.  My favorite is the macro calculator found on healthyeater.com.  This calculator offers many different ratios of macros to choose from, depending on your specific goals. 

Please reach out to me or your Body Outfitters trainer if you need help choosing ratios that are right for your goals and forward this article to anyone you know that could benefit from tracking their macros! 

If you don’t have a trainer and would like to learn more about designing your personal nutrition plan, about personal training, or to get started on a fitness plan that will reach your goals, reach out to me today.