The Must-Knows of Macros
If you’re interested in health, fitness, or food (who isn’t interested in food, am I right?), then chances are that you’ve come across the concept of macros before! Macros, or macronutrients, are the three food groups that provide our bodies with energy and play a number of different roles in making sure that our bodies are running efficiently. While some of these macros might’ve gotten somewhat of a bad reputation in the past- did anyone else grow up thinking all fats were bad?- each of them have their place in a balanced, well-planned diet!
Fat
The Basics
As I mentioned, sometimes fats get a bad rep; I probably spent 15 years of my life always asking for ‘fat-free’ or ‘low-fat’ options! While fats do provide 9kcal per gram, unlike carbs and protein, and some types of fats have undesirable health effects, they also play a number of essential roles in the body. Fats are a primary energy source utilized by the body; in addition, they help the body store nutrients and assist in hormone regulation. Similar to carbohydrates, not all fats are created equal, and some types of fats are known to lead to potential harmful health outcomes. Saturated fats should be used sparingly in a balanced diet. Saturated fats are often solid at room temperature and can increase blood cholesterol levels in the body; in addition, they are often linked with increased heart disease risks. Examples of saturated fats include animal fats such as fatty cuts of beef and pork, tropical oils such as coconut oils or palm oils, butter, or margarine. While saturated fats should be used sparingly, they do not need to be avoided altogether; personally, I am a big, big ghee fanatic; it takes everything in me not to coat all of my food in ghee! However, there is another fat that needs to be completely avoided: trans fats. Trans fats, or trans fatty acids, are present in foods that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, and they have been shown to raise LDL cholesterol, while suppressing HDL, or “good cholesterol”. They have been linked with an increased risk of bodily inflammation, as well as with heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. Trans fats are often found in highly processed food, such as fried foods or processed snack foods, though there have been substantial efforts to limit trans fats in food production. Finally, there are a number of heart-healthy fats that should make up most of your fat intake. These fats, which include monosaturated or polyunsaturated fats, tend to be liquid at room temperature, and they have been shown to decrease your risk of heart disease and lower your blood cholesterol levels, as well as lower blood pressure levels.
Healthy fats to try:
While all fats (except trans fats! Yuck!!) might have their place in a well-balanced diet, most of your fat intake should come from monosaturated or polyunsaturated fats, while saturated fats, such as ghee, should be used sparingly- much to my disappointment. Some healthy fats to include in your diet are:
Olive oil
Canola oil
Sesame oil
Peanut butter
Avocados
Nuts
Fatty fish (salmon is a wonderful source of healthy fats!)
Sunflower seeds
How much to eat:
It’s recommended that roughly 20-35% of your total daily caloric intake should be from fats, preferably monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats. For a typical 2,000 calorie diet, this would mean that you are consuming around 44-77 grams of fat per day- so roughly 3-5 tablespoons of olive oil a day.
Protein
The Basics
Protein is definitely one of the more well-known macros, and fitness fanatics the world over have definitely preached about its muscle-building properties. While it might’ve seemed a little weird that that one football player in your science class always had to have his protein shake after PE (looking at you, Jake!), he actually had a pretty good idea there. Simply put, protein assists in building muscle when ample amounts are consumed while working out consistently. Exercises such as weightlifting create microtears in the muscles; the body then breaks down the protein in your diet to repair the tears with the nutritional amino acids, which makes the muscles larger and stronger following the repair. This is why it’s so important to make sure you’re eating an adequate amount of protein if you’re wanting to make significant gains in your fitness journey! It’s also important to note that protein is one of the main building blocks of body tissue. Protein is composed of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds; there are nine amino acids that are essential to human biological functions that can only be supplied through food intake, which makes protein a crucial part of the diet! Fun nutritional fact: there are 4kcal per gram of protein!
Healthy protein sources to try:
Luckily for those picky eaters, vegetarians, and vegans out there, there are plenty of sources of protein out there to fuel your body and satisfy your cravings! Common foods that are high in protein include:
Lean beef (also high in iron!)
Chicken breast
Tuna fish
Fish (Salmon is 22% protein and high in omega-3 fatty acids!)
Cottage cheese
Greek yogurt
Eggs
Legumes
Nuts
Seeds
Tofu
Lentils
Seitan
How much to eat:
Broadly speaking, protein should make up 10-35% of your diet; seeing as this is kind of a large range, it can be somewhat difficult to figure out individual differences in protein consumption. Those who exercise frequently will want to land on the higher end of those recommendations in order to meet performance requirements, seeing as protein will help If you regularly exercise, it’s a good idea to be consuming at least 0.8 grams of protein for every kilogram of body weight; this means that a 150 lb. individual should be consuming at least 55 grams of protein each day. Those who exercise rigorously and consistently will want to consume even more, particularly if they are wanting to gain muscle. Those who are wanting to gain muscle should be sure that at least 25% of their macro intake is protein and should consume at least 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight! With increased protein intake, however, comes an increased risk for dehydration, so it’s important to drink lots of water in addition to your protein.
Carbohydrates
The Basics
If you didn’t already pick up on this from our article about the Keto diet (if you haven’t read it, you’re missing out!), we are big carbohydrate fans around here. We believe that carbs get a horrible reputation for no reason! In fact, carbohydrates play a huge role in the body as a primary energy source, as well as assisting in intestinal processes and waste elimination! While carbs are essential to the body, not all carbohydrates are created equal. Dietary carbohydrates are composed of several types of differing molecules, and they are often as classified as either ‘simple’ or ‘complex’ carbs. Simple carb sources are usually composed of simple sugars, and they are very easily digested by the body; because of this, simple carbs do not keep you full for very long and tend to spike blood sugars, which leaves you craving more! In addition, these simple carbs are rarely accompanied by micronutrients that will assist in basic bodily processes. Some examples of simple carbs include white bread, French fries, donuts, sugar-filled sodas, and candy. On the other hand, we have complex carbs sources, which are primarily composed of fiber and starches. These carbs digest more slowly and are more satiating, so they keep you fuller for longer. Complex carbs are also usually accompanied by an abundance of micronutrients, and because they tend to be more satisfying, they often aid in fat loss, since you find yourself not wanting to over-eat them. Just like protein, there are 4kcal per gram of carbohydrate!
Healthy carbs to try:
As mentioned earlier, most of your carbohydrate intake should be coming from complex carbs, which include:
Whole-wheat pasta
Whole-wheat bread
Quinoa
Buckwheat
Berries
Apples
Bananas
Broccoli
Carrots
Leafy greens such as kale
Beans
But let’s be honest. We all need some simple carbs every now and then. So be sure to treat yourself every once in a while- you deserve that cupcake!
How much to eat:
National dietary guidelines recommend that 45-65% of your diet should be made up of carbs, but it is also recommended that only 10% of your diet is made up of simple carbs (which means there’s still a place for French fries!). This means that for a common 2,000 calorie-per-day diet, you might end up consuming 225-325 grams of carbohydrates per day, or 900-1,300 calories purely from carbs. However, carb intake varies HEAVILY from person to person, so your needs might be totally different from this; alter these numbers as they fit your goals and make you feel best! Some people find it easier to lose weight when consuming a far lower amount of carbohydrates, so as long as you’re eating plenty of fruits and veggies, you should be just fine.
All in all…
Whether you’re interested in losing weight, gaining weight, or just trying to maintain, macronutrients are an integral part of understanding how to fuel your body! It’s easy to be intimidated by the subject- I know I was when I began!- but finding out what exactly you’re eating can help you meet your goals while feeling better physically. If you’re interested in tracking your macros in order to make sure you’re on the right path, I’d always recommend downloading a tracker app such as My Fitness Pal or Lose It. It’s also a great idea to invest in a food scale in order to make sure you’re accurately measuring the foods you’re tracking. Remember, all macros have their place in a healthy, balanced diet, but it’s important to find the right macronutrient distribution for you. Have fun with your nutrition, and make sure to get your protein in for today! Happy tracking!