How to Count Your Macros
What are macros? Macronutrients are the building blocks that make up the food we eat. Proteins, fats and carbs are the three macros. Counting your calories alone can get you on track if you are trying to gain or lose weight. However, If you want to maximize your results you can put in extra work by counting the macros that make up calories.
The 3 Macros:
Proteins help build muscle and prevent muscle loss. High protein diets are popular for fat loss. Carbohydrates are what our bodies use for energy. Fats provide energy as well and keep you full longer. More importantly, they are an essential nutrient that our bodies need to survive.
How to Count Macros:
1 gram of carbs= 4 calories
1 gram of protein= 4 calories
1 gram of fat= 9 calories
The best way to count your macros is to cook most of your meals. This way you're not constantly guessing and can monitor your progress more accurately. Counting your macros doesn't necessarily mean you're going to get the results that you desire. You will have to start researching for different macro ratios that will best fit your body type and goals. Most sources online will tell you to try and get anywhere from 25-35% of your total calories from proteins. I typically go for 1 gram of protein per 1-1.5% of lean body weight that I have. Experimenting with your carb and fat ratio is going to be the trickiest part in my opinion. I've seen sources recommend consuming as low as 25% and as high as 55% of your total daily calories in carbs. Most sources I have seen recommend anywhere from 20-40% of your daily calories to fats. You're going to have to go through trial and error and experiment with your body. Love the process of this, if it was easy everyone would do it!
Still don't know where to start? Begin tracking your food into a macro counting app. It will be challenging at first to record every single detail and you may often question yourself if this is actually worth it. If you want the quickest results possible, I think this is your best option. Once you have tracked your food for a few days, you will see roughly how many calories your having each day. If you are gaining weight, then you are eating more calories than you are burning each day. You can start making small adjustments to your caloric intake based on your goals (plus or minus 200 calories). It is not recommended to make drastic changes to your daily calorie intake. It will start to become easier to give your body the amount of macros it needs to succeed.