Macros 101: Carbs, Protein, and Fat
Exercise is important. But when it really comes down to it, your nutrition is what makes or breaks your success. With a million different diets on the market-- and no shortage of fear-mongering about the dangers of high carb, high fat, or high protein diets-- it can be confusing to know what to do, and more importantly, why to do it.
First of all, it's important to note that-- if your goal is weight loss-- the only way to lose weight is to be in calorie deficit. This means you are burning more calories than you're eating. You could completely cut out carbs and only eat spinach every day, and still not lose weight if your calorie intake remains too high. Granted, that would be extremely difficult to do eating only spinach, but you get the point. There is no special, secret, magic diet that will help you lose weight without being in calorie deficit. That is the "secret." So, for weight loss purposes, it doesn't matter where your calories come from as long as you are in a deficit.
For health purposes, it matters immensely where those calories come from. Carbs, fat, and protein are all necessary to feeling good and living your best life. So what exactly are carbs, fat, and protein? How does our body use these macro-nutrients (or macros)? How can we eat in a way that makes us feel good, and is sustainable long-term?
Carbohydrates
Carbs are the most misunderstood macro-nutrient. It all started with the Atkins diet, when some asshole decided we couldn't have bread or pasta anymore. Carbs have gotten a bad reputation over the years, but why? Are carbs really that bad for you?
The short answer is no. Your body needs carbs, and so does your brain. Carbs are the primary source of fuel for both, and they help us function throughout the day. But there are carbs that are healthy for you, and carbs that aren't. The key is to eat more of the healthy carbs, minimize your intake of the not-so-healthy carbs, think about when you're eating carbs, and focus on portion control.
So, what are healthy carbs? You want to be looking at:
vegetables
whole grains
quinoa
beans
rice
potatoes
Yes, even the starchy carbs can be good for you! Here is the permission you've been looking for to include them in your diet. You're welcome! As for the not-so-healthy carbs? You already know the answer, so don't make it overly complicated. Minimize anything that is overly processed or refined, white flour, and sugar. Cakes, cookies, and sugary foods shouldn't be a major part of your diet. That's a no-brainer. However, we're not saying you can never have these foods. The key is to eat more of the what's healthy for you, and less of what's not. Complete restriction isn't necessary.
Another thing to consider is when to eat certain kinds of carbs based on the glycemic index (GI) of the carb you're eating. A high GI carb can also be thought of as a "fast" carb. These carbs break down in the body quickly and boost blood sugar levels. These are typically considered "bad" carbs, but this quick release of glucose can be great before a workout for energy, and after a workout for recovery. Low GI carbs, or "slow" carbs, release glucose slowly and steadily without spiking blood sugar levels, and are better to eat throughout the day. These carbs help you feel full longer and give you prolonged energy. By eating your carbs at the right time, you can utilize both "fast" and "slow" carbs to get the most out of your nutrition. You can make even the "bad" carbs work for you!
Carbs only become a problem when we eat way more than we need. Portion control is key. The average American diet blows right past the recommended serving sizes, leading us to consume far too many calories from carbs. You don't need a whole plate of rice or pasta. Pay attention to the serving size. A good rule of thumb is for most of your carbs to come from vegetables, and for non-vegetable carbs to take up no more than 1/3 of your plate. Carbs are necessary and will not make you fat unless you are eating too many calories compared to what you're burning.
Keep it simple: Carbs should make up 45 to 65 percent of your total daily calories. So, if you get 2,000 calories a day, that means between 225 and 325 grams of carbs a day. Eat high GI carbs before or after a workout, and low GI foods throughout the day.
Fat
Fat is a close runner up to most demonized macro-nutrient. If you don't want to be fat, you shouldn't eat fat, right? Turns out, that's not how it works. Fat is a necessary part of your diet. It's good for your heart and your muscles. It helps the general functioning of your body. It coats your nerves and allows your brain and body communicate. It helps regulate your hormones and promotes cell growth. Fat is absolutely essential, and various types of fat should be included in your diet. There are a few different kinds of fat your body needs.
The first type of fat is monounsaturated fat. This kind of fat lowers bad cholesterol and raises good cholesterol. You can get this fat from:
avocados
nuts (pistachios, almonds, walnuts, cashews)
olive oil
While we want to include monounsaturated fat in our diet, you want to be mindful of portion size. These foods are very calorie dense, and can easily lead to weight gain if you aren't paying attention.
Next up is polyunsaturated fat, which also helps lower bad cholesterol. It also contains omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which have largely been processed out of our food. These fatty acids are important because they can't be produced in the body, and we have to get them from our diets. You can find these fats in:
salmon
fish oil
sunflower oil
seeds
A misunderstood, yet essential, fat is saturated fat. This is one of the best sources of energy for your body! For a long time, saturated fat was thought to lead to heart disease and weight gain. However, studies show that diets high in saturated fat are not necessarily linked to obesity and heart disease. The key is-- you guessed it!-- moderation. Saturated fats come from:
red meat
dairy
eggs
butter
Unless you are a vegetarian, there is no reason not to include these saturated fats in your diet in moderation.
The only type of fat you want to avoid as much as possible are trans fats. We're talking about potato chips, french fries, and fried foods. For the most part, trans fats are man-made and chemically processed. Trans fats come about as a result of over-processing our foods to give them a long shelf life. Again, we're not saying you can never eat these foods. We're just saying that potato chips should not make up a major part of your diet (duh).
Keep it simple: Have about 25 to 30 percent of your calories come from fat come from fat. On average, that's about 44 grams to 77 grams of fat per day if you eat 2,000 calories a day.
Protein
Protein is the most popular macro-nutrient of them all! It is famous for its role in building muscle, but it is also used to strengthen your bones, skin, teeth, and hair as well. Think of protein as the building blocks to the structure of your body.
Protein is made up of amino acids, which help your body create hormones to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, and are directly responsible for your metabolic rate and muscle growth. Of all the amino acids, there are nine of which you can only get through your diet; your body can produce the rest. A complete protein is one that contains an adequate portion of those nine amino acids. An incomplete protein is one that is lacking in one or more of those nine amino acids. Complete proteins can only be found in animal products such as:
fish
poultry
eggs
red meat
greek yogurt
cheese
whey protein powder
If you're a vegetarian, it can be harder to get complete proteins but not impossible. Pairing rice and beans together is a source of complete protein, for example, as is pita and hummus, or a peanut butter sandwich. You can also get supplemental protein from:
tofu
seitan
beans and chickpeas
lentils
pea or plant-based protein powder
The idea that too much protein can cause kidney problems has become popularized over the years, but for most people that's not a concern unless you already have a kidney issue. One study even tested up to 400 grams of protein per day-- far more than you get in an average diet-- with no negative consequences. Protein is absolutely vital for burning calories, building muscles mass, and feeling and looking your best.
Keep it simple: Up to 35% of your calories should come from protein. The average rule is 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight (0.8 grams per kilogram), which comes to 56 grams per day for a sedentary man and 46 grams per day for a sedentary woman. More active individuals, or those looking to gain muscle, can scale up to 0.5 - 0.8 grams per pound of body weight (1.2 - 1.7 grams per kilogram).
Conclusion
At the end of the day, your body needs all three macro-nutrients to function optimally and see results in the gym. Focus on hitting the recommended grams of each macro-nutrient, and allowing all things in moderation. Remember, unless you are in calorie deficit, you won't lose weight no matter what you eat. While all three macro-nutrients are essential for health and wellness, being in calorie deficit regardless of where the calories come from is the key to weight loss.
Click here to see what macros you should aim for based on your personal goals.
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