Macronutrients~ Why you should care about them.

DOES IT FIT YOUR MACROS?

You may or may not have heard the term "macros" loosely thrown around here and there. Why do people talk about them so much?  Why not just eat "healthy" foods 24/7?   Healthy foods leaves way too much room for misconceptions and confusion.  Lets take sweet potatos, or yams, for example. Many people wisely choose these over their starchier, less nutritious brother the regular potato. While it is a better choice, if you had 10 a day, you would still gain weight.  Dividing up your macro-nutrients is the most balanced way I know of to live a nutritious and healthy lifestyle.  So what ARE macros? Macronutrients are the structural and energy-giving caloric components of our foods that most of us are familiar with.  They include carbohydrates, fats and proteins. 

1. Protein sources include:
Seafood
White meat poultry
milk, cheese and yogurt (Though most yogurt is over-saturated with sugar so cottage cheese is a much healthier choice)
egg whites
beans
pork
soy
lean beef
Protein powders (different kinds to be taken for different times of the day)

These are all considered healthy foods. Proportions matter. Lean red meats are a great source but are slow to digest so should be limited to once a week. Tuna should also be limited to no more than once a week as it has such high levels of mercury. It could easily be replaced with canned Salmon. There are other food sources high in protein but here is a start. It is important to ingest enough protein in order to maintain the muscle you've worked so hard to build and to keep your energy levels from dropping. You should ALWAYS pair a protein with either a carbohydrate or a healthy fat source so your body will more easily absorb what it needs.













2. Fats 
Avocado
seeds (pumpkin, sunflower and sesame)
nuts and nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, etc)
olive oil 
coconut oil
egg yolk

Again, proportions! Proportions are determined by a large number of things but I will include a basic guide at the end. Why do you need it? Check out this link.

3. Complex Carbohydrates
Oatmeal
bran
barley
quinoa
brown rice
sweet potato
A large variety of vegetables are also great sources for carbohydrates. The most basic reason to eat them is for energy. Most people (including myself) go overboard on the carbs. These go through a process after having too many to burn off in a day so they eventually store as fat. Obviously there is a LOT to this process but I'm trying to keep this short. Shoot me a message if you'd like more detail on the matter.

Alright, now let's get back to portion sizes.  This all depends on your goals.  I love this calculator from IIFYM.com That stands for If It Fits Your Macros. I also like to use MyFitnessPal.com.  It is a free app on your mobile device or can be used on your computer. It will break up the macros into 3 categories so you can see if you need to add more of 1 nutrient and less of another.  For a very basic guide, use myfitnesspal and aim to have an even amount in each category. Personally I am aiming for 40 to 50 % of my diet to be protien and splitting the remainder  percentages of my intake between carbs and fats. My biggest problem with upping my protein is that my fat intake always goes a little over but I was told by another trainer that it's common and not to worry about it. So for now I won't.

One last thing that is SO beneficial is to eat a vegetable at EVERY meal.  Hopefully you're eating 5 to 6 times a day to keep your blood sugar levels from spiking and crashing and to prevent yourself from becoming famished and later over eating. If you haven't heard of Kristy Jo I would recommend you check out her website at www.body-buddies.com  She has TONS of great information and has really done a lot of research.

Last last thing- Drink lots of water! You need a half ounce of fluid per day for every pound of body weight. For example, if you weigh 160 lbs, you need 80 oz. Divide that by 8 to calculate the number of cups you need. In this case, 10.   

If you'd like me to write up a basic meal plan please contact me. Keep in mind I am NOT a certified nutritionists or dietitian.

tara.allred@yahoo.com
801-864-8272
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