HOW TO TRACK YOUR MACROS
What are macros? Macronutrients are nutrients that our bodies require in large amounts to provide us with energy (micronutrients we need in small amounts). Water can be considered a macronutrient because we require a large amount of water for our bodies to function properly, however water does not provide our body with energy. Therefore, the three macronutrients that provide us with energy are protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates:
The most easily utilized form of energy (especially for high intensity exercise)
Carbs break down into glucose, glucose is not only utilized by the muscles for energy production, but glucose also fuels our central nervous system
Protein:
Required for muscle growth and other tissue growth within the body
Important for making enzymes and hormones
Protein is broken down into amino acids
Fats:
Important for hormone production
Provides protection of vital organs
Acts as a secondary source of energy (we utilize fat for fuel at rest and during aerobic based activities such as walking)
How to calculate calories from macros:
Fats = provide 9 calories per gram
Carbs = provide 4 calories per gram
protein = provide 4 calories per gram
Example:
A protein bar contains 20g of protein, 7g of fat, and 10g of carbs
20x4 = 80 calories
7x9 = 63 calories
10x4 = 40 calories
Total calories for the protein bar = 183 calories
What should my macros be? It’s important to understand that everyone’s daily macro breakdown will vary from person to person depending on many different factors.
Some factors that influence macros:
Age
Gender
Resting metabolic rate (RMR)
Goal (i.e. are you trying to lose weight or gain weight? OR are you an athlete trying to improve performance?)
Disease state (For example, some research recommends a ketogenic diet for people with epilepsy)
Medications
Guidelines for determining macros:
Protein:
Simple approach = consume 1g of protein per pound. For example, a 150lb female should aim for ~150g of protein
Endurance athlete = 1.2-1.7g/kg/BW
Strength or power athlete = 1.6-2.0g/kg/BW
Weight loss = 1.8-2.7g/kg/BW
Recovering from injury = 2.0-2.4g/kg/BW
Carbs:
Lose weight/body fat = aim for ~30-40% of total calories (this is not including a keto diet approach which minimizes carbs to ~5-10% of total calories)
Gain weight/“bulk” = aim for that ~55-65% window
Aerobic athletes (>90 min a day) = 8-10g/kg/BW
Strength athletes = 4-7g/kg/BW
HIIT and intermittent activities such as most team sports = 5-7g/kg/BW
Fats:
20-35% of total calories should come from fat
<10% should come from trans and saturated fats
Share this post: