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Macronutrients (macros) are the main nutrients your body needs in large amount of energy. Counting macros is a popular way to follow and achieve nutrition and health objectives, such as losing weight or gaining muscle.
Jump at the main dishes to remember.
Step 1: Understand your daily energy needs
Before counting macros, it is first of all essential to determine your needs in daily calories, which depend on factors such as:
- Age
- Body size
- Biological sex
- Activity level
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding status
Most adult men need 2,000 to 3,000 kcal. Most adult women need 1,600 to 2,400 kcal per day.
Once you know your daily calories needs, you can calculate your argument bench, fat and optimal proteins.
Calories vs macronutrients
Calories are an energy unit, found in each macronutrient as follows:
- Fat: 9 calories per gram
- Crabs: 4 calories per gram
- Protein: 4 calories per gram
An adult may need around 2,000 calories per day, but monitoring macros goes further. For a 50% carbohydrate, 25% fat, 25% protein, target approximately 250 g of carbohydrates, 55 g of fat and 125 g of protein.
Alcohol adds seven calories per gram, so take this into account if you drink.
Step 2: Determine your macro ratio goal
For adults, suggested macro ratios include:
- Protein: 10-35% of the total calories
- Crabs: 45 to 65% of the total calories
- Fat: 20-35% of the total calories
You can adjust macronutrient reports for objectives such as muscle construction or weight loss (eg, increase in proteins and fibers).
Low carbohydrate and protein -rich diets can also help the fight against short -term blood sugar and weight loss.
However, research is not Support low fat and low carbohydrate diets for long -term weight loss.
Once you have set your ideal macro ratio, calculate the daily grams by multiplying each percentage by your global caloric lens.
Step 3: Count your macros
Read nutrition labels to determine the amount of macros in your food. The label will contain the number of calories in a portion size and grams of carbohydrates, fat and protein.
Online tools and applications can help you follow your daily macros and estimate the amount of macros in foods without nutrition labels (for example, products, fresh cuts of meat or seafood).
A food scale can help you know exactly how many grams of specific foods you eat.
What are the 3 macronutrients?
Proteins, carbohydrates and fats are the macronutrients your body needs daily for energy and vital functions. Food vary in the macronutrient content, each with a different amount of energy (calories) per gram.
Protein
Proteins constitute most tissues in the body and play a role in many vital cellular functions.
The proteins you eat are broken down into their constituent elements, amino acids, which your body uses to make new proteins and tissues.
Protein -rich foods include the following elements:
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Beans
- Milk
- Yogurt
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the main source of energy of the body. Your body breaks down carbohydrates into glucose, which cells can quickly use for energy.
| Types of carbohydrates | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Type of carbohydrates | Simple carbohydrates | Complex carbohydrates | Fiber |
| Description | Made of one or two sugar molecules | Sugar channels that must be broken down | A type of complex carbohydrates, often not absorbed by the body |
| Sources | Fruits, honey, molasses, cane sugar, corn syrup | Grains, cereals, pasta | Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds |
| Additional information | Quickly increase your blood sugar | Provide long -term energy | Helps regulate digestion |
Fat
Food fat has obtained a bad reputation over time, but it is essential for a healthy diet. Our body needs fat to absorb specific vitamins and amortize our organs.
Certain cells of the body, such as the heart, depend on fats for energy.
The fats are made of fatty acids, some of which are essential, and you must pass your diet.
The following includes a comparison of saturated and unsaturated fats.
-
Solid at room temperature
-
Found in: Products of animal origin, coconut and palm oil
-
Can raise LDL, “bad cholesterol”
-
Limit to less than 6% of total calories
-
Liquid at room temperature
-
Found in: olive, canola, soy oil, fatty fish and specific nuts and seeds
-
Generally considered to be healthier, can help improve cholesterol
Adjust your macros for your needs
The needs in calories and macro can vary depending on many factors, such as:
- Age
- Body size
- Biological sex
- Activity level
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding status
- Presence of malnutrition or other chronic conditions
People with specific health objectives can consult a registered dietitian nutritionist (DR / RDN) to guide and guarantee their diet provides adequate nutrients.
Benefits of macros counting
Counting macros is a popular way to follow the nutrition and health objectives and can increase consciousness in the way and the moment you eat. Certain advantages of macros counting include:
- Better understanding of your diet and your health
- Consciousness of the foods of your diet and their nutritional density (nutrients vs calories)
- Improved blood sugar management and diabetes management
- Improve cholesterol
- Weight loss and body composition changes
Tools and applications for macro counting
Many online tools and telephone applications can help you count macros; Some are free to use.
Tools like the USDA MyPlate Plan can help you find your range of calories and nutrient recommendations.
Other applications allow you to scan the barcode on a food to follow easily.
Advice to count macros
Counting macros can be an important change to help you keep track of your nutrition, but it can be difficult to transform it into habit.
- Use macro-counting tools Like a telephone application or keep a journal to record your calories and macros.
- Hold responsible. Saying or involving family members, friends or dedicated nutritional support groups about your plans can help you keep responsible and motivated.
- Meal planning Maybe a great way to make sure you achieve your macro goals and help you better manage your diet and nutrition. Set time every week to plan meals of the week, followed by a grocery trip.
- Consider obtaining a food scale And use it until you get the size of the portions and macros.
- Count macros does not mean that you cannot eat outside, but try to be aware of what is on your plate. Some restaurants can provide nutrition information if you ask. You can also request sauces or dressings on the side and use them sparingly.
- Make sure you have fast and healthy snacks at hand. For example, keep the vegetables freshly cut to dive into the houmous in the refrigerator instead of looking for a sweet energy bar to satisfy hunger.
- Celebrate your victories. Celebrate your little and large victories, whether it is to improve your nutritional knowledge, make healthy changes or improve your blood sugar or cholesterol.
Main to remember
- Macros (proteins, carbohydrates and fats) are primary nutrients our body needs in large quantities.
- Counting macros is a popular way to monitor your contribution, follow your nutrition and make sure you get the right amount for your health objectives.
- An RD / RDN can provide individual advice for specific macro ratios.
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