Macros seems to be the new buzz word in our industry and I wanted to dive into the topic more to see if this is something you should focus on.
First, I want to explain what Macros are.
Macros refer to the “Macro” – Nutrients we consume.
Carbohydrates
Protein
Fat
To keep this simple, if a client/friend/family member asked me if they should count their macros this is what my answer would be:
“It depends…”
I know super helpful right?!
The point I want to make is, it does depend.
What are your goals, wants, desires?
If I had a client that wanted to lose weight, counting macros can be helpful.
What it can do is give them clear targets to hit for each macro nutrient they consume on a daily basis.
The other part of my “it depends” answer going into more of the person.
Does the person get wildly obsessive and if they don’t hit their numbers they then self-sabotage and go overboard.
Then counting macros may not be the best strategy.
If a client wants to hit a goal, for example weight loss.
We use our In Body scanner to determine Basil Metabolic Rate (BMR).
Then we add in additional calories for movement/exercise.
From there we create a caloric deficit and allocate appropriate percentages to Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat based on the daily target for caloric intake.
Then we ask the client to track using an app like My Fitness Pal or Lifesum to help us get an idea what the person is consuming.
Tracking your food can be super eye opening, but there can be a lot of user error.
You want to try to get the food as exact as possible and pay attention to portion sizes.
Or another approach I like is proactive tracking.
Track all the food you plan to consume the day before or morning of and then go eat that food.
You are taking a proactive approach and ensuring you hit your numbers.
What it all boils down to is we have to be more aware of what we consume.
Tracking Macros can be helpful but is not the end all be all.
Sometimes we can simply use our hands to help guide portions.
Palm = Protein
Cupped Hand = Carbohydrates
Fist = Veggie
Your hands are the right size for you.
Lastly, we have also recommended simply focus on Protein.
If you can hit a certain protein target day after day, that alone has been shown to produce amazing results.
So, in conclusion, don’t get all caught up in a new buzz word, or an old buzz word.
Find the strategy that works for you, depending on your goals.
And as always if you need help, shoot me a message back.
Arin
