HOW TO TRACK YOUR MACROS: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW PART 1
You’ve probably heard the word “macros” or know someone who has “tracked” them when working towards a fat loss or performance goal. The idea of tracking macros is not new in the health and fitness industry, but if it’s new to you, it may seem confusing. We use the term Flexible Nutrition to describe the process of tracking macros, which is the approach we use with our clients who are working towards fat loss, performance, and overall health goals.
Today’s post is the first in a two-part series all about tracking your macros. In this post, we’re breaking down what macros are and why you track them. In Part 2, we’ll go a little bit deeper into how you track your macros and how to know if hiring a coach is right for you.
WHAT IS FLEXIBLE NUTRITION?
Flexible Nutrition is the process of counting and tracking macronutrients to work towards a goal. Whether that goal is to lean out, lose weight, gain muscle, perform better, establish healthier eating habits, or improve your relationship with food, tracking your macronutrients allows you to step away from the diet mentality and move past the idea that you need to restrict yourself from the foods you enjoy to reach those goals.
FLEXIBLE NUTRITION IS ABOUT FUELING YOUR BODY PROPERLY TO ACHIEVE AESTHETIC, PERFORMANCE, OR LIFESTYLE-RELATED GOALS.
Flexible Nutrition follows the idea that there are no “clean” foods and no “bad” foods. You do not have to deprive yourself from your favorite treats or restrict yourself from going out to eat with friends. Filling a majority of your diet with nutrient-rich foods will keep you full, energized, and healthy and eating a diet high in protein will help you maintain lean body mass and prioritize fat loss. Flexible Nutrition allows you to break the cycle of restricting and binging by creating healthy eating habits focused on balance and moderation.
WHAT ARE MACROS?
The word “macros” is short for macronutrients. There are three main macronutrients: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Alcohol is a fourth macronutrient, but is not a main focus since it is not an essential part of nutrition.
All calories come from the four macronutrients described below. While just counting calories can be an effective form of weight loss, ensuring balance across all of your macronutrients allows you to optimize your body composition and feel your best while focusing on fat loss rather than just weight loss.
PROTEIN | Protein plays a crucial role in building, maintaining, and repairing tissues in your body. It helps produce enzymes, hormones, and antibodies that aid in your body's immune process. Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, and supplemental protein powders are all great sources of protein. There are 4 calories per gram of protein.
CARBS | Carbohydrates are our body’s main source of energy. Fruits, vegetables, bread, pasta, candy, and cookies are all sources of carbohydrates. If you are an active individual, carbs are especially important in keeping you fueled and energized. There are 4 calories per gram of carbohydrate.
FAT | Fats, found in foods such as oils, nuts, and meats, are an essential part of our diet. They help regulate hormones, absorb vitamins, and can act as an additional energy source. There are 9 calories per gram of fat.
ALCOHOL | Although alcohol is a nonessential nutrient, it does contain calories. There are 7 calories per gram of alcohol.
WHY DO PEOPLE TRACK MACROS?
Tracking your food helps you improve awareness of the makeup of your food, and in turn helps you create positive eating habits that you can practice throughout your life. It is not just a way to lose a few quick pounds, but a change that allows you to develop a healthier relationship with food while seeing long term, sustainable results and eliminate food frustrations you’ve had for so long.
TRACKING YOUR MACROS ALLOWS YOU TO EAT THE RIGHT AMOUNT FOR YOU AND FOR YOUR GOALS WHILE ALSO HAVING THE FLEXIBILITY TO ENJOY THE FOODS YOU LOVE AND THE LIFESTYLE YOU WANT TO LIVE.
GETTING STARTED WITH TRACKING YOUR MACROS
Setting your macro targets is dependent on many factors, including your current weight, age, your specific goal, your lifestyle and activity level, and your dieting history. Using a macro calculator to determine your targets can be a good place to start, however these online calculators don’t often take the whole picture into account. In general, most goals are either aesthetic (to lose body fat/lean out), performance-based (to gain muscle, improve endurance, perform better) or related to overall health (to establish healthier eating habits or improve your relationship with food). When it comes to setting your targets and tracking, your targets will encourage the types of changes you’re aiming for by putting you in a calorie deficit, a calorie surplus or at maintenance intake.
CALORIE DEFICIT | A calorie deficit is when you are burning more calories than you are eating. If you have aesthetic goals geared towards losing body fat, a calorie deficit is absolutely essential. Being in a calorie deficit should be a temporary phase; because you are eating less, energy and performance may not be optimal and you may experience some hunger or fatigue. Read more about nutrition for aesthetic goals.
MAINTENANCE CALORIES | You are at maintenance calories when you are burning as many calories as you are consuming, on average. If you want to maintain your weight and focus more on overall health and energy, this is where your focus should be. Read more about nutrition for optimal health.
CALORIE SURPLUS | A calorie surplus is when you are burning fewer calories than you are eating. Eating in a calorie surplus is absolutely essential if you want to put on any weight, especially if you want to build muscle mass. If you have goals geared towards improving performance you should be eating at maintenance calories or in a surplus depending on your training. Read more about nutrition for performance goals.
Using a food scale, you will weigh your food and track it using an app, like MyFitnessPal. The goal is to get as close as possible to your target macronutrient numbers each day. While the process may sound intimidating at first, it allows you to become more aware of the foods you are eating and becomes easier as you learn how to fuel your body appropriately and find balance in your diet.
Stay tuned for Part 2 where we will talk more about how to navigate the tracking process and ensure you’re eating the right amount for your specific goals.
For absolute simplicity when it comes to tracking your macros, make sure to grab a free copy of Everyday Macros: our macro-friendly meal prep cookbook. It’s full of simple recipes, batch prep tips, and insight into how to make your nutrition as seamless as possible.