Friends – here’s my biggest nutrition lesson thus far: forcing my body and my life into someone else’s pre-made set of food rules was never going to work. And obsessing over the “bad foods” those rules forbid me to have? Well, that did nothing but 1) make me want them more, and 2) get me really good at staying away from a long list of the things I loved (for a very short time, of course, right before I crashed and burned and went face-first into about 200 pints of ice cream).
And look – if you’re okay with staying away from a long list of foods for the rest of your life and can ACTUALLY manage that? I suppose there’s nothing wrong with that approach… But that isn’t true for most of us, is it? So if you’re not okay with a life sentence of no cookies, no bread, no pasta, then you may be happy to learn that there’s a better approach for you…
Enter: macros.
WHAT ARE MACROS?
“Macros” is short for macronutrients – the three main nutrients our bodies get from the food we eat. Namely, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats (and yeah, alcohol is technically a fourth macronutrient, but it won’t be a focal point here since it’s not an essential part of your nutrition). Each of these has a unique and vital role to play in keeping you healthy, performing well in the gym & thriving in your everyday life.
While some foods are made up of exclusively one macronutrient, most foods are a combination of all 3 macros in different ratios. Ensuring a good balance of proteins to fats to carbs, for you and your goals, if the quickest and most flexible way to the *sustainable* change you want to see.
WHY SHOULD WE TRACK MACROS?
People commonly track macros for weight loss, and that can work super well, but using macros as a strategy for improving your nutrition for better performance? More energy? Muscle gain? Improving your relationship with food after years of dieting? It can be fabulous for those, too.
Tracking macros can be a beautiful introduction to understanding what makes up your favourite foods, what foods really serve your body and your goals well, and how to adapt your nutrition in a way that preserves both your goals and your quality of life (no forbidden foods around here, thanks!).
And while I’m not convinced that tracking your macros is a long-term strategy for anyone (because let’s face it, it’s pretty time-intensive, and no one wants to be locked to a set of numbers forever, right?) it can be a brilliant short term tool to get you to your goal and leave you with life-long knowledge about what your body thrives on, where to get it, and how to adjust when your goals and life eventually shift. Basically, your nutrition is confidently in your own hands.
BUT HOW DO WE TRACK MACROS?
When we track macros, we work to figure out what ratios of protein, carbs and fats serve you best and how to put them together to create a personalised nutrition plan based on the things you like, the goals in front of you and the season of life you are in. And once we have that unique-to-you information, we’ll figure out how to fill your day with foods that get you there!
A word of caution, though – there are hundreds of online calculators that will spit out some generic numbers for you if you ask it…and you should proceed with extreme – I mean EXTREME – caution. These calculators don’t know YOU: your body, the lifestyle you want (or need to) maintain while you chase your goals, your preferences, none of it. And you know as well as anyone, no two bodies are alike.
And, aside from being unable to plan for your body and your goals specifically, their estimations are usually daaangerously low, which can lead to all kinds of internal chaos with your hormones and metabolism, eventually messing with that goal you’re working toward. If you are considering macros as a strategy for you, it’s really important to make sure these numbers are truly right for YOU.
SO WHAT’S NEXT?
Learning how to track macros can help you understand the appropriate amount to eat for your specific goals and exactly where to get it. We’re here for exactly that…
Introducing the MACROS MASTERCLASS: a transformative month of education, coaching and community that leaves you with all you need to define your nutrition goal, create a plan to achieve it and take action for long-term, sustainable nutrition change.
The MACROS MASTERCLASS is for people who are tired of crash diets and ready to get a handle on their nutrition in a healthy and sustainable way – without following a diet ever again.
We offer the program twice a year – keep an eye out for the next one at the end of 2023 (online – so yes, you can follow along from anywhere!), so you can kick off 2024 with what you need to rock and roll with those fitness & nutrition goals.