What Are Macros?

Have you heard of macros before? Odds are if you’ve been spending time in the fitness community, you have. Macronutrients are a great way to manage your calorie and nutrition intake and reach your fitness goals faster and more efficiently!

What are macros?

Macros consist of three main categories: Protein, Fats, Carbs. These are the three building blocks for primarily everything you eat and what your body needs. Each person’s macros are going to be different. It depends on your weight, height, goal, and the way your body responds to nutrients. Counting macros has a lot of benefits, like helping lose stubborn fat, maintain lean muscle mass, keep your body satisfied and energized for workouts, but it take a lot of discipline. Since it involves tracking every single thing you’re eating, it is time consuming and requires forethought. That being said, you can fit whatever you want to eat within your macros, in moderation of course. You can remain as healthy or unhealthy as you want in your diet since all foods can fit into macros.

How do I find my macros?

Like we mentioned earlier, macros are different per person. There are lots of factors that can affect your macros. But there is also a general method of calculating your macros. The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine recommends adults try to get 10-35 percent of your calories from protein, 45-65 percent from carbs, and 20-35 percent from fats. You can find macro calculators online as well that will ask you some questions and help you determine your macros, but since they cannot ask you how certain foods make you feel and dive into your goals, they are limited in their understanding. Macros can be freeing since there are so many options, but also difficult when you don’t have accountability or are new to tracking. If you’re interesting in getting a personalized macro plan, I would be happy to help you! You can learn more about getting personalized macros and a nutrition plan through the button below!