If you want to achieve your weight loss goals, or any goal for that matter, you'll have to do more than just exercise. You are probably wondering what more you could do. Well, identifying and tracking your macros will help you get where you want to be!
But first, what are macros? They are three constituents of nutrients that you take to provide your body with energy. The categories of nutrients include proteins, carbs, and fats. To enhance your health, therefore, you'll need to eat clean bro! Let us delve into the details of these macronutrients.
Carbohydrates
Carbs consist of sugars, starch, and fibers. These carbohydrates are broken down into blood sugar or glucose, which your body uses for energy. To acquire enough energy for your exercise routine, eat clean bro! Additionally, some types of carbohydrates can be stored in the form of glycogen in your muscles or liver. Other types of carbs will promote digestive health since they are full of fiber.
Carbs produce 4 calories per gram and are responsible for most people's calorie intake. Carbohydrates are found in foods, such as dairy products, grains, starchy vegetables, beans, nuts among others. We recommend that you consume 45% - 65% of your daily calories from carbohydrates. Sugar is an important constituent of carbs, but it comes with a lot of side effects. Let us address them.
Excess consumption of sugars is associated with several health problems. Well, you might be asking yourself a number of questions.
- How much sugar do you need?
- How much sugar is too much?
- Can you eat a little bit of sugar daily? Or should you avoid it?
- What types of sugars are there?
Well, we are here to guide you. There are two types of sugars namely natural sugars and added sugars.
Natural sugars
These are sugars that occur naturally in foods such as fruits and vegetables. These foods contain fiber, water, and various micronutrients. As such, naturally occurring sugars are safe for consumption.
Added sugars
These are sugars and syrups added to foods or beverages during processing. Added sugars are present in foods such as yogurt, soft drinks, wheat products, candy, among others. The sugars could also be found in soups, syrups, and cured meats.
Added sugars are the types of sugars linked to health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, and blood pressure. This makes it important to know and track your sugar intake. Our advice is that you avoid consuming foods with added sugars. If you want to avoid sugar-related health issues, you just got to eat clean bro!
What is the safe amount of sugar intake?
Well, this is no easy question since most individuals tend to consume too much sugars without even knowing it. Moreover, some people consume a lot of sugar without developing any health problems. Other people, however, should avoid sugars at all costs. The maximum amount of added sugars you should consume is as follows:
- Women – 100 calories daily (6 teaspoons)
- Men – 150 calories daily (9 teaspoons)
Don't go beyond the recommended amount. If you are experiencing a hard time cutting your sugar intake, try replacing the added sugars with natural ones. For instance, you could avoid taking soft drinks and sodas and replace them with fruit juices.
Are you an athlete? Do you work out regularly? If you do, then you must be wondering whether you should take sugars before your exercise.
If you must, it is best to take carbs with natural sugars rather than added sugars. For example, a fruit is a healthier option compared to a candy bar. A banana will provide you with long-lasting energy since natural sugars are absorbed slowly by the body. In fact, most fitness professionals recommend that you take the snack an hour before your session.
Proteins
Proteins help your body grow, build muscles, repair tissues, fight illnesses, among other functions. Foods rich in protein include meat, fish, eggs, cheese, beans, and other animal products. They can also be found in plants and include beans, lentils, nuts, and vegetables.
The recommended amount of protein intake is 10% - 35% of your meal. This will help you to strike the balance of your macros. If you want to build that muscle mass, we'll keep telling you to eat clean bro.
Fats
Fat is crucial to almost all our body functions. How? It insulates our bodies during a cold weather and allows us to spend long periods without eating. Additionally, it stores energy, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, and cushions body organs. There are three types:
- Trans – these types are found in margarine, fried foods, and baked goods
- Saturated – these types are found in beef, poultry, cream, butter, among others.
- Unsaturated – these are healthy types found in avocados, seeds, olives, nuts, oils among others.
We recommend that you consume unsaturated type. Why? They reduce your risk of developing life-threatening diseases, such as heart diseases. To keep your body healthy, we advise you to eat clean bro! A good place to start is to maintain an intake of 20%- 35% of fats.
It is worth noting, however, that intakes will vary for different individuals. You could download a tracking app to assist you to track your macros.
Benefits of tracking your macros
The following are some of the advantages of monitoring your nutritional diet.
Encourages you to make healthier food choices
Tracking your nutritional intake will help you come up with a healthy diet plan that ensures you eat clean bro. When you monitor your macros, you will consume enough protein, carbohydrates, and fats to fuel your body.
The right macro ratio will drive weight loss
Tracking and monitoring your intake will enhance weight loss as compared to counting calories alone. Striking a nutrient balance will help your body burn excess fat easily.
Tracking macros helps with weight maintenance
After you achieve your ideal weight, you will want to maintain it. For that to be accomplished, however, you just got to eat clean and continuously keep tabs on your diet.
Tracking and monitoring your diet is vital for your body functions. Your intake of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats will contribute heavily to your overall health. If you require further assistance, contact us to get started!
