Do you really need to count the macros?
Never be confused on the debate of large vs calorie macros again with this insight of experts.
Calorie count was one of the most popular weight loss methods and becoming healthy. But over the past two years, macros have moved to the main source. If you are here, you are wondering that these are exactly the macros, are not afraid, you are not alone here!
See, the idea of counting macros is native to aBody of bodybuilders Who were tired of the strict limitations that came with crash regimes and count calories. Since then, macros have taken place in traditional health conversations through popular diets likeKeto and if that corresponds to your macros, orIFYMER As we know.
If you are curious to count the macros or have never thought of giving them a try, there are some important things to know first.
First of all: how are different calorie macros?
The calories areUnits of energy. When we count calories throughout our day, we mainly rely the energy we get from the food we eat. So, if we consume 2,000 calories for a day, we can consider it as a consuming 2,000 units of energy.
Macros are similar to calories because they are also measurable energy units that we receive food. But more specifically, macros ormacronutrientsThe three fundamental nutrients of food health: carbohydrates, greases and proteins.
When we rely the macros, we measure the percentage of every nutrient we receive from our food in a day. This allows us to elevate or reduce our consumption of specific nutrients to match our health goals. For example, according toDana Carpenderauthor ofKeto Fat Gram Counter, SomeoneOn the Keto regime Would probably target a macro count of about 10 to 20% protein, 75 to 85% fats and carbohydrates from 5 to 10%.
When comparing macros and calories, we can think of macros as a more specific way to follow the energy that our food gives us. But how important is it to follow our macros? And can he help us achieve our health goals?
Is it important to follow your macros?
Counting macros can be a little better time than counting calories, so it's understandable that people will want to know if it's worth their effort. We talked with some health experts from their experience with macronutrients and what we learned is that at the end of the day, it simply depends on your personal health goals.
Jade Dinsdale, a health coach certified in Florida, believes that macros counting can be an important way to learn your eating habits.
"Macros highlight the balance of your diet and give you a look at what you eat. The calories do not give you balance, they just give you a number," she says.
Dr. Cedrina Calder, a preventive medicine and a physical condition professional, agrees that macro counting can be an important tool for the details of what you eat and how you can adapt to reach your health goals.
"Counting Macros Allows you to understand how much you eat from each group and modifies your diet accordingly, depending on what you want to accomplish," she says.
What are the benefits of counting macros instead of calories?
In addition to allowing you to get an overview of the number of carbohydrates, fats and protein that you enter into your daily diet, macros counting also allows you to track the quality of the food you eat.
Calder notes that it is much more difficult to look at the nutritional value of the food you consume if you only expect calories. "With macros, you can really see the quality of your diet. If I count only calories, I can eat 2,000 calories in a bread just for the day and always be always in my calorie objective," says she.
Dinsdale agrees that macros can help us see where we may need more or less a category, while calories limit us to a number only. "When we focus too much on counting calories, we often lack our nutritional needs. If we limit ourselves to the quantity, we could packages quality, "says Dinsdale.
Another advantage of counting calorie count macros is that when you are aware of your macros, you can adapt more easily to your health needs. "It's hard to really understand the number of calories you should eat to lose weight or maintain a good level of health," says Calder. "The question is that some people think they just need to drop calories by a significant amount to lose weight. But that's not true. It depends on so many other elements."
With macros, you have a better understanding of the nutrients you may need more or less. This facilitates much more setting your diet than if you work with calories as a number.
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Are there descents to count macros?
With macros, there is still room for eating a lot ofProcessed and unhealthy foods. Although it is easier to look at your nutrient consumption than counting calories, you can always respond to a lot of junk food in your daily macro count. A bunny cheeseburger ofMcDonalds Will always be low in carbohydrate and high fat / protein content, but repeat this will often not often help improve your overall health.
Another negative aspect of counting macros is the potential lack of variety in your diet. When you follow your macros, you usually limit yourself to one or two zones,which can affect micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that your body begins. Lily Nichols, RDN, CDE says that "a weak diet variety has been associated with lower nutritional consumption. The higher your diet, the better your consumption of general nutrients."
These follow-up regimes have also been associated with certain schemes of aunhealthy obsession With eating among some people. Dinsdale also warns that counting calories and macros can be problematic if you have a history of diet disorders or unhealthy relationship with food. "For so many men and women, a disorder eat guided an unhealthy relationship with food and counting calories or macros can sometimes exacerbate this model," she says.
So, should you count macros?
Overall, our experts agree that the counting of your macros can be helpful to better understand your eating habits and make changes to your diet to achieve your health goals. But follow-up macros should never take the place to eat balanced and nutritious foods.
Dinsdale says that although macros can be an important way to better know your diet, they are not all and the solution - any solution to a healthy life.
"We are all different, and when we focus on food food for a healthier and connected life, it's easier to listen to the signals of our body and what it needs," she says .
Calder is a promoter from counting macros, but it also believes this healthy diet above all, the most important and sustainable goal. "The easiest way to achieve your health goals is to follow a healthy healthy food," she says.
Whether you are counting your calories or count your macros, it's important to know what you give your body. If you decide to try to follow a macro-tracking, do not forget to integrate the balance and food of high quality every time you can.