The Important Stuff:
·
Macros or macronutrients are defined as
nutrients that are needed in large quantities for normal growth and
development.
·
There are 3 basic types of macros: Carbohydrates
(CHO), Fats, and Protein
o
CHO- Carbohydrates
are the body’s first fuel source and the only energy source for brain and red
blood cells.
o
Fats – Essential nutrient that provides energy,
energy storage, insulation, and contour to the body.
o
Protein – The major structural component of all
body tissue.
·
The macronutrient breakdown recommended by most sources
is:
o
CHO: 45-65%
o
Fats: 20-35%
o
Protein: 10-35%
·
What this means in terms of calories per gram
(as most labels tell you how many grams are in a product) is:
o
CHO: 4 calories/gram
o
Fat: 9 calories/gram
o
Protein: 4 calories/gram
o
BONUS! Alcohol: 7 calories/gram
The Math Stuff:
All this information is really great, but how do you
apply it? First you need to figure out how many calories per day you actually
need. There are lots of wonderful
calculators you can find online to help you with this and we will put some links
for you at the end to make it easy. Let
us just say that you need a 2000 calorie diet and are trying to figure out your
macronutrient breakdown. It would look
something like this.
2000 x .55 = 1100
calories of carbs which would be (1100÷4) 275 grams
2000 x .25 = 500 calories
of fats which would be (500÷9) 55.6 grams
2000 x .20 = 400 calories
of protein which would be (400÷4) 100 grams
This is if you decide to
do 55% CHOs, 25% fat, and 20% protein.
You are not limited to this breakdown and can use any breakdown that is
within the suggested ranges.
Links!
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