What are Macros? Should you be tracking them?

Trendy Diets make their way around the internet all the time and its hard to keep up with what is legit and what is not so legit...

One that has made its rounds plenty has been talk about macros, but what are they? and do they really matter?

Well lets just put it simply. Macros are what you are already eating every day, its the food that keeps us alive and we need all of it. When we say Balanced Macros, we are measuring Protein, Fat, and Carbs

Each one of these is equally important for a balanced and nutritious diet, you shouldn't ever cut out a food group in order to lose weight unless you are prepping for a body building competition (but hey, you might be) 

What does it mean when someone says "Balanced Macros" and why should it matter?

Well balanced macros means you are getting the right amount of each food group, the right amount of protein, the right amount of carbs and the right amount of fats. Depending on your goal you will adjust the amount of each one, but they will all come out to 100% of your diet.

30, 30, 30
Generally you can stick to 33% 33% 33% and you will be getting a good amount of each food group without seeing much change in your body. More often though, peoples goals are to lose weight or lose fat while keeping or growing muscle, this is important to consider when tracking macros

You will likely need more protein and less carbs and fat, and you can adjust accordingly. People who are more active need more carbs and protein than fats, but you shouldn't ever take one of them out of your diet completely, only adjust the amount for your desired results. If you work out for more than two hours a day, you should consult a sports nutritionist as they can help track your macros for your specific goals. 

Macros are simple and don't need to take up your time to track, if you are eating complex carbs it is easier to look at your food and see the balance even on your plate vs simple carbs. Complex carbs are things like rice, potatoes, and vegetables, simple carbs, like breads and pasta usually contain more carbs per ounce.
Fatty foods like avocados and nuts are also easy to track just by looking. If your plate looks like it is split evenly with each food group you will not only have a filling meal, but you will also likely feel satisfied afterward, because your body isn't craving anything else, you hit each food group. 

You can always talk to a professional to get numbers for your body and your health. 

So is Tracking Macros just another fad? Could be, but recognizing food as fuel is a healthy way to see it. Lots of trendy diets can result in poor eating habits and we think tracking macros is the best way to make sure you are getting the food your body needs. 

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