Nutrition made simple: Series 1, If It Fits Your Macros

The amount of hype and misinformation about different diets is overwhelming and staggering to think about. Most of that information is based on hyperbole and hope. Despite what most of the fad diet creators would like you to believe, no one plan can work for every person. Remember, for every "diet of the moment", there is probably a book, website and supplement company claiming to have originated it and offering to sell you that information for a handsome profit. This is the first in a series of fact and science based diet information posts, (mixed in with some of my personal thoughts),  that you can use to figure out the plan that works for you.

With that, let's dive in to the first of our subjects:

If It Fits Your Macros

Know what macros are? Macronutrients are nutrients that our bodies use in large quantities. The three best examples are protein, carbohydrates and fats. Here is a simplified breakdown of the function for each.

Protein: Protein is made up of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of muscle. In combination with anaerobic and aerobic exercise, you will build muscle at a more rapid pace when you ingest proteins.

Carbohydrates: Carbs give you the needed energy for physical activity. They are anti-catabolic. Meaning that the ingestion of carbs will prevent your body from breaking down protein for energy. Carbohydrates also increase insulin output, which is the most anabolic hormone your body produces. (Anabolic: Your bodies synthesis in breaking down complex substances to simpler ones.)

Fats: Fat gets a bad rap. It is essential for maintaining a healthy body. The trick is to eat more of the good fats and less of the bad ones. Saturated and trans fats should be avoided. Unsaturated and essential fatty acids, such as omega 3, can be good for you. Fat plays a vital role in muscled growth and development as well as aids int he absorption of vitamins.

Still with me? Now that you have a basic understanding of the macronutrients, here is how the IIFYM plan works.

Food is fuel for your body. If you keep eating an over abundance of calories, your body will start to store them for later. As body fat. Its that simple! In order to stop gaining or start losing body fat, you will have to stop eating more calories than you are using for fuel or you will have to do enough physical activity to burn off the excess.

IIFYM is simple enough. You simply calculate how much fuel you need based on a few deciding factors, then adjust your eating habits accordingly. Deciding factors are age, height, weight, gender, exercise level, etc. There are some sites that will give you a basic calculation, but your best bet is to go to a professional, let's say yours truly, and get an accurate assessment. Once calculated, you can use a myriad of online or phone applications to determine which foods fit into your macro parameters. Again, you can also use a qualified nutritionist, (Hint, hint), to help you make the decisions and guide you through the process of choosing foods that will keep you running at optimal performance.

The downside to IIFYM comes when people misunderstand the importance of what we are putting in our body. The basic premise is that we can eat anything as long as we don't exceed our calories, protein, carbs and fat. Not true! Like every other program, we have to be conscious of sugar, additives, artificial sweeteners, type of fat, etc. It takes work on our part to be a responsible eater. A diet that works for every single person does not exist.

This is just the basics for IIFYM. If you would like a more detailed explanation or more information, please feel free to leave a message or email. I am available for personal training, meal plans, consultations and general advice regarding your fitness and nutritional needs.

Keep Moving!

Next up: Paleo Diet