If you are trying to learn how to lose weight and keep it off, then chances are you have already stumbled across the importance of counting your macronutrients each day.
Yes, macros are the fitness world's new buzz word.
But is the old advice of "calories in versus calories out" still king when it comes to weight loss? Or can you eat as many calories as you choose so long as you get the right macronutrient split?
In today's post, we will take a look and establish the facts.
If you are new to the fitness world, you may be unfamiliar with macronutrients in general. This is the term used to describe the food groups you consume. There are three groups in total - protein, fat and carbohydrates. Each group does a different thing.
1. What Does Protein Do?
Protein will help you to build more muscle, which is great if you have started going to the gym a part of your new healthy diet. But the benefits don't end there, as it will also help you to reduce hunger and junk food cravings, as well as temporarily boosting your metabolism.
This makes protein your macronutrient of choice when it comes to snacks.
2. Why Do We Eat Fat?
Fat still suffers from the bad reputation it was unfairly given back in the 1980's. Back then, it was believed that eating fat caused us to store fat. After all, it shares the same name as the ugly thing you don't want sitting on top of your abs, right? However, research has since conclusively proven that fat - even the once dreaded saturated fat - has several key benefits and should definitely be a part of your daily diet. It will help regulate the release of key muscle building hormones like testosterone and cortisol.
3. What Do Carbs Do?
It's no longer the year 2000, so you need not fear carbs like the plague. Despite the fact that the early years of the millennium were plagued with bogus science that claimed carbohydrates would lead to greater fat storage around the midsection, modern science clearly demonstrates that carbohydrates are a vital food group in a healthy diet. Further still, they provide you with your body's preferred source of energy, so cutting carbs from your diet is a bad move.
These myths often steer people down a path of extreme diets, but blaming one food group for fat storage is completely incorrect. As such, you should never cut carbs from your daily diet!
So now that you know the roles played by each food group, is counting your macros enough to lead to weight loss? Or do calories still matter?
Despite the fact that counting macros is very popular, your calorie intake is still the deciding factor.
Yes, optimizing your daily split of protein, fat and carbohydrates will lead to a superior diet and you will certainly enjoy better performance thanks to the roles played by each food group. But calories will still determine whether you are going to lose weight or gain weight.
Despite the fact that fitness has evolved, eating too many calories will always lead to weight gain.
Yes, macros are the fitness world's new buzz word.
But is the old advice of "calories in versus calories out" still king when it comes to weight loss? Or can you eat as many calories as you choose so long as you get the right macronutrient split?
In today's post, we will take a look and establish the facts.
If you are new to the fitness world, you may be unfamiliar with macronutrients in general. This is the term used to describe the food groups you consume. There are three groups in total - protein, fat and carbohydrates. Each group does a different thing.
1. What Does Protein Do?
Protein will help you to build more muscle, which is great if you have started going to the gym a part of your new healthy diet. But the benefits don't end there, as it will also help you to reduce hunger and junk food cravings, as well as temporarily boosting your metabolism.
This makes protein your macronutrient of choice when it comes to snacks.
2. Why Do We Eat Fat?
Fat still suffers from the bad reputation it was unfairly given back in the 1980's. Back then, it was believed that eating fat caused us to store fat. After all, it shares the same name as the ugly thing you don't want sitting on top of your abs, right? However, research has since conclusively proven that fat - even the once dreaded saturated fat - has several key benefits and should definitely be a part of your daily diet. It will help regulate the release of key muscle building hormones like testosterone and cortisol.
3. What Do Carbs Do?
It's no longer the year 2000, so you need not fear carbs like the plague. Despite the fact that the early years of the millennium were plagued with bogus science that claimed carbohydrates would lead to greater fat storage around the midsection, modern science clearly demonstrates that carbohydrates are a vital food group in a healthy diet. Further still, they provide you with your body's preferred source of energy, so cutting carbs from your diet is a bad move.
These myths often steer people down a path of extreme diets, but blaming one food group for fat storage is completely incorrect. As such, you should never cut carbs from your daily diet!
So now that you know the roles played by each food group, is counting your macros enough to lead to weight loss? Or do calories still matter?
Despite the fact that counting macros is very popular, your calorie intake is still the deciding factor.
Yes, optimizing your daily split of protein, fat and carbohydrates will lead to a superior diet and you will certainly enjoy better performance thanks to the roles played by each food group. But calories will still determine whether you are going to lose weight or gain weight.
Despite the fact that fitness has evolved, eating too many calories will always lead to weight gain.
About the Author:
Ahead of starting your next diet, be sure to watch Russ Howe PTI's awesome video on how to lose weight. By applying these tips, you will have your fitness levels up very quickly indeed.
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