Introduction
Popular ones range from Paleo, Atkins, Vegan, Fruitarian, Ketogenic, gluten-free and other mainstream diets.
The best diet is the one that you can consistently stick to the most.
All of these diets have one goal in common, which is a method of burning fat.
Various diets incorporate restrictions such as emphasizing low carbs, high fat, whole foods, fruits and other regulated guidelines.
Most people try different diets and restrict all kinds of food but never consistently stay in calorie deficit, which defeats the purpose of being on a diet.
Tracking your macros is a way of knowing exactly how much you are putting into your body, leaving out any room for guessing if you’re in a calorie deficit or not.
Knowing your macros can help you stick to whichever diet you choose. One diet for example may require you to stay away from bread.
This may work for the simple fact that if you ate a lot of bread before and suddenly stopped, then you’ve lowered your calories, which can cause you to be in a calorie deficit.
It wasn’t that eating bread was stopping you from losing weight, but because your overall calories weren’t low enough.
Eliminating certain foods from your diet can help you drop calories to lose weight, or you can keep track of your calories and enjoy all kinds of food within moderation.
By following a sustainable diet, you are more likely to maintain healthy habits after you’ve achieved your goal.
Calories are units that measures energy.
The food you eat isn’t measured in weight or size, but by how much energy it contains.
Ifsome type of food contains 100 calories, this describes how much energy your body could get from eating or drinking it.
Just as the amount of gas pumped into a car is measured in gallons, the different food or drinks you consume is measured in calories.
‘Calorie’ is simply a technical word for ‘energy’.
People differ in size and have different metabolisms, so the amount of calories a person should consume will vary depending on several factors.
These factors include a person’s height, weight, age, and daily activity level.
The bigger a person is, the more calories that person may need, vice versa.
Even though two people can have the same body measurements, the amount of calories they need can differ because of the way their body metabolizes what they consume.
If you eat more calories than your body needs, then the extra calories are converted into fat.
If you eat less calories then you need, then your body uses your stored body fat as the energy it needs to function.
Understanding the amount of calories you need will help you better control your weight.
Macronutrients
Macronutrients or macros are carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
With the term “macro” meaning very large, these three nutrients are responsible for providing calories.
Anything you eat is broken down to these three macronutrients.
Your body does not recognize the food you eat as “chicken, rice, salad, etc”.
Instead, your body sees whatever you consume as a carb, fat, or protein.
This is the reason you find these macronutrients written in bold letters on the nutrition label of any food or drink product.
Tracking Macros For Quality Weight Loss OR Weight Gain.
If you are in a calorie deficit where your body burns more calories than you consume, then you will lose weight.
This does not necessarily ensure that all the weight you lose will only come from fat.
Your body is made up of lean mass, fat, and water. This means any weight that is lost or gained can come from any of these three.
Not tracking macros puts you at a higher risk for muscle loss and fat gain because you wouldn’t know how many calories you are getting.
Consuming the right amount of fat, protein, and carbs will help to ensure that you maintain muscle while losing fat, and limit the increase of body fat when adding muscle.
Carbohydrates (carb)
A carbohydrate is your body’s primary source of energy.
There are two types of carbs, simple and complex.
A simple carb supplies your body with quick energy, but doesn’t last long.
A complex carb takes longer to break down in your body, yet is a long-lasting source of energy.
Neither simple nor complex carb is bad for you. They can both be used to your advantage throughout the day.
Upon waking up in the morning, chances are you haven’t had anything to eat for the last few hours you’ve been asleep.
Therefore it can be a good idea to consume simple carbs for the immediate energy.
If you plan on being out of the house for a few hours, complex carbs would be a good choice for its long-lasting steady energy.
So incorporating both types of carbs in your diet can allow you to better control your levels of energy throughout the day.
-whole grains such as whole wheat bread, – – oatmeal, and brown rice along with other foods such as
-sweet potato and
– beans.
Simple carbs include foods such as
– fruits,
-white bread,
– white rice,
– white potatoes,
– vegetables,
-juice,
-pop tarts, etc.
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that comes in different forms such as glucose, fructose, lactose, sucrose, etc.
Although both simple and complex carbs are eventually broken down to sugar in the body, digestion and absorption are the main differences between the two types.
Best Time To Eat Carbs
If carbs provide energy and you use energy in every aspect of your daily life, then knowing which foods are carbs and when to eat them is worth taking a little time to learn.
Understanding the power of carbs allows you to take full control of your energy levels and make smarter food choices throughout the day.
One of the most beneficial time to consume carbs is in the morning.
This is mainly because chances are you’ve been sleeping for the past few hours and haven’t had anything to eat.
Therefore, it is ideal to consume simple carbs for the immediate energy as well as complex carbs for long-lasting energy.
Another beneficial time to consume carbs is before and after working out.
Consuming carbs pre-workout will support your training performance while having carbs post-workout allows for optimal muscle recovery and stabilization of blood sugar levels.
It is fine to eat carbs at any other time, but these are the main points of the day that are most beneficial.
Though this misconception has been proven false, it can be a good strategy to consume most of your carbs when you need them the most, which is usually during the day.
Although most people are usually less active at night, it is okay to eat carbs as long as you meet your required amount for the day.
PROTEINS
Proteins helps build and repair tissue while playing a role in various cell functions in the body.
It is a major component for growing hair, nails, muscle and other parts of the body.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. A complete protein consists of all 20 amino acids, while the absence of one or more amino acid is considered an incomplete protein.
Foods such as grains, nuts, seeds, or legumes are considered incomplete proteins.
It is recommended to consume at least 0.8- 1.2 grams of protein per 1 pound of your bodyweight for optimal muscle growth.
With many different types of protein on the market ranging from the source, absorption rate, and process of filtration, any complete protein is beneficial for the growth and repair of muscle.
Poultry, fish, dairy, legume, soy, whey and other sources of proteins have their differences but any complete protein is of great benefit for building and repairing muscle.
The key is to get enough protein to fulfill your body’s requirement for optimal growth
Best Time To Eat Proteins
Consumption of protein should ideally be spread throughout the day.
There is no specific limit to the amount of protein an individual should eat in one serving.
There have been several studies showing that consuming protein in large portions compared to small portions were found to produce the same results in both muscle growth and weight loss as long as the daily protein requirement is met.
The most beneficial times to consume protein are before and after training. The key is to keep amino acids (protein) active in the bloodstream at all times.
Overall, it is recommended to divide your daily protein requirement into each of the meals you plan to have for the day.
For example, if you know you need 180 grams of protein each day, you can split that amount into 3 meals with 60 grams of protein or have 6 meals with 30 grams of protein
FATS
Fats controls hormones, aides in the transport of cells, and makes it possible for other nutrients to complete tasks in the body.
When your body doesn’t have enough carbs readily available, it uses fat as another source of fuel.
Therefore, the idea of burning fat is to limit the amount of primary energy (carbs) so the body can use its secondary source for energy (body fat).
Different types of fats include saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and trans-fat.
It is recommended to stay away from trans-fat due to its health disadvantages.
Foods that contain a high amount of fat include butter, peanut butter, oils, avocado, and nuts.
Consuming low amounts of fat over time can cause hormone levels to become unbalanced, making it important to get enough even while trying to burn fat.
Ultimately, the best diet is one that aligns with your individual needs and goals, while promoting a healthy relationship with food. Consulting with a registered dietitian or healthcare professional can provide personalized guidance and support on your journey to finding the right balance for your body. Remember, you are unique, and your diet should be too.