Fatboy 2 Fitboy

When I first started trying to lose weight, I was consumed with calories. I would read every single label- then I would become frustrated and just blatantly starve myself so I had no chance of overeating. It was an unhealthy obsession and I was actually UNDER EATING which slows down weight loss due to decreased metabolic levels. As I became a little more educated, I started to read about calories, macronutrient breakdown and how it is important to not only eat the right amount of calories, but the right kind of calories.

Eating based on a macronutrient breakdown is pretty simple once you understand the concept behind it. You assign percentages based on calories of Carbohydrates, Protein and Fat. Carbohydrates and proteins are worth 4 calories per gram, while fat is worth 9 calories per gram. The goal is to try and eat based on a set percentage of calories that come from these carbohydrates, protein and fat.

For example, a cup of 1% milk has 12 grams of carbs, 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of fat. The math is 12 grams of carbs X 4 calories= 48 calories from carbs, 8 grams of protein X 4 calories= 32 calories from protein, and 3 grams of fat X 9 calories= 27 calories from fat. Using a program like the one at Fitday.com does it automatically, but next you divide each of the 3 groups by the total number of calories. The total number of calories in the cup of 1% milk is 107 calories. So you would do 48 calories of carbs divided by 107 total calories, 32 calories of protein divided by 107 total calories and 27 calories of fat divided by 107 total calories. Your final numbers would be 44.9% carbs, 29.9% protein and 25.2% fat for a cup of 1% milk. Congrats, you just did your first macronutrient calculation!

Now that you have a basic idea how it works, let’s try to examine some macronutrient setups and how you would apply them to your eating routine. Remember, these are all based on percentage of calories, not grams, for your entire days worth of meals.

Weight Watchers Recommended Macro Nutrient Plan- 50% Carbohydrates-15% Protein-35% Fat- Weight Watchers explanation is as follows, “According to the COMA panel, these macronutrient DRV’s (Dietary Reference Values) are associated with reduced risk for chronic diseases, while providing essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. A diet that is balanced in its macronutrient distribution is recommended for lasting weight loss because unbalanced nutrient profiles may increase the risk of adverse health consequences.” Based on a 2000 calorie daily intake, this would breakdown to 1000 calories (250 grams) from carbs, 300 calories (75 grams) from protein and 700 calories (78 grams) from fat.

Protica.com Recommended Macro Nutrient Plan- 33% Carbohydrates-33% Protein- 33% Fat- Protica.com explains as follows, “In general, the body requires all three macronutrients to perform basic and vital functions. However, each person’s individual requirements may be different based on factors including activity level, genetics, age, etc. For most people, an equal balance of calories from each macronutrient is recommended. An example would be a meal consisting of 25 grams of protein (100 calories), 25 grams of carbohydrates (100 calories) and 11 grams of fat (99 calories).” Based on a 2000 calorie daily intake, this would breakdown to 666 calories (167 grams) from carbs, 666 calories (167 grams) from protein and 666 calories (74 grams) from fat.

And if you want a look into the heftier side of macro nutrients, check out this article by Randy Herring at Bodybuilding.com. He examines the macro nutrient theories used by hardcore lifters, including bodybuilding god Ronnie Coleman.

Personally, I use a 40% Carbohydrate, 40% Protein and 20% Fat setup based on 2400-3000 total daily calories, depending on my workout schedule for that particular day. I find this fits into my lifestyle a bit easier with the foods I enjoy eating. What fun is it to eat and despise everything you put in your mouth? I am trying to find a LIFESTYLE, not a flavor of the month diet plan to crash and burn after 4 weeks.

The basic theory behind 40-40-20 is to eat enough carbs to maintain energy throughout the days, get enough protein to enable your muscles to maintain and grow, and to minimize fat intake. One caveat is that unless you are willing to drink protein shakes, it is pretty difficult to consume lots of protein AND a low amount of fat simultaneously.

One beauty of the macro nutrient concept is that you can correct eating slip ups just by adjusting your intake as the day progresses. You can still aim for your macro goals even if you eat 3 pieces of cheesecake- the theory is to aim for your overall numbers for the entire day, not per meal.

Like anything else, you need to test out what works for you. Just like trying to figure out how many calories you need to eat per day to lose weight, you’ll need to play around with your macro nutrient formula to see which one gives you the best results. I highly recommend signing up at Fitday.com right now so you can starting tracking your macros today!