The world of fitness and weight loss is filled with many fad diets that “guarantee” you a slim and trim figure. While some do bring good results, others only deliver on short term goals . Our blog will explore one of today’s most popular diets that promise to help you lose weight by tracking macros.
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What is Macro Diet?
This particular diet revolves around three primary macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and fat and is quite popular, especially among bodybuilders and athletes. While this diet can be followed by anyone, tracking these three macronutrients can be time-consuming for normal people. However, if maintained strictly and with discipline, it does lead to positive results.
While a macro diet focuses on three primary elements, you must be careful to stay within a specified calorie range to make it work. You must also consult a physician, nutritionist, and dietician before starting to follow this diet. You will need to calculate your calorie score regularly and, based on that, determine the level of macros consumed.
People aim to fulfil their weight loss goals through proper tracking, balancing blood sugar levels, and building muscle. Once you successfully calculate your macros and understand how much you need to consume, you can plan your macro meals based on that.
Breaking Down Your Macros
Carbohydrates, fat, and protein are the three macronutrients at the foundation of this diet and make up most of the food items we eat. These three macronutrients are present in varying levels in various kinds of food. To better understand this diet, let’s explore these three in detail.
Fats
Our bodies cannot survive without healthy fats. To lose the bad fat, you must first consume the good ones. Here are some ways in which fats help our body.
- Fats are required to make vital fatty acids for the body
- Fats are an essential energy source
- It is one of the components that make up the cellular wall
- Fats help in absorbing vitamins like D, A, K, and E
- Offers optimum insulation to the vital organs in our body
Protein
Proteins are a crucial micronutrient in this list, as they repair and regenerate body cells and tissues. Apart from that, proteins also produce hormones and strengthen the immune system.
Protein-rich food contains amino acids that are the foundation of every cell in our body and help in building muscle and preventing muscle loss. The function and importance of protein do not end here. Using enzymes, this macronutrient triggers and regulates essential biochemical reactions in our body. These reactions include energy production, food digestion, and muscle contraction.
Carbohydrates
Lastly, carbs or carbohydrate is the primary energy source of our body, powering all metabolic reactions. Carbs help us function properly – physically and mentally- and keep us fit by strengthening our immune system. It also plays a major role in the upkeep of our digestive system.
Fad diets that focus solely on eliminating carb intake can also inadvertently restrict your fibre intake, which can be detrimental to your health. Unlike these fad diets, the macro diet allows you to consume the right amount of fibre daily necessary to maintain healthy body function without putting on additional weight.
How Can Macro Diet Benefit Your Weight Loss Journey?
The macro diet, at its core, is tracking the macronutrients you consume daily and ensuring that you stay within your approved range. The best way to regulate and track nutrients is by eating macro meals made with ingredients that your nutritionist has approved.
The ratio and amount of protein, carbs, and fat consumed vary from person to person as each body and fitness goal is unique. Here are four benefits of tracking the macronutrients:
Reduces the Risk of Nutrient Deficiencies
Focussing just on restricting calories increases the risk of nutritional deficiency in the body. Tracking the macronutrients and maintaining an optimal level for all three will ensure you get all the nutrients. It also helps in preventing physical weakness, infection, and depression.
Better Understanding Of What You Are Consuming
After tracking your macronutrients for a few weeks, you will get clarity on your food intake. With the help of this information, you will be able to prevent unwanted changes in your diet that can affect your weight and diet performance.
Efficient Muscle Gain
If your fitness goal is to build lean muscle, focus more on protein intake with support from fats and carbs. A macro diet is an efficient way to build proper muscle structure, repair muscle damage, and support existing muscles.
Control Your Metabolism Rate
Metabolism plays a crucial role in weight management. Each of these macronutrients has a different effect on your body’s metabolic rate. While protein can raise the metabolism rate by 15 to 30 per cent, carbs and fats can increase the same by 5 to 10 % and 0 to 3 %, respectively. With a properly crafted macro diet suiting your fitness goals, you can influence raise or lower the metabolic rate of your body.
In Conclusion
Several bodily functions depend on the three macronutrients – protein, carbs, and fat. If you are enthusiastic about this particular diet, macro meals are the best way to track these three nutrients. However, it is advisable to consult a healthcare professional or nutritionist before following a macro diet.
