Tracking Macros 101- A Guide to Getting Started
If you have never tracked your ‘macros’ before, you may start the process feeling confused or overwhelmed. It really does seem quite complicated at first, but trust me when I tell you it gets easier. You really just have to dive in. =) I have provided some tips to help you get started!
Finding your BMR-The first step in tracking your macros is to find your BMR. But first, let's define what that actually is and why it's important to know. BMR stands for basal metabolic rate, and it's the amount of calories your body needs to simply stay alive. This is the number of calories that your body would require for you, neither to gain or lose weight. This is the number of calories that your body would need if you stayed in rest all day long. This is important because it's the first step in actually figuring out how many calories you should be consuming on a daily basis for your goals. There are online BMR calculators that you can use to determine this number such as this one , or you can use the Harris Benedict equation.
Determining Your Calorie Needs - After you calculate your BMR, you will need to see how many calories you should be eating for your body. That number is based on your activity level.
For sedentary, you will multiply your BMR by 1.2
For lightly active, you will multiply your BMR by 1.375
For moderately active, you will multiply your BMR by 1.55
For very active, you will multiply your BMR by 1.725
For extra active, you will multiply your BMR by 1.9.
The calorie count that you come up with are called your maintenance calories. These calories would be what you need to maintain your current body composition. While it's empowering and important to understand how many calories, we should be consuming. It's not the only thing that matters. The macronutrient breakdown is very important and is based on your individual needs and goals.
Setting Your Macros-When you begin tracking macros, the two single most important things are:
Calories + Protein
These are the MVP's in hitting physique goals for fat loss. They are not however, the only important elements for health.
Protein : When determining protein needs for my clients, I choose between .7-1.2 grams of weight in pounds. This is typically the hardest to get in so we set a goal that is achievable and go from there. Protein allows your body to grow, build and repair tissues. In addition, protein aides in protecting lean body mass.
Carbs & Fats: These are not quite as important as protein at first. I have my clients loosely track carbs and fats when they are first starting. If they start to plateau on their goals, we move towards focusing on manipulating carbs and fats more precisely. Carbohydrates are the main energy source for your body. This is broken down as glucose. Specific organs, such as your brain, need glucose to function properly. Fats can also be used as an energy source. Fats are essential for optimal hormone health and the absorption of vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Veggies: In addition to balanced macronutrients, I recommend that my clients aim for 4-6 servings of leafy or cruciferous veggies a day to maintain healthy gut bacteria and benefit from the micronutrients.
If your head is spinning and you would like to dig deeper into this, download my FREE Calculating Macros 101 Guide!
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