“Let food be thy medicine.” Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.), father of modern medicine.
People tend to focus on the fitness side of things when looking for a way to transform their bodies and lose fat. However, despite the hours they put in exercising, they just don’t seem to be making much progress. Why is that?
For most of us, the answer lies in what we eat. While exercising is essential in building muscle and losing fat, nutrition is just as important, if not more so. It’s all 80:20, meaning it’s 80% diet and 20% exercise. Often people, while starting their fitness journeys, don’t take into account the importance of nutrition. They may cut calories through cutting carbs and fats in an effort to try to lose weight, but they end up doing more harm to their bodies than good.
Although being in a caloric deficit can aid in weight loss, theoretically speaking, it can wreck havoc on metabolic processes and result in what is commonly referred to as a plateau. Metabolism refers to a chain of chemical reactions in the body that are necessary to maintain living processes. It’s how our body processes foods and other minerals and converts it into energy. Our food is our fuel, essentially.
Simply speaking, calories are the amount of potential energy stored in foods and which are necessary for survival. Just to achieve normal bodily functions, the average woman needs to eat about 1200 calories/day and the average man about 1800 calories/day. So regardless of dieting for weight loss, one should not be eating any less than that. Not eating enough calories will result in your metabolic rate slowing down, which can cause the body to store more fat, ironically. Essentially, it’s the body’s survival tactic, where it quickly adapts to the caloric deficit and starts storing any additional calories taken in as fat, despite the deficit. Not eating enough also can result in any muscle gains being lost, as the body tends to use muscle stores for energy when one isn’t eating enough while exercising regularly. So eat more!
Now let’s talk about the fun stuff! Macro-counting. Bodybuilders are obsessed with keeping track of their daily macro breakdowns, and for good reason. Macros are short for macronutrients, and they are the contents of the food we eat and thus the energy we need. There are essentially three main elements that make up macronutrients: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. All of these elements are needed in our diet, and they all and provide us with essential micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. Carbohydrates break down into glucose, which are simple sugars that are our main source of energy, and its stores are used mostly for the brain, cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Fats help in mainly insulating our bodies and protecting our vital organs, and they are crucial in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like vitamins A, D, E and K. Finally, proteins are vital in maintaining body functions, as it helps in the growth, maintenance and repair of tissues. Proteins make up all enzymes and hormones in the body. It is especially important for athletes and weightlifters who often need them to repair muscle tissue. On average, people should eat between 40-65% of their food intake in carbs, 20-30% in fat and between 10-35% in protein. There are 4 calories in one gram of carbs and protein and 9 calories for every gram of fat.
Since I’m focusing on muscle growth specifically and limiting my carb and fat intake, my macro ratio is currently 40% carbs, 30% fats and 30% protein. For people who are active and are looking for muscle gains, I would recommend eating as close to your weight in protein. That means if someone weighs 125 pounds, they should aim to eat around that many grams of protein.
Source of image: https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-macro-manager-muscle-building-ratio.html
I feel like keeping track of my macros is better than trying to pursue any sort of restrictive diet. Right now, I’m pretty much doing flexible dieting or IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros), which just means I can eat anything I want as long as it hits my daily ratio of carbs, fats and protein. This plan has helped many people in the bodybuilding and weight loss community hit their goals and stay on track, and it has prevented people from diet crashes.
I don’t think of flexible dieting as a diet, but more of a lifestyle. With IIFYM, I don’t feel like I'm starving myself or restricting myself from the foods I crave. In actuality, IIFYM has forced me to eat more than I ever thought I could or thought it was possible to, to lose excess fat and gain lean muscle. Unlike other diets, it alters people’s perspectives on foods to one that is positive. It helps people gain a positive relationship and understanding with their food, one that they can carry with them throughout the course of their lives.
Tracking macros may seem tedious and complicated, but with today’s technology macro-counting is as easy as tapping a couple of buttons. Currently, I use MyFitnessPal to track all my foods, and this app is free to download on any smartphone. It keeps track of daily food intake, calculates macro breakdowns and the endless online database allows one to input information on any food item.
These images were taken from my own food diary using the myfitnesspal app: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/
To summarize, it’s critical to maintain proper nutrition, especially when trying to achieve any sort of fitness goal. Eating right is just a matter of accountability and persistence.
Good Youtubers who follow IIFYM (Flexible Dieting):
Here are some great YouTubers and certified nutritional experts who explain the IIFYM in detail. They provide a lot of information when it comes to health and fitness in general, and they are great to watch when your starting your fitness journey.
Sources of information throughout:
http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/vitamins-minerals/the-3-primary-macronutrients-and-their-importance.html
