Have you heard of Macros? For today’s Let’s Level Up! challenge, we are talking about nutrition. One of the biggest things I’ve learned about this past year is Macros and how they play a part in a healthy lifestyle. Getting started with macros doesn’t have to be overwhelming or confusing. I’m going to walk you through the basics so you can feel comfortable getting started with macros for yourself!
What are Macros?
You have probably heard the term, macros, before even if you’ve never tried to track them in your diet. So, what are macros, exactly? The word, “macros” stands for macronutrients. Macronutrients make up calories and come in three forms: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. These 3 things are what give you energy to go throughout your day and live your life.
Getting Started With Macros
To start counting your macros, first you need to figure out how many calories you need to eat on a daily basis to stay alive. We aren’t talking weight loss, yet. Before you get to that, you need to know how much your body requires for your current lifestyle. A simple Google search can help you figure out the basics of what your body requires. If you want a specific breakdown for your body composition, lifestyle, and health goals, I recommend consulting a personal trainer or nutritionist who is certified and knowledgeable about macros and macro counting.
How Can Counting Macros Help Me Reach My Health Goals?
When you are counting your macros daily, you are tracking how much protein, carbohydrates, and fat your body is consuming. By keeping those amounts at a certain number, you are able to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Ideally, you should be counting macros while also moving your body and exercising for health. If you are trying to lose weight, most experts recommend eating less calories than you are burning in a day.
It is nearly impossible to track how many calories you are actually eating if you aren’t keeping track of your food’s ingredients, though, right? That’s where counting macros comes in. By tracking how much fat, protein, and carbohydrates you are consuming, you are able to easily see what areas of your eating you need to adjust to reach your health goals. Does this make sense?
My Tips and Tricks for Getting Started with Macros
I think the biggest key to successfully getting started with macros, is to meal prep. For me, this involves cooking food in bulk over the weekends so I can easily warm up vegetables and protein throughout the week. I shared more about my current meal prep process in this video HERE, and HERE is a post I wrote a few years ago on meal prepping.
Once you get used to meal prepping on the weekends, the next thing I recommend is a food scale. You can find food scales almost anywhere. Here are a few I found on Amazon that are really highly rated.
Etekcity Food Digital Kitchen Scale
Greater Goods Digital Kitchen Scale
Getting started with macros can be very overwhelming, that’s why I recommend getting help from a professional or at least finding a friend or buddy to count macros with you! Everything is easier and more fun when you’re doing it with a friend, right? I know, for me, that counting macros has been a huge game changer for helping me to stay on track when it comes to my eating habits. I feel better both mentally and physically when I’m taking care of my body. Because of this, I am determined to get back on track and continue counting my macros daily and meal prepping weekly.
Are you ready to level up? Join my 30 day Let’s Level Up Challenge! Find out more HERE and join us by clicking the button below!
