Are you counting your calories, hitting your numbers, and wondering why your diet isn’t working? The problem isn’t just the total amount of calories you are consuming; it’s the kind of calories.
Most diets revolve around calorie counting with the occasional cheat day, which leads to a restrict-and-binge cycle. Sound familiar? To make real changes to your body composition and performance, you need a realistic approach to food – flexible dieting.
With Flexible Dieting You Count Macronutrients, Not Calories.
Macronutrients or “macros” are Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats. Our experienced coaches calculate your total daily energy expenditure then assign you daily macros based upon your goals. Tracking macros will force a balanced and flexible diet. We will also know the total amount of calories you are consuming as each macronutrient has the following caloric value:
- 1 gram of protein = 4 calories
- 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories
- 1 gram of fat = 9 calories
With flexible dieting, it’s not about how many calories you’re consuming, but what kind of calories you are consuming. Even if you set a strict calorie limit and stick to it, you could be eating the wrong combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats and not getting the nutrients you need.
What are the benefits of moving away from calorie-counting?
For starters, you can indulge with a little less guilt. You just need to fit them into your macro allowances.
Second, you can have a varied diet, so you do not get bored and burn out. When you are eating a balanced diet, cravings go away, because you are not deficient in anything. This balance will make you feel better, look better and perform better.
Are you wondering how to track macros?
It is easier than ever! There are many apps on the market, but we recommend using MyFitnessPal, which has a massive database of foods, or Cronometer, which tracks your micronutrient and vitamin intake.
Both apps allow you to search for foods, scan barcodes to enter new foods, and also has nutritional information for meals at various restaurants. You can even create your recipes or import recipes from websites! For the best success, we recommend pre-planning your day. For example, enter your breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks for the day and add or remove food until you hit your macro targets. Then all you need to do is follow your plan!
At MacroLab, we have experienced nutrition coaches with a passion for educating our clients. If you are interested in learning exactly how to feel better, look better, and perform better, let our coaches help you reach your goals.
View our coaching programs to get started. 🙂