“This diet says nothing about vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other nutrients that are often not on a food label, but play an essential role in good health.” “There is so much more to good nutrition than just macronutrients,” says Cole Adam, a Registered Dietitian in Denver. As Brailer says, you still need to “eat the rainbow.” Because of this, you need to make sure you’re focusing on WHAT you’re eating, not just the numbers. Technically, you could hit your macro goals without ever ingesting a single veggie. But can you indulge in a cookie every once in a while and still see success? Yes! Technically there are no “cheat” foods when you’re counting macros, it just means you have to move some macros around to make it fit.īut just because you’re counting macros doesn’t mean you’re eating healthy and this is one of the downsides experts see in the flexible diet method. Now, should you cheat the system so you can eat a bunch of cookies and nothing else? No. People who count their macros might throw around the acronym “IIFYM,” or “If It Fits Your Macros,” meaning you can eat it as long as it fits into your macros. It’s commonly referred to as “flexible dieting” since you’re eating real foods without really depriving your body. Macro counting is great because it’s not a one-size-fits-all plan. “It also might help people meet their fitness goals because they will be having greater satiety when they’re focusing on getting enough protein and paying more attention to what kind of carbohydrates they are consuming rather than just calories alone.” Sounds like a lot of work, but is it worth it? “I like that people can focus more on the composition of their food, so they’re going to pay more attention to how they’re fueling their body and how their body reacts, which is really beneficial,” says Claire Brailer, a Registered Dietitian in Montana. So if you eat 125 g of protein, you’re eating 500 calories from protein, leaving you 1,500 calories to split between your fat and carbs. It also helps you understand that not all calories are created equal.įor example, let’s say you have a calorie goal of 2,000 a day. Macro counting helps you understand where those calories are coming from and how they affect your body. In the simplest terms, weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you consume. It’s similar to counting calories or points, but it takes the ideology one step further. Keeping track of your macros can help you make (or plan to make) smart, healthy food choices. So when you’re counting your macros, you’re counting the grams of proteins, carbs or fat that you’re consuming. What’s a macronutrient? They’re the three categories of nutrients you eat the most and provide you with most of your energy: protein, carbohydrates and fats. Macros or “flexible dieting” is all the rage, but is it a proven method to healthy living? Here’s the skinny on macro counting: What is a macro?įirst and foremost, knowing what you’re counting is super important, right? Well, “macro” is short for macronutrient. Or you can track one of the most countable elements: macros. In the world of weight loss, there are TONS of diet plans out there. Want more inspiring health tips delivered right to your inbox? Subscribe to our newsletter.

2018 perfect diet tracker