Have you ever been to the gym and heard people talking about watching your macros? People who take their fitness seriously and want results do. Watching your intake is very important in the fitness world. Those who track their macronutrients have taken the next step forward. If you want to build muscle, have energy and lose fat but not necessarily weight.

There are three macronutrients. Protein, carbohydrates and fat. You can track these by using a great app called My Fitness Pal. Or you can log your food and write it down. Either method can work but at least knowing what they are and how they affect your body is very important.

Protein is made up of different amino acids which help build muscle. I have talked to many clients over the years about the importance of eating enough protein. Many have told me that they get enough protein. One of my favorites is they say they eat nuts. Nuts do have some protein but is mainly a great way to get good satiating fats into your body. The basic rule of thumb once you start strength training is .8 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. If you weigh 180 pounds you would want to eat 144 grams of protein a day. The foods you chose to get protein from makes a big difference. Tofu a great vegan way of getting protein has 10.4 grams of protein for every 100 grams you eat. Chicken breast probably the most common way for getting protein among carnivores and omnivores is 32 grams of protein per every 100 grams you eat. You would need to eat almost three times the amount of tofu to get the same amount of protein in chicken breast.

Carbohydrates is the primary source of energy for the human body. When you eat carbohydrates, it is converted to glucose. Your body creates glycogen from glucose. Glycogen is stored in your liver and muscles in your body. Glycogen is broken down into glucose when you exercise which provides energy for your muscles and body. When I eat the right amount of carbohydrates, I feel better, and my muscles feel fuller. Depending on what your goals are and how you like to train you would have different needs for carbohydrates. A bodybuilder has very large glycogen stores as compared to a long-distance runner. The long-distance runner has glycogen stores but are less. But will depending on the distance of their run will need to take carbohydrates while they are running. That way they have enough energy to complete the run.

Fats are the bodies secondary source of energy. Fats play a tremendous role on

how the body functions and how you feel. They help absorb some of the vitamins your body needs. Help regulate hormone functions in your body. Fats help with brain function by helping prevent depression, improve concentration and emotional stability. Fats are very satiating when it comes to food. People that don’t get enough fat will often still feel hungry after they eat. Fats take longer to break down than carbohydrates and protein. So, in turn you can feel fuller longer. Inflammation can be improved with fats and helps lubricate our joints.

A very good entry level formula for strength training when it comes to macronutrients is 40% Protein, 40% Carbohydrates and 20% Fat. Like I mentioned earlier the My Fitness Pal app is a great way to track your macronutrients. It takes a while to get used to, but it remembers the food you enter. And it breaks down the percentages, so you know exactly what you are taking in.

Look for my column next month for Nutrition Part 2 – Unprocessed Foods and Processed Foods. I hope you come back. Have a great day.