Balancing Macros Involves Lots of Trial and Error

Your body burns fuel from foods rich in carbohydrate, protein and fat to produce the energy to grow and repair tissue after physical activities. Watching your macro consumption can help you make smarter food choices as you can choose a healthier source of food to fuel the body while restricting your overall intake of calories. Counting macros is a trial and error process. A weight loss specialist can personalize a menu plan that will work best for you, so you feel good and have the energy to reach your weight loss goals.

• CARBOHYDRATES - Although it is true that carbohydrates are a main source of energy and are vital for physical activity, there are two different sources of carbs (simple and complex), which vary greatly. If you are prone to eat more carbs than you should, you can end up creating a metabolic state that is not conducive to losing weight. Elevated insulin levels can make it difficult to eliminate stubborn fat stores like belly fat.
• PROTEIN - Protein from animal sources contains all the amino acids and are considered to be complete proteins, whereas vegetarian sources of protein are less complete. However, simply combining vegetarian sources of protein, such as beans and rice, forms a more complete protein. Since your body cannot store protein, it is important to spread your consumption of proteins over breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. The total intake needed varies greatly from one person to the next.
• FAT - Fats help maintain healthy tissues and cells as well as ensure proper nerve and brain function while increasing your body's ability to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Whether you want to burn fat stores or gain lean muscle, the consumption of healthy fats should stay relatively constant in your menu plan. Fat is essential to make hormones and keep your fat-burning enzymes working at full tilt.

There is no ironclad formula for adding macronutrients to your menu plan and no macro mix can save you if you eat too much food. If you fail to include quality foods when you create your menus, it is unlikely you will lose weight in a healthy way making it much more likely you will regain the weight. Even though you are watching your macros, your body still needs important minerals and vitamins (micronutrients) to operate efficiently. Therefore, you must consider food quality when creating your menu plan.