How To Count Macros (Part 2)

Protein

What is it?
Protein is simply a molecule in food that is broken down into amino acids. There are 9 essential amino acids (meaning the body doesn’t create them so we need to get them through food) and 11 non-essential amino acids (meaning the body creates it).

What does it do?
Protein helps in the process of building, repairing and maintaining muscle. All of our organs, including the skin, hair, nails and muscles are built from protein. Many hormones are proteins and the immune system, digestive system and blood all rely on proteins to work correctly. Protein is therefore an essential part of our diet, vital to development and correct functioning of the body.

How much do I need?
There is not a definitive answer to how much protein you should consume on a daily basis. Depending on the activity level, size of a person, specific goals and macronutrient profile it could be anywhere between 0.5 grams -1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

A simple gauge for you to use to make sure you’re getting a safe and beneficial amount is to take 1 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you weigh 200 pounds you would get 200 grams of protein daily.

Food sources: chicken, eggs, beef, seafood and protein powder.

Fats

What is it?
Fats are organic compounds that are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are a source of energy in foods. There are three types of fats

• Saturated Fats
• Unsaturated Fats
• Trans Fats

What does it do?
Fat is essential for the proper functioning of the body. Fats provide essential fatty acids, which are not made by the body and must be obtained from food. The essential fatty acids are linoleic and linolenic acid. They are important for controlling inflammation, blood clotting, and brain development.
Here are a few other benefits of fat…

• Fat serves as the storage substance for the body’s extra calories. It fills the fat cells (adipose tissue) that help insulate the body.
• Fats are also an important energy source. When the body has used up the calories from carbohydrates, which occurs after the first 20 minutes of exercise, it begins to depend on the calories from fat.
• Fats are involved in calcium metabolism which allow you to build stronger bones
• Your brain is made up of cholesterol and fat. Diets lower in fat have lower levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin which make people feel good.
• Healthy skin and hair are maintained by fat. Fat helps the body absorb and move the vitamins A, D, E, and K through the bloodstream.

How much do I need?

There is not a definitive answer to how much healthy fat you should consume in a day. A good gauge is to eat 0.1- 0.5 grams of fat per pound of bodyweight. So if you weigh 200 pounds would eat roughly 20-100 grams of fat daily.

Food sources: Avocado, Fish oil, Coconut oil and Almonds

Carbohydrates

What is it?
Carbohydrates are sugars that break down inside the body to create glucose. Glucose is moved around the body in the blood and is the primary source of energy for the brain, muscles, and other essential cells.
It’s first important to note that Carbohydrates come in three different forms. The three are:

• Starches (Complex Carbohydrates)– starchy vegetables like peas, corn, potatoes. Dried beans, black beans and pinto beans. Grains such as oats, rice, pasta
• Sugars (Simple Carbohydrates) – There are two kinds. Naturally occurring sugar like fruit and added sugar like in sugar cookies. There are many different names for sugar like table sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, confectioner’s sugar, powdered sugar, raw sugar, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar and sugar cane syrup.
• Fiber – the indigestible part of plant foods. Found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and legumes. When you consume dietary fiber, most of it passes through the intestines and is not digested.

What does it do?
The main function of carbohydrates is to fuel the body, and because carbohydrates digest quickly, they can provide the body with energy within a few minutes of being consumed.

How much do I need?
There is also not a definitive answer to how many carbohydrates you should consume in a day. A lot can depend on how much you’ve worked out, how intense of a workout, the quality of carbohydrates that you eat and the other macronutrient profile (how much fat and protein you eat).

Food sources: Reiterating from above: Fruits, vegetables, grains like rice and oats.

Alcohol

What is it?
Ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, is an intoxicating ingredient found in beer, wine, and liquor. Alcohol is produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches.

What does it do?
It’s essentially liquid courage. It provides you with the balls to talk to girls, essentially raising your odds of getting laid. I speak nothing but the truth…

But seriously read this article for more info. Here’s a brief bullet on what you need to know: Alcohol is converted to acetate by the liver. The oxidation of acetate takes precedence over other nutrients (meaning when consumed alcohol is being “used” first over other macros) and is oxidized to carbon dioxide and water. However, despite being a potent inhibitor of lipolysis, alcohol/acetate alone cannot cause fat gain by itself. It’s all the junk people eat in conjunction with alcohol intake that causes fat gain.

How much do I need?
If you’re serious about counting macros you don’t need to drink. You can go a couple months without booze. Seriously….

Food sources: Not necessary
Read Part 3 Here