To lose weight? Gain muscle? Feel more energized during the day? The more calories you have, the more energy you have, and the fewer calories you have the less energy you have. Depending on what you aim to achieve, not getting enough of the right macros can adversely affect appetite, energy levels, hormones, and nutrient consumption.

When you count macros, you do not count calories directly. Instead, you log in the three or four, if you consume alcohol categories above.

This is known as your macronutrient ratio. A macronutrient ratio is how much energy and nutrition comes from each total of protein, carb, or fat in our specific diet. This ratio changes from diet to diet, goal to goal, and person to person, but there are a few general ratios out there see chart below for examples.

Macronutrient ratios are found and adjusted based on a few pieces of information, including age, gender, daily activity levels, purposeful activity levels, goals, and preferences. RELATED ARTICLE: How To Read A Nutrition Label. The main job of carbohydrates in the human body is to provide energy, either immediately from blood glucose or for later from the stored liver and muscle glycogen.

The preferred fuel for our brain is glucose and it requires ~ grams of carbohydrates calories per day. RELATED ARTICLE: Carb Loading For Athletes. That being said, carbohydrates are not an essential macronutrient in the same way that amino acids or fatty acids are.

Groups of people need carbohydrates to fuel their health, wellness, function, and performance such as:. RELATED ARTICLE: 5 Reasons Why You Need To Eat More Carbs.

Carbohydrates can be found in fruits, vegetables, and grains. When consumed in their natural, unrefined and unprocessed states, they can contain a whole gamete of micronutrients in the way of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are beneficial to the body as a whole. The two main sources of sugar in the form of a simple carb are glucose and fructose aka single sugars.

When combined, they make sucrose, which you probably are familiar with as table sugar. The higher a food is on the glycemic index GI the more of an impact it will have on your blood sugar.

During exercise, glycogen is released into the bloodstream as fuel for your muscles, helping delay the negative effects of fatigue.

RELATED ARTICLE: What is The Glycemic Index GI and How To Use It. However, if you overeat or overconsume simple carbohydrates, glycogen stores are full, and whatever is excess is stored as body fat.

However, if you already have full glucose stores, well, fructose is just converted to body fat. After all, the stomach is the place that your body most efficiently stores excess calories, especially those that come from sugar. Complex carbohydrates are categorized as any food that is composed of two or more sugar molecules.

In other words, complex carbs are turned to glucose and used as energy. Because of their longer molecular structure, this macronutrient takes longer to break down in the body and provides more long-lasting and sustainable energy than simple carbohydrates sugars.

Starch is the stored form of glucose derived from plant-based foods, such as potatoes, legumes, root vegetables, and grains. Starch is easily broken down in the digestive tract creating pure glucose.

When starch-based carbohydrates are eaten without fat or fiber, starch can raise blood sugar levels quite quickly. While fiber is not digested and absorbed, it does play a very important role in our health. Unlike starch, fiber has no effect on blood sugar. In short, unlike the weak molecular bonds of starch, the digestive system cannot break the strong bonds of fiber.

Fiber can bind to substances such as cholesterol or hormones passing it through the digestive tract and out of the body. Soluble fiber is found in oats, beans, barley, and some fruits.

It dissolves in the body into a gel-like material in the GI tract, slowing the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. Insoluble fiber is found in wheat bran, vegetables, and nuts.

It will not dissolve in water, so it passes through the digestive tract creating bulk in your stool. The result? Healthy poops! RELATED ARTICLE: How Much Fiber Do You Really Need? What you put in your body matters. The fact is that carbohydrates should not be genetically altered to become more bioavailable.

Clean, complex carbohydrates derived from real whole-foods provide long-lasting energy for prolonged exercise performance, without spiking blood sugar and without being genetically modified. Looking for a clean carbohydrate supplement instead of just sugar?

Delicious and rich you can add it to your smoothies, shakes, or mix with water, for a rich and tasty treat. Protein is made up of amino acids, which are the nutritional building blocks for lean, healthy muscle mass.

Protein is found in every part of your body, but without amino acids, protein cannot build, rebuild, or repair essential functions, all the way from building muscle, to synthesizing hormones, to helping organs and tissues function correctly.

You may have heard the saying 'amino acids are the building blocks of protein', and it's true. Each amino acid plays a vital role in the quality and the amount of protein that we build in our bodies.

Amino acids are grouped based on their ability to dissolve in water. For those who workout, adequate protein intake is crucial for building muscle in the gym and repairing micro-tears in the muscle out of the gym.

There are plenty of sources of protein that come from both animals and plants. The key difference between protein is going to be the amino acid profile. Some examples are meats, seafood, bone broth, legumes, dairy, tofu, beans, and vegetables specifically soy-based vegetables.

BCAAs or Branched Chain Amino Acids are the building blocks of protein and contain a branched molecular structure. BCAAs are comprised of three essential amino acids, Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. Branched Chain Amino Acids are one of the most popular and effective sports supplements on the market.

Research suggests, that BCAAs positively impact muscle protein synthesis, the muscle-building process and prevent protein degradation or muscle mass breakdown. Maintaining a positive amino acid balance, during high-intensity training is crucial to maintain and build lean muscle mass.

BCAAs are also beneficial for post-workout muscle soreness. RELATED ARTICLE: What Is The Best Amino Acid Ratio For A BCAA Supplement? If you have a well-balanced diet, then you will receive all of your essential amino acids, through protein intake and food. Therefore, supplementing with BCAAs during and after your workout, will help inhibit muscle protein breakdown, promote endurance during your workout and help achieve overall athletic goals.

This is also why most athletes, choose to supplement with Whey Protein Isolate post-workout, to support muscle growth and recovery. Athletes that have restrictive diets, or those with plant-based diets, will benefit more from consuming a supplement with a complete EAA profile, to replenish and ensure optimal amino acid levels, to promote new muscle growth and repair.

RELATED ARTICLE: EAAs vs BCAAS — An In-Depth Look At The Differences. Whey protein isolate is a highly purified form of Whey protein.

Whey protein isolate goes through a much more rigorous filtration process, called Cross-Flow Micro-Filtration as compared to whey protein concentrate. Certain foods have trace amounts of natural trans fat, such meat and dairy products, but there hasn't been substantial evidence to suggest whether or not these have the same effects are commercially made trans fats.

It is important to include each macronutrient in your daily diet. This will be easier if you build each meal around a combination of protein, carbs, and healthy fats. That said, finding the exact balance of macros that's right for you can be tricky. The large range of percentages recommended for each macronutrient leaves room for experimentation.

Everyone's body functions differently when various ratios are consumed. One easy way to plan your meals is to use the USDA's MyPlate system, which simply encourages you to use a divided plate icon to plan your meals.

Roughly one-quarter of the plate is designated for fruits, vegetables, grains, and proteins. There is also a small icon for dairy. There is a similar system called the Healthy Eating Plate that is provided by Harvard Health. Each plate image can serve as a reminder to get your nutrition from different sources to ensure that your macro and micronutrient needs are met.

When you first begin to balance your macros, the goal is to keep each range within its boundaries, but ensure you get enough of each nutrient. Some people—particularly athletes—track their macronutrient intake rather than their calorie intake because they are trying to reach certain fitness or performance goals.

A person might also manage a medical condition by watching their macro intake. For example, people with type 2 diabetes often count carbs to manage and limit intake.

There are pros and cons to tracking calories and pros and cons to tracking macros; the best method for you will depend on your goals. If your goal is weight management, the success or failure of your program will ultimately rest on your overall calorie intake.

You won't lose weight unless you create a calorie deficit on a regular basis, meaning you are taking in fewer calories than you burn. Some people find calorie counting to be a good motivator in losing weight. There are many factors that affect weight loss, calories being one of them.

Creating a calorie deficit can result in weight loss but this concept complicated and dynamic. People who are trying to reach or maintain weight loss often choose to track the calories they consume. The calorie counts for most foods and beverages can be found directly on the Nutrition Facts label.

If it's not available there, there are nutrition databases that provide accurate numbers online or even in smartphone apps. Tracking calories might appear to be easier since you are only calculating one number, but some people choose to track macronutrients instead to reach specific goals.

Tracking macronutrients is more complex because you need to set goals for three intake numbers instead of just one. For people trying to reach fitness goals or lose weight, these numbers can be helpful. For example, people who are trying to lose weight might discover that they can reach their calorie goal more easily if they get more of their daily calories from protein.

When included at every meal, protein might help you eat less because it generally provides greater satiety than carbohydrates. People who are managing heart disease or a related condition might track their intake of fat—particularly saturated fat—to reduce their risk for a cardiac event.

People who are trying to reach fitness goals often track their macros. For example, endurance runners might target a particular carb intake to ensure that they are properly fueled for a race.

Strength-trained athletes might watch their intake of protein to help them reach their performance goals. If you choose to track your macros , there are different methods you might use to manage your intake. One of the easiest ways is to use a smartphone app. Many health and wellness apps provide calorie and macro data for countless foods.

These apps help you to input each food you consume and then provide updated charts and other graphics to let you see where you're at throughout the day. Another method is to use the old-fashioned pen and paper approach.

You can either plan meals in advance according to the macro balance that you require, or you can use online resources or apps to get your numbers and keep them in a notebook. Each macronutrient provides an important role in the body. While some trendy diets severely restrict or even eliminate some macros, each is essential to your body's ability to function optimally.

You need to consume each of them in balance unless your healthcare provider has advised you otherwise—for example, because you are managing a health condition. Once you've figured out how to balance your macros, you can learn to make healthy choices within each group.

To reach your fitness goals and maintain your wellness, choose lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. It is important to note, however, that intensive counting of macros may be contraindicated in people with a history of eating disorders.

This type of eating approach also limits a person's ability to listen to their internal hunger cues, so it's best to consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before making any significant changes to your diet.

Macronutrients provide all of the fuel that makes your body work. Your body depends on macronutrients as its only sources of energy. They also contribute to building cells.

When people count macros for intentional weight loss , the idea is to hit a target number of grams of each macronutrient each day.

The amount of protein, fat, and carbohydrates needed to lose weight varies depending on starting weight, how active a person is, and other complex factors. Because it requires paying close attention to food intake and counting grams of the different macros, it is not recommended for people with a history of disordered eating.

Different foods are good sources for different macronutrients. Whole grains, rice, and pasta are good sources of complex carbohydrates. Chicken, fish, and quinoa provide complete proteins.

Nuts, cooking oils, and avocado are great foods to provide unsaturated fat. Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans Harvard School of Public Health. Types of fat. Sendra E. Dairy fat and cardiovascular health. It takes effort to focus on macronutrients, and depending on their diet, people will likely have different macronutrient goals.

But the U. Department of Agriculture USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests aiming for these percentages of macros as a rule of thumb for women ages 31 to So, if a person aims to eat 1, calories per day which the USDA suggests for women ages 31 to 50 , they might want calories from carbohydrates 45 percent , calories from fat 35 percent , and calories from protein 20 percent each day.

Typically, carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, fats have 9 calories per gram, and protein provides 4 calories per gram, according to the Cleveland Clinic. As the Cleveland Clinic notes, counting macros requires some math, and can be challenging for people to do although there are apps that can simplify the process.

Also, the formula gets more complicated if you want to tailor your numbers more specifically. That cheat sheet also gives you adjusted numbers depending on how active you are each day another factor some people consider.

So why are so many people dedicated to this cause? In theory, Levinson says, someone who is trying to lose weight would likely have a higher percentage of protein than carbohydrates in their diet because protein is more satiating and takes longer to digest than carbs.

Katz, though, believes this theory is flawed. Counting macros takes time, and many people are too busy to maintain the habit. Here, discover other downsides to this nutritional approach. Many people who focus on counting macros are trying to get more of one specific macronutrient and cut out others, such as eating less fat or more protein.

Katz, though, doesn't think eating this way leads to positive results. For example, one review concluded that low-fat diets were not any more successful than higher-fat diets when it came to weight loss. Keeping a tally of the macronutrients you consume may sound like just another task on your to-do list, but the habit can come along with unwanted consequences.

For example, the National Eating Disorders Association NEDA explains that a focus on weight, food, calories, carbohydrates, fat grams, and dieting are all warning signs of an eating disorder.

Another downside of counting macros is that it can be challenging to be accurate, says Levinson. Some people see real benefits in counting macros, which may explain why the practice is trending. Although dietitians and doctors may not be sold on the concept, there are some potential benefits of macro counting.

After all, knowledge is power. For example, half an avocado has over 10 g of good-for-you fat, about 6 g of carbohydrates with almost 5 g of beneficial fiber , and almost 2 g of protein, according to the USDA. Methodical tracking of macronutrients will get boring for many people after a while.

But according to a study published in the August Journal of Diabetes Research , people who do frequently track their diets have higher odds of long-term weight loss success. Again, obsessing over every morsel you consume may lead to potential disordered eating.

The jury is still out on whether counting macros aids weight loss, and as Katz says, too much of any macro can lead to weight gain. Still, some people believe that a high-protein diet helps people lose weight, and at least one study, published in the September Journal of Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome , supports this, though the Mayo Clinic notes that staying on a high-protein diet for too long has been linked to health problems, such as an increased risk of heart disease.

By the same token, counting carbohydrates and ramping up fat, while limiting protein to a moderate amount — the hallmark characteristics of keto — has a reputation for enabling fast weight loss.

The truth is, health experts remain divided on this eating approach. Not all studies suggest it has an edge. For instance, the authors of a Canadian Family Physician review of 13 randomized controlled trials, published in December , found that compared with low-fat diets, keto was associated with about 4.

Counting macros does have some perks over counting calories. For example, when you count calories, you could be getting a majority of your calories from carbohydrates, and you might be missing out on valuable healthy fats and protein.

One of them, as with any diet, is to speak with your doctor or dietitian first. The number of macronutrients you need each day will depend on your specific diet.

For example, if you are doing the ketogenic diet, you'll typically shoot for 70 to 80 percent of calories coming from fat, 5 to 10 percent from carbohydrates, and 10 to 20 percent from protein, according to Harvard T.

Time to do a little math! That equals about g of fat, 45 g of carbohydrates, and 90 g of protein, which is based on the assumption that carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram, fats have 9 calories per gram, and protein provides 4 calories per gram, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Counting macros is a lot of work, and the benefits are unproven. What to do instead? A number of diets require you to hit certain macro targets. According to Katz, other diets that focus on macros include low-fat and low-carb diets.

If your doctor suggests you count macronutrients, this app may be worth downloading.