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Nutritionists
Recommend
This
Formula
to
Calculate
Macros
For
Weight
Loss
By
Caitlin
Flynn
PopSugar.con
SAN
FRANCISCO
- When
it comes
to
nailing
down the
nutrition
aspect
of a
healthy
weight-loss
plan,
our
first
inclination
is often
to
figure
out how
many
calories
we
should
eat per
day in
order to
reach
our
target
weight.
But not
all
calories
are
created
equal,
and
that's
where
macronutrients
(also
known as
"macros")
come in.
As it
turns
out,
many
nutritionists
agree
that
counting
macros
is a
healthier
path to
weight
loss
than
focusing
on
calories.
Full
disclosure:
I
initially
found
the task
of
calculating
macros
for
weight
loss a
bit
daunting.
If you
feel the
same
way,
don't be
deterred
- with
the
right
knowledge
and a
bit of
practice,
you'll
be a pro
in no
time.
But
before
we jump
into
calculations,
let's
quickly
discuss
exactly
what
macronutrients
are and
how they
fit into
our
diets.
"Macronutrients
are
molecules
that our
bodies
use to
create
energy
for
themselves:
fat,
protein,
and
carbohydrates,"
Tanya
Rosen,
nutritionist
for
Teasane
and
founder
of
Nutrition
by
Tanya,
told
POPSUGAR.
"Your
body
needs a
lot of
these,
which is
why
they're
called
'macronutrients,'
not
'micronutrients,'
such as
iron and
zinc."
When you
calculate
macros
for
weight
loss,
you'll
focus on
the
percentage
of your
daily
intake
that
should
come
from
each of
these
three
macronutrients.
Protein
provides
four
calories
per
gram,
carbohydrates
provide
four
calories
per
gram,
and fat
provides
nine
calories
per
gram.
Sabrina
Rice,
holistic
nutritionist
and
personal
trainer,
told
POPSUGAR
that,
although
there's
not a
"one
size
fits
all"
breakdown,
a
balance
of
40/30/30
is
effective
for most
people.
"That's
40
percent
carbohydrates,
30
percent
protein,
and 30
percent
fat,"
Rice
said.
"Of
course,
knowing
what
your
food is
made up
of
counts
more for
weight
loss
than the
actual
macro
profile
itself -
think
cookie
versus
carrot.
But
these
ratios
produce
amazing
weight-loss
results
if you
follow
them."
In order
to find
your
ratio,
the
first
step is
to
figure
out how
many
calories
per day
your
body
requires
-
something
that can
easily
be done
using an
online
calculator.
As an
example,
let's
say that
your
body
needs
1,600
calories
per day
in order
to
safely
lose
weight.
Rice
told
POPSUGAR
that
this is
what the
macro
calculation
would
look
like:
(.30) x
1600 =
480 kcal
/ 9 (9
calories
in every
gram
fat) =
53 grams
of fat
per day
(.30) x
1600 =
480 kcal
/ 4 (4
calories
per gram
of
protein)
= about
120
grams of
protein
per day
(.40) x
1600 =
640 kcal
/ 4 (4
calories
per gram
of
carbohydrates)
= about
160
grams of
carbohydrates
per day
But how
exactly
does
this
breakdown
fit into
daily
meals
and
snacks?
Based on
your own
ratios
and the
calculations
above,
Rice
suggested
this
basic
guide:
Breakfast
- 10
grams of
fat, 40
grams of
carbs,
25 grams
of
protein
Snack
- 5
grams of
fat, 20
grams of
carbs,
10 grams
of
protein
Lunch
- 15
grams of
fat, 40
grams of
carbs,
25 grams
of
protein
Snack
- 5
grams of
fat, 20
grams of
carbs,
25 grams
of
protein
Dinner
- 15
grams of
fat, 40
grams of
carbs,
35 grams
of
protein
Now that
you know
how to
calculate
your
macros,
let's
take a
look at
the
types of
carbs,
proteins,
and fats
you
should
be
consuming
in order
to lose
weight.
Carbohydrates:
"Fill
your
plate
with
healthy
carbs,
including
leafy
greens,
whole
grains,
and root
veggies,"
Rosen
told
POPSUGAR.
A few of
her top
picks
include
broccoli,
asparagus,
cauliflower,
squash,
dark
leafy
greens,
green
beans,
onions,
cucumbers,
oatmeal,
sweet
potatoes,
potatoes,
and
quinoa.
Protein:
"You
need
plenty
of
protein,
but
don't go
crazy
ordering
greasy
burgers
and
chicken
wings,"
Rosen
said.
Instead,
she
suggested
eating
plenty
of fatty
fish
(such as
salmon
and sea
bass),
cod,
lean
beef,
turkey,
eggs,
and
nuts.
Fat:
"Getting
plenty
of
healthy
fats is
important
for
healthy
hormone
levels,
metabolism,
mood,
and
vitamin
absorption,"
Rosen
explained.
Examples
of these
healthy
fats
include
coconut
oil,
olive
oil,
avocado,
almonds,
and
cashews.
Of
course,
there's
no
getting
around
the fact
that
tracking
macros
is more
complicated
than
old-fashioned
calorie
counting
-
especially
when
you're
new to
the
practice.
Both
Rosen
and Rice
recommended
the app
MyFitnessPal
to help
you stay
on
track.
"It
might
seem
tedious
to keep
pulling
out your
phone at
every
meal,
but it
really
will
keep you
on
track,"
Rosen
said.
"After a
while,
the food
choices
you're
making
will
become
healthy
habits."
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