What is a macro diet when you are trying to lose weight or gain muscle? In the modern world, the diet industry has exploded.
There are a ton of diets out there- some good and others not so great for you. You might be wondering what macro means?
Macro is an abbreviation meaning macronutrients - protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Some people use macros to track their intake of these nutrients to reach their fitness goals!
The best part about eating macros based is that it's easy to do with apps or bowls! This article will go over 15 mistakes people make when eating on a macro diet.
What is Macro Diet
A macro diet is a way of eating based on the idea that different foods offer varying ratios of carbohydrates, fats and protein and how these nutrients are used in your body.
It's based on the idea that there are three main macronutrients- carbs, protein, and fat- and each has its ratios.
There are no strict rules to follow for this eating plan since it depends on what foods you eat each day.
15 mistakes people make when eating on a macro diet
1. Not tracking your food
Tracking is so important! If you don't track, how will you know if you're eating enough of all the macros? With your fitness and muscle building goals in mind, making sure that you hit your macro targets every day is important for healthy weight loss or body recomposition.
2. Allocating too little protein and too much fat in their diet plan, thinking that they are eating a lot of protein by doing this
Protein is very important for muscle building, fat loss and general health because it releases the most energy when used as an energy source in your body. This means that it is the most valuable macronutrient when you consider where your energy is coming from.
3. Eating too little carbohydrates, leading to exhaustion and low energy levels
Carbs are essential for muscle growth and upkeeping a healthy functioning brain that can't work without carbs. Your body needs glucose (a type of carbohydrate) every day, and when you don't get enough, it will take it from your muscles, leading to muscle wasting.
4. Eating too little fat, thus having a more challenging time building muscle and burning fat (and also risk osteoporosis)
Fats are essential for healthy hormonal function and body composition. They make food taste better, and they give you essential fatty acids that your body needs to function.
5. Not eating enough food in general, leading to a very low caloric intake which could result in slowing down your metabolism and ultimately preventing you from losing weight or building muscle effectively
6. Focusing too much on high-intensity exercise without actually hitting the gym consistently
High-intensity exercises are great for burning fat, but to lose weight or build muscle effectively, you need to hit the gym at least 4-5 times per week.
7. Not eating enough of their macronutrients, filling up on lots of junk food instead
This is one of the most common mistakes people make when trying a macro-based diet because they don't know how much of each macro they need every day. It's essential to hit your macros, and the best way you can do that is by eating a balanced diet when you're tracking everything that goes into your mouth with an app or tracker.
8. Not getting enough sleep, thinking that it doesn't matter
Regardless of what type of goal you have regarding exercise and nutrition, getting enough sleep is very important. Sleep regulates hormones that help you lose weight or build muscle effectively, and it allows you to have a healthy functioning body in general.
9. Not planning your meals ahead of time, resulting in endless trips to the supermarket when they run out of something for their macro-diet
Planning your meals ahead of time and sticking to a well-planned grocery list will save you a lot of money, it'll make cooking easier, and it'll stop you from getting into the situation where you run out of food.
10. Trying to eat a certain amount of macronutrients at every meal.
This won't work because you may overdo it on one nutrient at one meal and then not enough of another later on. Instead, you need to aim for a balance throughout your day so that you're not overeating and under-eating for the whole day. This slight change will work wonders for your body!
11. Spending too much time tracking food.
Even if you add it to an app, try not to spend too much time writing down everything you eat; this can take up a lot of time and energy, which means you will be less likely to stick with it. If you want to track every bite that goes into your mouth, put it on an app instead of writing everything down. This way, it's still there for you in case you forget something!
12. Getting too caught up in the calorie counting thing.
Many people assume that a macro diet will only focus on calories, but it focuses on the three primary nutrients (carbs/protein/fat). Your calorie intake is important too- because you still need to make sure you get enough!
13. Taking more than three cheat meals per week when they are trying to lose weight or build muscle effectively
Cheat meals should be a reward for hitting your macros. It's not cheating if you hit them.
14. Not measuring their food correctly, using their hands as measurements instead
This is very important because it can make or break your nutrition plan and, ultimately, the success of your goals. If you don't know how much protein, fat and carbs you are eating, you won't get very far with your goals. You need to measure your food so that you can hit your macro targets.
15. Assuming that they will only last on a macro diet for one week when in reality they can work very well long term
A macro diet works very well for more serious people about their goals and who have the patience to see them through. If you're looking for overnight success or some magic diet, then it's not the right one for you, but if you want to get fit and healthy long-term, a macro diet can be very effective.
Benefits of a Macro Diet
This type of diet has many benefits.
1. Energy
One of these is that you get more energy, which means that you are more likely to be motivated to exercise.
2. Easier On the Body
It is also easier for your body to lose weight when eating a macro-based diet because it is made out of the right proportions of proteins, carbs and fats.
3. Digestive Health
Eating this type of food will also help keep your digestive system working well.
4. Save Time and Money
An added benefit to a macro-based diet is that it will save you time and money because you only have to cook once or twice per week.
5. Variety and Flavor of Food
Another plus to eating this way is the wide variety of foods, as well as flavours you can choose from.
6. Satisfaction and Pleasure
You also get the satisfaction and pleasure of eating delicious food that also makes you feel good.
7. Maintaining Body Composition/Muscle Mass
Many people are using a macro-based diet to help them maintain lean muscle mass while losing weight, or vice versa.
8. Increases Fitness and Performance
This also makes you more fit and boosts your performance in the gym or while playing sports.
How to track macros
Tracking macros has become much easier, and some apps can help you do this. I would recommend My Fitness Pal for beginners - it's free and very simple to use. You just input the food you're eating and create your daily limits by percentage. It will then keep track of everything for you!
To start, you will need to have a device (for sure!) that you can use to input your food. Next, you need to log in and set up your "account" with a username and password.
You'll then have the option of starting from scratch or importing from My Fitness Pal's database of foods, which provides over 1 million different items that you can log your food intake for.
Finally, it is all about setting up your goal, because if you don't know where you're going-how will you know when you get there? Therefore, it's essential to set out what your personal goal is before tracking anything at all. Are you looking to lose weight or build muscle?
Gaining muscle will involve eating more calories than your body is burning, but not so many that you won't make it to the gym. Losing weight is just the opposite-you'll want to eat fewer calories than you are burning off per day.
If you are looking to lose weight, you'll want to set a daily calorie limit. If gaining muscle is your goal, you'll want to set a certain amount of protein and carbs per day while limiting the calories you consume from fat.
You can then begin adding in your foods! Once there, it's just like any other food diary or calorie counter. You will input the name of the food (under "My Foods") and then look on a nutrition facts website or estimate how many calories it has once you know what kind of ingredients make up your food-estimate if there are any hidden sugars and carbs, etc.
Now, we'll tackle fats- here's where the real work comes in! It would help if you found out what the facts are that are in your food. There's a lot of talk about healthy and unhealthy fats, so you'll want to try to stick with foods that have mostly "healthy" fats-fats like avocado oil, olive oil, coconut oils, etc.
Finally...we're done! The only thing left to do is hit "Save", and your tracking should be done for the day!
Final Thoughts on - what is a macro diet?
Hopefully, this has been helpful and interesting to learn more about how macronutrients are used in your body. There are a variety of ways that you can eat and still lose weight or gain muscle mass--and it all starts with proper nutrition. Eating healthy fats, carbs, and protein will help to put you in control of your diet and allow you to make the right decisions about what your body needs.
If you want to achieve your fitness goals in a sustainable way, then you can consider eating a macro-based diet. It's not as hard as it sounds! once you're comfortable with tracking macros and meet your goals, you'll feel great knowing that you did it yourself! And the best thing? You'll end up eating better than ever. Remember to use a site like My Fitness Pal to make sure that you're getting all of the necessary nutrients for your body.
Just make sure that you're getting your ideal protein amounts and tracking the fats and carbs from each meal to ensure that you aren't overeating any one particular nutrient. As always, consult your doctor before starting a new diet.
Read more articles on diets here.
FAQs about the macro diet plan
What is the macro plan?
The Macro diet is a way of eating based on the idea that different foods offer varying ratios of carbohydrates, fats and protein and how these nutrients are used in your body. Macros will help you reach your fitness goals of building muscle or healthily losing weight while still enjoying food! You need to eat the right types and amounts of protein, carbs, and fats for this type of diet. There are some easy ways to do this, such as tracking with an app or using different plates or bowls.
What about sugar?
Sugar is nothing but carbohydrates. It's very easy to eat too many carbs when you're not tracking macros. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that you're getting your protein and fat in each meal. Sugar should be limited to no more than 15 grams of sugar per day, but it's even better if you can keep it under 10 grams a day.
If you have to have something sweet, try a small portion of fruit or berries.
How does tracking macros help me reach my goals?
Tracking macros helps to put you in control over your eating habits. If you know that the foods you eat have specific amounts of fats, carbs, and protein, it's very easy to see if you overeat certain foods. This way, you can make the right changes to your diet so that you're eating the ideal amount of calories, protein and fat each day!
What if I'm still hungry?
Just because you're eating the right foods doesn't mean that you shouldn't treat yourself every once in and while! If you're feeling a little bit hungry between meals, try snacking on healthy low-carb veggies or some nuts such as almonds or walnuts.
If you're still hungry, try adding a bit more carbs to your next meal, but make sure that you're not going over the calories. You can also drink water and wait a while before eating again--this will help your body process what it's eaten so far!
What if I eat out?
Eating out can be tricky while you're eating macros. Just make sure that the fats, carbs and protein amount for each meal add up to exactly what they should be or else you'll end up overeating fat or carbs!
If you're going out to eat a lot, keep some extra veggies in your fridge so that they'll be there when you're hungry. You can also bring your food to restaurants so that you'll know exactly what is in the food--if you end up eating out a lot, then it might be worth buying some Tupperware containers!
If all else fails, look online for a restaurant's nutrition facts or use an app like MyFitnessPal to find the macros for what you're eating.
What are some good fats?
There are a wide variety of healthy fats that can help you to reach your daily macros goals. The best types of fat tend to be monounsaturated and polyunsaturated--these should make up about 20 per cent of your total calories per day. Some other healthy fat choices
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