Macronutrients are food you eat to keep your body healthy and operational. From some, you get calories and fiber. With others, you get water and nutrients for digestive health. All macronutrients help your body do different things.
Macronutrients are also an integral part of weight loss and weight gain. Below, we cover three important energy-producing macronutrients.
Fat
Fat is one of the most valuable macronutrients in your body. One gram of fat contains nine kcals, which is why it’s crucial to have. When you consume fewer calories, your body uses excess fat to take care of daily functions. You can get healthy fats from oils, nuts, and avocados. Takeout foods like burgers and fries have unhealthy fats.
Protein
Proteins play a pivotal role in muscle development, hormone regulation, immunity, and metabolism. You get protein from dairy, nuts, beans, meat, fish, and dairy.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, or carbs, give our bodies energy. Complex carbs such as fruits and vegetables offer slow-release energy. Simple carbs such as white bread provide a short burst of energy, but nothing you can sustain.
You could ask ten people what macronutrients they consumed to stay healthy, and they wouldn't match. What you eat depends on several things. Variables like caloric intake vary wildly from person to person.
When you are trying to work out what macronutrients your body needs, factor in your:
• Caloric intake
• Age
• Weight
• Gender
• Activity level
• Target weight
• Current weight
What your body needs can depend on your goals and body makeup.
When you calculate how many calories you need, you can move onto the food groups, such as fats, carbs, and protein.
Protein
According to the Food and Nutrition Council, you should have 0.8 grams of protein for every KG of body weight daily. That’s around 10 to 15 percent of your diet.
Carbohydrates
Limit simple sugars and carbs to around ten percent of your diet. Half to 70 percent of your calories should come from carbohydrates as a whole.
Fat
Between 20 to 35 percent of your daily caloric intake should be fat. That doesn’t mean you need to go load up on pizza and fries. Be wise with your fat choices. Avocados and nuts offer healthy unsaturated fats. Limit saturated fat, and steer clear of trans fats.
A macronutrient calculator, or calorie deficit calculator, use the Mifflin – St Jeor equation. With it, you can work out how much energy you need from macronutrients to lose, gain, or sustain weight. It differs for men and women.
Men
BMR = (10 x weight / 1kg + 6.25 x height / 1cm – 5 x age / 1 year + 5) kcal / day
Female
BMR = (10 x weight / 1kg + 6.25 x height / 1cm – 5 x age / 1 year – 161) kcal / day
BMR = basal metabolic rate, the energy you need for essential human functions.
With the equation info, multiply your answer by the points relating to exercise.
Little to no exercise (sedentary) = 1.2
Light exercise 1-2 days per week (slightly active) = 1.4
Moderate exercise 2-3 days per week (moderately active) = 1.6
Hard exercise 4-5 days per week (very active) = 1.75
Very hard exercise 6-7 days per week (job and sports, extra active) = 2
Professional athlete status = 2.3
When you multiply your answer by the exercise, you get the caloric intake to maintain your weight.
If you want to lose weight, adjust the numbers to achieve a calorie deficit. Each pound of fat is 3,500 kcal of energy. If you want to lose half a kilo per week, you need a calorie deficit. If you're going to gain weight, add more food to your diet.
When you want to lose or gain weight, you need further information - diet type and target weight. The target weight is what you want to weigh post-diet. You would calculate your ideal weight, or use a BMI calculator.
You will have to figure out what type of diet you will use to lose or gain weight. A standard diet should help you lose 1-2 pounds every week. You should not cut more than 1,000 calories from your diet, or below your basal metabolic rate.
With that new information, the calculator will calculate your weight in graphs. Remember, this tool only provides an estimate. Real results may differ. The first graph shows your weight change over time. The second shows a suggested caloric intake to achieve it.
The macronutrient calculator often goes by another name, IIFYM. IIFYM, or If It Fits Your Macros, tracks your macronutrients instead of food. It operates on the principle that you can eat what you want, as long as it’s within your macronutrients limit.
This option is often suitable for people who struggle to stick to diets. You can be flexible and enjoy food, but with limitations. Some people also believe such a diet is more comfortable to calculate than a standard one. The downside of IIFYM is that it doesn’t factor in vital nutrients. You may not get the vitamins and minerals your body needs.
With any dramatic dietary changes, always consult your doctor or a medical professional.
