How Important Are Macros?
If you’re looking to structure and get your diet on point to reach your fitness goals, the FIRST step, is figuring out your calories. That is the foundation from which you build off of.
But then, people always ask me if they even need to track macros ? How important are they really ? Well, they are extremely important to track and be aware of for several reasons. Let's go through them.
First up, fat loss.
After the initial caloric deficit has been calculated and accounted for, we need to get the macros. As I’ve previously mentioned several times, were looking for at least 1-1.1 g of protein per pound of body weight. When you’re in a deficit, protein becomes more important as now your body is on limited energy and, as a result, there is a higher chance of protein breakdown which could lead to muscle breakdown should you not get enough dietary protein to compensate... So hit your protein intake.
Next up is are fats. Always aim for a baseline of around 20-30% of your total calories to come from fats. This baseline should stay as a baseline to keep hormones regulated and ensure they stay balanced. Also, they can act as energy so it’s okay to bring them up closer to 30% when cutting. In fact, this slight bump could go a long way in keeping you fuller in between meals which is always a good idea when cutting.
As for carbs - these become vital and you must pay attention to them when cutting. Do not cut them out - this will severely deteriorate performance, and it NOT sustainable for 99% of humans for more than a few weeks at most. So all you have to do, is take your remaining calories (after fats and protein has been set), and divide them by 4 (4 calories per 1 gram of carbs) and you have your carbohydrate target.
Monitor and make sure you have an ample amount of carbs to sustain performance, mood, energy and protein-sparring. These are the main reasons carbs are key in fat loss, and they go a long way in shifting body composition - meaning you'll be cutting FAT instead of just 'weight'.
Now let's talk about muscle gain.
Things switch up a little bit here.
Protein intake can stay at around 1g per pound of bodyweight. But fats can come down between 20-25% of total calories. Calories will be elevated (to achieve a surplus), and once you've determined the calories that go towards fats and protein, the remainder will go towards carbs again.
The importance of carbs shifts when bulking. They can essentially become almost MORE important than protein since your body is in a surplus. This means you don't have to worry about potential protein breakdown, and rather should allocate more towards carbs as they fuel performance and allow you to ensure you perform at your best in the gym. This means progressive overload over time, and as a result, the protein will do its job and help synthesize muscle.
As I'm sure you've realized now, counting 'macro's is very important. Sure, maybe secondary to calorie counting, but a very close second place. They will maximize the effectiveness of your fat loss or muscle gain (or BOTH), while allowing you a better chance of adhering to your diet and not end up hitting a wall like you would on most 'crash diets' thats discard or don't even pay attention to macros at all.
Hope this helps!
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