Macros are what make up EVERYTHING you eat and since we all eat, we should all know a little macro basics!
Macros 101
Macros short for macronutrients these are the basic components of food.
We will focus on 3 but remember alcohol is still a macro that needs to be accounted for. The three basics are protein, carbs and fats.
1 gram of protein makes up 4 calories
1 gram of carbohydrate makes up 4 calories
1 gram of fat makes up 9 calories
1 gram of alcohol makes up 7 calories (I have shared a iifym article on how to track)
Protein
Build and repair muscle tissue, make hormones enzymes and are responsible for transport throughout the body.
Sources of protein
• chicken
• red meat
• white meat
• fish
• eggs
• cottage cheese
• cheese
• greek yogurt
• beans
• lentils
• jerky
• protein bars
• protein shakes
If you are struggling to get to your set protein number, try adding a protein shake, increase you lean protein for the day, say you were going to have 2 eggs add 2 egg whites to the eggs or more. Or you have 5 oz of chicken increase it to 6oz or more.
Carbohydrates
Provide a main source of energy to your body. Carbohydrates are mainly broken up into two categories, simple carbs (made of just one or two sugar molecules) or complex carbs (made up of sugar molecules strung together). Complex carbs will generally have more fiber, helping to slow the rise in blood sugar and support healthy bowel movements.
• Green veggies
• Whole grains
• Oatmeal
• Pasta
• Breads
• Wraps
• Rice cakes
• Potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Squash
• Corn
• Fruits
• Bean
• Donuts
• Candy
• Pop
• Poptarts
Most do not find it too difficult to get to their carb number however if you are struggling to get all your carbs in try increasing you portions of existing carbs, I love sweet potatoes and will eat them daily just adjusting different amounts to fit my needs. Or I love oatmeal with protein powder mixed in at night and will adjust the amount of oatmeal and protein to finish the day at my target numbers.
Fats
Responsible for brain health, blood sugar, regulate hormone creation and cell membrane health. Our cells are made up of fat.
• Oils
• Nuts
• Nut butter
• Butter
• Egg
• Meat
• Fish
• Avocado
• Cheese
• Dark chocolate
If you are short on your fat intake for the day easiest add is a little real butter.
Now this is just the basics, we want you to understand flexible dieting so that you can make it into a lifestyle! There are many more foods out there that did not make it on these lists. Remember there are no foods that are off limits but you will feel better when balancing your food choices with more nutrient dense foods!

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