protein & macros

understand what your food provides, and why it matters.

PROTEIN

PROTEIN PROVIDES AMINO ACIDS — THE BUILDING BLOCKS YOUR BODY USES TO BUILD, MAINTAIN AND REPAIR TISSUE.

FOR SOMEONE TRAINING REGULARLY, GETTING ENOUGH PROTEIN CAN SUPPORT MUSCLE GROWTH OR RETENTION, RECOVERY AND HELP WITH SATIETY.

GOOD SOURCES INCLUDE MEAT, FISH, EGGS, DAIRY, SOYA, TOFU, BEANS, LENTILS AND OTHER HIGH-PROTEIN FOODS.

YOU DON’T NEED TO CRAM YOUR DAILY PROTEIN INTO ONE MEAL. SPREADING PROTEIN ACROSS YOUR MEALS IS A SIMPLE, PRACTICAL APPROACH.

CARBOHYDRATES

CARBOHYDRATES ARE ONE OF THE BODY’S MAIN SOURCES OF ENERGY. THEY’RE PARTICULARLY USEFUL FOR FUELLING TRAINING AND HIGHER-INTENSITY ACTIVITY.

CARBOHYDRATES ARE BROKEN DOWN INTO GLUCOSE, WHICH CAN BE USED FOR ENERGY OR STORED AS GLYCOGEN IN YOUR MUSCLES AND LIVER FOR LATER USE.

GOOD SOURCES INCLUDE POTATOES, RICE, OATS, PASTA, BREAD, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, BEANS AND WHOLE GRAINS.

CARBOHYDRATES AREN’T SOMETHING YOU NEED TO FEAR OR AUTOMATICALLY REMOVE WHEN TRYING TO LOSE FAT. YOUR OVERALL ENERGY INTAKE AND CONSISTENCY MATTER MORE THAN SIMPLY CUTTING OUT CARBS.

FATS

DIETARY FAT IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF A BALANCED DIET. IT PROVIDES ENERGY, HELPS YOUR BODY ABSORB FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS AND PROVIDES ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS.

FAT CONTAINS MORE ENERGY PER GRAM THAN PROTEIN OR CARBOHYDRATE, SO PORTION SIZE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE TO YOUR OVERALL CALORIE INTAKE.

SOURCES INCLUDE OLIVE OIL, NUTS, SEEDS, AVOCADO, EGGS, OILY FISH AND DAIRY PRODUCTS. AIM TO GET MOST OF YOUR FAT FROM UNSATURATED SOURCES WHILE KEEPING SATURATED FAT IN MODERATION.

FAT ISN’T SOMETHING YOU NEED TO REMOVE TO LOSE BODY FAT. LIKE CARBOHYDRATES, IT’S YOUR OVERALL ENERGY INTAKE AND LONG-TERM CONSISTENCY THAT MATTER MOST.

FIBEr

FIBer IS A TYPE OF CARBOHYDRATE FOUND MAINLY IN PLANT FOODS. IT SUPPORTS NORMAL DIGESTIVE HEALTH AND HELPS KEEP YOUR BOWEL MOVEMENTS REGULAR.

HIGHER-FIBer FOODS CAN ALSO HELP WITH FULLNESS, MAKING THEM USEFUL WHEN BUILDING SATISFYING MEALS.

GOOD SOURCES INCLUDE FRUIT, VEGETABLES, WHOLE GRAINS, OATS, BEANS, LENTILS, NUTS AND SEEDS. EATING A VARIETY OF THESE FOODS ALSO HELPS PROVIDE A RANGE OF VITAMINS AND MINERALS.

INCREASE FIBer GRADUALLY IF YOUR CURRENT INTAKE IS LOW, AND MAKE SURE YOU’RE DRINKING ENOUGH FLUID ALONGSIDE IT.

HOW MACROS FIT TOGETHER

PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATES AND FATS ARE THE THREE MACRONUTRIENTS THAT PROVIDE MOST OF THE ENERGY AND BUILDING MATERIAL YOUR BODY NEEDS FROM FOOD. EACH HAS A DIFFERENT ROLE — YOU DON’T NEED TO CHOOSE ONE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE OTHERS.

A SIMPLE WAY TO BUILD A BALANCED MEAL IS TO START WITH A PROTEIN SOURCE, ADD A SOURCE OF CARBOHYDRATE, INCLUDE FRUIT OR VEGETABLES, AND ADD SOME DIETARY FAT WHERE APPROPRIATE.

THE AMOUNTS YOU NEED WILL DEPEND ON YOUR BODY, ACTIVITY LEVEL, TRAINING AND GOAL. TWO PEOPLE CAN EAT VERY DIFFERENT PORTIONS WHILE BOTH FOLLOWING A BALANCED APPROACH.

MACROS ARE A TOOL — NOT A TEST YOU HAVE TO PASS EVERY DAY. UNDERSTANDING THEM HELPS YOU MAKE MORE INFORMED FOOD CHOICES WITHOUT NEEDING EVERY MEAL TO BE PERFECT.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION

YOU DON’T NEED TO CALCULATE THE MACROS IN EVERY MEAL TO BUILD A GOOD DIET. START WITH THE BASICS AND MAKE YOUR MEALS EASY TO REPEAT.

BUILD MOST MAIN MEALS AROUND A PROTEIN SOURCE, INCLUDE FRUIT OR VEGETABLES, ADD A CARBOHYDRATE SOURCE TO SUPPORT YOUR ENERGY NEEDS, AND INCLUDE DIETARY FAT WHERE APPROPRIATE.

YOUR PORTIONS CAN THEN BE ADJUSTED AROUND YOUR GOAL, HUNGER, ACTIVITY AND TRAINING. YOUR COACHING PLAN MAY GIVE YOU MORE SPECIFIC TARGETS WHERE THEY’RE USEFUL.

DON’T CHASE PERFECT NUMBERS AT THE EXPENSE OF CONSISTENCY. THE BEST APPROACH IS ONE YOU UNDERSTAND, CAN FOLLOW AND CAN ADAPT TO REAL LIFE.

KEY TAKEAWAY

PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATES AND FATS ALL HAVE A PLACE IN A BALANCED DIET. NONE OF THEM NEED TO BE FEARED OR COMPLETELY REMOVED.

UNDERSTAND WHAT EACH MACRONUTRIENT DOES, BUILD MOST OF YOUR MEALS AROUND NUTRITIOUS FOOD SOURCES, AND ADJUST YOUR PORTIONS TO SUPPORT YOUR INDIVIDUAL GOAL.

YOU DON’T NEED PERFECT MACROS. YOU NEED AN APPROACH THAT SUPPORTS YOUR TRAINING, YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR LIFE — AND THAT YOU CAN FOLLOW CONSISTENTLY.