Find Your Macro Ratio to Achieve Your Fitness Goals

What are macros?

The word macronutrient is a bucket term, made of two words macro and nutrients. ‘’Macro’’ is a Greek word that means ‘’large’’ and ‘’nutrients’’ are ‘’compounds that our body needs for energy production’’. 

So, the term macronutrients referred to all those nutrient compounds that we need in ample amounts to perform all body functions from growth to everyday activities. 

Macronutrients that are carbohydrates, proteins, and fats have become a hot topic these days because each of these nutrients has a significant effect on health and fitness goals. 

Macros and fitness plans 

Most people start their fitness journey from macro-based diets that involves the tracking of percentage combination or ratio of every macronutrient in their diet plans. 

But before tracking down your macros, it is important to set up your fitness goals either you want to lose weight, build muscles or maintain your healthy weight. 

Regardless of your fitness goals, tracking your macros along with a suitable fitness plan can lead to achieving whatever weight you want. 

But before going to track macros, read on for the key role of macros in your diet plans.  

Every macro serves its specific role in the human body, take a closer look at them separately.

1. Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are compounds that are made up of the three most essential elements e.g., oxygen, hydrogen, and carbon. 

For almost every activity, your body needs energy that is derived directly from carbohydrates. 

Your body transforms carbs into sugar and sends them across the blood circulation to the cells. 

Thus, this way carbs become adenosine triphosphates, also referred to as ATP, and every cell will produce ATP from an enormous number of sugars.

Although, our body can make ATPs from proteins and fats our body would favor the use of carbohydrates since it is simpler to process than proteins and fats.

Carbohydrates are more easily processed into useful energy and can be converted into ketones that fuel your brain and body equally. 

Moreover, carbs are only macros that are used to fuel the central nervous system.

2. Proteins

Protein is one of the most significant macronutrients in the body for 

• growth of hairs and nails
• building muscle weight, 
• repairing tissues that are injured 
• producing enzymes that help the proper release of hormones 
• blood circulation in the body 
• bones and cartilage formation

It is considered one of the main building blocks in the human body. It is crucial to make sure that you have adequate protein for digestive wellbeing and all other exercise objectives. 

By using eggs, meat, chicken, fish, beans, and dairy products of course you can boost your protein consumption.

Amino acids

Amino acids are constitutional components of proteins. Twenty amino acids occur naturally, nine of which are important for the human body. 

They are the building blocks of proteins, which can be, as we discussed above, get from several food items in turn. 

We can get those amino acids from foods like eggs and meat because our body cannot produce the nine main amino acids. 

Neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine will not be produced in the body without their specific amino acids. 

Amino acids are important for 

• proper working of the immune system
• metabolism
• repairing injuries
• to produce growth hormones
• to control the rhythm of sleep 
• to run the reproduction system.

3. Fats 

Fat has a poor reputation among all those who want to track their calorie consumption for weight loss. 

However, nutritionists recognize that good fats are essential to the proper functioning of the body. 

Sometimes they are referred to as saturated fats. The two healthier fats are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats which contribute to

• lower heart rate
• balancing heart rhythm
• healing of inflammation 
• avoid stiffening of arteries which may lead to cardiac attacks or seizures

Healthy fats are used as a source of calories, brain function, and vitamin absorption.

Tracking macro ratio to achieve fitness goals

For accomplishing your fitness goals either it be; fat loss, mass gain, or muscle building or maintaining weight, tackling one goal at a time is significant. 

However, it is fact that you can gain muscle mass along with losing some weight at the same time but you would notice that both these processes will not happen with full potential. 

The justification of this is completely relying on percentages of carbohydrate intake. Because when you take high ratios of carbs, it may cause muscle mass gain, and a lower intake of carbs results in weight loss.

Therefore, focusing on tracking macros must be the primary goal for everyone to have fitness goals. 

However, if there is one thing most experts agree on, it is that you should run your new program with a certified nutritionist or your doctor. According to leading medical practitioners at the GMCClinics in Dubai, any new fitness and nutrition plan should first be passed as safe by your doctor. 

As normal human beings who are not doctors, we might think that we know everything about our bodies. However. That is not a great way to start something new. Unless you run tests, and discuss the same with your doctor, you should not start anything this aggressive and drastic.

For tracking macros daily, follow the below-mentioned steps;

Step 1: Understanding macros

We have already mentioned some details about macros above because you might fail in tracking down your macros without understanding how much they are essential for your body.

Your fitness journey or goals are greatly dependent on macro counts paired with the activity level.

Here, if you want to have a clear idea about how many grams of carbs, proteins, and fats you are taking in your diet, give a macro calculator try. 

Step 2: Use a macro calculator

Anyone who is following the macro-based diet, making notes of every meal, or using a macro calculator are the two best choices to stay accountable and accurate in tracking macros. 

However, in this tech era, everybody prefers to take advantage of technologies as much as they can. In this scenario,  a macro calculator can be the best choice for you. This macro calculator makes your macro tracking easier and saves you from big hassle. 

Step 3: Track your daily intake

While using a macro calculator, you need to log your daily intake of every single meal you eat and whatever you drink. 

It is important to track down every single thing you eat including the smallest snacks as well.  

Below are some tips for tracking the macros that would give you accurate and reliable results. 

1. Keep track of the actual serving size you take that can either be measuring scales or spoons or cups. Here you can utilize the portion control technique, in case you do not have any of the former scales in hand. 

2. You have to track every single specific that might include ingredients like toppings, seasonings, cooking oils, etc. The reason is that every little ingredient (adding a few carbs or fats here and there) you take has a dramatic effect on your macros can all impact your macro intake.