Calories and Macros - What are they and what do the numbers mean?

Nutrition is complex and a lot goes into it. Over the next few weeks I am going to break down the information into small bits so you can understand and digest it. Let's first get started with calories and macro-nutrients. I have had many people ask me how to count their calories and macros and what the numbers actually mean.

A calorie is a unit of energy for our body. You intake energy (calories) by consuming food and you expend energy in three ways:

1. Basal metabolic rate - the amount of energy you expend by just existing (i.e. if you laid flat in bed all day and just breathed). This is different for each individual and is based on your gender, age and muscle mass. 
2. Thermic effect of food - the amount of energy you expend by digesting the food you consume.
3. Physical activity or exercise - the amount of energy you expend doing anything beyond laying in bed and breathing. Daily movement is physical activity and more structured movement is exercise.

Macro-nutrients are the nutrients our body needs in a large quantity. They provide the body with energy, or calories. There are three macro-nutrients:

1. Protein - on gram of protein equals 4 calories
2. Fat - one gram of fat equals 9 calories
3. Carbohydrates - one gram of carbs equals 4 calories

When you count macros you are essentially counting calories because each macro has a calorie count. However, if you are counting calories you are not necessarily counting macros because you don't know where those calories are coming from. If you are going to count something, I recommend you count macros. Just counting calories isn't going to give you the best information for your overall health and fitness.

Protein is the primary structural and functional component of every cell in your body. Protein is needed for growth and development, to build and repair cells, as well as a transporter of enzymes and hormones. Protein in the diet assists with maintaining strong bones as it helps the body absorb calcium. It also helps spare muscle loss. Protein increases the body's feeling of fullness because it takes your body more time to break down. This can assist with spacing out your time between meals. The standard recommendation for protein intake for someone who wants to maintain muscle mass in a caloric deficit is 1 gram of protein per 1 pound of body weight. NOTE: this is a standard recommendation and can vary per individual.

Fat is the structural component of our cell membranes, the lipid layer. This is what keeps the good things in and the bad things out. Fat is also a neuron insulator and helps to transmit signals from the brain to the body. Fat is also used in the production of bile salts in your digestive tract, vitamin D and hormones. We need fat, but we also need to be wary of how much and where it is coming from. 

There are two types of fats, saturated and unsaturated. Saturated fats are highly inflammatory and should be limited in your diet, especially if you are someone who deals with pain. Unsaturated fats are your necessary fats and are split into two categories - polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.Your body does not make polyunsaturated (omega-3 and omega-6) fats naturally; you can only get them in your diet. 

Carbohydrates are a source of energy as well as the only way you are going to get your micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) in a form that is bioavailable to your body. Carbohydrates come in three forms:

1. Monosaccharides or simple sugars are the easiest thing for your body to digest and provide immediate energy to your cells causing a rapid spike and subsequent drop in blood sugar
2. Disaccharides are formed by combining two simple sugars together
3. Polysaccharides are your complex carbohydrates and they take the body longer to break down. This allows you to maintain level blood sugars throughout the day.

Phew! That's a lot of definitions and information. I want you to re-read that if needed and digest the information then check back here tomorrow for my general recommendations on how many calories you should be consuming and a macro breakdown I feel is optimal for many people.