It might seem like the only things that matters when it comes to fat loss are calories and exercise, but what you eat—and how much of each macronutrient you're consuming—are actually super important, too.
Pro tip: don't forget about macronutrients when you're trying to lose fat.
What's that? You don't even know what macronutrients are? Well, pull up a chair, because I'm about to blow your mind.
Each one has an important job to do in your body, and if you're eating too much or too little of any of them, that's going to affect your ability to lose weight. Here's a quick rundown of what each one does:
Carbs (found in fruits, vegetables, and grains): They give us energy! We need to get at least 130 grams of carbs every day, otherwise, our brain won't get enough glucose. Even if we don't get enough carbs from the food we eat, our bodies will convert protein into carbohydrates, which can actually lead to muscle loss.
Protein (found in meats, legumes): Protein is like the building block for your muscles! If you're not eating enough protein, your body will start taking it from your muscles (yikes!). Make sure you're getting about 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight every day.
Fats: Helps keep our hormones and health in check.
The truth is that in order to lose weight (and keep it off), you need to make sure you're getting enough of each macronutrient: protein, carbs, and fats.
You see… not all fats are created equal. There are healthy fats (like the ones found in avocados) and unhealthy fats (like the ones found in fried foods). Same with carbs: there are good carbs (like those found in fruits) and bad carbs (like those found in white bread). And protein: there's a lean protein (like that found in the chicken breast) and fattier protein (like beef).
So if you're trying to lose fat while maintaining muscle mass, it's important to remember that your goal is essentially a negative energy balance. That means burning more calories than you consume each day. But rather than consuming fewer calories than you're burning (which is nearly impossible for anyone who's not pregnant or very sick), you want to make sure that you're eating enough of the right things—and cutting out the wrong things.
In other words, it's not just calories in vs. calories out; it's also about making sure that you're getting those calories from foods that will actually help your body do its job of burning fat and staying healthy while it does so.
Is there a best macro ratio for fat loss?
Not at all.
If you are consistently in a calorie deficit you're gonna lose fat. Fat loss depends on the total amount of food you eat on a regular basis regardless of how much carbs, proteins, or fats you consume. If you eat less than what your body expends, there would be fat loss.
It is recommended that you make 30% of your diet protein-rich and ensure that the carbs and fats ratio doesn't fall below 10%, they are essential for the proper functioning of the body, believe it or not.
More muscles equal better health, high metabolism, better strength, and excellent quality of life, thus, consuming more protein regularly you'd be building/ preserving more muscle than you would otherwise, irrespective of your primary goal of losing/ gaining/ maintaining weight.
One last and important thing- you DO NOT need to count calories or macros in order to lose fat. Find what works for you best and don't panic with all the numbers and fad diets asking you to count every calorie consumed- that's plain BS.
I hope you have a clear idea about what macros mean, and next time someone tries to sell you the Magic Diet for secret fat loss you can immediately spot that it's bullshit and plain marketing tactic.
Feel free to ask any questions in the comment section or you can head over to my Instagram and ask as many questions as you would like.
IG: Find_Your_Healthy_With_Reetika
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