I’m a huge fan of “flexible dieting” – which allows you to enjoy the food you eat while still being able to get shredded as long as you are under your total calorie limit for the day.
When you start flexible dieting, you are going to learn a great deal about the foods you are currently eating and how they may be helping, or preventing you from making progress.
This article, i want to give you as much information as possible for you to be successful with reaching your fitness goals.
Flexible dieting is so powerful that you can eat ice cream every single day and still get epic shredding results, just like my Client Heather here.
Heather quoted, “Amazing results even with daily ice cream, highly motivating.”
There is a ton of confusion around “Macros” and a lot of myths going around so i decided i wanted to have some fun in today's article and go over 5 Facts About Macros that will help you reach your fitness goals much faster.
5 Powerful Macro Facts for Fitness Success
- What is IIFYM?
IIFYM means “If it fits your macros” – and means that you are eating food you enjoy while still hitting your daily calorie count.
Say for example you need to eat 1,900 calories to stay on track for your shred plan.
This means by theory you can eat 1,900 calories of ANYTHING you want – but i recommend that you follow the 80/20 rule which means that 80 percent of your choices will be clean, and 20 percent can be whatever your heart desires (which can include pizza, ice cream, or chocolate)
This is the blueprint many of my clients follow on the 12 Week Shred plan with a ton of success!
- Why are Macros So Important?
Macronutrients actually are what make up calories, and your total calorie intake is going to determine whether you are gaining weight or losing weight.
As they say, the Devil is in the details!
It's going to be difficult to lose body fat if you are eating too many calories, and very difficult to build muscle if you are not eating enough calories.
Macros can be broken down as protein, carbs, and fats.
Tracking macros for example guarantees that you are getting adequate protein so you don’t lose muscle, and that you have enough carbs to support your training and goals.
Fats are important for energy as well as helping your body secrete certain hormones.
- Are Nuts and Peanut Butter a Good Source of Protein?
This is one of the biggest myths out there so i wanted to help clear it up.
Nuts and things like Peanut butter are actually NOT a good source of protein. Furthermore – if you are on a Shred plan can still eat peanut butter, but make sure you limit to 2-3 tbsp maximum.
Peanut butter contains about 200 calories per 2 tbsp. And if you are eating it straight out of the jar its very easy to consume more than that!
Nuts on the other hand are great and contain fats our bodies need, but the myth that nuts are a good source of protein is silly.
Almonds, for example, are 73% fat and only 14% protein.
My recommendation is that if you are on a Shred plan stick to nuts as the calories won’t add up as much and they tend to keep you full.
If you are on a calorie surplus and are looking to pack on muscle go with peanut butter as it will be more calorically dense.
See how important this macro stuff is?
- How do I Track Alcohol?
If you consume alcohol frequently and are on a Shredding Plan i recommend that you reduce carbs 10-12 grams and fats by 5-6 grams for the entire day for each drink you are having.
This makes it really easy to track if you know your total macros for the day.
If you want to stick with the healthiest alcohol choices possible i recommend a clear liquor like Vodka or Gin with a calorie free mixer like Club Soda and a squeezed Lime.
Stay away from any drink with a sugary mixture like Pina Coladas, Margaritas, and Rum and Coke!
- What if I'm eating a food without a Nutrition Label?
Guess What, Google has a pretty epic food database! Say you are out to eat and enjoying a Spicy Tuna Roll with brown rice.
Head on over to Google and search for “calories in a Spicy Tuna Roll” and you will get a pretty accurate answer.
It's as simple as that!
Also – if you are going out to eat a little trick you can do to save a ton of macros is tell them to cook without any butter or oil.
I like to plan ahead and actually check out the calorie chart for any restaurant i’ll be dining at ahead of time. If you are serious about your macros i recommend this!
Do you have any other questions about macros? I’d be happy to answer them for you!
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