![]() To give you a little inspo, for breakfast, that could be: Top it off with a hint of healthy fats and you’re good to go. That’s whole grains (like wholemeal pasta, rolled oats or quinoa) and starchy veg (potato, sweet potato or corn). Fill the remaining quarter of your plate with quality carbs.Dairy foods provide a decent protein punch too. Fill a quarter of your plate with lean protein: meat, seafood, eggs, tofu, legumes, nuts or seeds.A piece of fruit can also replace this portion. Essentially, that’s anything that’s not potato, sweet potato or corn (think: broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, tomato, mushrooms, cucumber, lettuce). Fill half of your plate with non-starchy veggies.Say hello to the healthy plate model – it’s a far easier way to eat that still ensures you’re getting the right balance of macronutrients in every meal, without the need for a calculator. Are you eating enough fibre? Are you drinking enough water? Are you getting your two and five a day? Are you actually enjoying what you’re eating? How are your iron levels? And while we’re at it, how are your exercise habits tracking? You get the picture.Ĭounting macros can turn mealtime into a math lesson. Sure, a calculator or personal trainer might spit out a set of macros that are supposedly ideal for your goals, but having a truly healthy diet is about far more than a perfect macro count. Counting macros isn’t as individualised as you might think.That means an ice cream could become your lunch just because you can make it work within a pre-defined set of numbers – and that’s not a healthy way to eat, in my books. The concept of ‘if it fits your macros’ essentially means you can eat anything you want, without giving any thought to the quality of the food you’re putting in your mouth.For many people, calculating your every mouthful can actually backfire and turn into an obsessive habit that won’t do you any good in the long run. Macro counting can hinder your relationship with food.For this reason, it can actually limit the variety of foods you’re eating (which is not a good thing), because eating the same meals requires far less effort and time spent calculating. Macro counting can be complex and time consuming.My list of gripes, however, is a fair bit longer: That’s 167-241g of carbs, 33-58g of fat and 56-93g of protein per day. That equates to 230-333g of carbs, 47-82g of fat and 77-128g of protein per day.Īnd for weight loss? The same ratios apply, but the general recommendation drops to 1510 calories (6300 kilojoules) per day. For optimal health and nutritional adequacy, this intake is recommended to be split three ways: 45-65% carbs, 20-35% fat and 15-25% protein. Now for a quick maths lesson: the average adult requires 2080 calories (8700 kilojoules) to maintain their weight. Carbs and protein contain 4 calories (17 kilojoules) per gram (yes – they’re exactly the same!), while fats contain 9 calories (37 kilojoules) per gram. These ‘macros’ provide different amounts of energy per gram. ![]() Macronutrients are the nutrients that give your body energy – protein, carbs and fat (FYI alcohol also contains energy, but that’s a story for another day). Coined 'flexible dieting', there’s a lot of buzz around macro counting – so if you’re wondering what all the fuss is about, here’s your easy-peasy guide. The idea is that you calculate how much of each macronutrient your body needs each day to reach your health goal ( weight loss, weight maintenance or muscle gain), and then track your intake accordingly. Macro counting is all the rage these days. Always wanted to try counting your macros but don't want to spend your day doing maths? Dietitian Melissa Meiers has a quick and easy guide to help get you started.
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