When people they think about their nutrition and what they eat, they can associate a certain diet to achieving their goals. However the reasons because they may work for you (and may not work for others) is not as simple as you think. Firstly I've talked about the benefits of being consistent as something, but looking into the macros you're eating can explain a lot to why your seeing any progress.
Macronutrients (or macros) are three main groups your food is split into, these are: Protein, Fats and Carbohydrates. Macronutrients are different to micronutrients. Micronutrients are your vitamins and minerals. Each macro group is important for your body to function and are needed in your diet. Yes. That includes carbs and fats!
Protein
This is the one responsible for muscle growth. It can be obtained from meat, fish & dairy products and for each gram will have about 4 calories in it. However a 1/3 of those calories are needed to digest protein which also means it has high satiation levels. So if you're always hungry look to protein as it'll leave you fuller for longer and hopefully curb those cravings. Other benefits can include improving recovery & performance. Having too little protein and your body will break down your muscle stores so it can continue to function.
Fats
You need fats in your diet to help muscles as well as other parts of your body to recover. Fats are found in eggs, oil, avocado and nuts. It contains 9 calories per gram so you need fats in your diet however the percentage ration of fats needs to be lower than protein and carbs to help hit calorie goals. Dropping fats too low than what your body needs can have an impact on sleep, sex and several other issues. Fats are also used as an energy source for low impact activities such as walking and day to day life. This means their better on rest days which is why I increase my fat intake and lower my carbs as I don't need them as much.
Carbs
Your bodies fuel source when it comes to high intensity activities. Carbs are mainly found in rice, bread, fruits and veg. When carbs are digested they are broken down into sugar (glucose), this also means any sugar you eat will be labelled as a carbs. This is why when choosing your fuel source carb of choice to make the wise decision and leave the sweets for the occasional treat. Carbs will have different digestion rates which means they will give your body energy in a quick burst or slower release throughout the day. This is why oats in the morning is a great breakfast to have because it'll give you energy throughout the day. And why bananas and fruit are so good pre workout, as they give you a burst of energy,
That's a very basic overview of it all, I could go into more detail however you're now more equipped than the majority of people following diet plans because it worked for their friend at work.
Now you know all this you can see the importance of a high protein diet is and that you should arrange your carbs and fats around that and whether you're working out. For me I find a sweet spot to have fats at 25%, protein 35% and carbs 40%. This is just for me it may work for you it may not. You should never drop fats below 20% of your daily calorie needs (side point but I use MyFitnessPal to track to give me a rough idea).
That's why some diets work for people, it's because they focus on high protein and being in a calorie deficit. You don't need to follow a diet plan to achieve that, just be smart with your food choices. Don't be mislead.
In my next blog I'll go into flexible dieting & IIFYM and how your macros play into that. Now that I've covered the basis on a few bits and bobs. Make sure you subscribe to the blog so you don't miss out on that and check out my instagram too!
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Enjoy your Friday
Cameron
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