Carbs, fats, proteins... how much of which foods should you eat to live a healthier lifestyle and maximize your nutrition? If you want to take control of your health and eating habits, adopting a macro-friendly lifestyle could be the right fit for you. Macro-eating focuses on counting macros instead of calories and incorporates a variety of foods and flexibility. Here's more about how macronutrients work and how they could improve your nutrition.
What Are Macronutrients?
Macronutrients are the nutrients we need that provide our bodies with energy, including fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Macronutrients are consumed in large quantities to help fuel our bodies all day. Some people confuse macros with micronutrients, which are primarily consumed in small amounts and focused on vitamins and minerals.
A macro-friendly lifestyle includes balancing your macros to create a healthy diet. Some people also effectively use macro-eating for weight loss. However, you still need to be in a calorie deficit to shed the pounds. Counting macros across all of your food choices is a detailed process, but fortunately, there are plenty of online macronutrient calculators to help you get started. Your recommended macronutrient count results will also vary depending on your age and how active you are.
Are Macro-Friendly Meals Healthy?
Macro-friendly meals are usually high in protein, low in carbs, and balance healthy fats like avocados or fatty fish. However, macro-friendly eating is also flexible. Technically, you can indulge in processed foods every day provided that they fit into your recommended macros. Just like any change in eating, macro-friendly meals require nutrient-rich food to maximize your health and nutrition benefits. However, the flexibility can also help you stay on track instead of derailing your motivation if you reach for the french fries.
Do I Have to Eat Meat on a Macro-Friendly Diet?
Whether you eat Keto or only eat whole foods, you can usually align your eating preferences with a macro-friendly meal plan. Vegetarians and vegans are not excluded from macro-friendly eating, and it does not require eating meat. Protein-rich plants also help provide the necessary macros in a day, including broccoli, lentils, black beans, edamame, and beans.
What Are Benefits of Macro-Friendly Eating?
Macro-eating provides multiple health and nutrition benefits, including filling in nutrition gaps in our diet. You may find you're not eating enough protein or healthy fats or overeating carbs and are experiencing a nutrition imbalance. Macro-eating can correct those imbalances, as well as open your eyes to observe what a serving of food really is and how to stay full and fuel your body efficiently.
Downsides of Macro-Meals
Macro-meals should be created with nutritious food and provide quality nutrition instead of processed food. Despite all of the big wins for macro-healthy eating, there are some downsides. It can also take some time to figure out how to count macros and incorporate them into your daily diet. Instead of trying to figure it out all out on your own, you can also order macro-friendly meals that help you live a fit and busy lifestyle. FitTrax makes our meals from scratch from organic ingredients and grass-fed meat to provide quality nutrition you deserve.
Examples of Macro-Meals
There are endless, delicious options for macro-friendly meals to help fuel your body for success. Some possibilities include low-carb Philly cheesesteaks, salsa breakfast burritos, steak with beans and jasmine rice, and pumpkin pancakes with brown butter and sausage. Most meals can be macro-friendly with the right approach and modifications, making it a satisfying way to enjoy your day.
Final Thoughts
Enjoying a macro-friendly lifestyle may seem daunting at first, but it doesn't have to be. Browse FitTrax's selection of delicious, high-quality macro meals to optimize your health. Get started on your macro-meal journey here.