Breanne Nalder Harward, MS, RDN- Nervana Medical Dietician
The three macronutrients (macros) the body uses for energy are: carbohydrates, fats, and protein.
Knowing the proper ratios of macronutrients for your diet is crucial to a successful healthy meal plan.
Here are some ways to keep your macros in check!
- Track it
o Skip the pen and paper route. Download apps on your smartphone like MyFitness
pal, MyMacros+, or MyPlate to make logging your food convenient no matter where
you go. MyFitness pal even has cool features like a barcode scanner that does the
work for you by automatically inputting scanned food items into your log. - Know your Numbers
o How do you calculate your personal macronutrient ratios? An average percentage
for good health is 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat, 30% protein. Athletes need more
carbs for energy, so the percentage ranges 50-60% carbohydrate, 20-30% fat, and
15-25% protein. To best determine your macro needs, it is recommended that you
consult a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN).
o Each macronutrient counts as a specific number of calories per gram:
* Carbohydrates: 4 calories/gram
* Protein: 4 calories/gram
* Fat: 9 calories/gram.
o Knowing your total daily calories (e.g. 2,000 calories) and the percentage of total
calories recommended for each macronutrient (e.g. 40% carbohydrates) helps
determine how many grams of each macronutrient to consume on a given day
o For example: 2,000 calories x 40% = 800 calories / 4 calories per gram = 200
grams of carbs per day.
Understanding these numbers is key to fueling your body with what it needs. - Get Wise with Portion Size
o An easy way to count your macros when you do not have access to measuring cups
or spoons is to use your own two hands. Using your hands is a convenient
alternative for measuring macros on-the-go to help you better estimate what you’re
eating. You should never feel guilty for not knowing the precise breakdown, and this
method works well in a pinch, taking the pressure off from having to be so exact. Let
your hand guide you:
* Thumb: approximately 1 TBSP of fat such as peanut butter or cream cheese.
* Thumbnail: approximately 1 tsp of fat such as butter (4 grams) or olive oil
(4.5 grams)
* Pointer finger: equivalent to 1.5 oz of string cheese or 1 serving of dairy.
* Palm: 3 oz or 1 serving of protein. 3 oz of fish is ~22 grams of protein, 3 oz of
chicken is ~26 grams, and 3 oz of beef is 20-26 grams of protein.
* Your full flat hand: 1 slice of bread or 15 grams of carbohydrates.
* Cupped hand: ½ cup of beans or legumes (20 grams of carbohydrates).
* Fist: approximately 1 serving of fruit or a medium apple (15 grams of
carbohydrates) and 1 serving of vegetables or 1 cup of cooked broccoli or
carrots (24 grams of carbohydrates).
- Familiarize Foods
o Get to know the foods you eat on a daily basis and what macronutrients they are
made up of. Make a chart and put your favorite foods into categories. Break these
down and figure out from what macronutrient the majority of the calories stem
from in that food item. This can help you initially visualize and streamline the
process of counting macros, understand the composition of your food, and
eventually enable you to think about it less in the long run. Nutrition should be
simple, so use this method to keep it that way. Here are a few examples to get you
started:
* Carbohydrate dense foods: fruits, whole grains, vegetables.
* Protein dense foods: poultry, fish, eggs, legumes, soy and dairy products.
* Fat dense foods: avocados, olive oil, nuts and nut butter, fish. - Value Variety
o Don’t get stuck in a rut. It is easy to revert back to the same meals when you have
those macros down pat. However, this can lead to burn out and staying on track
with macro-counting. It also keeps you from getting a variety of vitamins and
minerals in your diet.
o Mix up your meals, get creative in the kitchen, and include a buddy along your
journey to help make it more sustainable and hold yourself accountable. Eventually
it will become routine.
o Eat in color! When you incorporate more colors into your meals, you’re likely to be
eating a balanced variety of macronutrients.
o Let the numbers guide you initially. But the ultimate goal is to listen to your body
and figure out how to make the foods that sound good fit into your diet by
practicing moderation.