A Beginner’s Guide Understanding the Macronutrients

A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Macronutrients

Here's what you need to know to:

• Carbs are your body’s main source of energy

• Fats are protective and make sure everything is running just the way it should

• Protein acts as the building blocks and serves to support you

Carbs are digested quickly and cause your blood sugar to rise and then fall (a normal hormonal response), making you feel hungry again an hour or two later. 

Because carbs act as your body’s main energy source they are great to enjoy near your workouts (within 1-2 hours before to provide available energy and after to replenish the energy you used).

Fats are an essential macronutrient, meaning you need fats in your diet! They are digested slowly, which is why they should be included in every meal to help keep you satiated (feeling full) for much longer. 

Fats are a secondary source of energy for your body. The body would much rather burn carbs because it’s easier than it would fats. So, depending on your goals (weight loss versus building muscle) you can play with the ratio of fats and carbs you’re taking in everyday in order to manipulate the result you want. 

On the flip side, fats help support the function of all of the systems in our body, so if you want to show up as the best version of yourself, make sure you’re eating adequate fats everyday!

It’s worth noting that fats are digested much slower, so it’s not recommended to eat too many fats around your training session. Exercise diverts blood away from the center of the body (digestion) and out to our muscles performing work, which can impede digestion or make you feel like performance is reduced. 

Protein 

Protein acts as the building blocks for your body by building & repairing your muscles & tissues. Therefore, if you want to build muscle and get stronger, you need to be eating a sufficient amount of protein! Because exercise is intentional muscle damage, this explains why consuming protein within an hour or two post workout can help with recovery.

That said, protein is not an ideal energy source. In fact, your body will only burn protein for energy as a last resort.

Protein molecules are made up of a combination of amino acids. Your body can synthesize 11/21 amino acids on its own, which is incredible! But, that means you must get the remaining 10 through food, making protein an essential macronutrient. Eating a variety of protein sources is an easy way to meet that need! Even if you choose an animal free diet, you need to be making sure you’re eating adequate protein from alternative sources.

An easy way I’ve found to do this is to aim for protein with every meal & even some snacks. Like fats, protein is also very satiating, so including it in every meal will help keep you feeling full longer. 

I hope this helped to understand the three macronutrients, and why you need to be eating a balanced diet! If this helped you, educate your friends and family if they ask about your fitness journey!