SGT Koontz
STOP WORRYING ABOUT THE MACROS!
All too often I hear questions, “what about my macros?”, “how many macros should I be getting?”, “what about carbs, aren’t they bad for you?”, “is that too much fat?”, “is that too much/not enough protein?’… The questions are endless, and there is a big movement around the “macros” people should be eating. First let me tell you what macros are – fats, proteins, and carbs. These are where all of your kilo-calories
come from. They all have their own roles and each are equally important in their own rights (not the point of this discussion). On contrast, the “Micros”, are just about everything else – vitamins, trace minerals, electrolytes, etc. Now, let’s get back on topic. I hear all of these questions from people about macros and such, and when I review their food log or MyFitnessPal, I see – fast food breakfast sandwich, fast food double cheeseburger, canned green beans, cookies, chips, soda, etc. My immediate response usually sounds a lot like this, “stop worrying about the macros when you aren’t getting the micros! You’re worried about carbs and fats, when you aren’t even eating REAL food. Real food (lean meats, fresh and color-variant fruits/vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, limited dairy, water) is where micronutrients come from. Not bacon double cheeseburgers from the drive-through. Start eating real food for a month, or 2, or 3, and then let’s start to finely-tune and get specific.” A weird thing happens when people start getting the micronutrients their bodies need; we see weight-loss, leaner body composition, adequate sleep, raised energy levels and reduce daytime fatigue, enhanced physical performance, better decision-making and cognitive performance, hormone restoration, electrolyte balance, and a number of other things that healthy people get to enjoy every day. We are not saying that macronutrients don’t matter; we are saying start with the basics—the details don’t matter if the story is wrong. So, stop worrying about macros and other diet trends that come and go year after year.
The diet is simple. Eat real food.
