What do each of the macro nutrients do for our bodies and how do they affect the balance?
Macro Nutri-whats?
Macro nutrients, or as we commonly see them, Protein, Carbs and Fats. They make up our food, in various percentages depending on the type of food.
Why is the make up important?
What does that mean for our bodies?
Why do we need balance?
Great questions!
The make up of food, or the macro nutrient content us important for our bodies balance, in that if we were to have lots of fat dense foods then we would (subject to overall calories) be likely to gain weight.
It’s worth noting that balance is a very individual thing, so we will use some stock examples, more to understand how the macro nutrients can and are split down.
Let’s first understand what they do for the body.
Protein, the building blocks. Proteins are essential in the building and repairing of muscles, skin and tissues they also help transport oxygen and other important nutrients around the body.
Carbohydrates, the preferred fuel of the body, Carbs are easier to convert into fuel than protein or fats, this fuel is needed for all cells and in particular the brain and our muscles.
Fats, they get a bad rap, but they are essential for protection of the organs and cell function, it also helps with insulation. Good fats need to be included in our diet, just in appropriate amounts.
So with that covered, lets talk about balance, we tend to look at balance as a percentage breakdown, so as an example
50% carbs
30% protein
20% fat
This is a popular one, and is a great starting point offers a good amount of energy, still offers a level of fats for essential purposes without being overly restrictive.
From here we can adjust the mix to suit our own needs, that might be slightly higher carbs on intense training days or before an event.
For some individuals a high fat content is desired, this could look like:
40% carbs
30% protein
30% fat
The main take aways from this is adjustment should be done slowly to give our body time to adjust, they can be finicky – slow and steady wins the race and when looking at the examples (and most of the other connotations are high in protein….
If you would like some guidance on macro nutriants give one of the Team at SF a message on info@spikefitness.co.uk or 07597215652.