Counting Macros vs Counting Calories - Is there a difference?

The most frequently asked question some people have on this subject is, “What is the difference between counting macronutrients and counting calories?” (macronutrients are your protein, carbs and fat) And to be fair, it does seem confusing especially with all the information out there online! The short answer is, there isn't really a *difference* when it comes to the total amount of energy you are eating. Let me try to break it down…

Calories are units of energy that our bodies use to function. All foods have calories; we eat food so that we can get the energy that our bodies need to function. Macronutrients are what make up the caloric content of a food. Every food is comprised of three macronutrients: fat, carbohydrate and protein. Not every food has an equal amount of each macro. Some foods are richer in one macronutrient over another, which is why you may see a list in an article that states “A list of good sources of carbs: fruit, bread, oatmeal.” So, it’s not like the calorie total of food comes from nowhere. It comes from the combination of fat, carbs and protein that make up the food. Since our bodies metabolize each macronutrient differently, it’s more important to get the right balance of each macronutrient if you want to feel and perform your best. Counting calories in efforts to lose weight does work well for some starting out, but eventually this process no longer works. Especially as the dieter gets closer to their goals. A person can count to a caloric total of say, 1600 calories a day and eat whatever combination of foods to get them to 1600 calories. For example: you can eat willy nilly whatever such as 60g protein = 240 calories, 63g Fat = 567 calories and 198g carbs = 793 calories = 1600 calories (and likely this will number change constantly every day you eat). OR you can still count to a total of 1600 calories a day, but count WHERE the calories are coming from by tracking the amount of each macro you eat to get to 1600 calories. So, for an example, you could eat 174g carbs, 125g protein and 45g fat, which still equates to 1600 calories (174×4g protein ) + (125×4g carbs) + (45×9g fat)!

Both ways mean you are eating the same amount of calories per day. But one means you may not be getting a good balance of macronutrients and therefore not feeling too fantastic on your diet. You could be eating a diet high in fat, high in refined carbs or eating too many veggies that don’t adequately fill fiber needs from sources such as whole grains, and certainly not eating enough protein to preserve and build on that lean muscle! While the other method to your goals means you will be feeling more balanced, energized and pushing through those tough workouts and getting on with your day without feeling tired, lethargic and mentally foggy while still losing weight!

By counting macros you are ensuring a much better balance of the food you are eating and in the best amounts, which will not only help you feel better but also will help you physique-wise, since your body will utilize the macronutrients for different purposes. Sending each macro exactly where to body needs it most. To track macros, I recommend installing a calorie tracker app on your android or iPhone such as LoseIt or MyFitnessPal. A lot of my clients and fellow fitness enthusiasts use MyFitnessPal and while I have never used it personally, it seems to be a good one!

I love Flexible Dieting (would rather call it Flexible Nutrition since all diets come to an end and well, this is a forever approach some including myself follow!) because it is a system that allows me to select the foods I want to eat and eat treats that normally would have made me feel like I was blowing my diet! Not on this approach! I simply account for it in my daily macros and still am able to reach my health and fitness goals. Also, I can asses how I am doing if I'm feeling run down or tired. I can look at my tracker on my phone and compare how I've been doing with macros with how active I've been and make decisions based on that assessment (maybe I can benefit from a few extra carbs? How have I been doing fiber and protein wise? etc) It puts me in control, and that makes me feel pretty darn good, too ;)

So let’s get to tracking those macros consistently, and you will notice a huge difference not only in energy levels but also sustained, long-term weight loss! Download one of these apps in your GooglePlay or iPhone App store, calculate your macros (or I can do this for you just send me an email!) and work on tracking and meet those macros one day at a time. Those baby steps, though)!

I hope you had a great week and I look forward to your feedback!! Until next time!

Wishing you health, happiness and heavy lifts!!

-XOXO Brandi