Macros go mainstream
Jim White has been bodybuilding for nearly 20 years. He’s tracked his macronutrient intake for nearly 20 years, too. “We’ve been doing this a very long time,” says the exercise physiologist and registered dietitian with studios in Virginia. But the practice — which essentially means monitoring your diet’s ratio of carbohydrates to protein to fat — is gaining enthusiasm in broader fitness circles and beyond as an alternative to counting calories. “There’s a buzz about it,” says Cara Ebbeling-Zabilansky, associate director of the New Balance Foundation Obesity Prevention Center at Boston Children’s Hospital. Is it for you?
Macronutrients 101
Here’s a secret: Whether you call them by their formal name or not, you probably already know what macronutrients — or “macros” — are. “Macronutrients are basically what constitute the calories in the diet from the sense of carbohydrates, protein and fat,” explains Joy Dubost, a registered dietitian and food scientist in the District of Columbia. Carbohydrates and protein contain four calories per gram; fat contains nine. How much of each macronutrient you should get depends on your goals, body size and age. Calories from alcohol are the only type that don’t fall into a macronutrient category, Dubost adds. Here are the pros and cons of tracking macronutrients:
Pro: It emphasizes quality.
So why focus on macronutrients versus calories? Mainly to take into account what — rather than just how much — you’re eating. And that’s no small distinction. “Calories from different sources have different effects on biology,” Ebbeling-Zabilansky says, and influence metabolism, disease risk, weight control and overall health in significant ways. For example, following a Mediterranean-style diet, which doesn’t specify a calorie count but rather emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil and seafood, is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Put another way, “200 calories of broccoli isn’t the same as a 200-calorie candy bar,” White says.
Con: The optimal macronutrient ratio isn’t clear.
While the number of calories you need to consume to lose or maintain weight is relatively simple to calculate with online tools, the right composition of macronutrients is highly individual and hotly debated, Ebbeling-Zabilansky says. But there are at least two concepts most experts agree on: Whole foods are generally better choices than highly processed ones, and carbohydrates, protein and fat are all important. “All those macronutrients have a role to play and should not be eliminated,” Dubost says. In general, the National Academies’ Health and Medicine Division advises a diet that’s 45 to 65 percent carbohydrates, 10 to 35 percent protein and 20 to 35 percent fat.
Con: It may or may not help you lose weight.
When it comes to weight loss, the reviews are also mixed as to whether counting calories or tracking macronutrients is preferable. On one hand, Dubost says, “we know reducing calories is going to result in meaningful weight loss — regardless of macronutrients.” But on the other, simply eating less with no eye toward what you’re putting in your mouth can alter your metabolism and hunger cues such that you eventually regain the weight you lost, Ebbeling-Zabilansky says. “There’s no amount of willpower that can counteract these biological responses,” she says. Your best bet: Reduce your calories to no fewer than 1,200 a day, White advises, while also making sure you eat a balance of nutrients.
Pro: It may be better for people prone to disordered eating.
For some people, counting calories provides needed structure and can encourage making smarter choices. But others may take the practice to an unhealthy extreme. “[A con] of counting calories is getting obsessed,” White says, noting he’s seen it lead to eating disorders. Indeed, a preoccupation with counting calories is a warning sign of eating disorders, according to Remuda Ranch, an eating disorder treatment center in Wickenburg, Arizona. While tracking macronutrients religiously can also be dangerous for some people, the overall focus on quality over quantity tends to be healthier, experts say. If you want to track something, Ebbeling-Zabilansky recommends using a strategy like the MyPlate model or an exchange system.
Con: It can be more complicated.
From MyFitnessPal to the Fitbit, there’s no shortage of apps and trackers that will help you count calories in and out. But if you want to take in a particular balance of macronutrients — say, you’re training for a marathon and need a precise percentage of carbohydrates — achieving it might involve food scales, math skills and time. “Macros are great, [but] they’re definitely challenging if you’re not a dietitian or not into the fitness world,” White says. His suggestion: Consult a registered dietitian or the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’s website. “This is something to play around with,” he says, “and we can’t do a one-size-fits-all approach.”
Pro: It may be more sustainable.
While counting calories can be less complicated than tracking a desired macronutrient composition, it’s not something most people want to do religiously day in day out for the rest of their lives. “Most individuals have trouble keeping food diaries beyond the first few months of a program,” Ebbeling-Zabilansky points out. By contrast, consuming a balance of macronutrients supports a healthy metabolism and offers effective hunger and fullness cues, which in turn promote calorie control more naturally. “Counting regimens,” she says, “are doomed to fail over the long term.”
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Should You Count Calories or Track Macronutrients? originally appeared on usnews.com
