Yikes!! Eating healthy these days is not easy. Especially with the internet pulling us in all different directions on what is good or bad for our bodies. I grew up in the 80’s and 90’s (1984 baby), which was home to every fad diet you could imagine. There was no internet to tell you what to eat or even do some research about the diet you were trying out. I distinctly remember my Mom trying the “Fat free diet”, and then moved on to the “sugar free diet”. Every product in our house would be labeled “sugar free” candy, ”sugar free” jelly, “fat free” milk, “fat free”butter etc. and thinking ick who wants sugar free candy! (I was a kid) Nutrition has come a long way since then. But there are still fad diets that might work but aren’t sustainable… and some that won’t work at all. 

Let’s break this down. Why do we go on a “diet”?

• To lose weight
• Lower cholesterol
• Improve quality of life
• Be healthy

Why do these “diets” and reasons not work?

• Sustainability. We want to see instant results but our bodies can’t continually run on the low amount of calories we are eating or the amount of exercise we are performing with not enough fuel. We burn out.
• Support. We don’t have the support or someone to hold us accountable when things get tough.
• One size does not fit all.
• We aren’t focusing on the root of our health and what benefits us in the long run. Again we want instant results but then go right back to our old ways of eating and not moving. Health is a lifestyle that you have to practice consistently!! Fundamental habits that we perform day in and day out. It also helps to know a little but about your body and what makes us feel good and perform better.

This is where Calories and Macros come in. Do you know how many calories you put into your body each day? Are you getting enough food? What nutrients are you getting from the food you eat? These are some serious questions and most of us DON”T know. 

What is a calorie? 

Put simply, a calorie is a unit of energy that our body uses as fuel to function. If you see something has 200 calories in it that means those calories are what your body will use for energy. Body’s NEED a certain amount of calories to function properly. Think of it as fuel in a car. The car can’t go without gasoline or electricity. Feeding ourselves calories is vital to thriving in the body we call home.  Where is the best place to find these calories our bodies need?

• Nutrient dense food
• Vegetables 
• Protein
• Fruit
• Nuts & seeds

Debunked: Our culture and society makes us believe that we should be eating low calorie processed food and less calories in general. Eat less and stay thin. It’s automatically assumed if someone is skinny that they probably don’t eat a lot. This isn’t necessarily true. YOU NEED FUEL. Even if you are trying to lose weight, starving yourself might get the weight off quicker, but what will happen when you start eating again? Your metabolism will be so off balance that you won’t be able to process all the food you are eating and then in turn gain the weight back. 

Macros and all the hype.

First, what is a “Macro”? Macronutrients are the nutrients we get from the calories we eat. They come in three forms:

1. Carbs
2. Fats
3. Proteins

Macro counting has been the hype for a while now and it is very important. Your body needs a certain amount of protein for cellular repair, and fats and carbs are major forms of food energy. Knowing your percentage of macros each day helps you choose what you are going to eat and what will give your body the nutrients it needs to function at its best energy level. 

Macro counting debunked:

Most people might not even know what a macro is and assume it is just another diet or weight loss program. Tracking your macros and becoming familiar with what you are putting into your body, what makes you feel good, and what gives you the best energy is so important. This is not a diet, this is seeing how your body performs and being able to give it the fuel and nutrients it needs to perform at its best! Also important to know, I still recommend not eating processed food. Here and there it is ok but I don’t agree with macro counting being used so you can fit unhealthy refined carbs into your diet. Nutrient dense real food is where it’s at! 

Don’t knock it until you try it. Macro tracking is a great way to keep your diet balanced and full of energy. 

 Track it!

Give it a try! Start tracking your calories and macros today. Here are three apps that will do it for you. Note, you will also need a digital kitchen scale. This is to start getting deeply in touch with what you are putting into your body for fuel. Get ready to be really surprised how much we think we know but we don’t. Find out the facts! Start tracking. 

• myfitnesspal(link)
• cronometer(link)
• foodnoms(link

Personal Calorie and Macro Counts

Find out the amount of calories and percentages of macros you should be eating every day. My macro guide will help you understand what carbs, fats, and proteins you should be eating for optimal energy, maintenance, and weight loss. Available through my inquiry page https://blog.flourisheveryday.com/hire-us Happy counting!! Let’s thrive!