Macronutrients: What's That?!

MACRONUTRIENTS

So, now that you have a good idea on how many calories you need to take in in order to either bulk up or lean out, you need to know how you are going to get those calories. Welcome to the world of Macronutrients, commonly known as MACROS. Macronutrients are the three components you use to calculate your calories. These three components are Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats.

(Reference: BodyBuilding.com)

Before we go through calculating Macronutrients, let’s talk about Proteins, Carbs, and Fats so you get a better understanding of their function:

Protein = 4 calories per 1 gram of Protein

                The word protein was coined by the Dutch chemist Geradus Mulder in 1838 and comes form the Greek word "protos" which means "of prime importance." Your body, after water, is largely made up of protein. Protein is used by the body to build, repair and maintain muscle tissue.

Protein consists of amino acids, usually referred to as the "building blocks of protein." There are approximately 20 amino acids, nine of which are considered essential because the body cannot make them, they must be supplied by the diet.

Protein is essential for growth and the building of new tissue as well as the repair of broken down tissue - like what happens when you work out. When you hear the term "positive nitrogen balance," it refers to being in a state of having enough protein available for the needs of the body and the needs of building muscle.

What does nitrogen have to do with protein? Nitrogen is one of the most important elements in all protein (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, P. n-31). It is essential to animal life for tissue building.

Any bodybuilder with a rudimentary understanding of the sport would know the key to gaining muscle is protein consumption. But how do we know if we are getting enough protein?

This statement alone defines the key need for protein when lifting weights. For the most part, we are told to eat sufficient protein (every 3-4 hours) to maintain a positive nitrogen balance because your body is actually in an anabolic, or building up phase in this state, where a negative nitrogen balance, from lack of adequate protein, indicates a catabolic, or tearing down state.

This is one reason why protein (and eating enough throughout the day) is important: lack of adequate protein, and your body begins to break down tissue (read: muscle) to meet its daily protein needs.

Our bodies constantly assemble, break down and use proteins (in the form of amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein), there are thousands of different protein combinations used by the body, and each one has a specific function determined by its amino acid sequence.

Virtually all modern authorities agree that one to 1 ½ grams of protein per lb. of body weight is best for muscle growth. Besides taking in high quality protein from food (lean beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs), the best way to keep your protein intake at the proper levels are through the use of protein shakes.

The Best Protein Sources:

- Egg whites

- White chicken meat

- Turkey

- Fish (Tilapia/Salmon)

- Low-fat or fat-free cheese / cottage cheese

- Low-fat dairy (2%)

Carbohydrates = 4 calories per 1 gram of Carbohydrates

                Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for your bodies - and brain's - energy needs. It's carb energy that fuels your workouts. There are two key components to carbohydrates that people need to understand: there are two types of carbohydrates, sugary or simple carbohydrates (BAD) and complex, slower burning carbohydrates (GOOD!).

Like all things, there is much debate about the amount of carbohydrates one needs. One's carbohydrate intake should be decided after taking many other factors into consideration...

The other thing people need to understand about carbohydrates is that too many calories, of any type, can lead to fat gain. With carbohydrates, people eat too many sugary carb foods, which also contain fat. And while it's true that you need carbohydrates for energy, you only need so much.

If you overload your energy needs and are not active enough to burn the excess calories, they will be stored as fat. Most people are not that active and they also eat too many calories of all types, this is why obesity is the problem it is today.

As I said before, carbohydrates are the bodies preferred energy source. Once ingested, they are turned into glucose, which, among other things, fuels muscular contractions and glycogen, which is stored in the muscles and liver for future use.

Without enough stored carbohydrate in the muscles, they take on a flat appearance and you lack the energy to train hard. As long as your carb intake doesn't overwhelm your energy needs, you do not have to worry about fat gains from carb intake.

Good Food Choices For Carbohydrates Are: ( You WANT Complex Carbs! Do your research!)

- Whole grains

- Oatmeal
- Brown rice
- Sweet potatoes

Simple Carbohydrates: (STAY AWAY!!! Simple Carbs = FAT (the bad kind!))

- Fruit juice
- All sugars

Good Fruit Choices Include:

- Bananas
- Pears
- Apples
- Oranges

Fats = 9 calories per 1 gram of Fat

Technically called lipids, are the most energy dense of the three macro nutrients. They are composed of building blocks called fatty acids, which fall into three main categories:

- Saturated

- Polyunsaturated

- Monounsaturated

1. Saturated:      Found mainly in animal and dairy products, such as whole milk, cheese, beef, veal, lamb, pork and ham. Also, you will find this type of fat in some oils, such as coconut, palm kernel and vegetable shortening. Saturated fat is used by the liver to make cholesterol, which is involved in the production of hormones such as testosterone. This is important - you need some fat in your diet to keep your body's hormone production where it should be.

2. Polyunsaturated:        Found in things like corn, soybeans, safflower and sunflower oils. Some fish oils are also high in polyunsaturated fats. This type of fat may help lower total cholesterol. Since this includes good cholesterol, intake of this type of fat should be limited.

3. Monounsaturated:     Found in vegetable and nut oils, such as olive, peanut and canola. They can help lower LDL, or bad cholesterol without lowering HDL, or good cholesterol.

Keeping cholesterol levels under control will enhance overall health, and prolong ones training efforts. This article aims to demystify the many, often confusing, aspects of cholesterol metabolism, while showing how to improve your cholesterol profile.

*Most foods are a combination of all 3 fatty acid types, one is typically the dominant type which therefore dictates it's classification.

 Transfat: STAY AWAY!!!!!!! - These occur when polyunsaturated oils are altered through hydrogenation, a process used to harden liquid vegetable oils into solid foods like margarine and shortening.

Fat intake should be kept low, in fact many bodybuilders find that fat is naturally kept at low levels by simple eating "clean" - lean meat and dairy sources of protein, complex carbohydrates as listed below. Some bodybuilders add an omega 3 fatty acid supplement to their diet to insure a source of healthy fat.

Body fat usually results from an inadequate diet and is comprised of carbohydrates and unhealthy fats. Get facts about the good and bad fats, their effects on the body, and tips to keep body fat in check.

Good Choices For Fats Are:

- Flaxseed

- Sunflower seeds (kernels, unsalted)

- Almonds

- Canola oil

- Olive oil

Fats To Avoid:

- Processed vegetable oils

Fats To Limit:

- Butter

- Saturated fats

To check out more information on these macros and to get a better insight on calculations, check out bodybuilding.com, or click this link à http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/brewster27.htm