~Ditch the Diet~

Wouldn’t it be nice if food was just food and no matter what we ate our body could perfectly use it as needed!  Unfortunately, not all food is created equally. The two hundred calories from a Little Debbie Snack Cake are not equal to the 200 calories in 4 ounces of baked chicken breast.  I really wish that this was not true! I really wish that my body would use the calories from desserts the same way it uses the healthy foods.

What is it that makes our foods different?  Short answer: macronutrients.

What are macronutrients?

Macronutrients are nutrients that provide calories (or energy). Nutrients are the substances needed for growth, metabolism, and for other body functions. The word “macro” means large.  Put it together and macronutrients are nutrients needed in large amounts.

There are three macronutrients:  Carbohydrate, Protein,  Fat,

While each of these macronutrients provides calories, the number of calories that each one provides is different.

Carbohydrate provides 4 calories per gram.

Protein provides 4 calories per gram.

Fat provides 9 calories per gram.

This means that if you looked at a Nutrition Facts label and it said 10 grams of carbohydrate (40 cals), 10 grams of fat (90 cals), and 10 grams of protein per serving (40 cals), you would know that this food has about 170 calories per serving

10 carbohydrate x 4= 40 cals
10 grams of fat x 9 = 90 cals
10 grams of protein per serving x 4= 40 cals

40+90+40=170

I will get more into the balance of micronutrients in a future post.

Don’t worry, I am not going to suggest that you start “counting your macros” I am going to try to help you have a healthy lifestyle without having to think about it.

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