It’s Not the Size of the Nutrient but How You Use it

Or is it?

By Douglas Pieterse, Co-Founder & Head Personal Trainer
"It may be simple but not always easy"

What exactly do we mean by ‘macros’? 

Before we look at what a macronutrient is, we first need to understand what we mean by nutrient. A nutrient is a substance used to give the body energy, to provide building blocks for growth as well as to supply the bodily functions with what it needs to work.  

 

These nutrients can be broken up into two main categories when we are talking about nutrition, Macro & Micronutrients. As the prefix suggests, macro is the one you need in larger amounts (as opposed to micro which is only needed in a smaller supply).  

Difference between micro and macro nutrients 

Micronutrients 

  • only needed in small amounts 
  • vitamins   
  • minerals   
  • play important roles in human health 
  • can come from food or supplements  

We eat food not nutrients

The foods we eat (made up of monosaccharides, fatty acids, amino acids) are broken down to provide energy via the energy systems and we generally use the calorie to measure how much energy we get from food and drink (including all those after-work happy hour drinks!). Despite knowing that this approach is not an exact science, we still use it as a handy base line reference point that we can use and then adjust to get the desired results.  

So why should we track them and what is meant by energy balance? 

I mentioned before on the 60-day challenge that the number one rule for weight loss is to stay in a calorie deficit, but having the correct macro & micro break down can significantly help bolster results. The reason for this is a pretty complicated simple science: an oxymoron that has tormented many people trying to lose weight. Essentially, it all comes down to energy balance.  

Review:

I like seeing what people are up to and I think that post workout selfies do have a place in the training environment.

The Verdict:

Keep the post-workout selfies coming, but be sure to post what you want to represent! 

What others say: 

“Initially I would say no as most posts are carefully selected for vanity, as people don’t want to show a bad photo of themselves. For people that have struggled with weight issues and are using the posts to inspire and document progress, it can be a good tool.”

Kevin Le Bron Bonnifacio