This quick guide provides an overview of how we approach helping our clients make positive changes through different nutritional practices.
Getting Started
Assess Your Needs: There are two approaches to figuring out baseline caloric and macronutrient needs.
First, you can use a macronutrient calculator to determine your daily calorie requirements based on your age, gender, weight, height, and activity level. (Macro Calculator – Macronutrient & IIFYM Calculator (gigacalculator.com))
Another approach, our gyms preferred method of getting started, is to track what you currently eat day-to-day for one week. Make zero changes to your current routine and make sure to track and record your weight daily. This will give us a strong baseline to go off when determining your initial macronutrients.
Set Goals: Identify whether you want to lose, maintain, or gain weight. Your goals will guide your macronutrient ratios. Be realistic with whatever timeline you set for yourself for losing and/ or gaining weight. Remember, changing weight slowly over time builds better habits and tends to result in more long-term positive outcomes. Think of it this way, 1lb of fat is equal to 3,000 calories; to lose 1 lb. of fat in a week, you would need to be negative 3,000 calories across the 7-days – that is 428 calories per day. That is a significant number of calories. It’s pretty much the largest deficit we think someone should be in for a long-term approach to losing weight (> 1 month). Any more than this, while also living an active lifestyle, can quickly lead to burnout.
The Macronutrient-Focused Approach
Proteins: Important for muscle repair and appetite regulation. Think lean meats, eggs, Greek yogurt, tofu, etc. This macro sets the stage for our whole strategy. We recommend anyone living an active lifestyle should eat at least 1g of protein per lb. of bodyweight per day. So, if you weigh 150lbs, our goal is for you to eat 150g of protein. This is a heavily studied subject in nutrition and this 1g/1lb method is backed by multiple peer-reviewed articles (which is why we love it!). Researchers came to this conclusion because this amount of protein helps you maintain and even put on muscle, even if you’re in a caloric deficit (mostly maintain in this scenario, but still a huge win.); but it isn’t too much protein that it becomes a burden on your digestive system. Don’t worry if this seems like a lot, we can help you gradually get to this number.
Carbohydrates: Provide energy. Choose whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Our goal is for carbs to be at about 40-50% of our total macros. If you’re coming to the gym regularly, you need carbs. And to feel your best at the gym, you should ideally get in about 20-30g of simple carbs prior to your workout, and another 20-30g with 20g protein after your workout. You should space your carbs out throughout the day to avoid any blood-sugar-related crashes. And stay away from any processed carbs.
Fats: Support cell function and hormone production. Include avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Fats are essential for our bodies and our daily intake needs to remain above a certain threshold for us to stay healthy. This number is different for everyone, but usually.33x BW (ex: 1/3 of 150lbs is 50g fat) is the absolute bottom you would go to while in a short-term deficit. And 40-50% g per lb. of bodyweight is a solid place to land.
How-to
Calculate Your Macros: Based on your calorie needs, calculate the grams of proteins, carbs, and fats you need daily. For example, if you consume 2000 calories and aim for 30% protein, you need 600 calories from protein (150 grams).
Track Your Intake: Use apps (we recommend MyFitnessPal) or food diaries to monitor your daily intake and ensure you’re meeting your macro goals.
Track your Progress: Checking and documenting your weight daily gives an objective data point on how effective your diet is. We recommend this approach, although there are alternate ways of monitoring progress.
Adjust as Needed: Regularly review your progress and adjust your macro ratios based on your results and changing goals.
Tips
Balance Your Meals: Incorporate a variety of foods to meet your macro goals and ensure nutrient diversity.
Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support overall health and digestion. Include supplemental hydration drinks such as LMNT to ensure adequate sodium and potassium levels.
Listen to Your Body: Adjust portions and macro ratios based on how you feel and your activity levels.
Meal Prep: Plan and prepare meals in advance to maintain control over your macronutrient intake and avoid unhealthy choices.
Portion Control: Use measuring tools or a food scale to keep track of portion sizes and stay within your macro targets.
Read Labels: Check nutritional labels for macro content, especially for processed foods, to ensure they fit within your daily goals.
Choose Whole Foods: Prioritize nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods to meet your macronutrient needs and enhance overall health.
Reach out to us if you need help! We are always happy to chat and provide whatever level of support would be most helpful to you.
