26 Oct Why Balance Macros?

Why is it important to balance your macros at every meal and snack?

Think of each meal and snack as a puzzle –> every time you eat, have a protein, a carbohydrate and a fat.

We need protein every time we eat to provide essential amino acids that cannot be made in the body and must be obtained through the food we consume… Amino acids are super important for growing and repairing cells, increasing muscle mass and feeling more full after eating. Your needs will vary depending on your muscle to fat ratio and your goals/objectives but will be based on your lean body mass and amount/type of exercise you do.

We need carbohydrates every time we eat to fuel our brain and muscles. Favourable options also give us heap of vitamins and minerals, vital for correct body function. These favourable options are also naturally low in calories.

Unfavourable options make us gain weight and crave more bad food due to their high calorie content and negative effect on our appetite hormones. The effect of the nasty SUGAR ROLLER COASTER where your energy levels and mood spike up and down throughout the day.

We need fats every time we eat because it is our main energy source for our muscle tissue and daily functions. This fuel is much more readily available to use in our bodies and in converting over to being a more efficient fat burner and using dietary fat as our primary fuel source, we more readily burn our fat stores within our bodies when we have used up all other available energy, helping us to create lean and strong bodies. Favourable options also give us important fat soluble vitamins, and help us feel fuller for longer.

Favourable Vs Unfavourable

Favourable = real food, natural, unprocessed (anything that had parents or a face, and anything that grows like plenty vegetables, some fruit and little starch).

Unfavourable = anything in packaging, processed, man-made, additives, pro-inflammatory foods (grains, cereals, sugar, alcohol, dairy, legumes).

Sliding Scale: Imagine all foods on a scale, on the far left are all the favourable (EVERYDAY) foods, on the far right all the unfavourable (TO AVOID). In no mans land in the middle are the ok foods (SOMETIMES AND IN SMALLER AMOUNTS)… These are your mental health foods 🙂

CORRECT WHEN, WHAT AND HOW MUCH = HAPPY HILLS! (Constant & balanced energy levels, rather than massive spikes and troughs!)

For more details on protein, go here: http://starfit.com.au/faq/what-is-protein/

For more details on carbs, go here: http://starfit.com.au/faq/what-are-carbohydrates/

For more details on fat, go here: http://starfit.com.au/faq/what-is-fat/

– Stace, “Make good choices”