Make mine a marcro
BREAK DOWN YOUR INTAKE INTO KEY FOOD GROUPS TO MAKE SMASHING YOUR NUTRITION GOALS A WHOLE LOT EASIER
Here’s a lip-smacking scenario for any runner: you’re at dinner with friends, there’s lasagne, red wine and cake – and you can have whatever you like, because even though you’re eating sensibly, you are not obsessively counting every calorie that goes into your body (never a terribly healthy idea, anyway), which gives you greater flexibility when it comes to food.
That sort of scenario is the dream for most of us – and it can be a reality when you stop focusing solely on calories and start counting macros instead. Macros is shorthand for macronutrients, a term used to describe the three key food groups you require for your body to function: carbohydrates (to fuel energy), fats (often seen as the villain but they support cell growth, protect your organs and keep you warm, as well as provide energy) and proteins (to build and repair muscle).
Get the right balance of these macronutrients and you will not only maintain a weight in your natural healthy range but you’ll also become more effective at burning fat and building lean muscle to power your runs. It’s the method that many professional athletes and people working in the fitness industry have been following for years, recognising that not all calories are created equal: 10 calories of fat will be used entirely differently by the body than, say, 10 calories of carbs.
‘The best healthy way of eating is the one that’s sustainable long-term,’ explains personal trainer Russ Howe, who has seen many of his clients achieve superior results through counting macros. ‘A macronutrient approach eliminates boredom,’ he adds. Focusing on the nutritional content of foods puts you back in the driving seat, says Emma Rose, a nutritionist at Fresh Fitness Food. ‘Runners who are not tracking their macros are probably not conscious of where their calories are coming from.’ Plus, macros mean that nothing is off limits – and that’s the kind of maths we appreciate most.