Macros and Calories, what are they?

Macros is a term we use in the bodybuilding and sports sphere to refer to the macro-nutrients we consume. macro-nutrients can be broken down into three categories, they are; protein, carbohydrates and fats.

When it comes to building muscle, your macro-nutrients matter. They need to be checked and rechecked as you progress. A bad macro-nutrient profile will lead to weak or no gains while a good balanced macro-nutrient profile will lead to you maximizing your gains. To put this in perspective, I was always going to the gym and exercising but I had never had a solid six pack or shredded muscles. That was no fault of my workout plan, because while I was always a gym rat I was also a very active sports player. I did rugby, track and mixed martial arts growing up. In my younger days I thought eating a lot of food would translate to better muscle gains, but I was wrong, yes the bro science you here at the gym is crap. Eating a lot of the wrong foods only resulted in me gaining a bigger waist size and having a rounder face. Learn from my mistake and make better choices.

When I moved to Japan and started taking better care of my diet, my entire physique changed. When bodybuilders say "abs are made in the kitchen" trust me, believe them. Your entire body is sculpted by what you eat. I would say that eating and training go hand in hand and to get the physique you want then you honestly have to balance the two. There are no buts, ands or ifs when it comes to this. It just has to be done. That is of course if you're serious about what you are doing. If you're into this sport just for the fun of it then by all means go ahead. However for those that are looking to compete and get better and bigger then read on.

This brings us to another important word "calories". What is it and why does it matter.  So lets get something straight first. If your trainer or dietitian tells you that calories don't matter, then you should fire that person and never recommend them to your friends. Calories do matter, it doesn't matter if those calories are from solid food or drinks, they matter. Even your flavored water matters. Trust me don't underestimate this point.

• If you are in a calorie surplus, you are gaining weight. 
• If you are in a calorie deficit, you are losing weight. 

So if you want to lose weight then simply put yourself in a calorie deficit, but wait. I know many of you are saying right now "but Brandon, I've been eating nothing for the past week and I haven't lost any weight". It's not so simply.  This is a science and the complexity of our bodies and how they react to food has to be respected an understood.

First you have to calculate your total daily energy expenditure. If you have a a smart watch then this should be fairly simple. We need this data to calculate how much calories we need to consume daily to be in a surplus or a deficit. You can also use an online calorie calculator to check how much calories you need per day. most calculators will also give you the macro-nutrient profile you need to follow. It is also important to do your own studies. Most calculators underscore the importance of protein in their calculations.

Whether you are cutting fat, or working to gain muscle, your calorie profile will change however your protein intake normally doesn't. The macro nutrients we are going to manipulate if you're looking to gain or cut weight is carbohydrate and fats. You need to manipulate these two while keeping protein fairly stable and high in order to meet your caloric goals.

Why is protein important? It is needed for muscle growth, but it has also been shown in studies to accelerate fat loss, especially when protein is increased while holding total daily calories constant.

Macro Ratio

The knife edge balance that has to be maintained between protein, carbohydrates and fats for building muscles can seem confusing but don't worry, it can be done.

A simple equation you could use is: Total Calories = (1g protein x body weight x 4 ) + ( 1g fat x .25 calories  x 9) + (carbohydrates x 4)

Once you know your daily calories you simply solve for carbohydrates, since it is the only unknown variable in the equation.

1 gram of carbohydrates - 4 calories
1 gram of protein - 4 calories
1 gram of fat - 9 calories.

How lightweights and hard gainers carbohydrates should be increased while keeping protein and fats constant.

carbohydrates are needed to support muscle growth  they also play a critical role  in fueling or workouts and supporting testosterone.

Meal timing is also a very important factor but we won't get into that in this blog. We'll save that for next time.