NUTRITION

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HOW IT WORKS

WHAT ARE CALORIES?

CALORIES ➢ A calorie is a unit of energy. ➢ Food or drink is measured in calories ➢ Calories are made up of the 3 main Macros; 1.Protein 2.Carbohydrates 3.Fat There is a lot of variation from individual to individual as how many calories are needed; Males tend to weigh more and carry more muscle than women so their daily calorie requirements are normally higher. Other factors that contribute towards one’s calorie intake are: Age, height, activity levels, physical demand of work.

WHAT ARE MACROS ?

MACROS ‘IIFYM’ : ‘If It Fits Your Macros’. When you hear people use the term ‘Macros’, they are referring to the shorthand word for ‘Macronutrients’. A Macronutrient is a term that refers to the group: protein, carbohydrate, fat + Fiber and Alcohol. These provide calories for the body from your food.

PROTEIN Proteins are considered the building blocks for the body. It helps build muscle, prevents muscle loss if in a calorie deficit, regulates appetite and burns the most calories per gram during digestion, which is great for fat loss! 4 Kcal per gram

CARBOHYDRATES Carbohydrates are your body’s preferred source of ENERGY. They will usually be the first source of energy the body uses during activity. When thinking about carbohydrates most people think of pasta, bread and sugar. However fruit, vegetables and grains also contain carbohydrates, not just processed foods! (Carbs are good!) 4 CALORIES PER GRAM

FATS Fats are the perfect source for helping your body to regulate hormones. They are your bodies secondary energy source. They aid vitamin absorption and increase brain function! They contain the most calories per gram so it is very easy to over eat them, but they are really important for your body. 9 CALORIES PER GRAM

FIBRE Fibre is technically a 4th macronutrient. Usually falls under the same umbrella as carbohydrates. It only contains roughly 2 calories per gram.

ALCOHOL Alcohol is technically a 5th macronutrient as it contains calories. They are calories that the body cannot convert into energy. If you track your alcohol in My Fitness Pal, you will see the numbers don’t match up. It will appear low in carbohydrates but high in calories. Your body cannot use these calories so they can easily become stored as fat on your body as they can’t be used as valuable energy.