Dr. Jacqueline GentryQ: I’m wanting to try a new diet plan. One of my friends suggested I try counting macros. What is a macro diet, and is it good for me?
A: Macro dieting is a big-picture way of looking at what you’re eating. Instead of solely counting how many calories you ingest, you count the macronutrients – the grams of carbs, proteins, and fats – that you eat within your calorie goal. Counting macros can help you restrict your calories if you follow a plan based on your weight and activity level, but also encourages you to eat the type of fuel your body needs.
There’s flexibility in foods you can eat when monitoring macros. This meal plan emphasizes meat and vegetarian proteins, vegetables, and nuts and seeds. It includes fruit and starches and has you avoid refined sugars almost completely. It’s important to measure your food portions for a few weeks until you develop a better sense of appropriate portion sizes. Although the diet stresses the importance of all three macronutrients, it’s important to realize that there are other nutrients your body needs. Eating whole, unprocessed foods is the ultimate goal.
Tracking macros can help with certain health and weight goals. It can help you identify areas of your diet that need improvement or point out where you can adjust your eating habits. It’s important to note too that continually tracking food in this way may result in putting too much focus on the food itself and less on your body’s natural cues. The goal with the macro diet is to retrain your brain on how you approach food and redirect your cravings to healthier choices. If it’s done correctly, it can help increase your energy level and make it easier to achieve fitness goals.
You should never begin a macro diet (or any diet) without speaking with your doctor. Calculating your macronutrient ratios is an important part of the diet, and simply following advice on social media or online calculators may result in an inaccurate nutrition plan for your body. If you’re considering a macro diet, talk to your doctor or dietitian first to ensure that you won’t be harming your physical or mental health in doing so.
– Jacqueline Gentry, M.D., CHI Memorial Internal Medical Associates; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton Medical Society