IIFYM: If It Fits Your Macros

iifym

I’m sure lots of people by now have heard of Macros when researching diet options. First let me start by saying that dieting should not be a “diet”, it should be a lifestyle. Once you accept that you are no longer dieting and you are choosing to maintain a healthy lifestyle, you will find it much easier to stick to!

Macronutrient ratios

40-60% CARB    25-35% PROTEIN    15-25% FAT         Higher-carb for bodybuilding
30-50% CARB    25-35% PROTEIN    25-35% FAT         Moderate-carb for maintenance
30-50% CARB    40-50% PROTEIN   30-40% FAT        Lower-carb for fat loss
Your first task should be in deciding what your nutritional goals are. While building lean mass and fat loss can occur simultaneously, it’s best if you do one before the other. I suggest if you have the fat to lose, work on the fat loss first and then concentrate on building lean muscle.
Notice that fat never goes below 15 percent of total calories. Since hormones are constructed from cholesterol and other fat molecules, getting any less than that can actually suppress normal hormone levels. This also has a negative effect on the bodily functions driven by those hormones, including growth and development, metabolism, reproduction, and mood. Low fat intake can also impair absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. Even worse, not getting enough essential fatty acids can increase your risk of colon cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.
Now body type also plays a role with weight loss and muscle building. The three body types are Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph.
ECTOMORPH

An Ectomorph is best described as slender. Characteristically, they have delicate bone structure, small shoulders and chest, and a fast metabolism. Ectomorphs are the classic “hardgainers.” They find it hard to gain weight and put on mass.

On the plus side, it’s easy for them to get lean. They tend to require a greater percentage of carbohydrates to prevent muscle catabolism, as well as a higher calorie intake overall.

MESOMORPH

A mesomorph is someone who trends toward being muscular. They’re often strong, athletic hard-body types with well-defined muscles, broad shoulders, and dense bone structure. Mesomorphs generally have little trouble gaining muscle or losing fat, though they will put on fat more readily than ectomorphs.

They can handle a moderate level of carbs due to their ample capacity to store muscle glycogen. Weight gain will happen, however, if carbs and calories are overly high. No body type is immune to a bad diet!

ENDOMORPH

The endomorph is best described as soft. They typically have a round or pear-shaped body, shorter limbs, a stocky build, and a slower metabolism.

Endomorphs can put on a lot of muscle, but they also tend to carry more adipose tissue and thus have a greater propensity to store fat. Because excess carbohydrates in the endomorph’s diet end up as fat, a high carbohydrate intake will make it difficult for them to get lean or lose weight

Now, I weigh about 122lbs and I’m trying to lean down to about 115lbs. I have broken my macros down as follows:

I follow the 50% 25% 25% rule where 50% of my calories come from protein, and 25% from carbs and fats. I respond well to a low carb diet anyway so it’s easy to maintain that low carb level.

Total calories to eat in a day: 1440 (this is based on a few mathematical calculations along with my activity level and how I know my body to react to exercise)

Protein = 720 calories or 180g of protein.

Carbohydrates = 360 calories or 90g of carbs

Fats = 360 calories or 40g of fats

I tend to keep my carbs a bit lower than 90g and my fats a bit higher due to following the Primal Diet. These numbers can be played with based on your goals and bodyweight.

Start tracking what it is you eat and you’ll be surprised just what fits within your macros. Now, you should also know that just because you have some wiggle room in your carb allowance, that does not mean you can go out and eat a cake and feel good about it. Theres so much sugar in something like that, that it will have a negative impact on what you are doing.

Keep these tips in mind as the holidays are fast approaching. Want to know how to avoid the weight gain and maintain your healthy lifestyle while still indulging with family these holidays? Follow us here for holiday diet tips and tricks to help you stay on track!

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Primal Diet….Caveman Style!

Get 'em Grok!

Get ’em Grok!

So a few of my friends have inquired lately about the Primal Diet, what is it, where do you find your recipes, and am I crazy for even doing it? Now many people will argue that grains are good for you, I mean, after all they are in the Food Pyramid correct? Well like everything else in the world, they sadly, are not good for you. YES you need fiber but what most don’t realize is that you can get your fiber not only from fiber drinks such as Advocare’s Peaches and Cream Fiber Drink but you can get it from simply eating your fruits and vegtables too. Broccoli is my go to fiberous vegtable and its so delicious! But I HATE broccoli you may say? Well luckily I have provided you a list of foods high in fiber along with their fiber content:

Here’s a look at the fiber content of some common foods. Read nutrition labels to find out exactly how much fiber is in your favorite foods. Women should try to eat at least 21 to 25 grams of fiber a day, while men should aim for 30 to 38 grams a day.

Vegetables Serving size Total fiber (grams)*
Artichoke, cooked 1 medium 10.3
Green peas, cooked 1 cup 8.8
Broccoli, boiled 1 cup 5.1
Turnip greens, boiled 1 cup 5.0
Brussels sprouts, cooked 1 cup 4.1
Sweet corn, cooked 1 cup 4.0
Potato, with skin, baked 1 small 3.0
Tomato paste 1/4 cup 2.7
Carrot, raw 1 medium 1.7
Fruits Serving size Total fiber (grams)*
Raspberries 1 cup 8.0
Pear, with skin 1 medium 5.5
Apple, with skin 1 medium 4.4
Banana 1 medium 3.1
Orange 1 medium 3.1
Strawberries (halves) 1 cup 3.0
Figs, dried 2 medium 1.6
Raisins 1 ounce (60 raisins) 1.0

Now I have to not only give credit to the Mayo Clinic for providing that information but I must give a shout out to Mark’s Daily Apple for the wealth of information he has provided in my quest to be more Primal. See, it’s not simply the newest Fad diet out on the internet, it’s a way of life. Its getting back down to our roots and focusing on the little things, playing outside, smelling flowers, not ingesting poison only to be unhappy and unsatisfied with the results, which we caused ourselves in the first place. Let’s get honest, how many times have we seen or heard someone who is overweight and unhappy with their lives, complain all day about it only to stop at McDonald’s on the way home or buy that dozen Krispy Kreme donuts and eat the whole thing? It’s time to take control of our lives!! Is this the end result we want:

Today's Society

Today’s Society

I seriously doubt the answer to that question is yes….

Follow these guidelines

Follow these guidelines


Here’s the one concern I found with all this trying to eat healthy junk: it’s expensive!! You would think the opposite would be true right? I mean if it comes straight from the ground it shouldn’t cost nearly as much as it does. Well folks that’s the world we live in. Every week I try to budget accordingly, put aside $200 a paycheck for Costco trips….waittttttt Costco isn’t primal….is it? HA, well they have a large meat, seafood and produce section. As long as you can eat all that food before it goes back, you can really make your dollar stretch far there. I tend to buy mostly berries for fruits, the sugars in other fruits can be too much and most people don’t even realize the sugar content in fruit. For veggies I keep it simple, broccoli, kale, spinach, peppers, onions and mixed bags of veggies to change it up. For meat, well it’s simple: red meat, chicken, fish or any seafood really. We tend to catch our own fish here on the weekends (gotta love the florida keys) and even lobster when it’s in season! Grok would be proud! At this point I see you all scratching your heads going “who the F is Grok?!” Grok is the official prototype for primal living. He is who we should model ourselves after in the quest for our most natural lifestyle. I’ll leave you all with that….for now.

For Paleo and Primal recipes, come follow my Pinterest and my Twitter for all things Primal and healthy! Grok on my friends!!

Fat Kid Living Inside of Me…

That’s right. You read that correctly. I have a fat kid that I keep stuffed deep inside. Don’t believe me?

Circa 2008 In Maine! OMG!

Circa 2008 In Maine! OMG!

Yeah that's me on the left

Yeah that’s me on the left

Yeah that’s right. 5 years ago I tipped the scales at 160lbs! I’m only 5’1″! My diet consisted of pizza, 6-8 regular sodas a day, cheetos, chinese food, and I could totally clear a pint of Ben and Jerry’s icecream in one sitting (actually I think I could still do that if I tried today). Thankfully the military would not allow me to remain at this weight much longer.

I'm bigger than the snowman?!

I’m bigger than the snowman?!

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Long story short in less than a year I dropped 30lbs and gained muscle! 5 years later and I’m steady at 120lbs! I’m MUCH healthier, my diet is so much cleaner than it used to me. I no longer drink sodas unless its a special occassion. I follow the Primal or Paleo diet lifestyle and I have to say it has done wonders for my energy level and overall well being!

Me 2012 in Washington DC

Me 2012 in Washington DC

So how did I do it you ask? well that’s the whole point of this blog! Stay tuned for the diet that changed my life!