Macronutrients

Macronutrients

Macronutrients are nutrients in our diet that contribute energy in the form of calories. In addition, macronutrients consist of 3 types, carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Macronutrients

Macronutrients

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates provide energy and are therefore an essential macronutrient. In addition, carbohydrates are often seen as the enemy during weight loss, but this is not true. It mainly concerns which type/source of carbohydrates and the amount you eat. Carbohydrates can be divided into 2 types, complex and simple.

Simple carbohydrates consist mainly of sugars. These are quickly broken down and provide energy quickly, but they will also cause fluctuations in your blood sugar level and you will be saturated for a short period of time.

Complex carbohydrates are, for example, (whole grain) products. These are broken down slowly and gradually provide energy. In addition, they also give a long feeling of satiety.

1 gram of carbohydrates contains 4 calories.

Products

  • (sweet potatoes
  • Rice, quinoa and couscous
  • Pasta
  • sourdough Bread
Fats

Fats are essential for the body. For example, fats help with the absorption of various vitamins, regulate hormones and protect organs. Fats are divided into 3 categories, saturated fats, unsaturated fats and trans fats.

Saturated fats are mainly found in animal products, unsaturated fats are mainly found in plant products and trans fats are mainly found in processed foods.

1 gram of fat contains 9 calories

Products

  • butter
  • Ghee
  • Olive oil (not suitable for frying)
  • Avocado
  • Fatty fish
  • Nuts
Protein

Proteins are the most important building blocks for your body. Proteins ensure recovery, maintenance and growth of muscles and tissue in the body. If you are physically active or participate in sports, you need more proteins every day. In addition, proteins are digested more slowly than carbohydrates, so you feel full for longer after eating proteins.

1 gram of protein contains 4 calories.

Protein-rich products

  • Yogurt / cottage cheese
  • Meat, fish or poultry
  • Eggs
  • Dairy
  • Cheese
Macro distribution

The breakdown of macronutrients depends on your body weight and goal. Below we give you a guideline per macronutrient.

Protein

The amount of protein recommended depends on your activity level and body weight.

Non-athlete: 1,4 grams of protein per kg body weight
Cardio/endurance athlete: 1,6 grams of protein per kg body weight
Strength/cardio athlete: 1,8 to 2 grams of protein per kg body weight

To calculate the amount of calories, multiply the amount of grams x 4.

Fats

The amount of fat is based on your body weight. For every kg of body weight you need about 1 gram of fat per day. To calculate the amount of calories, multiply the amount of grams x 9.

Carbohydrates

To calculate the amount of carbohydrates you first need to know your total calorie needs. The amount of carbohydrates is what remains of your total calories after you subtract the appropriate amounts of protein and fat. The result of the carbohydrates is in calories, divide this by 4 to calculate the number of grams of carbohydrates.

Muscle building macros

First calculate how many calories you need to maintain your weight. To build muscle, a calorie surplus of 300 to 500 calories is recommended. You calculate your macro distribution as follows;

To build muscle, add the protein formula for strength/cardio athletes, 1,8 to 2 grams per kg body weight. The calculation for the amount of fat remains the same, 1 gram of fat per kg of body weight. Calculate the total amount of calories for both proteins and fats and subtract this from your total calorie calculation. The remaining calories are your carbohydrates, divide this by 4 and you have your amount of carbohydrates in grams. What you may notice is that the amount of carbohydrates is higher than when you start losing weight. These carbohydrates will provide you with energy for an intensive training.

Weight loss macros

If you want to lose weight, you use a different macro distribution than someone who wants to maintain weight or build muscle. The amount of proteins and fats remains the same. You also calculate the amount of proteins of a strength/cardio athlete for weight loss, because you want to retain as much muscle as possible while losing weight. To lose weight, reduce your total calories by 10%. From the total amount of calories you subtract the calories from the proteins and fats. The rest are your carbohydrates, divide this by 4 for the amount of carbohydrate in grams. While losing weight, you eat fewer carbohydrates, which means your body is forced to get more energy from burning fat. read more information about losing weight here.

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