It’s almost the end of the year. And before you know it, everyone’s social media feed will be full of “New Year, New You” posts. People will be getting on board with everything from dry January to Keto to Paleo to Whole 30 to Gluten Free and anything else in between. Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE having goals. At any given time I probably have a dozen. The issue is that this is more a short term jump start than a long term sustainable solution.
I have never loved the idea of restrictive ‘diets’. It’s probably, in part, because I have never been able to stick to one. As soon as you tell me something is strictly off limits, my stubborn self immediately craves it. When the gym did a Paleo Challenge a few years ago I think I made it about 4 days. Yeah, not a shining example of willpower.
I think being successful at any major change involves adopting new habits and really being aware of what we need to perform at the level we want or to hit our body composition goals. I know that’s not a super sexy answer. It’s not like an ad on Facebook that says you can lose 20 lbs in a week if you give up dairy and take some weird supplement, but it’s the truth. Consistency is key. And no one wants to consistently give up pizza or the occasional glass of wine.
Counting Macros, or Flexible Dieting, as its called allows you the freedom to eat a cupcake at a kid’s birthday party (or just because it’s Tuesday) as long as it fits in your numbers. It also affords you the ability to eat out if you educate yourself. It gives the user the ability to make choices instead of constantly feeling penalized. Maybe you’re choosing the carbs in that cupcake over getting a bun on your burger later that day.
So what is a macro? There are 3 macronutrients: fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The basic premise of Counting Macros or Flexible Dieting is that depending on your personal goals and body composition, your body needs a certain amount of carbs, proteins and fats. It sounds complicated but it’s actually pretty easy to follow once you get the appropriate numbers set for you. And unlike counting calories, this method ensures you get a balanced amount of macronutrients.
Like any shift, it takes a little upfront work to get used to but it’s a method that can change with you as your goals change or as you make progress. It can be customized to anyone and it’s something you can continue in the long term. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to any of the coaches at Celebration CrossFit, we are here to help!
by coach Jana
