WHY WE COUNT MACROS AND NOT CALORIES FOR FAT LOSS AND MUSCLE GROWTH

It's a cracking question.

We've always been asking and been told about CALORIES...

"How many calories in that?" many are heard saying.

But a better way to reach your health, fitness and/or fat loss goals is to count macronutrients.

As you know, macronutrients are protein, fat, carbohydrates, and alcohol.

These all have their caloric values; protein is 4 calories/gram, the same for carbohydrates, whilst fat is the most energy dense macronutrient with 9 calories/gram.

Ethanol (alcohol) packs 7 calories/gram (1).

IIFYM AND COUNTING MACRONUTRIENTS

So obviously by counting macronutrients, we're counting calories too.

But why is it better?

Because when we're trying to maintain or grow muscle mass, we need to keep an eye on protein intake - a very important and essential macronutrient.

If we just counted calories - we could wind up eating apples, bread and butter, some chocolate, and a whole heap of other foods and only finish up with about 35 grams of protein for the day.

Now sure, we could still lose weight like this providing we stay in a calorie deficit (consuming less calories then we burn) but we won't look our best.

One man who ate nothing but twinkies to prove that an insulin spike DOES NOT cause fat gain managed to lose 12 kilograms, and was dubbed the "Twinkie professor" (2). 

The results from this are obvious - it doesn't matter where the calories come from, if we eat less then we burn we'll lose weight.

But nothing but Twinkies isn't great for your health, and obviously not recommended! (But that was still a good experiment proving something totally different).

The other problem is...there isn't enough protein with this approach! 

This is detrimental for optimal fat loss, muscle growth, health, and how we look. 

So this why we count macronutrients.

PROTEIN - WHY IT'S IMPORTANT

Protein won't only help you build more muscle, which will make you look a lot better, but will also help you stay full. It also provides antibodies for the immune system. 

Futhermore, protein is more satiating than carbohydrates or fat (3-6).

Researchers also say that a rise in protein at the cost of fat and carbohydrates will assist with fat loss and keep you FULL (7).

And when you're full you're LESS likely to over eat!

Sounds good doesn't it?

So what I'm getting at here, is we count macronutrients to ensure our protein numbers are high so we can grow muscle and stay full.

Then our next priority is fats.

FATS FOR ANABOLISM AND OPTIMAL TESTOSTERONE 

Your fat intake play an important role in your anabolic hormones; those that assist in the muscle growth process and help you hold onto lean muscle mass when dieting to lose fat (8).

Whether you're a man or a woman, muscle growth will make you look much better, leaner, and with a superior shape in comparison to somebody with not as much muscle mass.

Also, if you were to eat the diet I was talking about with apples and bread etc and not worrying about counting fat - then you're at risk of what researchers have found to be "significant" reduction in testosterone levels (9). 

This is not what you want regardless of your gender; testosterone in women is important because it provides the "basic structure for oestrogen production" (10). 

Also, by counting fats we're encouraged to get the right amount of essential fatty acids in our diets - those we can only get via food.

By not counting our macronutrients, we're less likely to reach these numbers, and this is the point.

Then come your carbohydrates, which although are not essential for human beings (11) are still very beneficial for us who are lifting weights, or playing sport, due to the fact that glycogen (stored carbohydrates) are our main source of fuel here (12). 

Note: those playing sports and engaging in endurance activities will have a much higher need for carbohydrates than those lifting weights.

So we count carbs to ensure we're getting the right amount.

However, if you chose to undertake a ketogenic diet (very limited carbs) for fat loss or muscle gain; you'll still be counting macronutrients - but mainly just your protein and fats, and a small amount of carbs. 

So the answer now should be clear: we count macronutrients to ensure we give ourselves the BEST chance at maintaining/growing muscle mass, and maintaining our anabolic hormones, whilst giving us the energy we require. 

Simply counting calories doesn't have the same effect.

"Stay Fit, Stay Flexed!"

REFERENCES

(1) Acheson KJ: Influence of autonomic nervous system on nutrient-induced thermogenesis in humans. Nutrition 1993, 9(4):373-80.

(2) Park M. "Twinkie diet helps nutrition professor lose 27 pounds." CNN News. 2010 Nov 8.

(3) Yancy WS Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med 2004;140:769–77.

(4) Astrup A. The satiating power of protein—a key to obesity prevention? Am J Clin Nutr 2005;82:1–2.

(5) Westerterp-Plantenga MS, Rolland V, Wilson SA, Westerterp KR. Satiety related to 24 h diet-induced thermogenesis during high protein/carbohydrate vs high fat diets measured in a respiration chamber. Eur J Clin Nutr 1999;53:495–502.