How To Work Out Your Macros On A Low Carb Diet

By Jessica Miller,

Nowadays, we live in a world where more and more people are trying to maintain a healthy diet for the sake of their own wellbeing and their physical appearance. If you’re making your way through the world of healthy eating and exercise, you’ll know that there are so many different diets out there. In recent years, there has been a surge of people taking on a low carb diet and working out their macros at the same time. However, this can all seem like gibberish to those who don’t know what macros are or what they even mean when it comes to a healthy lifestyle.

What are macros?

Known to most people as macros, macronutrients are the main nutrients that the human body needs to thrive and survive. In fact, you’re probably familiar with the three macronutrients that we all need in our lives. That’s because they are proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Although many diets tell you to eliminate certain foods to achieve weight loss, what most people don’t realize is that you can’t maintain a healthy lifestyle without having all three of these in your life. This could cause your body to struggle with the deficit and make you ill. So, it’s best to strike a balance.

Different limits

Working out the number of macros that you need to follow a low carb diet is all about math because these three macros all have different calorie amounts. Carbs have 4 calories per gram, fats have 9 calories per gram, and proteins also have 4 calories per gram. With this in mind, you can use a specific calculator to work out how you can maintain a low carb diet while still keeping on top of your other macros.

Everyone is different

However, when it comes to working out your macros, it’s important to remember that everyone is different. Every person needs different levels of nutrients, and this will also be dependent on how much you weigh and if you want to lose weight. If in doubt, always book an appointment to see a nutritionist or a GP to ensure that you are following a safe procedure for your body. Yet, the general rule of thumb is that you should only allow around 25% of your calories to come from carbohydrates on a low-carb diet. This means that if you’re eating 1,500 calories every single day, only 375 of them should be coming from carbs.

All about carbs

While most people think of potatoes and bread when they think of carbohydrates, it can be easy to forget that there are also so many other foods out there that are classed as carbs. This includes many dairy products, fruit juices, and various fruits, sugary candy, beans, and more. If you really want to follow a low-carb lifestyle, make sure that you research these products before you begin.