Hopefully after reading part one you have a better understanding of what “healthy” means to you. If not, that’s ok I have been trying to figure it out for years and sometimes I still wonder. It’s a lifelong process but recognizing what food is made of will really help you in determining this. Now let’s get into the nitty gritty as some would say. The only way we can know for sure that we are fueling our bodies properly is if we understand what we are consuming. And to do this we need to know what food is made of and then what happens after we put said food in our mouths.
This brings us to macronutrients, the building blocks of nutrition. The three macronutrients are fat, carbohydrates and protein. These are the nutrients that your body must consume in large amounts, hence the term “macro”. Whereas micronutrients such as magnesium, calcium and iron are needed in much smaller amounts. For example an adult male weighing about 175 lbs may consume between 160-175 grams of protein (macronutrient) whereas he should consume 45 milligrams (.45 grams) of iron (micronutrient).
We all know that carbs fats and protein exist, but many don’t understand the relationship that these nutrients have on our health. I am sure that we have all had this conversation with at least one person before.
“Oh Janet! You look awesome. Have you lost weight?”
“Yes I did! I am not eating any carbs!!! Just protein and vegetables!”
Woah! Stop right there. If you really stopped eating ALL carbs you would not be able to function. So before we get into anything else let’s debunk some of these nutrition myths by explaining carbohydrates, fats and proteins.
A carbohydrate is an organic compound made of sugars and starches. The main function of carbs in the body is to provide a steady flow of fuel or energy to your body. This is EASY energy that does not last a very long time. Think about how many times you have eaten cereal in the morning and within an hour you are starving again. Why does this happen? Usually the cereal we eat is filled with simple carbs like sugar. The simpler the form of carbohydrate the faster and easier it is for your body to digest and use as fuel. Examples of carbs include table sugar, honey, corn, grains, sweet potatoes, fruits and vegetables. Yes, vegetables are primarily composed of carbs. Most carbs come from plants. Not only our muscles but our organs NEED carbohydrates in order to function properly. So next time someone says that they stopped eating carbs you can just giggle to yourself because you know more than they do ;)
Fats are also a source of energy for your body but unlike carbs they take much more work for your body to digest and use as fuel. That is why when we eat a meal that is high in fat we feel fuller much longer. Think double cheese burger with fries. There are different type of fats such as saturated (animal/meat products and coconut oil) and unsaturated fats (seeds, nuts and olive oil). There are a couple of different functions of fat in the body. They help us digest and absorb vitamins. Fats are a great source of stored energy and they also make up major parts of our cell walls which make up our entire body. They cushion and protect our organs and bones. So please STOP hating on fats! Consuming fats in the proper portions is vital to our overall health.
Proteins; the building blocks of life! Not exactly, but they are pretty important to cellular functions, hormone distribution and building structural materials in our bodies like MUSCLE tissue. Complete sources of protein include animal products like dairy, whey, fish, red meat and poultry. Many legumes and vegetables also contain protein but in much smaller amounts. If you want to build muscle you need to consume the proper amount of protein for your size and/or goals. There is a science to finding out how much protein you should consume but that topic needs a whole post of its own.
That was a lot of information. Your take away from this should be these three facts
1. Carbs give us the energy we need for everyday life AND our workouts
2. Fats are another source of energy and are paramount to many cellular functions
3. Proteins build muscle
In order to be “healthy” we need to be consistently consuming a balanced amount of each of these macronutrients. When carbs, fat and protein all work together harmoniously we are able to experience a high quality of life with good sleep, energy, and of course a slammin hot body.
XOXO
Kristen