Food is fuel. It is absolutely essential to your survival and for your functional and athletic performance.
The nutrients you ingest should be aligned with the goals you have. There isn’t a universal plan or diet that works for every single person. I don’t like to label certain foods as good or bad, but I like to make sure foods are working for you to help meet your goals.
What are Macronutrients?
Macronutrients are food groups that take up the largest part of your diet. There are three macronutrient categories:
- Protein,
- Carbohydrates, and
- Fats.
How much you eat of each group depends on your height, weight, age, goals, and activity level. Carbs are a readily available energy source in our bodies and are burned throughout the day naturally. Once that carb storage is gone, our bodies turn to fat as an energy source. However, if there aren’t enough nutrients to sustain function or movement, your body will start to break down muscle. Because of this, it’s important to know how much of each macronutrient to ingest to, one, meet your goals, but also, two, have enough energy to functionally move, feel, and perform your best.
Energy Intake for Activity
An athlete versus someone who is trying to lose weight are going to have different nutrient needs. For example, someone who is training for a triathlon is going to need a lot more carbohydrates in their meals in order to maintain energy throughout the day and their workouts. However, someone who is looking to lose weight may lower their carb levels or optimize it through alternative carb options.
There are so many food options surrounding us, so finding the right amount and the right choices can truly make a difference in meeting your goals.
Hand portions are helpful in terms of meeting general caloric goals without a scale. A palm full of protein is roughly 20-30 grams. A handful of carbs is around 20-30 grams. And we typically stick to a thumb of fats since they are so energy dense.
Nutrition Coaching with Spooner FIT
With the Spooner FIT app, we have the ability to help our clients understand where they need to be portion wise. First, we get a calculation on what their daily needs are based on their activity level. Then, we start to use hand portions to give them an idea of how much of what macronutrient to eat.
Spooner FIT trainers work to give you tools that you will use for a lifetime. We make sure we understand all factors that are involved in meeting your goal- sleep, stress, psychology, activity, hydration, and nutrition. Together, we can help you build healthy habits that support your movement goals.
To learn more about Spooner FIT, contact Austin today at Spooner East Chandler.
Austin Kitteringham, CSCS, FAFS
Email: a.kitteringham@spoonerpt.com
Phone: (480) 351-8721