Calories & Macros: Everything You Need to Know
Hey, hey, how's it going?
In this article, I will be covering everything you need to know about calories and the 4 macronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fat, and alcohol.
I’ll also have sections that go more into the science behind amino acids, alcohol digestion, and how carbs give us energy if you're interested.
I will lay out both simplified explanations while also including science in depth explanations labeled with a “NERD ALERT”.
#1 Calories Explained
Calories or (Kcal) is the unit of measurement for the energy we get from the foods we consume.
Calories provide us energy for:
Movement
Digestion
Blood flow
Brain function
Organ function
So pretty much everything we do.
Every single person has their own unique calorie requirements. We need a certain amount each day to maintain our weight. We’ll call this Maintenance calories.
If over a long period of time, I consume more than what’s required to maintain, I will gain weight.
If over a long period of time, I consume less than what’s required to maintain, I will lose weight.
In my Fundamentals of Weight Loss article, I explained how body fat is simply excess calories stored for later use. When we enter a deficit (less than maintenance), we tap into stored fat for energy, though most of the bodyfat we get rid of goes away via exhalation.
To find your maintenance calories, both Legion Athletics and Mindpump have pretty accurate calculators.
But in my opinion, the most accurate approach would entail actually tracking your intake for about a week with the goal of staying within a 3 pound weight range.
And how convenient is it that I just so happen to have an entire guide laying that process out??
#2 What the heck are “Macros”?
“Macros”, or “Macronutrients” are a type of nutrient that contains calories or "energy" in the form of food. Usually we list these as three different nutrients:
Protein
Carbohydrates
Fat
But contrary to popular belief, there’s actually one more macronutrient most people neglect to mention, and that is Alcohol!
So really, there’s four macronutrients:
Protein
Carbohydrates
Fat
Alcohol
And each macronutrient contains different amounts calories:
Protein = 4 calories per gram
Carbohydrates = 4 calories per gram
Fat = 9 calories per gram
Alcohol = 7 calories per gram
Any food we consume contains either protein, carbs, or fat. Alcohol is usually only found in alcoholic beverages such as wine, beer, whisky, and tequila. Each macro except alcohol plays important roles in the body. Some are essential, meaning we need them to stay alive, while others are not meaning we don’t necessarily need them. Note that just because a macro is non-essential doesn’t mean we cannot have them in our diets.
But now I’d like to show some love towards each macronutrient and their uses.
PROTEIN = Essential
Protein is a nutrient that suppresses appetite during fat loss, regulates blood sugar, helps build and maintain muscle, increases metabolism, helps improve the immune system, helps balance hormones, improves skin health, and increases bone health.
Protein can be found in various animal and plant foods.
Animal Foods
Meat
Eggs
Fish
Collagen
Dairy
Protein Powders (Whey or Casein)
Plant Foods
Tofu
Tempeh
Seitan
Lentils
Quinoa
Soy Protein
Nutritional Yeast
Legumes
Buckwheat
Beans
Chickpeas
Edamame
Chia Seeds
Pea Protein
Hemp or Hemp Protein
There’s a huge variety of both animal and plant sources that we can get protein from. But in order to build muscle, we need a certain amount of daily protein to do so and as long as you’re in the ideal range of 0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight, you should be golden.
When it comes to specific goals such as weight loss or muscle gain, protein is essential in both pursuits.
For fat loss, protein allows the body to hold onto muscle which is great because the more muscle we have, the more calories we burn making weight loss much more sustainable.
For muscle gain, protein acts as the building block for muscle and we need a certain amount to develop new tissue.
Protein Continued (NERD ALERT)
Although we can get protein through different sources, it's important to remember that not all protein is created equal.
Some foods are just easier for our bodies to use, we'll call this bioavailability. Some foods require extra work for our bodies to suck in their nutrients.
The reason why I’m talking about this is because although the above listed plant based sources are extremely healthy and excellent sources of protein, they don’t have the same bioavailability as animal sources. All this means is if you favor a more plant based diet, you may need to consume protein on the higher end. We’ll discuss protein ranges again in just a bit.
The reason why plant sources are not as effectively used compared to animal sources all stems down to amino acids.
Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Think of protein like a complete puzzle and amino acids being the individual puzzle pieces and each puzzle piece having its own function in the body.
Amino acids are labeled into two categories, essential, and non-essential. Essential meaning our bodies cannot make them, so we need to get them through food. Non-essential meaning our bodies can make them on their own so we don't need to chase them.
Essential Amino Acids (EAA’s)
phenylalanine, lysine, threonine, tryptophan, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, and valine.
Non Essential Amino Acids
alanine, asparagine, aspartate, cysteine, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine, tyrosine, arginine, and histidine.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s)
Isoleucine, leucine, and valine.
Building Muscle AND BCAAs (NERD ALERT)
If the goal is building muscle, we want to achieve what is known as Muscle Protein Synthesis. Muscle Protein Synthesis or MPS is the process of using amino acids to create new proteins within our muscle cells. This process both allows for tissue repair after a strenuous workout, and muscle development.
In the context of body composition or building muscle and losing body fat, protein is essential in both roles. Protein allows our bodies to hold onto muscle which if you read the fundamentals of weight loss article, means we burn more calories with more muscle than if we had less muscle.
Now when in a weight loss phase, our bodies want to ditch muscle, that’s because muscle requires more energy to upkeep than compared to fat tissue. The body always wants to find ways to conserve energy and if we’re not strength training and supplying proper amounts of protein, our bodies are just gonna end up ditching muscle.
Before moving on to recommendations, I want to touch base on the popular supplement Branched Chain Amino Acids or BCAA’s.
BCAA’s are not gonna magically put 50 pounds of muscle on your frame.
Their real value is both supplying essential amino acids to those who are unable to consistently meet their protein requirements (vegans, elderly, and high level athletes) and preventing fatigue from higher level activities like sports.
BCAA’s offer the benefit of preventing fatigue if you are either an athlete or are planning on performing more than one exercise session in one day. This is because after a certain amount of time, the brain releases the hormone serotonin through the (5-HT receptor). Serotonin Is the hormone responsible for calming us down and contributes to physical fatigue.
Tryptophan, an amino acid, is the direct precursor to serotonin and buildup in the blood leads to serotonin production and thus fatigue. When supplementing with BCAAs, as they enter the blood, they throw off the amount of tryptophan that is also present, leading to less serotonin production.
Protein Recommendations
0.8-1.2 grams per pound of bodyweight is the optimal range for muscle growth.
Anyone of advanced age should aim for the higher end and may even exceed that upper limit.
FAT = Essential
Dietary fats, not to be mixed up with body fat, are two different things. Bodyfat by itself is simply just extra calories consumed over a long period of time waiting to be used for energy. Dietary fat are molecules we use for various purposes.
Purposes such as:
Hormone production and regulation
Producing body heat
Female reproduction
Allowing for the usage of vitamins A,E,K, and D
Brain health
Nerve function
Making food taste better
And with fat, we have different types, we have Saturated fat, Omega 3 fats, and Omega 6 fats.
Saturated fat comes from foods such as fatty beef, lamb, pork, meat with the skin, coconuts, cheese, and full fat dairy.
Certain types of saturated fats serve as a source of energy when needed and some even help boost the immune system.
Overall consumption of saturated fat should be kept relatively low for most people, this is because saturated fat can increase LDL cholesterol.
Some may not have this reaction, so always talk to a medical professional before changing your eating habits.
Omega 3 fats or Monounsaturated fats are fat molecules that have anti-inflammatory effects such as increasing blood flow, reducing pain, and improving gut health. Omega 3’s can be found in foods such as nuts, avocados, extra virgin olive oil, high oleic sunflower oil, nut butters, macadamia nuts, and egg yolks.
Omega 6 fats are fat molecules that are pro-inflammatory. Omega 6’s can be found in foods such as walnuts, sunflower seeds/oil, flax seeds/oil, sesame seeds, fish, chia seeds, grapeseed oil, and mayonnaise.
Even though the word “inflammatory” may seem scary, the process of inflammation is simply the body’s repair process. When we suffer certain damage to the body whether from direct injury or exercise, the damaged area becomes inflamed which is where the body sends red blood cells to begin repairs.
This is why a day or 2 after spraining an ankle, that area becomes red and puffy.
We need a certain amount of inflammation to recover from injury, if we had no inflammation at all, then the tiniest paper cut could be a really big problem. However, too much omega 6’s can cause problems, a 1:1 ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 fats is a good goal to strive for.
Fat Recommendations
Note that these recommendations come directly from the USDA and are just general guidelines, meaning some may benefit from a higher fat intake while others may not. Talk with your doctor or nutritionist and see what works best for you!
Total fat = 20-35% total daily calories
Saturated fat = 10% total daily calories
For context, if I consume 2,500 calories per day that's between 55 grams to 97 grams. You can go above that if that's your personal preference, but if you are working with a professional, definitely check in with them first!
CARBOHYDRATES = Non-Essential
Carbohydrates are sugar molecules that we use as the body's main fuel source, everything from running, muscle contractions, and brain function.
But don't let the term "sugar molecule" freak you out! Carbs are not bad, despite what you may have heard online or in certain magazines. Carbs can be a great asset if you plan on or are already engaged in physical activity such as weight lifting, running, and/or specific sports.
Carbs come in different forms, we have processed carbs and unprocessed carbs.
Processed carbs are usually foods such as ice cream, chips, white bread, and donuts. Processed carbs usually come with very little nutritional value, are easy to overeat, and may cause rapid spikes in blood sugar.
Overall consumption of processed carbs ideally should be kept at a minimum, but it's okay to have them in the diet occasionally.
Unprocessed carbs are whole food carbohydrate sources such as rice, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. These foods usually come jam packed with micronutrients and fiber, which if you're trying to monitor your blood sugar, will reduce those levels.
Ideally, the majority of our carbohydrate intake should come from whole food sources.
How Carbs Give Us Energy - (NERD ALERT)
When we consume carbohydrates whether from bread or a banana, the carbohydrate itself is broken down into glucose which by itself IS the body's main fuel source. Glucose enters the bloodstream where it is then transported to individual cells. Inside the cells, a process called cellular respiration occurs which is the process of turning glucose into usable energy. This usable energy is called adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP is ultimately our main source of energy for pretty much every action we take.
Carbohydrate Recommendations
Now when it comes to “how many carbs should I eat”, the answer really is it depends. As long as you are meeting your protein and fat intake, your best bet would be to play around with your carb intake to see which range you feel best with.
Some people prefer low carb diets
While others prefer high carb diets
Alcohol= Non-essential
The reason why alcohol is not usually included when talking about macros is because you normally wouldn't find it in traditional food products whether processed or not.
Unlike protein, carbs, and fat, alcohol really has no benefits to your health. Not saying you should never have a glass of wine on date night, just know that by no means is it a good source of nutrition.
When we consume alcohol, the process of digestion produces not-so-good by-products that can cause damage to the liver and pancreas.
And a night of drinking can lead to the oh so beloved hangover. This is when we experience a variety of painful symptoms such as fatigue and grogginess, thirst, headaches, light sensitivity, irritability, anxiety, high blood pressure, and even vertigo.
Even just small amounts of alcohol consumption can cause impaired memory, the ability to focus, and decision making.
Alcohol Digestion (NERD ALERT)
When we consume alcohol, two digestive enzymes (alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)) and (aldehyde dehydrogenase (ADLH)) work together to break down the alcohol itself. ADH breaks the alcohol down into a substance called acetaldehyde. ADLH then breaks down acetaldehyde into a substance called acetate. Acetate is then broken down even further into both water and carbon dioxide, which is easy for the body to finally get rid of.
There are also two other enzymes responsible for breaking alcohol down into acetaldehyde.
Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1)
Catalase
However, Cytochrome really only activates when large amounts of alcohol is consumed and Catalase only breaks down a tiny portion of alcohol.
Small amounts of alcohol are also removed after coming in contact with stored fats. This interaction leads to the creation of Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters or (FAEEs) which are shown to contribute to damage to the liver and pancreas.
Acetaldehyde is interesting, when we consume too much alcohol at a rate that the body cannot break it down in time, we can see negative effects such as potential DNA and cell damage, increased risk of cancer, liver problems, and alcoholic pancreatitis.
Even just small amounts of alcohol consumption is shown to put extra stress on the pancreas and liver and may limit overall cognition.
This next paragraph is purely my own speculation, but I have a theory that staying hydrated throughout the day can somewhat negate some of the negative side effects on the organs after drinking.
Because alcohol is a natural diuretic, meaning it causes us to urinate and lose water, drinking when already dehydrated would put a lot of unnecessary stress on the kidneys. Although any alcohol isn’t ideal for kidney health, staying on top of water consumption may be a better path if drinking is non-negotiable.
Again, this is purely speculation.
#3 Is Protein Bad for my Kidneys?
This is a common question asked when bringing up the topic of increasing protein intake. And there is validity to this question.
When we consume protein, the process of breaking them down into usable amino acids for hormone production and tissue repair requires a lot of work by the kidneys. This is because unusable by-products of protein breakdown need to be flushed out via urine.
A higher protein intake may increase the waste removal process, thus placing extra work on the kidneys.
While this sounds scary, excess protein consumption is really mostly a concern for those with either kidney problems or a family history of kidney dysfunction. Still, you should speak to your doctor or medical professional before upping your intake, just to be on the safe side.
The majority of people without issues with their kidneys paired with a balanced diet should see little issues upping their intake. The main thing to pay attention to for those is really digestion. Some may encounter gas, minor bloating, and less frequent stool after upping their intake.
Now with that said, that doesn't mean you should be consuming 300 grams of protein which believe it or not, I actually see people advocate!
Anything in excess can be a bad thing. If you stay in the previously mentioned ranges, you should be just fine!
#4 Should I Go Low Carb?
Because carbohydrates are considered non-essential, there is no set range for optimal intake. This area really is up to you and how you feel, what best serves your lifestyle, and what gives you the most energy.
Some will advocate for low carb diets, while you'll also see others arguing stating that high carb is the way to go.
The answer really is there is no magic intake. Play around and see what makes you feel your best!
#5 Is Protein Powder bad for me?
Just to clarify, protein powder by itself is not a bad thing. When you really look at it, all P-powder really is is just simply powdered milk with flavorings, it's more of a food product if anything.
Ideally you would be getting your protein requirements through whole foods as stated prior, but if you find it nearly impossible to consistently meet your requirements, adding in a scoop or two could be a convenient hack.
Whey protein
Casein
Pea protein
Vegan blend protein
All of these are great sources if whole foods are too difficult. And protein powder is okay for pretty much anyone, remember, it's just powdered food.
CONCLUSION
We covered a ton of valuable talking points in this article, Im super happy you stuck around! Before wrapping up, I’m just gonna lay out some of the more important points made so far.
Calories are the energy we get from food.
Protein is essential in both muscle building and maintenance.
Carbs are not bad for you, they are a source of energy and your intake is highly individual to your preferences.
Dietary fat will not make you fat, fat is an essential nutrient required for many processed of the body.
Alcohol, although a macronutrient, has no real benefits to your health, but that doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy a cold one on game day!
Protein powder is literally just powdered food. Whole foods should be the priority, but protein powder is a quick, convenient way to meet your requirements.
All body fat is is simply excess energy stored from overconsumption.
I really appreciate you sticking around and I hoped you learned something. If you have a question you’d like to see answered in article form, go to the contact page, and send me a message!
Talk soon!
-Randy
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Atherton PJ, Smith K. Muscle protein synthesis in response to nutrition and exercise. J Physiol. 2012 Mar 1;590(5):1049-57. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.225003. Epub 2012 Jan 30. PMID: 22289911; PMCID: PMC3381813.
AbuMoh'd MF, Matalqah L, Al-Abdulla Z. Effects of Oral Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Intake on Muscular and Central Fatigue During an Incremental Exercise. J Hum Kinet. 2020 Mar 31;72:69-78. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2019-0099. PMID: 32269649; PMCID: PMC7126259.
