Macro-Based Diets Part 2: Building Muscle and Strength
When it comes to building muscle and strength, the most important macro to track is protein. You have to be hitting your daily protein goals (in addition to a good strength focused workout program) in order to grow the muscle you want. The most effective way to build muscle is to be in controlled weight gain/bulk phase where you consistently eat a little more calories than your maintenance number would be while focusing on protein consumption.
Understanding Macro-Based Diets Part 1: Macros, Maintenance, Health & Fitness
IFYM (If It Fits Your Macros) and CICO (Calories In, Calories Out) has become increasingly popular as a way to help guide diets, not just for weight loss, but in general health. Macros refer to carbs, fats, and proteins - the three nutrients a body needs to survive. Tracking macros can help figure out what kinds foods and ratio of foods work best for individuals, whether they are trying to lose or gain weight, or just want to eat more balanced.
Clean Eating And IIFYM/CICO Are Actually The Same Thing
Clean Eating is a type of diet where you can eat as much as you want as long as the foods are “clean.” If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM) is a diet where the specific foods don’t matter as long as you’re meeting certain calorie and macronutrient numbers. Both of these approaches are incomplete or unsustainable over the long term. Clean eating needs to be more flexible in the types of food that people eat either because for ease or enjoyment, and IIFYM has to include a wide variety of foods to ensure proper fiber and micronutrients.
Strategies For Incorporating More Protein Into Your Diet
Most people aren’t eating enough protein, which can stall or compromise the gains they’re working toward. Optimal protein sources will have at least 1/3 of their calories coming from protein, but ideally it should be much higher than the amount of other fats and carbs in the food. Keeping a variety of protein rich foods that don’t require prep (like protein powders, meat jerkies, or high protein yogurt) or minimal prep (like frozen fish, ground meat, or tofu) also helps from getting bored or not having enough time to eat enough protein.
Stop Using The Word 'Healthy' The Wrong Way
The word “healthy” is often misused, because we wrongly conflate health and fitness. The reality is that a lot of training for “fitness” isn’t actually healthy at all.