Calculate Your Energy Macros

  // CALCULATE YOUR ENER(G)Y BALANCE LINE CALORIES

Your total ENER(G)Y BALANCE calories should be based on your body goals. What do you want to happen? Fat loss, muscle gain, or balance?

• TARGETED OVERFAT LOSS >> 10 – 12 X YOUR BODYWEIGHT
• WEIGHT MAINTENANCE >> 12 – 16 X YOUR BODYWEIGHT
• TARGETED MUSCLE GAIN >> 16 X YOUR BODYWEIGHT

These are just general suggestions and starting points. You will need to do some trial and error, and adjust based on feedback and results.   // YOUR ENER(G)Y MACROS = (G)MACROS

You’ve probably heard this saying a million times, and it’s completely true: “A calorie is not a calorie”. A calorie of sugar will have a different effect on your body versus a calorie of protein. A calorie of fat will have a different effect on your body than a calorie of carbs. Having too little of an ENER(G)Y macro will cause you to be overfat, just like having too much of an ENER(G)Y macro will cause you to gain overwhelming overfat.

Just knowing your ENER(G)Y IDENTITY  lifelines is not enough to reset, refresh, and renew your ENER(G)Y. You also need to know the proper balance of how those calories should be split up into the different ENER(G)Y TRINITY macronutrient categories.

(G)MACROS is short for ENER(G)Y MACRONUTRIENTS. The human body needs three major (G)MACROS to function properly:   PROTEINS (four calories of ENER(G)Y per gram)

YOUR BODY’S BUILDING BLOCK OF TISSUE >> Protein plays a vital role in keeping your body functioning properly, lean and strong, and performing at its highest levels. In your body, protein is the structure that makes up tissues (including muscle), hormones (your body’s messengers), enzymes (they help orchestrate reactions in the body like converting food to fuel), antibodies (for proper immune function), and so much more. Proteins are made up of the building blocks called amino acids. There are twenty amino acids with nine being essential, meaning you must get them from the food you eat. Essential amino acids are crucial in athletic recovery and building muscle. Protein takes longer to digest than carbs, making you feel fuller longer which helps with overcoming your overfat.

  FATS (nine calories of ENER(G)Y per gram)

YOUR BODY’S INSULATOR AND ENER(G)Y SOURCE >> Fat maintains body temperature, supports immune function, cushions and protects organs, helps absorb vitamins, and provides a source of energy for long-term, low intensity aerobic activity.

Unsaturated fats— These are normally the “healthiest” fats because they have a positive impact on heart health, cognitive function, and recovery found in foods like olive/canola/peanut oils, nuts, avocados, fatty fish, eggs, seeds. Help keep cholesterol and blood pressure low.

Omega-3 fatty acids—unsaturated fats linked to reducing inflammation and supporting brain health (and potentially decreasing concussion risk and/or symptoms).

Saturated fats— These fats positively influence testosterone production and optimizes hormone production in your body and normally found in foods such as dairy, fatty cuts of meat, chicken skin, margarine, deep fried fast foods, commercially baked pastries/pies, biscuits. Choose unsaturated fats more often than saturated.

Trans fats – These are nasty fats known as “unhealthy” because they have a negative impact on your heart health and increase your risk for several metabolic issues.

  CARBS (four calories of ENER(G)Y per gram)

YOUR BODY’S PRIMARY SOURCE OF ENER(G)Y >> Carbs are the main source of ENER(G)Y for your body and brain. Carbs help you maintain intensity, prevent muscle breakdown, and help keep you hydrated. Some carbs give you a quick source of ENER(G)Y (white bread/rice/pasta, pretzels, sports drinks, applesauce). Other carbs fill your ENER(G)Y stores for later use (oats, whole grain bread/rice/pasta, low-fat granola). When carb intake is too low, ENER(G)Y levels, strength, stamina, and decision-making may suffer during your workouts leading to poor performance and increased risk of injury. Proper carb ENER(G)Y timing will make a big difference in training, performance, and over fitness well-being.

  // THE ENER(G)Y TRINITY HIERARCHY

Eating for your ENER(G)Y will always be simple by following a simple ENER(G)Y TRINITY HIERARCHY. Every time you eat a meal or a snack, your priority should always be the following:

• PROTEIN FIRST. Look for and eat the protein first.
• FAT SECOND. Look for and eat the fat second.
• CARBS LAST. Always eat the carbs last.
•  

P > F > C. Who down with P F C? Yeah you know me!

Your 14 DAY ENER(G)Y RESET calories are just one layer of the program and they are divided among proteins, fat, and carbs (PFC). Think of this as a balance sheet. Instead of focusing all your attention on counting calories and viewing certain (G)MACROS as negative (i.e. carbs), you can personalize a (G)MACROS pattern that stimulates overfat loss, while giving you the proper ENER(G)Y you need to maintain a healthy (G)FLUX. By emphasizing the specific amounts of each (G)MACROS (and choosing quality sources), the importance of each (G)MACROS, and respecting the role that each play, you can better tailor your nutrition to your lifestyle, tastes, and goals.

People who have success with (G)MACROS find that it enables them to feel more energized and train hard even while losing overfat. One (G)MACROS pattern of a fifteen hundred calorie ENER(G)Y BALANCE line could help you feel strong in your workouts, add muscle, and satiate you, while another pattern of (G)MACROS could leave you on a blood sugar rollercoaster, feeling low on ENER(G)Y, and dragging during all your workouts. Think of managing your (G)MACROS like managing your budget. Rather than spending whatever you want as long as it hits a big calorie goal, you must budget three different currencies: protein, fat, and carbs, and just like any other budget, just be honest if you’re hiding money in an offshore account like McDonald’s or Burger King.

Your (G)MACROS ENER(G)Y CALCULATIONS are a solid balance of moderation and flexibility. After setting your daily target (G)MACROS, you’re encouraged to eat a variety of foods to meet your goals. You can get calories anywhere, but you must get your (G)MACROS from specific sources. Building your day around these fundamental sources allows you to indulge when necessary. You don’t have to be exactly spot on with your (G)MACROS. It’s a practice, and although you will do some “active learning” during the program, once you have this skillset it stays with you for LIFE. Having a five to ten percent fluctuation either way is okay.

You’ll have three flexible options to choose from. Even though they have different balances, they all are different ways for you to reach your goals. Maybe you try one way for two weeks going through the program for the first time, then maybe try a different way for two weeks repeating the program. Whatever you decide, it’s always good to have options that fit best to your lifestyle. Do YOU and what you feel is the best for you.

I’m a fan of the lower carb option for several reasons, and that is why I list it first. Following either of these options will have you on track to lose 1lb of overfat a week, not including exercise. All the exercise and movement you do in addition to that, will only INCREASE your overfat loss. So basically, exercise and move for your life for the best results and to really maximize your 14 DAY ENER(G)Y RESET experience (high ENER(G)Y FLUX). More on this concept later. Happy calculating and eating your GMACROS!