Jillian Michaels Wants You to Understand the Power of Macronutrients
Do you know just how much carbs, fat, and protein you need to eat in a day to maintain optimal health? On the same note, do you know how much is too much? The typical person may not have in-depth knowledge of what exactly the four macronutrients are—fat, protein, carbohydrates, and water—let alone the micronutrients, which include vitamins and minerals. But that's why we're happy to read Jillian Michaels' latest book, The 6 Keys.
Let's back up a bit though. So what exactly are macronutrients? Well, they're essential for our bodies to undergo growth, maintenance, and repair, but just like with anything in life, you can have too much (or too little) of them if you're not conscious of which foods comprise each macronutrient. For example, if someone asked you whether peanut butter offers a greater source of carbohydrates, protein, or fat, would you be able to confidently answer? This information is important to know, because having too many carbs or protein in a day—by default—metabolizes and stores as fat, which can cause you to gain weight over time if repeated continuously. (Note: While water is considered a macronutrient, it doesn't cost you any calories, so you won't see percentage breakouts for it.)
In The 6 Keys, Michaels uncovers the six fundamental ways you can optimize your genetics to "unlock your genetic potential for ageless strength, health, and beauty," and discusses the importance of knowing how many of your calories are devoted to carbs, fat, and protein. Acquiring the knowledge of which foods are rich in each vital nutrient is just one thing you can do to further help maintain a youthful, healthful body throughout the years to come.
Once you know what percentages you should aim for in every meal, you can take the time to portion your plate accordingly. Just knowing what a healthy breakdown is important, so we consider this a great first step toward eating well-balanced meals.
Below is an excerpt from The 6 Keys that helps break down exactly how much of each macronutrient you should eat on a daily basis, so you can make more informed food decisions every day.
Excerpt:
"So we now know how many calories you should be consuming. But how many of those calories should be fat, how many should be protein, and how many should be carbs? In a perfect world your macronutrient ratio for each meal would be as follows:
• 25 to 30 percent fat
• 30 to 40 percent protein
• 30 to 40 percent carbohydrates
Now, if you're thinking the above math doesn't add up, the point is that you can have slightly more carbs than protein one day and have slightly more fat than carbs on another. You don't have to be perfect. It's arguable that there is a perfect ratio anyway, since some people seem to have more energy with a bit more protein and/or fats, and others do better with a little bit more carbs in their diet—and so on. Plus, I have found over the years that when people have to count macros, it makes them a bit nuts. The bottom line: make sure to get a balance of protein, fat, and carbs at every meal."
Excerpted from THE 6 KEYS Copyright © 2018 by Jillian Michaels.
Used with permission of Little, Brown and Company, New York. All rights reserved.
