My Personal Macro Story
If you are reading this article chances are you might find yourself once again at a nutrition crossroad with multiple paths that lead to different destinations: lose weight, gain muscle, eat “right”, less stress, sleep better…. most of the goals you’ve chased for a while now. And you might feel tired, weary or in disbelief that you are back here at the same crossroad. You’ve done it all: keto, intermittent fasting, low carbs, refraining from night shade veggies/fruits, veganism, zero dairy, no gluten – if it’s had the word “diet” in it than you’ve tried it. In fact, you might feel like you’ve spent a majority of your life on some sort of diet and none have left you satisfied with results that actually last, tons of energy, and with clear cut directions on what to do and when specifically, for YOUR body, lifestyle and goals (which will constantly evolve and change.)
I know what this feels like. I spent years frustrated with food, body and performance goals. And it was hard. It was also frustrating as a woman to work with male and female trainers who would actually say, “eat less, eat 1200 calories, eat 1400 calories, don’t eat after 7 p.m., maybe you only eat one meal a day, your metabolism could be “slow”, it’s harder as a 40-year-old woman, and my favorite- it could be perimenopause and that’s just the way things are.” None of that sat well with me, none of it made sense and I also felt like it was just talk based on zero experience or expertise and that I had to take matters into my own hands. I didn’t have to be J. Lo or Halle Berry with access to millions and cutting-edge technology and support, I just had to first finally accept me for me and then decide what did I want and what kind of work and dedication was I going to put into it.
So, I became my own Macro Nutrition Client. I focused on fueling and nurturing my body. Yes, I wanted to look really good but I also wanted to get in the best shape of my life. Screw the age and perimenopause. It’s part of me but it does not define me. And the switch to Macro based eating has completely changed my life. Through the work I discovered I am an emotional based eater not a bored eater. The second I felt anything along the line of “turbulence” I was automatically going to grab something: a calorie dense beverage, ice-cream, slice of pizza, small cookie, chips, etc. And you might think well that’s obvious but it wasn’t. I was on auto-pilot and sometimes it would be multiple small snacks that I felt were so small they did not “count.” Through Macro based nutrition I first started to acknowledge every single thing I was eating in a day and that was a massive revelation. Like most people I was overeating by 2,000-3,000 calories and was blown away. Once I worked through the emotional side of eating I was ready to experience first- hand what maintenance looked like for me and how Carbs, Protein and Fats could help transform my body and mind. And that wasn’t easy either. As every other woman I have been brainwashed to believe Carbs were created to kill me and I would gain tons of weight. Through experience I couldn’t have been more wrong. The weight started to fall off, I was hitting personal bests in the gym, my mood started to stabilize, I was sleeping deeper, experiencing less anxiety and able to make better decisions for myself. I just felt amazing! Can you imagine? Eating some really good food and reaching every goal? That is what Macro based nutrition is for me and why I love it so much.
Do I recommend Macro counting to every nutrition client I work with? Not necessarily. The secret to a diet is what you can adhere to, what fits in your lifestyle, what you believe in and what makes sense for you.
To help you learn more I created the Free Understanding Macros and Tracking-Based Nutrition Guide. It will help you learn about the philosophy and understand how you can enjoy your food while still achieving your goals.