Striking a balance between structure and enjoyment when considering a macro diet

By: Bernadette Schaaf 

Introduction:

Counting macros has become a popular method for individuals seeking to understand their nutrient intake and achieve their health and fitness goals. In this blog post, we will delve into why macros are necessary and explore the benefits of practicing flexible macro counting. By finding a balance between structure and flexibility, you can enjoy a harmonious lifestyle while still managing your body composition and overall well-being.

Understanding Macros and Their Effects:

Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three essential nutrients that provide energy to our bodies: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each macro plays a unique role in our metabolism and affects our body composition in different ways. Macro counting allows us to gain insight into where our macronutrients come from and how they impact our bodies. By tracking macros, we can identify any imbalances in our meal intake and ensure we are consuming adequate amounts of each macro. This knowledge empowers us to make informed choices about our food and optimize our nutrition to support our specific goals, whether it's building muscle, losing weight, or getting toned.

The Power of Flex Macros:

While macro counting can initially be time-consuming as we familiarize ourselves with the process, it doesn't have to be a rigid or restrictive approach. Enter the concept of flex macros – a way to bring structure and flexibility together. Flex macros allow us to incorporate a variety of foods into our diet as long as they fit within our macro plan. This approach provides the freedom to enjoy meals and treats without feeling deprived or restricted. It allows for indulgence while still maintaining control over our overall macronutrient intake.

Benefits for Bodybuilders and the Average Person:

Many bodybuilders have long relied on macro counting to optimize their muscle growth and physical performance. However, this technique is not exclusive to athletes and fitness enthusiasts. The average person can also benefit from tracking macros to manage their weight, achieve their desired physique, and improve their overall well-being. By adopting a flex macro lifestyle, you can tailor your calorie and macronutrient intake to align with your personal goals. Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain a healthy body composition, macro counting provides a framework for success.

Embracing Flexibility for a Harmonious Lifestyle:

While it's essential to have structure and discipline in our dietary choices, being overly rigid can hinder our overall enjoyment of life. Flexibility is key to finding balance and maintaining a harmonious lifestyle.

A flexible diet allows us to incorporate our favorite foods and enjoy social interactions without feeling guilty or restricted. It acknowledges that we are human beings who crave connection and shared experiences, and rigidly adhering to a strict diet can isolate us from these meaningful moments.

Conclusion:

Counting macros provides a comprehensive understanding of our nutrient intake, empowers us to make informed choices, and helps us achieve our health and fitness goals. However, it's crucial to embrace flexibility within this approach to strike a balance between structure and enjoyment. By practicing flex macros, we can find harmony in our nutrition, pursue our desired body composition, and still savor the joys of life. Remember, life is a journey, and finding balance in our nutrition is an integral part of living a fulfilling and harmonious lifestyle.

Contributed by: Bernadette Schaaf

Bernadette is WebFitness' top nutritional and fitness trainer, CSULB graduate as well as the Co-Founder & Owner of WebFitness.com, an innovative fitness technology platform. Based in Southern California, WebFitness.com provides clients with live instruction from expert trainers, empowering them to achieve their health and fitness goals.

Where it works:
Vacuuming your stomach is an isometric contraction and works on the transverse abdominal muscles behind your six-pack, supporting your core and posture by controlling deep breathing during power movements.
What does it help:
Vacuuming your stomach during exercise increases your flexibility and aides in building more muscular muscle strength. It is also responsible for back support.

Why use it:
Vacuuming the stomach muscles help you gain more control over your abdominal muscles, assist in stronger explosive lifts, better pelvic floor strengthening, and can be done daily.

How to:
1. Start by taking a deep breath inward.

2. Exhale all the air out through your mouth.

3. While you exhale, draw your upper stomach as far as it will go in and up into your ribcage, creating a ribcage lift. For beginners, hold it in for 5 to 10 seconds. It is important to continue breathing normally during the exercise, so don’t hold your breath.

NOTE:

You may also want to add a pelvic floor lift as you contract your abdominal muscles.
With time it will become easier to hold the stomach in and feel comfortable. Aim for 5 seconds to start!

Source:

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-scj/Abstract/2020/10000/The_Abdominal_Vacuum_Technique_for_Bodybuilding.14.aspx

I first heard about 'Black Garlic' from my brother-in-law when we swapped stories of new recipes and spice we find. The description of the smell and flavor captivated me as I swirled my tongue on my lips. It sounded scrumptious.

One day, I came across the 'Black Garlic' at our local Costco. Out of curiosity, I purchased the 20-ounce container. Oh my, I could not wait till I got home to try this new item.

I smeared the smashed 'Black Garlic' on the pork ribs with a homemade keto bbq sauce as a rub. I cooked it in a rotisserie for 4 hours. It was divine! The whole family loved the flavor.

It is said that the 'Black Garlic' has antioxidants and other vital nutrients that can help to improve and prevent health-related severe issues. Might as well eat them! Every once in a while, I will pop one freshly peeled 'Black Garlic' in my mouth. The touch of sweet and savory of the garlic melts in my mouth every time. I enjoyed them so much; I ate eight. I recommend not to eat that many 'Black Garlic' at once. My husband can attest to this, DRAGON BREATHE! DRAGON BREATHE!

I remember the first time I decided to meal prep. It was a disaster! The stress of setting aside a whole day to prep, the potential after effect seeing mounts of food, organizing the meals individually, making space in the frig, and cleaning the pile of dishes scared me. I was disorganized in my thoughts and my planning and executing!

Once I stepped back to collect my thought process, I realized I was thoughtlessly overwhelmed for no reason. Meal prepping became easier. Writing up a list of food choices for the week I will be shopping for made it more comfortable, then creating meals based on those items was less stressful and enjoyable. My recommendation is not to go grocery shopping hungry. Enjoy the time you are putting into the meals and your body!

Nothing is impossible! It may appear impossible, but it's not. The definition of SEEM is a verb, appears to be, appear to exist, and appear to be true. Challenges grow you from the inside out. Challenges change you by changing your vision, your outlook, and your overall perspective. The old saying 'When a door closes, another door opens' rings true when you allow yourself to walk through that door with confidence and accept any challenges it brings.

You may have some growth bumps that take a different perspective on your answer you are seeking. Those perspectives are lessons learned and can lead to an acquire or deserve result of effort or action you have invested. It is an earned value! Don't be fearful of expanding your thoughts; don't stop learning, and don't hold back from setbacks. Accept the challenge, accept the outcome, and accept the change! The development of this thought process increases your potential and breaks difficulties in thinkable and doable opportunities.

I'm Possible!

If you're interested in a plant-based diet, the Mediterranean diet is an excellent place to start. The diet's primary focus is on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, and a whole lot of it! Their approach is simple and effective. Dark green leafy greens, like, leafy salad greens, kale, and spinach should be with eaten at every meal and every day, because they supply vitamins A, C, E, and K. These vegetables also contain a large number of antioxidants that help protect cells, contain fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Did you know, leafy green vegetables may help minimize the loss of cognition as we age,  improve our heart health, help regulate insulin, and manage weight? Let's not forget they also help move things along the track.

Seafood, poultry, and red meat are part of the diets protein options, and even when these foods are eaten they are surrounded by plants. Red meat is consumed much less than the others, and high plant-based items always accompany it.

Fruits contain fiber, vitamin c and other nutrients, which are helpful to your immune system. Fruits like dates, figs, apricots, grapes, and pomegranates are common in the Medeterranian diet, or you can choose from tropical fruits like bananas, mangoes, and papayas. Don't add sugar to the fruit! Eating the fruit fresh is the best choice as it has a natural sweetness. Fruits can be added so many ways, from smoothies, whole grain cereals, salads, side dish or cooked with meats. So, have a fresh cut fruit for dessert.

For over 500 years, coffee has been associated with many distinctive rituals and is in our daily lives. From Good Morning wake-up java, power meeting, hot joe at work, pick me up 3 o'clock drop energy boost drink, closure to group dinner outing to the end of the date night, and a nice hot drink with dessert. Now, many are using coffee as a pre-workout booster to help improve physical performance and exertion. Wow! What an adrenaline boost of energy you can have before a workout.

How to use coffee as a pre-workout:

Brew 10 ounces of fresh ground coffee. But, before you start to enjoy your nice hot cup of coffee, always start your morning with at least 16 ounces of warm water first! Then have a nice hot cup of java. Black coffee has less than five calories, or try coffee with Laird Superfood creamer, a total of 45 calories.

Nutritional tips: The best advice is to drink coffee in moderation – no more than one or two cups of coffee a day! Never overindulge in something so simple and enjoyable! So, watch your caffeine intake and be mindful of coffee and espresso drinks full of whipped cream and sugar syrups that can cause sugar levels to skyrocket and increase unwanted added calories.

Now more than ever, health is at the forefront of everyone's mind. Many Doctors are encouraged to stay home, wash hands often, and to keep active.
All are very doable, mostly when practicing mindfulness. When practicing mindfulness, it becomes habitual to your daily routine.

Why, mindfulness? It may take some work with some individuals and come easy for others. Mindfulness is all about clear thinking, positive growth, observing through an open, nonjudgemental mind, and being aware of yourself and others around you.

Take a moment in your new routine to take a deep breath, calm your body, starting from your toes, gradually go up to your scalp and 1 muscle area at a time. Be sure you are comfortable in a chair. Slowly take in a deep breath down to the bottom of the lungs through your nose and exhale through your mouth slowly as well. Each time you breathe in, start with toes, then, legs, torso, chest, then shoulders. Relax your lower extremities first, helps feel lighter as you progress upward. As tension releases, you can also aim at specific areas, like your forearm from typing, fingers pounding the keyboard, and shoulders rising holding tensing from the striking of the keys. Each focus area, release the tension by peacefully clearing your mind of stress or tension. Need more focused areas, then focus on your head, your neck, cheeks, eyes, forehead, then lastly, the scalp. 

Now that your muscles are relaxed, go workout, and start your day with vigor!