Mastering Your Macros: Part 7

Mastering Your Macros: Part 7

*This is Part 7 of a Series on Macro Targeting (aka Flexible Dieting). Please see the first 6 Installments at the following links:      Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6   In our last installment, Mr. Kombat was diligent in tracking everything he ate, and hitting his daily and weekly macros. His training was consistent as well. He had enough fuel for his workouts, and was not feeling lethargic or like his training was suffering even though he is in a caloric deficit. Now on to Week 2…   Week 2 began with the same success and even more enthusiasm as Mr. Kombat noticed a slight difference in the way his clothes were fitting. Even after just a week. But we are keeping the scale under lock and key for now, so we can let his body adjust to this 3 week trial. Some days this week his is finding it difficult to eat the amount of food required to hit all of his macros. In these instances, it is recommended that he up his fat intake at each meal since it has the biggest caloric load of the 3. He must do this at the expense of his carbs however. That is the beauty of the “flexible” part of the diet. Being able to accommodate for fluctuations in the variety of foods he eats. We must always keep protein at a constant since we are in a deficit, but carbs and fats are interchangeable to hit the daily/weekly targets. In an earlier post, I told you we would be talking about another essential nutrient that it is important to keep track of and ensure a healthy intake of. Fiber. It has been said, if you want to be Number 1, you have to take care of your Number 2’s. It is imperative that when you are on any kind of dietary change, be it a caloric surplus/deficit, or eating at maintenance, that you make sure that you are getting both enough water and also enough fiber. Otherwise, there can be some unpleasant gastronomic consequences.  An easy way to ensure you’re getting enough fiber is to take a once a day fiber supplement. Some examples are Benefiber, Metamucil, etc. Once a day, preferably at night, have a glass of water with a scoop of fiber supplement. There is no need to take the directed 3 doses per day for a laxative effect, just one will suffice.  Other good fiber sources are bran, quinoa, flaxseed, and oatmeal. Just ensure that you are tracking them in your food diary. After almost 2 weeks of tracking and eating within his macros, Mr. Kombat has suddenly realized that he is starting to develop a sweet tooth. Or rather, a craving for some of the old “treats” he used to have. How does one deal with this when trying to maintain a caloric deficit? Moderation. If he wants to eat a doughnut, or a slice of his friend’s birthday cake, then he should just eat it. Just the one. And track it. On days that he has leftover calories and macros to hit, there is no problem with treating himself, as long as one treat doesn't turn into a binge. Sometimes the tendency to go overboard when you think you are “cheating” or “ruining your diet”.  The truth is, this way of eating is designed to allow you to be human. To enjoy your life, and eliminate self-sabotaging behaviour by being overly restrictive.  But don’t mistake being flexible with being able to gorge on pizza and expect to not go over on your macros and calories. It’s also important to not beat yourself up when you do go over your calories and macros. Just adjust and eat a bit less that day or the next day or so to balance yourself out for the week. In our next installment:  Week 3 and going strong, we finally let Mr. Kombat on the scale. Also, body recomposition,  the importance of adjusting, and what to do if you “plateau.” For a FREE 14 Day Trial , please fill out this form. Sign up for the Kombat Newsletter. There's a form on the right hand side of this page. Like, follow, and subscribe to all of Kombat's social media on  Facebook ,  Twitter,  YouTube, and Instagram.