Whether you want to lose weight, gain muscle, improve your fitness or overall health, tracking your daily calorie intake will help you achieve your aims. Anyone unfamiliar with the world of nutrition might be scratching their head at these terms, so, let’s explore them in more detail.
Macro-precision
In a nutritional context, macro-precision relates to the level of accuracy with which one is able to meet macronutrient requirements based on their individual needs. The term macronutrients refers to carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
The recommended daily intake for each macronutrient varies depending on factors like age, sex, weight, activity level and health status. For example, someone looking to gain muscle mass will want to have a greater protein intake compared to someone wanting to lose weight.
The easiest way to track the intake of each macronutrient is to use a food tracking app or food journal. It can also help reveal any deficiencies or excesses in the diet and allow for changes to be made accordingly.
Calorie precision
Calorie precision, on the other hand, refers to the level of accuracy with which one can meet their overall calorie intake without focusing on the separate macronutrients. Therefore, the focus is on achieving a specific calorie intake goal.
Importance for muscle gain
Anyone who works out regularly will know the importance of eating the right foods. Consuming enough protein is vital for muscle gain and not having enough can slow or hinder any gains made in the gym. Someone wanting to increase their muscle mass will therefore want to allocate a greater amount of their calorie intake to proteins as opposed to fats, for example.
Those looking to gain muscle on average need to increase their protein intake to around 1.2-1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight, alongside resistance or strength training. Timing of protein intake has also been found to be an important factor. It’s better to have a regular intake throughout the day and after exercise as opposed to large single doses.
Importance for weight loss
To lose weight, you need to consume less energy than you expend. Both calorie precision and macro-precision are important in these instances. You may want to have a lower daily calorie intake compared to your normal daily calorie requirement, however, if you’re exercising or have an active lifestyle, you may not necessarily need to have lower than the recommended calorie intake. You should also keep track of the macros so that you’re still getting all the nutrients you need to stay healthy.
Additional benefits of calorie and macro-precision
Keeping track of your diet means you gain a better understanding of what you’re eating. Knowing your daily calorie intake and what macros make up that intake means you will likely have a greater awareness of the relationship between your diet and health. This can be reassuring for many people and offer peace of mind, providing you confidence in the fact that you are eating healthily and getting all the right nutrients.
You can help prevent deficiencies by paying attention to your macronutrient intake. It will also be easier to identify areas where you may need additional supplementation.
Our meals are macronutrient-balanced, with clearly displayed calories. So, it’s easy to stay on track, whatever your goals.
