Eating healthfully isn’t difficult when you follow a few simple guidelines, one of which is to include protein and carbohydrates in each meal. In addition to fat, protein and carbs are macronutrients – the nutrients your body needs in large amounts.

Build each meal with macronutrient ratios in mind and you’ll be sure to get what you need for good health.

WHY YOU NEED PROTEIN AND CARBS

Carbs and protein are involved in numerous physiological functions that allow your body to function optimally.

Proteins are components of all your cells, skin, muscles and organs. Protein is also crucial for healthy growth and development, muscle building and maintenance and cell repair.

Because your body is constantly breaking down tissue, you need a steady supply of protein to replenish it.

Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy. All carbohydrates, except fiber, break down into glucose, or blood sugar, which supplies your cells and tissues with the energy they need to function. You need a constant supply of carbs to prevent fatigue and poor functioning.

RECOMMENDED NUTRIENT BREAKDOWN

Approximately 10 to 35 percent of your calorie intake should come from protein and about 45 to 65 percent should come from carbs, these are general guidelines. If you follow a typical 2,000-calorie diet, this means you need 200 to 700 calories from protein and 900 to 1,300 calories from carbs each day. 

Because both protein and carbs provide 4 calories per gram, this means you need to consume 50 to 175 grams of protein and 225 to 325 grams of carbs every day. That might seem like a lot, but if you make sure to include both macronutrients in each meal and snack, you can easily get what you need. If those numbers make you want to crawl under a rock and hide, no worries…. the MFP app takes the guesswork out. I recommend this app for all my online wellness clients to set up macros, calories and track what is consumed each day….

One word of caution, be mindful of your daily calorie intake,…most women don’t eat enough. When your calories are too low or you enter that you want to lose 5 pounds a week in MFP, you will be in a calorie deficit and that will be counter productive in your weight loss goals. Message me for more guidance if you are unsure about this. 

Also remember, these are basic guidelines. Most importantly you want to remember to eat a protein and a carb every single time you eat… This is why I typically tell my clients to avoid snacks….they throw our macros off, causing our carb counts to be way too high.

HEALTHY PROTEIN & CARB FOODS

For optimal nutrition, choose the healthiest sources of protein and carbs.

When picking protein sources, go for lean protein, such as chicken breast, fish, lean beef, turkey breast, beans and tofu. Choosing lean protein sources helps you limit your intake of unhealthy saturated fat.

Healthy carb sources include whole grains, fruits and vegetables, beans, nuts and seeds. Avoid refined carbs, such as white bread, white pasta, as well as any foods with added sugars or most easily stated, anything in a box or bag at the grocery store (there are a few exceptions to this). Some healthy carb sources, such as beans, nuts and seeds, are also nutritious sources of protein.

When thinking about carbs, move away from the old school thinking that they are bad or that carbs = bread… focus on fruits and veggies being your first source of carbs.

SIMPLE MEAL IDEAS

At breakfast, get your fill of protein and carbs by scrambling eggs and eating it with oatmeal and or fresh fruit.

For lunch, make a large salad with greens, chopped veggies, chicken and garbanzo beans.

Fill your dinner plate with a filet of salmon or steak, a serving of quinoa and some steamed broccoli. If you are going to eat snacks, choose healthy protein- and carb-rich snacks such as apple slices with nut butter.

PUTTING IT ALL INTO ACTION

Some of you know that in the BFF program, we take these general guidelines and tweak them for maximum fat loss and metabolism boosting benefits.

The BFF program is a step by step approach to easing you into a lifestyle routine that anyone can maintain. It is not complicated, we have simply cracked the code to tapping into more fat stores and skyrocketing your energy levels at the same time. we teach the HOW and WHY behind every nutrition and exercise topic through trainings and in our online community.

Jan 1st start date….if you want to get started now with our best tips to boost metabolism and balance hormones, download the free Metabolism and hormone checklist below. Our metabolism and hormone checklist will give you a jumpstart during the holidays before we begin our 7 week life changing BFF program in January. As always, you are free to share the link with friends who may benefit from these strategies. https://burnfatandfeast.com/metabolism-and-hormone-checklist/