Psst. Lean in. Do you want me to help you justify a bacon double cheeseburger from McDonald’s? Here’s all you have to say “it fits my macros.”
Original Source: Here.
This accomplishes two things:
- You just “scientifically” justified a bacon double cheeseburger.
- You looked really smart doing it. Do you think your conversation partner will even question you on what macros are?
So anyways, what’s this business with “if it fits your macros?” See, macros are short for “macronutrients.” Basically, that’s just a fancy way of saying “carbohydrates, proteins and fats.” Different diets will recommend different macronutrient ratios for different goals. For example, one of the most popular, The Zone Diet recommends a ratio of 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 30% fat. Atkins has a different ratio, South beach a different ratio, and other popular diets also have different ratios.
So the idea is that “if it fits your macros”, you can have anything.
I don’t know about you, but I see at least 2 different problems with it:
Problem #1: Everyone is Different
As I constantly emphasize in my speaking engagements, you’re all different. No one is the same as anyone else. So what are appropriate “macros” for one person may not be appropriate for another.
Problem #2: You Can Justify Junk
Are your macronutrients important? Yes. But let’s not forget about micronutrients. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. Vitamins and minerals don’t have any calories whatsoever. So of course, they would not be taken into account when calculating the “perfect” macro ratio.
The problem with that is if we’re focusing only on macros, and ignoring the micros, we can justify a bacon double cheeseburger. Is it good for you? Absolutely not. Can it be made to “fit your macros”? Yes.
