A balanced nutrition plan consisting of the right amounts of fats, carbohydrates, and protein are called macronutrient levels. There are a lot of suggestions as to what is the right macronutrient ratio that people should have but the truth is that you have to find out the right daily caloric intake based on your fitness progress. If you notice that you are losing fat or gaining muscle, you are on the right track; otherwise you may need to make some changes. It could mean that lowering your daily calories from 15% to a 20% deficit or shifting around your calories between your maintenance level and deficit level. You also might have to work out more often and with more intensity and the same goes for muscle.
A commonly used macronutrient level is 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 20% fat. This may not always be the right one that you should start with. You may need a higher protein filled diet depending in how carbohydrate sensitive you are and what you are aiming for.
The next thing that you should know is the number of grams in each of the major macronutrient areas so that you will be able to understand nutrient labels. One gram of carbohydrate and protein is equal to four calories and one gram of fat is equal to nine calories.
You will notice that fats are denser. They are important and not all fats are bad. You need the essential fats like poly and monounsaturated fats. Just be careful of how many grams of fat that you eat. Let’s do an example with a male who should eat a caloric deficit of 2400 calories daily. Take note that carbohydrates will represent 50% of the calories, 30% of protein, and 20% of fat. It will be calculated this way:
2400 x .5 = 1200 calories of fats, 2400 x .3 = 720 calories of protein, and 2400 X .2 = 480 calories of fat.
Remember that for every 4 calories of carbohydrates and protein is equal to 1 gram and 9 calories of fat is equal to a gram.1200 calories divided by 4 is equal to 300 grams of carbohydrates a day. 720 calories of protein divided by four is equal to 180 grams of protein a day. 48 calories of fats divided by 9 is equal to 53 grams of fat per day.
A breakdown of the calories of all the six meals a day would be computed by dividing, by six. Calculations would amount to the following: 300 grams of carbs divided by six is equal to 50 grams per meal, 180 grams of protein divided by 6 is 30 grams of protein per meal, and 53 grams of fat divided by six is equal to 9 grams of fats per meal.
You have a rough idea now of how many calories and grams this male should look for in a meal replacement. You want the meal replacement shakes to be equal with these numbers. You should not exceed them too much but it is better to have a little more than nothing at all. Some of the calories can also be fulfilled by milk and juices. You can always burn calories through exercises and nutrients are essential in maintaining your energy for workouts that last 30 to 45 minutes daily.
Do the same formulas for calculating calories for females. You should use this formula if you are planning to take in meal replacement bars or drinks. Meal replacement shakes for weight loss should be carefully matched with your daily caloric meals for maximum results.