Hi again, I am back, with macronutrients on my mind. I know, a little later than I anticipated, but life and work can sometimes get in the way of well thought out plans.

Today I am going to be talking about the macronutrients, starting with a little introduction about what macronutrients consist of. Over the next few weeks I will break each macronutrient down into its food group. I will also discuss why each individual food group is important for those of us involved in dance and fitness.

So, macronutrients consist of three or four elements, depending on who you ask. These elements are Carbohydrate (complex and simple), protein and fat. Each macronutrient plays a very definitive role within our body.  Therefore it is essential that the correct proportional balance is found in relationship to each other. The correct balance of macronutrients that should make up the diet for those of us who exercise continually are as follows;
Carbohydrate 50-60%
Protein 15-20%
Fat 25-30%

Macronutrients are converted to, and used for, energy, this energy or calorie count is not the same for each food group. Both carbohydrates and protein have 4kcal per gram, whilst fat has 9kcal per gram. Just remember the higher calorie count in fat is NOT a reason to strike it from your diet. Balance is everything, and while we are talking about balance let us not forget our fourth macronutrient – fluid.  Step back and think about it. The brain is made up of 70% water, the blood 82% and the lungs 90%. So, it should come as no surprise that our body weight is two-thirds water. We cannot survive without it, it is critical for our existence, but water is sometimes the neglected macronutrient. This topic will also be discussed in much more detail.

Next week I will go into the specifics of our first macronutrient, carbohydrate. Until then enjoy the week and if you have time try this great recipe. Very easy to make and tastes great.