Master Your Macros for Weight Loss with Samantha Nicole

In this week's episode of Life Unleashed, I interviewed my good friend, Equinox colleague from back in the day, and extremely talented personal trainer, educator, and nutrition coach, Samantha Nicole.

We dove deep into the topics of macronutrient counting for weight loss, how to incorporate the power of manifestation into your transformation journey, and why always wanting more doesn't make you broken, it makes you better. 

For this blog post, I've focused on the topic of macronutrients. But for the rest of this amazing interview, you'll have to listen to the podcast above! 

What are macronutrients?

Macronutrients are the nutrients that break down in our body to create energy, and they are broken down into 3 categories: protein, carbs, and fat. When we adjust them, we adjust our body composition.

Where do you start with macronutrient-based weight loss?

Start off by tracking what you eat for an entire week. This simple act could open your eyes to the fact that, while you may be making healthy choices, your ratios could be far enough off that you're preventing your body from becoming the fat-burning machine you'd like it to be. 

What is the best macronutrient ratio for weight loss?

25% carbs / 40% fat / 35% protein

Note: this is not a no carb (keto is only 5% carbs). This is a low carb diet that will simply help your body burn more energy and store less fat.

Though it is important to keep in mind, your dinner plate will not visually reflect these percentages, due to calorie density. There are 4 calories per gram of carbs and protein while there are 9 calories per gram of fat. 

So no eye-balling this, you have to actually track and you can do so with a simple free app like MyFitnessPal.

Do you always have to count your macros once you start?

No, this isn't a life sentence of counting macros. But you do need to start with the science and numbers as you work your way through all the baggage that comes with changing your diet, losing weight, and creating a transformation for yourself.

Macros are simply your training wheels before you shift into intuitive eating and they serve as a great tool to come back to if you ever find yourself slipping back into some bad habits.

How do you shift from counting macros to intuitive eating?

As you count macros, consistently ask yourself, "How did that make me feel?" Allow the dieting process to become a tool for self reflection and learning. 

Be mindful of the portion sizes you're eating, be mindful of your levels of fullness and hunger, and eventually, eating that way will become second nature to you. 

What changes should you look for to tell if you're on the right macro split?

Simply answer: you should be steadily moving towards your goals. Even if the scale isn't going down (because we all know you can gain muscle and lose fat and the scale will stay the same),  your clothes should fit better or your measurements should be going down.

If you are seeing the changes you desire, even if it is slow moving, keep going; you're on the right track. Not until you hit a plateau for 2 weeks or more should you start making any adjustments.  

If you're following the correct macro split, do you need to worry about what kinds of food you're eating?

If you're a weight loss newbie, you don't want to try to overhaul everything at once. So start off just worrying about your macros and calorie allotment (10 x your body weight in pounds if you have more than 20 pounds to lose or 12 x your body weight in pounds if you have less than 20 pounds to lose).

As you get used to that, start shifting towards a more clean, whole foods based diet. The sheer numbers will help you lose weight, but the types of food you eat will affect how you feel, your hormones, your skin, your digestion, and everything else about the way your body functions.

Not to mention, you'll quickly notice if you fill up your macro and calorie allotments with burgers, fries, and ice cream, you'll run out of carbs and calories really quick and won't feel satiated. 

How do I get more of Samantha Nicole?

You can find Samantha on Instagram or join her Facebook group!

I also can't encourage you enough to listen to today's full podcast by clicking the link above. This is one of my favorite ones to date and it is packed with incredible information, education, and inspiration.

And don't forget, if you want to hop on a complimentary consultation call with me to get some customized weight loss advice for your specific body type, lifestyle, goals, and preferences, just click here to schedule it now.