BEYOND MACROS AND CALORIES
Calories. Carbs. Protein. Fats
We have become a macro counting obsessed culture. For good reason too; if you have a specific goal, you need a specific roadmap to get there. Unless you are a freak of nature and blessed with crazy genetics, at some point your progress will slow down, and you should get an idea of how macros impact your progress by tracking.
BUT
Performance, feeling good, recovering, an efficient metabolism goes way beyond calories. Macros are the base of the pyramid, but you don’t have a pyramid if you aren’t focusing on quality, variety, micronutrients, fiber, and hydration to name a few variables.
We can also argue that you will never optimize your fat-loss or muscle gain if you are lacking key nutrients like zinc or magnesium. You will never train at your best if you are lacking potassium and sodium.
Over the course of the last 10 years, I have gained and lost over 200 pounds. I have been at 25% body fat, and 7% body fat. At one point calories were the only focus. Until I brought the focus back to variety and nutrient density PLUS calories, I didn’t operate at my best.
Let’s cover some of the biggest deficiencies that could be holding you back from your athletic potential or best gym performance.
Magnesium: It is estimated that more than half of the population is deficient in magnesium. You can definitely get dietary magnesium from foods like dark chocolate and spinach, but it will be hard to get ENOUGH. That is why magnesium supplementation is a good strategy across the board. It is involved in more than 300 enzymatic processes including hormone and neurotransmitter support. The best sources are Magnesium Glycinate, Malate, and Threonate.
Potassium: Almost everyone is lacking in potassium. We should be shooting for 3-5 GRAMS of potassium per day. Everything from blood sugar regulation, muscle mass, the ability to contract a muscle, blood pressure all rely on potassium. This is where a variety of fruits and vegetables come into play.
B Vitamins: While B-Vitamins tend to be a less common deficiency, if you are lacking it will create huge problems. Plus, being water soluble vitamins that your body will get rid of, we have some wiggle room to supplement more. Better safe than sorry, most will benefit from some type of B Vitamin supplementation. Look for the Methylated forms that are active and absorbable within your body. Animal based food will be your best sources of dietary B-Vitamins.
Sodium: This is almost solely for athletes or those who eat super clean. A majority of Americans do not need to worry about additional salt intake. If you sweat a ton, or don’t eat foods with a ton of sodium, it could be highly impacting performance. It is the main electrolyte that helps to contract a muscle, send signals between cells, and keep your muscles hydrated. We have seen huge increases in performance, very rapidly, just my implementing more sodium in to an athlete’s diet.
Vitamin K2/D3: Working with individuals in Washington State and Oregon, we see a ton of Vitamin D deficiencies in blood work. The tricky part about Vitamin D is that it is a hormone, and a fat soluble vitamin. You can’t suggest a specific dose for everyone, because everyone absorbs it differently. Vitamin D can also lead to calcification, which makes pairing it with Vitamin K2 very smart. Most aren’t getting enough leafy greens for K2 so look for a D3 supplement WITH K2 included. Vitamin D3 also relies on Magnesium for absorption.
Hopefully this gets you pointed in a good direction at peak performance. Micronutrient panels will always be helpful to identify deficiencies so that you aren’t shooting in the dark.
