Ok, Finally Phase 3. Clients graduate into phase 3 if they have been able to lay a good foundation of healthy habits which we talked about in Phase 1. If clients have also been able to consistently understand how to adjust their calorie intake for specific goals (weight loss, or gain) which you could read more about HERE.
Now some clients never graduate into The macro phase and go on to live very happy, healthy lives. Phase 3 is much more detailed and requires even more discipline. We like to explain the 3 phases like this.
Phase 1- Laying a foundation that is sustainable for the rest of our lives.
Phase 2- Main goal is weight management (weight loss or gain)
Phase 3- Body composition. (sculpting our bodies)
In phase 3, we get the chance to sculpt our bodies in the way we find best for our lifestyle.
For those that aren’t familiar with “macros” , macro is short for macronutrients. The 3 macronutrients we are talking about are Protein, Carbohydrates, and fats. All three are very crucial the perform important roles throughout the body.
Proteins- Keeps us full and satisfied, and stokes our metabolic fire. Helps us to maintain and build lean muscle. Improves our immune function, and aids in quicker healing of wounds. Sources: Eggs, Chicken, Fish, Beef, Cottage Cheese, Egg Whites.
Carbs- The body’s main source of energy. Spares protein from being used as energy, and aids in the breakdown of fat. Stick with low sugar, high fiber. Choose minimally processed options. Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.
Fat- Helps keep us full and satisfied for hours. Fat is a buffer to carb absorption. When we have carbs alone, our blood sugar spikes too quickly then crashes too quickly. Is used as an energy source. Eat healthy fat sources in moderation: avocado, nuts, nut butters, seeds, olive oil.
Depending on a client’s specific goals, we can tweak the amount of each of these to achieve virtually any goal. More muscle, more toning, more fuel for more activity. Many variables factor into these adjustments. The size of the client. Muscle mass, body fat percentage, what they do for a living, how active they are, etc.
Tracking macros, weighing and measuring can become quite overwhelming. That’s why it’s good to have an experienced coach for guidance. This is also why the Macro phase is usually only for clients that have very specific goals. Most of us are just fine eating real food, meats, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds, keeping quantities to a level that supports daily activity and workouts but not so much that it stores as fat.
If you would like to learn more about Macros please feel free to reach out. We’re here to help.
Coach Marcel
