What Are Macros and How Do You Count Them?

At this point, there’s a good chance that you’ve heard someone in your run club, a work colleague, or even a friend talk about macros. Or maybe you read about the IIFYM (if it fits your macros) diet somewhere. You may have even nodded and acted like you understood while thinking, Okay, what in the world are macros? The funny thing is, you’re already eating macros every day you just might not know it. Here, we break down what it means to eat according to macros, and what runners need to know about fitting them in.

What Are Macros and How to Count Them

Macros is short for macronutrients, which refers to carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. “They are referred to as macros because we need them in larger amounts than micronutrients, which include vitamins and minerals,” explains Cynthia Sass, M.P.H., a registered dietitian and performance nutritionist who works New York City, and Los Angeles, CA. Pretty much everything we eat is made up of some form of macronutrients and sometimes also micronutrients, which we need in smaller amounts.

Excerpted from Runner’s World

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