Meal planning vs Macro coaching
When I talk to people about food. I find that some people don't eat correctly and know they need to change it but not sure where to start. On the other hand, I find sometimes that people think they eat pretty well, but then when I hear what they tend to eat everyday, they have incorporated some portion of a fad diet or quick fix method, unaware of the harm they are having on their metabolism.
Some of the popular trends, in my area at least, are low carb, keto, paleo, or they just stick to salads all day, refusing to eat rice, bread, or anything else listed as a carb, for no other reason but to lose weight. Today's society has people thinking that carbs are their worst enemy. And while this may be some what true. It may not be for the reasons you think.
When your trying to clean up your diet, you first have to consider what job your food plays. But that is another conversation all together. You could write a novel explaining what job food plays in the way your body performs. I always say never be afraid to ask question. But you should also do your research. So what do you do?
You can:
1. Scour the internet for anything you can find and then wade through all the conflict and very confusing information you find.
2. Ask a professional or someone who is very knowledgeable that you feel you can trust
3. Hire a professional to walk you through the process of fixing your dietary habits.
If you go with the third option, you will generally hear one of two things. The option of meal plans or macro coaching. But what is the difference? Which one is better? Well I can't answer that. It is a matter of personal preference. All I can offer is my opinion. But lets see what they are first.
Meal planning:
Meal planning is someone telling you what to eat and how much of it everyday. It tends to be very specific, but removes the guess work and calculating required on your part. But what it doesn't do is teach you anything about what is on your plate, what it does, and how it helps you reach your goals. You don't get a real, personal understanding of your body's preferred portion sizes or how to change them to meet your goals and then stay there without starving yourself.
Meal plans have their good and bad points. If you are a busy professional, or want an easy solution than meal planning is something you may want to consider.
Macro Coaching:
Macros are the categories that all food fit into; protein, carbs and fat. But what is Macro coaching?
With macro coaching, you are given a set amount for each macro that you should be consuming each day. You are not told what to eat or when, nor how many meals to be eating that day. You choose your meals, when, and how much in a sitting you wish to eat, as long as it fits your macros.
You learn about food and what category they fit into. You learn how they affect the body and the job they perform. You learn how your body reacts and caters to differing amounts and what it prefers. You get to see the WHOLE PICTURE!
But the downfall is you have to weigh your food and calculate your meals for the day. You are responsible for creating your meals and ensuring they fit into your preset daily macros. It takes work. But it gets easier in the long run.