Explainer | The macro diet Hilary Duff counts on lets you eat your favourite foods – so how does it work and what can it do for you?
- The macro diet revolves around tracking the calories you take in, and eating the right ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates
- Counting calories and nutrients makes it easy to follow the macro diet, say fans, although critics say it can trigger eating disorders
Most diets involve restricting certain types of food, with the aim being to lose weight. But those on the macro diet don’t have to give up their favourite foods to meet their health goals. All they have to do is count their macros.
Celebrities including American actress and singer Hilary Duff follow this diet, and with good results. The 32-year-old mother of two posted on Instagram: “I’ve still been counting my macros [ …] and it’s truly helped me stay lean even while eating bread, chocolate and wine [sic]!” The photo of Duff in a bikini garnered more than a million likes.
Intrigued? Here’s what you need to know about the macro diet.
What is the macro diet?
Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three main nutrients the body needs every day in relatively large amounts: carbohydrates, fat and protein. The macro diet counts the grams of each macronutrient you can eat in a day, and in a certain ratio.
Many in the macro counting community follow an approach called If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM). The idea is that all foods can be enjoyed as long as they stay within your macro goals for the day.
Tiffany Breeding, a nutrition director for physical training and wellness centre MPower Performance Institute in Nashville, Tennessee, explains that macro counting is more about maximising your metabolism.