To achieve your fitness goals at the gym, your nutrition plays just as crucial a role as your workout routine. One of the most essential aspects of nutrition is understanding macronutrients, or “macros.” These are the building blocks of your diet, and how you balance them can significantly impact your gym performance and overall results. In this blog, we’ll explore the role of macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—in fitness, why they matter, and how to use them to maximize your workouts at AFAC gym in Thornton, Colorado.

What Are Macronutrients and How Do They Affect My Gym Performance?

Macronutrients refer to the three essential nutrients your body needs in large amounts: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Each macronutrient serves a distinct function in the body, influencing everything from energy levels to muscle repair.

• Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source, fueling both everyday activities and strenuous gym sessions.
• Proteins provide the building blocks for muscle repair and growth, making them crucial for anyone engaging in strength training or high-intensity workouts.
• Fats help with nutrient absorption, energy storage, and hormone production.

Without a balanced intake of these three macronutrients, your gym performance can suffer, making it harder to meet your fitness goals, whether you’re trying to build muscle, lose fat, or improve endurance.

The Link Between Macros and Weight Management

Many people ask if they should pay attention to their macros when they’re trying to lose and maintain weight. The answer is yes, you should! Why? Because tracking macros allows you to ensure you’re getting:

• Proper overall nutrition while losing fat
• Enough protein to preserve muscle mass while losing fat
• The healthiest types of carbs, protein, and fats
• Ample protein to keep you feeling full for longer (which helps you avoid overeating)
• The advantages of protein’s thermogenic effect (your body uses 20-30% of protein’s calories just for digestion, which helps you burn extra calories)

Let’s take a deeper dive into the correlation between calories, macros, and weight loss.

• Calories are units of energy your body gets from food. To lose weight, you generally need to consume fewer calories than you burn.
• Macros (macronutrients)—protein, carbs, and fats—are where your calories come from. Each macro provides a certain number of calories.
  • Protein: 4 calories per gram
  • Carbohydrates: 4 calories per gram
  • Fats: 9 calories per gram

When people talk about tracking macros, they’re really talking about how many calories they’re getting from each nutrient. For example, if you aim to eat 2,000 calories a day with a macro ratio of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat, you’d break those calories down like this:

• 800 calories from carbs (200g)
• 600 calories from protein (150g)
• 600 calories from fat (67g)

To find the right balance for you, use apps like MyFitnessPal, which will calculate both your calories and macro needs based on your weight, activity, and goals. There are also other calculators around, like on Macros Inc. You can also consult with a registered dietitian for more information on the macro ratio that aligns with your goals.

In short: macros = what makes up your calories, and balancing them helps you fuel your body efficiently for weight loss and fitness gains!

Protein

Protein is often the most discussed macronutrient among fitness enthusiasts, and for good reason. It plays a critical role in muscle repair and growth, especially after resistance training, where muscle fibers are broken down and need protein to rebuild stronger.

What Are the Best Sources of Protein?

High-quality protein sources contain all essential amino acids that your body can’t produce on its own. The best sources of protein for gym-goers include:

• Animal-based proteins—Chicken, turkey, lean beef, fish, eggs, and dairy products like Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are considered good protein sources.
• Plant-based proteins—For vegetarians and vegans, options like tofu, tempeh, lentils, quinoa, and nuts provide essential amino acids.
• Protein powders—Whey protein and plant-based powders (pea, hemp, soy) are also popular for those looking to hit their daily protein intake easily.

To optimize muscle growth and recovery, aim to include protein in every meal, particularly post-workout, when muscles are most in need of repair.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are another essential macronutrient, providing the energy required for both cardio and resistance training. When consumed, carbohydrates break down into glucose, which the body uses for immediate energy or stores as glycogen in the muscles for later use.

What Are the Best Sources of Carbohydrates?

The best carbohydrate sources for fitness are those that provide sustained energy rather than quick, sugar-driven spikes. These include:

• Whole grains—Oats, quinoa, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta are excellent complex carbohydrate sources.
• Fruits and vegetables—Bananas, berries, apples, leafy greens, and sweet potatoes offer vitamins, fiber, and long-lasting energy.
• Legumes—Beans, lentils, and chickpeas provide a mix of protein and complex carbohydrates, making them a great addition to a fitness-focused diet.

Before a workout, you can consume complex carbohydrates to fuel your exercise. Post-workout, consuming carbohydrates can help replenish glycogen stores, ensuring your muscles recover effectively.

Fats

Although fats have a bad reputation, they are a critical part of a balanced diet, especially for gym-goers. Fats support many bodily functions, including hormone production, which can influence muscle growth and fat loss.

What Are the Best Sources of Fats?

Focus on healthy, unsaturated fats that provide nutritional benefits without the downsides of excessive saturated and trans fats.

• Monounsaturated fats—Avocados, olive oil, and nuts are excellent sources of heart-healthy fats.
• Polyunsaturated fats—Foods rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, like salmon, chia seeds, and walnuts, contribute to muscle recovery and reduce inflammation.
• Saturated fats—While they should be limited, small amounts of saturated fats from sources like grass-fed meat or coconut oil can be part of a balanced diet.

Fats are more than twice as calorie-dense as proteins and carbohydrates, so it’s important to monitor portion sizes to avoid consuming more calories than your body needs.

How Much of Each Macronutrient Should I Eat for Fitness?

Determining the right balance of macronutrients depends on several factors, including your fitness goals, body composition, and level of physical activity. A general guideline for macronutrient intake is as follows:

• Protein—10–40% of daily calories
• Carbohydrates—30–65% of daily calories
• Fats—20–35% of daily calories

For someone highly active or focused on building muscle and losing fat, the protein intake will lean toward the higher end of that range, while endurance athletes might prioritize carbohydrates. It’s essential to adjust these ranges based on personal performance, recovery, and body composition goals.

Another popular guideline for gym-goers is to eat 1 gram of protein per pound of goal bodyweight per day. For example, if your goal bodyweight is 150 pounds, strive to eat about 150 grams of protein per day. Then, split the rest between carbs and fats.

A registered dietitian can help you arrive at the best combination of protein, carbs, and fats in your diet. You can also experiment with different macro ratios to find the best one to fit your goals.

What Are Micronutrients and How Do They Differ from Macronutrients?

While macronutrients are needed in larger amounts, micronutrients—such as vitamins and minerals—are essential in smaller quantities but just as important for overall health. These include vitamins like A, C, D, and K, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and zinc. Micronutrients do not provide energy but assist in critical bodily functions, such as supporting immune health, aiding in muscle contraction, and protecting against oxidative stress from intense workouts.

How to Read Labels for Macronutrients

Understanding how to read nutrition labels is essential for tracking macronutrients. Here’s what to look for:

• Serving size—Make sure the portion you’re consuming matches the serving size listed.
• Macronutrient breakdown—Check the grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fats per serving. This will help you track your daily intake.
• Ingredients—For carbohydrates, prioritize foods that list whole grains, fruits, or vegetables as the first ingredients, and avoid added sugars.

In addition, the amount of protein in a food should always exceed the amount of sugar or total sugar listed on the label. If a product contains more sugar than protein, it’s a sign that the food is primarily made up of sugar, such as with certain cereals or fruit juices. This comparison can help you make healthier choices by selecting better-quality brands.

For instance, a container of Greek yogurt might have 15 grams of protein but 21 grams of sugar, while another option may contain 15 grams of protein and only 6 grams of sugar.

Aim to choose food products that have less than 8 grams of sugar per serving. Excess sugar is often a hidden contributor to weight gain, especially in items marketed as “healthy.”

Foods high in sugar but low in protein and fiber are digested more quickly, which can lead to hunger sooner and trigger more cravings.

Therefore, when reading nutrition labels, check both the protein and sugar content and ask yourself: Is the amount of protein higher than the sugar content? Is the sugar content 8 grams or less per serving? If so, that product is likely a healthier and more balanced choice.

Reading labels helps you make informed decisions about the foods you’re eating and ensures that you’re staying on track with your fitness goals.

Master Your Macros for Optimal Results at AFAC Gym

Macronutrients are the foundation of your fitness journey. By balancing your intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fats, you can optimize your gym performance, improve recovery, and achieve the body composition you desire. Each macro plays a crucial role in your body’s functions—providing energy, repairing muscles, and supporting overall health. To get the best results, monitor your macronutrient intake, adjust it based on your goals, and combine it with a well-structured workout routine.

If you’ve been searching for the perfect local gym, we hope you’ll stop by AFAC to take a tour of our gym and speak to our team about our affordable memberships. AFAC gym is committed to supporting your health and wellness efforts, so you’ll see the results you’re working so hard for. That’s why we were voted the best gym in Thornton, Colorado, and have hundreds of 5-star reviews.

To learn more about our top-rated gym and our incredible array of strength training and cardio equipment — as well as our unique offerings and amenities like daily group classes, cryotherapy, InBody 770 assessments, hydro massage, and our rock climbing wall and cave — we hope you will contact us or visit for a personalized tour. Our team will be happy to help you. For more information and assistance, you can also contact our gym owner, Susan, at 720-849-0245 or susan@adventurefitness.club.