This article explains the basics about macronutrients and the benefits of counting macros and provides a step-by-step guide on how to get started.
Please remember to check with a doctor in addition to using the app and before making medical decisions.
Expertise
For the recipes as well as the conception of the meal plans, Azeoo calls upon qualified dieticians who are specialists in the field of nutrition.
Whether you are young or not so young, sporty or sedentary, whether you want to lose weight or adapt your diet to your physical activity, we can meet your expectations and be able to assist you.
Food databases
Our application is based on different bases:
USDA database (macronutrients calculation)
CIQUAL database (macronutrients calculation)
Open Food Fact database (products identified with barcodes)
By recording the foods you eat, you can ensure that you are following the nutritional plan, you or your trainer have assigned, allowing you to fuel your workouts or guarantee your weight management goals !
What are macronutrients?
Macronutrients are food components that give us energy. The body uses them in relatively large quantities," explains Rahaf Al Bochi, RDN, LD, spokesman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and founder of Olive Tree Nutrition. They fall into three categories: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Each type provides a certain amount of energy per gram, expressed in calories.
Carbonhydrates : every gram contains 4 calories.  | Proteins : every gram contains 4 calories  | Fats : every gram contains 9 calories  |
How do you count macros ?
Determine your daily calorie requirement
This depends on your anthropometric data (age, weight, height) and your daily level of physical activity.
You can change/update these whenever you like on your application.
Estimate your basal metabolic rate
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) is a reflection of how many calories per day your body needs to function based on height, weight, age, and sex. This formula was developed in 1966 by Black and his colleagues. It's the one recommended by the French Association of Dietitians Nutritionists (AFDN) for the clinical practice of the dietitian.
To get a general sense of your BMR, plug your info into one of the more recent formula of Black et al. below, then round your answer to the nearest whole number :
Women : Kcal = [0.963 x Weight (kg)^0.48 x Height (m)^0.50 x Age(years)^-0.13] x (1000/4.1855)
Men : Kcal = [1.083 x Weight (kg)^0.48 x Height(m)^0.50 x Age(years)^-0.13] x (1000/4.1855)
Multiply for your activity level
Next, you need to think about your daily Physical Activity Level (PAL) to determine your No Rest Energy Expenditure, i.e. the calories you burn when you move. To do this, multiply your BMR from step 1 by the number below that best corresponds to your activity level in an average week.
Sedentary (frequent sitting, little or no exercise) : BMR x 1.2
Not very active (occasional sitting, light exercise one to three days a week) : BMR x 1.375
Moderately active (very frequent walking, moderate exercise three to five days a week) : BMR x 1.55
Very active (hard physical work, intense exercise six to seven days a week) : BMR x 1.725
The NAP values given are only averages.
It is important to take into account all your daily physical activities (transport, work, sport, hobbies, etc.) when calculating them.
Your answer is an estimate of your DEJ (daily energy expenditure).
NAP equivalents on the application / back office in the nutritional parameters:
Sedentary = low activity.
Not very active = average activity.
Moderately active = high activity.
Very active = very high activity.
Example calculation
After recording general information (age, sex...) and measurements (especially weight and height), the software automatically calculates the basal metabolic rate using the formula of Black et al.
Here’s how the formula would look for a moderately active 35-year-old woman who weighs 150 lbs (68 kg) and is 5’7” (170 cm) tall.
Estimated BMR :
BMR = [0.963× 68^0.48 × 1.7^0.50 × 35^-0.13 ] x (1 000/4.1855) = 1,611 calories
Estimated TDEE based on activity level :
TDEE = 1,611 calories x 1.55 = 2,497 calories
Calculating your daily calorie target
Our software's automatic coach takes into account all the parameters described above to set a personalised calorie target. Obviously, this target may not be 100% accurate, depending on the information the person has entered.
You can correct this calorie target very easily from your back office. To find out how, see this article
Calorie deficit or surplus
Depending on your objective (stabilisation, weight loss, mass gain, etc.), adjust your daily calorie target to achieve it.
Our software's automatic coach automatically sets a calorie target based on the person's weight objective:
Stabilise your weight : calorie target equivalent to the TDEE ;
Lose weight : lower calorie target (TDEE - 250 kcal);
Gain weight : higher calorie target (TDEE + 250 kcal).
To find out more, take a look at how you can configure a customer's calorie target and macronutrient percentage using a food plan.