In the world of diet culture, we are obsessed with "The Macros." We track them, we count them, and we worship them. The word Macro is short, in this case, for Macronutrients (all you economics folks can sit back down).
The prevailing wisdom—especially in the "If It Fits Your Macros" (IIFYM) crowd—is that the body is just a simple calculator.
50g of Fat is 50g of Fat.
20g of Protein is 20g of Protein.
As long as the numbers balance at the end of the day, you win.
This is a lie.
To understand why, we have to look at the word itself. "Macro" comes from the Greek μακρός (makrós), meaning “long” or "large." In nutrition, they are called Macronutrients simply because our bodies need them in large quantities (grams) compared to Micronutrients (vitamins and minerals), which we need in tiny amounts (milligrams or micrograms).
But here is the trap: Just because we need a "large" amount of something doesn't mean the source doesn't matter.
Imagine you are building a house. You need a "Macro" amount of wood.
Option A: High-quality, treated lumber.
Option B: Rotting driftwood you found on the beach.
Technically, you have the same amount of wood. But one house is going to stand for 50 years, and the other is going to collapse in the first windstorm.
Your body is that house. And within every "Macro" category, there are crucial "Micro" differences that determine whether you are building a fortress or a shack.
The Micro Within the Macro
1. The Fat Macro (Fuel vs. Fire) To a tracking app, 1 tablespoon of Soybean Oil and 1 tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil look identical. Both are roughly 14g of fat.
The Micro Reality: At a molecular level, they are enemies. The Olive Oil contains stable, anti-inflammatory fats that protect your heart. The Soybean Oil contains unstable, inflammatory fats that oxidize in your body. Same macro; opposite result.
2. The Carb Macro (The Insulin Trigger) A "Net Carb" on a label isn't the whole story.
The Micro Reality: 5g of carbs from Spinach is wrapped in fiber and water. It digests slowly. 5g of carbs from Maltodextrin (a filler in many "keto" snacks) hits your blood like rocket fuel. One keeps you in ketosis; the other spikes your insulin and pauses fat burning.
My Personal (Keto) Settings: The Logic Behind <20g
People often ask me why my carbohydrate limit is so strict. "Chris, why 20 grams? Couldn't you do 50 and still be fine?"
Maybe. But given my history—five heart attacks and a metabolism damaged by decades of yo-yo dieting—I don't play with "maybe."
I treat my macros like a budget. Here is the logic behind my specific numbers.
1. Carbs: The "Hard Stop" (<20g Net)
I set my limit at 20 grams of net carbs not because I hate potatoes, but because I hate Insulin.
The Switch: For most people, staying under 20g is the biological guarantee. It is the threshold that forces the body to switch from the "Glucose Engine" to the "Fat Engine."
The Safety Margin: Because of my history with insulin resistance, my body's tolerance for glucose is low. If I eat 50g of carbs, I might spike my insulin enough to pause fat burning and turn off autophagy. By sticking to 20g, I ensure I stay in the healing zone 100% of the time.
The Source: Crucially, these 20 grams are not "fun money" for a piece of chocolate. They are exclusively reserved for nutrient-dense vegetables (broccoli, spinach, avocado) to feed my gut microbiome.
2. Protein: The "Goal" (150-200g)
As I talked about in the
It protects my lean muscle mass during my fast.
It provides the raw materials for my liver to make essential glucose.
It has a high "Thermic Effect," meaning I burn calories just digesting it.
I don't restrict this. I aim for it.
3. Fat: The "Lever" (Fill to Satiety)
This is where people get confused. I don't eat fat just to hit a percentage.
Fat is fuel. Since I don't eat carbs, fat is the energy source that powers my day.
In my OMAD window, I use clean fats (olive or avocado oil, ghee, and tallow, or foods like salmon, avocado, and nuts) to reach satiety and ensure I have enough calories to run my engine. If I want to lose more body fat, I pull this lever down slightly. If I'm in maintenance, I push it up.
The Summary: I limit Carbs to control insulin. I prioritize Protein to build structure. I use Fat to power the machine.
The Takeaway
Stop treating your body like a calculator. It is a chemistry lab.
Don't just count your macros; qualify them. Don't just look at the "Large Scale" number; look at the "Micro" detail of where it came from. Because 100 grams of "Dirty Keto" inflammation will never equal 100 grams of "Clean Keto" fuel.
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