Welcome to the Macro Mastery Guide

First, I want to congratulate you for having in your hands what I consider to be one of the most important bodies of work I've ever produced - the result of my experience working in both Nutrition & Exercise Science, and as a 35+ year Fitness Professional training & coaching thousands of clients over the years. 

My MACRO MASTERY Guide contains some of the most simple, common sense basics of weight loss & fat loss nutrition, as well as the science of a muscle building meal plan - all designed to help you achieve whatever results you are looking for when it comes to making a Physical Transformation.

With the Principles of my Metabolic Ratcheting Permanent Fat Loss System, whether your goals including losing weight,  gaining weight, getting rid of your extra body fat, building strong, lean tissue, boosting your metabolism, recompositioning your body, toning up, slimming down, adding muscle mass, sculpting your body - you name it - by applying what I teach you inside this MACRO Mastery Guide - you will be able to achieve whatever results you are looking for.  

So What Are Macros?

 

Macros is short for the word Macronutrients, which are the three main and most abundant fuel sources found in food - including Proteins, Carbohydrates, and Fats. 

Each of the three Macros have their own caloric value - calories simply meaning - their measure of energy.

Proteins and Carbs have four calories per gram. 

And Fat has nine calories per gram.

And so, because your body needs all three Macros to truly flourish during your transformation - you want to include all three macros in every meal & snack and learn to balance them so that every time you eat (or drink a smoothie, or shake) or anything with lots of calories & nutrients... 

After you digest all those calories, your body elicits a hormonal response most conducive to using those calories and burning even more of them - ultimately getting rid of both sugars and fat at the same time - instead of continuing to store those calories in in places that you don't like - adding more sugars and fat to your body. 

When we really break this concept down - this means that ever time you eat - whether a meal or a snack - you want to think in terms of amounts of calories, grams of each Macro, and balance - which pays off big time when you are consistent with this mindset - even after just a few days as you begin to experience a much more stable blood sugar and heightened energy.

Now here's the rub... 

At first, you don't have to get it right; you just have to get it going.

And just like in business, when it comes to your health & fitness - there's no such thing as perfection, in production.

In other words - you don't have to get a bullseye when you first get started; you just want to get on the board.

The more you become aware at first - about how much food you actually need and don't need - every single day - and you begin paying attention to your food choices - thinking about what you are going to eat - both today - and tonight - and tomorrow - and over the weekend - etc, etc - and this becomes a habit - you are well on your way to developing a much better relationship with food, and making permanent changes in both your health & fitness, and having the strength, the energy, the endurance, the metabolism, and the health to conquer whatever it is you set your mind to.

Remember... "If you fail to plan - plan to fail."


At first you will begin slowly by eyeing out your food.

Then, you'll move on to weighing it & measuring it. 

Do it enough times, on repeat, with the same food choices, meals, and snacks... 

And eventually you'll get to the point where you don't even have to think about plating your food anymore. 

The whole idea of it all, will feel easy and the simpler it will become over time. 

Then, your meal time routines will become a habit, and before you know it - you will have achieved what I call MACRO Mastery! 

Food For Fuel

When Creating a Meal Plan - Remember that All Foods Fit.  You can eat whatever you want; just not as much as you want.

 

There are a few rules when it comes to sticking to your Meal Plan if you want to get the most returns, in the shortest amount of time, with the least amount of frustration.

Rule #1 - You want to meet your Daily Caloric Goal

 

This means eating as close to the number of total calories that I assign to you, in order to put your body into either a Surplus, or a Deficit - based on your current metabolism - which simply means the rate at which your body burns calories. 

You'll also hear me use the terms, "Build" and "Cut", which means we are in one of the 3 Phases of my Metabolic Ratcheting Fat Loss System. 

The 3rd Phase is called "Maintenance", which usually comes after several cycles of both Surplus and Deficit.  

Remember when you were in High School and you learned that the sum is always greater than the whole of its parts?

Well, you meeting your Daily Caloric Goals is no different, as your body needs the energy from all three Macros every single day - in order to function the way we want it to - every system, every aspect, and every facet - so we never want to to discredit any one of your Macros during any part of the Metabolic Ratcheting Phases.

From strength building to muscle building to boosting your metabolism, to your hormone health, your gut & digestive health, to heart health, to bone & joint health, to reproductive & sexual health... 

Proteins, Carbs, and Fat are all super important at every stage of your progress. 

We will have lots of conversations about this and how your body systems are progressing - often - during your Weekly Check-In Calls and on any other Zooms we do together. 

At the end of the day, just keep in mind that you eating your calorie goals every single day is critical to your success. 

Remember, it's not what we do that makes us successful - it's what we do daily.

Rule #2 - You want to meet your Daily Macro Targets

 

The reasons are many, but the most important ones are that Proteins, Carbs, and Fat ALL determine:

  • Your body composition
  • Your workout performance
  • Your blood sugar levels
  • And your ability to control hunger

That's right! Every Macro is super important for this transformation you are making.

Remember, calories determine weight, but macros will determine your strength, how much muscle you will build, and how much fat you will ultimately be able to burn when you're in a calorie deficit. 

But make no mistake, you never want to start out a total body transformation in a deficit. 

This is the kiss of death for so many reasons that we'll speak about during our calls. 

Just know that every Macro is critical to your success, so never cut out any one of them or any food groups for that matter - unless you have an allergy to something which we've probably already spoken about by the time you are reading this, as well as how to navigate your food choices and meal plan to steer clear of having an adverse reaction to something. 

If you don't have any allergies, you can eat whatever you want. 

Rule #3 - You want to eat in Macro Balance

 

As long as you meet your Daily Caloric Goal, and your Daily Macro Targets, the final piece to the puzzle is to eat as close to a 40/30/30 Macro Balance as possible. 

This means... 

40% of the calories in each meal you want to come from Carbohydrates, which include:

Grains (breads, pastas, anything made with flour)

Starches (rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa)

Sugars (fruits & vegetables). 

30% of the calories in each meal you want to come from Proteins (meats, dairy, eggs, plant based foods)

And the final 30% of calories in each meal you want to come from Fats (best when found in meats, but also come in the form of monounsaturated oils, butter, olives, avocado, etc.)

Just as a reminder, when you eat as close to 40/30/30 Macro Balance as possible, your body releases hormones that are far more conducive to metabolizing and burning fat, than storing it.

Your body will also synthesize protein much more efficiently - which is what we want and need your body to do - in order for you to reach your fitness goals.

However, in each Phase of Metabolic Ratcheting, we may manipulate both your Daily Calorie Goal, as well as your Macro Targets depending on where you are starting, if you already have Metabolic Dysfunction or Damage, and how your body responds to the new stimulus and demand we want to put on it in order for it to grow. 

In the next Section, How to Build a Meal, I will explain how to incorporate Macro Balance into every meal and snack you consume. 

How to Build a Meal

I was going to call this Section...

The No-Stress Guide to Creating Delicious, Nutritious (and balanced) Meals...

 

...because that's exactly what it is. 

The most important thing to remember when it comes to putting your food choices together whether you're making a meal, ordering a meal to be delivered, or even eating out - is that single ingredient foods are going to be the simplest and easiest to track.

Now of course we cannot always track our food when we are not in control of making it, but this goes back to the idea that it's not what we do some of the time; but most of the time. 

There are going to be times when you just cannot or do not want to track your food, or meals -  which is ok - just understand that the more often that you do - the faster you will give your body what it wants and needs to do what you want it to.  

Remember, you are NOT dieting, and you never have to deprive yourself of foods you love, or restrict calories.

You can eat a lot of delicious, nutritious food whether you are in a surplus getting stronger, building lots of new muscle, and boosting your metabolism - or - when we reduce your calories after your surplus phase and you are on a cut where all that muscle you built during your build, will be revealed. 

This is the long term game plan of Metabolic Ratcheting. 

And similar to the fact that we never want to work out to punish ourselves for what we ate the night before - but to celebrate what our bodies can do... 

You want to choose foods for your Meal Plan that you normally eat, so that you can sustain this way of eating forever. 

If you already like a certain food, you can eat it. The amounts might have to be modified, but remember what I mentioned above in the Food for Fuel Section; all foods fit. 

You can eat whatever you want; just not however much you want. 

Once you learn to build the right meals for your Plan and are consistent with them, you'll realize that you can literally eat anything you like, as long as it fits into your Macro profile.

Over time, you'll be able to hear your body tell you what it truly wants & needs to get you where you want to go. 

Again, similar to working out in which I always say, "What a shame it would be if you had an hour at the gym, and all you chose to do was cardio instead of strength training"... 

If your ultimate goal is to lose weight, get rid of your extra body fat, and replace it with strong, lean, sexy muscle... 

But your food choices are not really food, but food products (meaning, highly processed store bought items that usually come in a wrapper, a bag, or a box)...

... you should expect that your body takes a lot longer to change than it has to.

This is probably one of the most important things for you to keep in mind. 

Processed store bought items are Food Products, not food - so be smart about your choices. 

This doesn't mean you can never eat food products. You can.  Just stay on the winning side of the equation and you can eat whatever you want. 

Your body will be your report card each week and we'll go over your food choices on Weekly Check-Ins. 

Something else you'll also realize, is that it only takes a small amount of energy to get and keep your entire Meal Plan on point. 

In other words, you only have to learn this skill one time, and you'll have it forever. 

Choosing foods you love, making your favorite meals, and repeating them day in and day out will become the norm. 

This is one of the most important aspects of your success; Consistency. 

Sure, you want to enjoy your meals, so never hesitate to try new and different recipes, or combine ingredients to try different tastes or textures. 

As long as your food choices and meals fit into your Daily Calorie Goal and Macro Targets, have fun with your Meal Plan. 

Remember, all foods fit, but the more nutrient dense foods you consume, that have high nutritional value - the faster your body will get stronger, build more muscle, increase your metabolism, and do whatever you want it to based on whichever Phase of Metabolic Ratcheting you are in.

All that being said...

Here are 4 Meal Building Guidelines:

Guideline #1

Keep your Daily Caloric Goal, top of mind.

 

No matter how many - or how few calories you eat every day - this number will determine whether your body is in a surplus, or a deficit - meaning - your body is either in a build, or a cut. 

At first, we are only focused on one or the other. 

When you are starting out in a Build, here are the KEYS to short term success: 

KEY #1 - don't get into a cut too early.

Because Phase #1 of your Metabolic Ratcheting Transformation, is to Build. 

Build strength, build muscle, and build your metabolism. This is all that matters in Phase #1. 

Get stronger. 

Increase muscle tissue. 

Get your body Bioactive and increasing the rate at which your body burns calories around the clock - whether you are active or not. 

Key #2 - CONSISTENCY.

This means eating the same number of calories every day, so that you give your body a chance to adapt to its new energy supply. 

If you keep changing the number of calories you're consuming, your body won't ever get into the routine of partitioning the calories into the right places we need them to go, for our intended outcome. 

Eating all over the board will immediately stall your progress. 

Unless you have been in a build for a very long time, are already fully optimized with your Meal Plan, Training, Rest Cycles, and Routines - chances are that you are starting your transformation in Phase #1 - so that you get stronger, build more muscle, and boost your metabolism for at least the first few months of your coaching. 

As your body begins to change every week or few - we will make course corrections so that you don't plateau - which means that it's not progressing. 

So, just to reiterate - know your Daily Caloric Goal and commit to it. 

Guideline #2

Decide How Many Meals You are Going to Eat Everyday, to Reach Your Daily Caloric Goal

 

The KEY here is that you can break up your Total Daily Calories into however many meals you are comfortable with. 

You can eat one meal per day - if you can go all day without food, and your body can digest all the calories without any issues. 

You can eat two larger meals. Still a lot of calories per meal. 

You can eat two meals and have a snack.

You can eat three meals. 

Three meals and a snack. 

However many meals and/or snacks it takes for you to reach your Daily Calorie Goal - do that. 

Of course, this number will depends on your lifestyle, your work schedule, access to food at certain times, a kitchen, a refrigerator, a microwave, an air fryer, a stove, and oven, etc, etc.

The KEY to building meals and dialing in your Meal Plan, is preparation; thinking in advance; planting a seed for a full day of good food choices, and enough of both calories and each Macro. 

Guideline #3

Divide the Total Daily Calories by the Number of Meals and/or Snacks You Plan on Eating

 

This will give you the number of calories in each meal and/or snack. 

For example. 

Let's just say your Daily Calorie Goal is 2,000 Calories. 

You can do three 600 Calorie Meals and one 200 Calorie Snack. 

You can do four 500 Calorie Meals. 

You can do two 700 Calorie Meals and one 600 Calorie Meal. 

You can eat in any combination so that your calories for the day are broken up into the number of times you are going to eat. 

Guideline #4

Do the Math to Break Down Each Meal by Macros

 

If your Daily Caloric Goal is 2000 Calories, and you are going to eat three 600 Calorie Meals per day and a 200 Calorie snack to total 2,000 Calories... 

You want roughly 40% of your calories in each meal or snack to come from Carbohydrates. 

That's 800 Calories coming from Grains, Starches, and Sugars - for the day. 

You want 30% of them to come from Proteins. 

That's 600 Calories coming from Lean Meats, Dairy, Eggs, even Protein Powder. 

And you want 30% of your calories to come from good Fats. 

That's 600 Calories coming from the Fats in Protein, and any extra from Oils, Avocados, Olives, Dairy (like butter) etc. 

Here are Your 3 BIG KEYS to Building a Meal: 

So, to Recap How to Build a Meal:
 

  1. Know your Daily Caloric Goal
  2. Know your Daily Macro Targets
  3. Decide how many Meals & Snacks you are going to eat that day, or every day
  4. Do the Math by Dividing the number of Total Daily Calories the number of times you are going to eat
  5. Prioritize Protein
  6. Include Carbs and Fats in Every Meal

Nutrition and Meal Suggestions

 

Remember, 40% of your calories at each meal should come from Carbohydrates; 30% from lean Proteins; and 30% from good Fats.

The reason behind this Meal Strategy is that whenever we eat, our body releases what are called eicosanoids into our bloodstream. These eicosanoids are the governing factor that determines which hormones our body elicits during digestion - either fat-burning hormones - or fat-storing hormones.

So, the more often we can eat in this 40/30/30 Ratio - the better.

The more we can reduce the fat-storing hormones, the better.

One of these hormones is insulin.

Not only does it help stabilize blood sugar, but it is also a carrier hormone, and it will shuttle any unused calories, right into fat cells.

So, we want to maintain insulin control, by eating foods that are low in processed, refined sugars, keeping to our 40/30/30 meal plan, and choosing nutrient-rich foods low on the Glycemic Index, which rates the speed at which food enters our bloodstream in the form of glucose, after digestion.

A great way to ensure that this happens is to keep only the most nutrient-dense foods in your home.

If you notice, you can find almost every single food item on this list, on the perimeter of the grocery store.

These are the least processed foods available, so get creative, have fun with your meals, and enjoy the ones you love the most as often as you like.

Add these as staples in your weekly meal plan:

Smoothie Ingredients:

  • Baby Spinach
  • Frozen Strawberries
  • Frozen Blueberries
  • Banana
  • Peanut Butter
  • Protein Powder
  • Almond Milk
  • Coconut Oil
  • Avocado

Countertop Fruit

  • Apples
  • Oranges
  • Grapes
  • Mangoes
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Watermelon

 

Salad Ingredients

  • Romaine
  • Baby Spinach
  • Kale
  • Arugula
  • Iceberg (very little nutritious content but good filler)
  • Tomatoes
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Peppers
  • Avocados

Nuts & Seeds

(Proteins & Fats)

  • Almonds
  • Walnuts
  • Cashews
  • Sunflower Seeds
  • Pistachios
  • Pumpkin 

Vegetables

  • Peppers
  • Eggplant
  • Tomatoes
  • Carrot
  • Squash
  • Cucumbers
  • Cabbage
  • Olives
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Corn
  • Mushrooms

Legumes

Contain both Protein and Carbs, and lots of fiber. They go great on salads, in soups, or in a bowl with some light dressing.

  • Beans
  • Red Beans
  • White Beans
  • Black Beans
  • Peas
  • Chickpeas
  • Lentils
  • Hummus
 

Starchy Carbs

(to be eaten around your workouts. Also, the whole wheat & grain versions of anything made with flour are going to be much more fibrous - so, more filling - and have less impact on your blood sugar)

  • Potato
  • Sweet Potato (preferred)
  • White Rice (Although higher on the Glycemic Index than Brown Rice, it has more fiber)
  • Brown Rice (preferred due to lower Glycemic Index, but is also lower in fiber than White Rice)
  • Protein-enriched Pasta
  • Bagels, English Muffins
  • Oatmeal
  • Anything made with flour

 

Proteins

  • Chicken
  • Red Meat
  • Fish
  • Turkey
  • Eggs
  • Canned Tuna or Salmon


Just keep in mind that any protein that is canned, such as Tuna, Salmon, or Chicken, usually will have high Sodium, and oftentimes preservatives that make it not as healthy as eating it fresh, and not canned.

You can still get a lot of protein from these sources, so as long as you are aware of the Sodium and preservative content, that’s what’s most important.

Plant-Based Proteins:

  • Tofu
  • Tempe
  • Seitan

Fats

  • Avocados
  • Nuts
  • Seeds
  • Nut or Seed Butter
  • Fish Oil (from both real fish and supplements)
  • Chia Seeds
  • Dark Chocolate
  • Eggs
  • Fatty Fish
  • Flaxseeds
  • Olives

Dairy

(A great source for protein, and sometimes fat, depending on the source)

  • Butter
  • Cream
  • Yogurt
  • Ice Cream
  • Cheese
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Milk
  • Pudding

Just in case we didn’t talk much about it, stay away from too much Dairy, as it can affect your testosterone production - and Testosterone is critical for the muscle protein synthesis you will experience after your workouts; both men & women alike.

It’s ok to eat some dairy if you like it - just not more than a couple servings per day. 

A slice or two of cheese a couple of times per day will not hurt you, and will make food taste better.

You can buy Cheeseless Pizza, and other delicious foods, without Dairy. You can also buy Vegan or Dairy-Free Ice Cream, and a ton of other Dairy-Free Products if you are trying to cut back on dairy, but still want the delicious taste of foods you love.

If you do eat or drink a lot of dairy, just be aware that it will affect your muscle-building hormones.

Here are some Meal Suggestions with approximate calories:

Chicken and Rice

2 cup White Rice bowl with 35-40 grams of protein from Air Fried Chicken breast, diced 1/2 large Tomato, whole diced Avocado. I add a pinch of salt & pepper and a little balsamic oil & red wine vinegar. 600 calories

Fish and Pasta

35-40 grams of Salmon filet, Protein-enriched pasta, handful of grapes, an apple or an orange. 500 calories

Steak and Potato

40-50 grams protein Sirloin or NY Steak, mashed boiled sweet potatoes, 1/2 of my salad for the day which is loaded with greens, veggies, nuts & seeds, and avocado. 700 calories

Classic Cheeseburger

Air Fried Angus Burger on a Bagel with Avocado slices, slice of Swiss cheese, Tsp of Ketchup, Mayo. 1/2 leftover salad.  600 calories

Plate O’ Pasta

Ravioli or Protein-enriched spaghetti or angel hair. Red sauce with added air-fried eggplant, peppers, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, and chopped turkey meat. A couple of small pieces of garlic Italian bread. 800 calories.

Bootylicious Muffin

Teaspoon of honey, Medium size Banana, 2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter & 2 Tablespoons of Jelly on Whole Wheat Bread. 650 calories

Tuna Salad

Chunk White Water Packed Tuna Fish & Cottage Cheese in a bowl, add in tomato, avocado, carrot slivers, handful of almonds, walnuts, salt & pepper. 600 calories.

3 Egg Omelet

3 whole egg / 3 yolk omelet with sautéed spinach, bacon, tomato, avocado, shredded cheddar cheese. Large Bowl of slow cook oatmeal, tsp of brown sugar, almonds, walnuts, peanut butter, banana, honey. Large glass of orange juice. 1,000 calories

 

Here are some healthy SNACK ideas...

 

Note: Not all of these snacks are in the 40/30/30 Ratio, but you can always add to them, to make them more of what you would like to snack on.   

 

Important Snacking Tip:

1. Plan ahead - The most important part of snacking, is not to graze aimlessly. Keep snacks handy in your refrigerator, on your countertops, in ziplock bags, in your car, your purse, your backpack - wherever you are going so that when you are hungry, but don't have the time or the desire for a full meal - you can eat something that will satisfy you, keep your insulin levels low, and provide you with the nutrition that complements your meal plan. 

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

 

As more & more Personal Clients & Members of Aaron’s Metabolic Ratcheting Team continue to share their needs & goals for achieving their fitness goals, this MACRO Mastery Guide will continue to evolve & grow.

If you have any questions, or suggestions for Aaron’ Guide, please feel free to Vox him or ask on your Weekly Check Ins!

Let’s do this thing!