​Reading a nutrition label is important to know how to do as all the information on the macronutrients are there. Here is an example of a food label.

1. It’s important that you work your way down. Starting with the serving size, which in this case is 55grams.
2. Then from there you want to read what’s in each serving. Starting with the Calories Per Serving (230 cals).
3. Then you look at the first value and it has 8grams of Fat per serving.
4. Saturated Fat is 1gram which is fine as Saturated Fats aren’t bad for us.
5. Trans Fats is 0grams which is brilliant because this is the ‘bad fat’ which is man-made fats.
6. Cholesterol & Sodium are non-important in this circumstance.
7. Total Carbohydrates is at 37grams, with Dietary Fibre at 4grams & Sugars at 1gram.
8. Protein is at 3grams which is low but this food could be classed as a high carb food.
9. Calculate to make sure the information is correct.

(Total Carbs x 4) + (Total Protein x 4) + (Total Fats x 9) = Total Calories (230cals)
(37 x 4) + (3 x 4) + (8 x 9) = 232cals (230cals)
 
As you can see they tend to round it to the closest whole number. Now in all honesty 2 extra calories won’t cause to much notable damage but just be aware of this.
Pick up different food and read their nutritional label to see how accurate they are. Be conscious of what you put into your body.

What is Macros?
Macros or Macronutrients consist of 3 main categories. (1) Carbohydrates, (2) Protein, (3) Fats. These all have an energy value which is measured in calories. Carbohydrates or Carbs has 4 calories per 1 gram, Protein also has 4 calories per 1 gram. While Fats have 9 calories per 1 gram.
Our body needs an X amount of calories to function even before we get out of bed, this is even before getting up to make yourself a coffee. Then throughout the day our body burns off calories by doing physical activity, be it walking to the car, walking up the stairs, putting your spoon full of oats to your mouth. Any movement of your body burns off calories.
How do you figure out your macros, the most accurate way I find is by doing the following method.
GET READY FOR MATHS!!
Step 1:
Males:
                66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs) + (12.9 x height in inchs) – (6.8 x age) = BMR
Females:
                655 + (4.3 x body weight in lbs) + (4.7 x height in inchs) – (4.7 x age) = BMR
Step 2:
Multiply your calculated BMR x a value from that best describes your activity level.
Office Job, inactive = 1.2
1-2 exercise = 1.3
3-5 days exercise = 1.4
6-7 days of exercise = 1.6
7+ training season a week and an active job = 1.7
BMR x Activity Level = Total Calories
Step 3:
Multiply 1.1 to your Total Calories and you get your Maintenance Calories.
 
Here is an example of my Maintenance Calories. 
Weight in lbs = 189.2lbs ; Height in inchs = 68” ; Age = 21.
66 + (6.3 x body weight in lbs) + (12.9 x height in inchs) – (6.8 x age) = BMR
Feeding information into the equation above.
                66 + (6.3 x 189.2) + (12.9 x 68) – (6.8 x 21) = 1992.36
I train 6 times a week with an active job(fitness instructor).
                BMR x Activity Level = Total Calories.
                1992.36 x 1.6 = 3187.776
Multiply your total calories by 1.1.
                Total Calories x 1.1 = Maintenance Calories.
                3187.776 x 1.1 = 3506 Calories.
 
Now this is an estimate so give it two weeks, weighing yourself in the morning after you went to the toilet, record it. If your weight on average each week stays the same then you have your baseline. From there you can increase or decrease calories depending on your goal. However if your weight doesn’t stay the same, if it goes up then you lower your maintenance by 100 calories and repeat the two weeks, or if your weight goes down then you increase the calories by 100 and repeat the two weeks.

I want to lose weight, but how?
Losing weight can be done by a simple way which is getting your diet on track, yes this is the slow way of doing it but if you allow time you will keep the weight off. As the longer the road is the more aware you become of how difficult the journey was, so you will think twice about having that extra piece of chocolate.
 
First thing is first,
(1) Make out a list of all the foods you like, from there you take out all the unhealthy foods such as ice cream or chocolate. You put them into a category called “Treats”, these are to be ate once a week. Then you start to make substitutes:

• vanilla ice cream = vanilla greek yogurt,
• chocolate = chocolate flavoured protein bar
• hazelnut latte from costa = black coffee with sugar free hazelnut syrup
• Can of fizzy drink = can of diet fizzy drink
• Pork Sausage = Turkey Sausages

You make the right food choices to make the diet sustainable.
(2) Never have treats lying around the house only buy them when its treat day.
(3) Plan out your meals, do a big shopping once a week, getting all your veg, fruits, carb sources, protein sources & fat sources.
(4) Don’t eat the same thing every day as you lose interest and want to cheat, keep your meals interesting but simple. Don’t just eat salads or rice & chicken.
(5) If you are feeling hungry and your next meal isn’t for a few hours, have a decaf coffee as it will supress the hunger while not giving you the caffeine buzz.
(6) Always be willing to change a recipe. If the cheese in your dish doesn’t fit into your macronutrients, then go for a low fat substitute, if that doesn’t fit then just don’t use cheese. Simple.
The weight loss journey is slow but stick at it and you will see results, slow and steady wins the race.