Macros: Everything you need to know
Hi beauties!
Especially after one of my posts (see pic below), I heard from a lot of you that you'd like to learn how to calculate your macros, so I wrote this Macros Guide to empower you and help you understand the most important factor in getting fit: diet! I promise you won't have to sacrifice your favorite foods! I still ate my favorite foods while counting my macros, and I still do.
Disclaimer: I am not a health care professional nor am I a licensed nutritionist. This is a personal account of my own experience calculating and tracking macros, based on knowledge from my training with NASM as well as with other trainers, my own knowledge as a medical copywriter, and my experience as a competitive athlete.
Let's get into it.
This is something I’ve been working on for a while now, so today we are going to talk about MACROS, what they are, and how to calculate them on your own! I’ve seen people actually selling guides like this one on Instagram, and I just think that is silly. Macros are complicated, yes. But I firmly believe there should be a way to learn about them for FREE. I also think the online articles tend to get over-complicated…So, for those of you who don’t give a crap about the whys behind the calculations or the SCIENCE-Y stuff, I made a 4-step info graphic for you! You can use that to find your starting point and reference this mini-guide for tips when you run into questions.
(Click to download)
And for those of you who do like the science-y stuff? Without further ado…
What are these so-called macros that seem to be all over Instagram?
Macros is short for macronutrients, which are the nutrients that provide calories and include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Surprisingly, alcohol is also a macronutrient.
Our FRIEND, carbohydrates!
Wait, I thought I was supposed to cut out all carbs and die inside a little to lose fat? Guys, throw this extremely false perception IN THE TRASH. Carbohydrates are our friend. They provide the energy we need to make the gains in the gym. Why? When we eat carbs, a limited amount is stored in the liver and skeletal muscle as glycogen. The liver’s glycogen stores can be depleted during a 90-minute endurance activity, or overnight. Once the stores are depleted, the liver will start to break down other substances in order to keep functioning—and without glycogen, they start to break down protein (Nooooo). That’s why we need carbs—to help us spare our protein. Carbs are a diverse food group, and this may be one reason why they are so misunderstood. Overeating carbs that contain excess sugar can lead to obesity and diabetes, as they are often blamed for, but carbs that contain fiber help to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract and may even play a role in preventing colon cancer. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institutes of America recommend that adults consume 45-60% of their total daily calories from mainly complex carbohydrates (e.g., vegetables, grains, pasta, and rice), and whole grains (brown, or whole grain varieties).
Protein (meat sweats pls, or not, if ur veggie that's ok too)
Proteins are long chains of amino acids. They are typically lauded as the most important macronutrient to hit when counting your macros for their ability to increase muscle growth and promote soft tissue health and repair. Protein is involved in fluid balance, blood clotting, enzyme production, hormone regulation, and many other important health processes. The USDA suggests that 10-35% of an adult’s daily calorie intake should come from proteins. This is still hotly debated, however, as many sources argue this to be too low. It’s all about finding what’s right for YOU, and we gon do that TODAH.
Fat
Like carbs and protein, fats provide energy, but to a much greater extent. Fats, also called lipids, are substances that are insoluble in water. Fats serve many functions, including storing energy, supplying essential fatty acids, insulating vital organs, and more. It is recommended that adults consume 20-25% of fats of their daily calorie intake.
Now that we know what macros are, let’s calculate your macros together. To help you, I’ve broken down my macros as an example.
NO B.S. MACROS GUIDE EXPLAINED + FAQs
1. Calculate Your BMR
What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?
Your BMR is the number of calories your body would spend if you Netflix & Chilled all day. In other words, BMR is the caloric intake your body needs to maintain its current weight. BMR is correlated with:
Lean body mass, and to a lesser extent, totally body mass. The larger the total body mass, the higher the BMR
Body composition: The higher the percentage of muscle, the higher the BMR
Gender, age, weight, and other factors
Tip: You will need to know your body fat percentage in order to calculate your BMR. Most gyms have a simple grip device that can calculate this for you—don’t be shy, grab a trainer and ask them if they can help you determine your body fat percentage.
Formulas:
LBM = weight (kg) – (weight x (body fat %/100))
Use the Katch-McArdle* formula to estimate your BMR:
BMR = 370 + 21.6 x lean body mass
My macros, as an example:
LBM = 53 kg – (53 kg x 16/100) = 44.52 kg
BMR = 370 + 21.6 x Lean Body Mass (44.52kg) = 1331.632 kcal
*There are many formulas to calculate BMR. Some are more accurate than others, but no single formula will be 100% accurate. The Katch-McArdle formula is newer and uses lean body mass rather than total body mass, making it more accurate than its predecessor formulas.
2. Calculate Your TDEE
What is Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)?
Your TDEE is the fancy term for the number of calories you burn in a day in addition to your BMR. It’s the number of calories you burn Netflix and Chilling PLUS the number of calories you burn due to your lifestyle (how active you are). You can calculate your TDEE by multiplying your BMR by your lifestyle multiplier.
What are the lifestyle multipliers?
Sedentary (little or no exercise): 1.2
Lightly active (training/sports 2-3 days/week): 1.375
Moderately active (training/sports 4-5 days/week): 1.55
Very active (training/sports 6-7 days a week): 1.725
Extremely active (twice per day, extra heavy workouts): 1.9
Formula:
TDEE= BMR x Lifestyle multiplier
My macros, continued, for example:
TDEE= 1331.632 kcal (my BMR calculated above) x 1.725 (my lifestyle multiplier) = 2297.0652
3. Adjust For Fat Loss
Fat loss? Is that goal right for me? How do I choose a goal?
We see others on Instagram talking about how their “bulk” or “cut” is going, but what does that even mean? If your goal is to “cut,” you will generally be restricting your caloric intake below that of your TDEE in order to cut fat. In the process, you will also lose muscle. Some people like to cut right after a bulk, so they can have that “leaned-out muscle” look. (By the way, there’s no such thing as “lean” muscle, as muscle is lean by definition.) Oppositely, bulking is concerned with consuming a caloric intake that is higher than your TDEE, so as to gain additional muscle, and naturally, some fat will come with it. Thirdly, you may hear some talking about building muscle while at the same time burning fat. This is a slower way to get a lean, muscular body, but it’s safe, healthy, and effective, so long as you stay committed! When doing a body recomposition, your TDEE can either stay the same or be slightly lowered—it will take some playing around with. I wrote this guide for just that—a Body Recomposition, as I feel it is the most popularly requested goal for counting macros. If a body recomposition is not the goal you had in mind, there is plenty of other information on bulking and cutting online!
How do I calculate my TDEE for a Body Recomposition (including fat loss, and muscle gain)?
To reduce fat, you’ll need to consume less than your TDEE. For accuracy, we’ll reduce your TDEE based on your body-fat percentage.
Formula: If your body fat % is:
30%>, reduce TDEE by 30%
20-30%, reduce TDEE by 25%
10-20%, reduce TDEE by 20%
<10%, reduce TDEE by 15%*
*For women, a body fat percentage of 10% or lower would be correlated with a bikini competitor, for example. Women with this low of a body fat percentage are likely not getting their period anymore, although it will resume once they put back on the weight. Men can achieve lower percentages of body fat because they genetically will not hold onto the additional fat women need for ovulation.
My macros, continued, for example:
.20 x 2297.0652 (my TDEE) = 459.41 (so this is equal to 20% of my TDEE)
2297.0652 – 459.41 = 1837.6552 = average daily caloric intake (so here I reduced my TDEE by the 20% I just calculated)
4. Calculate the Macros (the fun part)
How do I actually calculate my 3 macros?
Started from the bottom now we almost there! You should start with protein first, always. I recommend 2.5 grams of protein per kilogram of lean body mass.
PROTEIN
Formula: LBM (calculated above) x 2.5g = Daily protein intake in (g) x 4 (calories) = # of calories of protein you should consume daily. (There are 4 calories in each gram of protein, which is why we multiply by 4).
My macros, for example:
44.52kg (my LBM) x 2.5 = 111.3g protein x 4 = 445.2 calories of protein/day
FAT
Fat is muy importante, as we discussed earlier in this post. You’ll need it for muscle gains as well as recovery. You should never eliminate fats from your diet entirely. I recommend 1.3 g of fat per kilogram of LBM.
Formula: LBM x 1.3g = Daily fat intake in (g) x 4 (calories) = # of calories of fat you should consume daily. (There are 9 calories in each gram of fat, which is why we multiply by 4).
My macros, for example:
44.52kg (my LBM) x 1.3 = 57.9g fat x 9 = 521.1 calories of fat/day
CARBS
Now we’ll add in carbs to balance the equation. You’ll eat whatever is left in remaining calories of your target TDEE to ensure you are eating the right number of calories for your goals. The most important thing about carbs is that you will lower them by 20% on days when you are not working out.
Formula: TDEE – [protein (calories) + fat (calories)] = # of calories of carbs/day
My macros, for example:
1837.6552 (my target TDEE) – [445.2 (my protein in calories) + 521.1 (my fat in calories) = 871.4 # of calories of carbs/day.
So I have my macros…Now what?
First things first, buy a food scale! I literally bought this one from Amazon for cheapo. You’ll be measuring out your macros out on the scale by “zero-ing” the weight of a food container, and then placing your food in the container to see how many grams the actual food is. I know this sounds complicated, but after a few weeks, you start to get a sense of how much you need, and it all becomes easier.
What apps should I use to track my macros?
I love using the My Macros+ app, and would definitely recommend it. It allows you to look up your foods and enter in all of your macros to keep track of what you have remaining in a day.
How do I know what foods fit my macros?
Here’s a starter list!
FATS: Eggs, peanut (or any other kind of butter), avocado, nuts, coconut oil
CARBS: Brown rice, potatoes, vegetables, whole wheat pasta, quinoa, oats!, whole wheat bread, fruit
PROTEINS: Eggs (and egg whites), meats of all kinds such as ground turkey or chicken breast, fish such as tuna or tilapia, tofu, protein supplements (I recommend only using these once a day as a way to reach your target protein intake if needed)
Tip: Some foods overlap in nutritional content. For example, cheese contains both protein and fat. This is where the app can really help! It will keep track of all that and do the math so that you don’t have to.
What is IIFYM?
IIFYM stands for If It Fits Your Macros and is the concept that you can eat whatever foods you choose, should it fit into your macros and target TDEE. This means, theoretically (and literally), that you can have your cake and eat it, too. Just in moderation. I believe in this concept to an extent. I think it really helps people make a lifestyle change which eventually leads to healthier eating habits and increased awareness.
What’s a day in the life of counting macros look like?
I want to vlog this, but for now, here’s a day in my life—the life of a busy, professional, woman (gym from 6AM-7, work from 9-6, sport training from 6:30-8:30PM). There are so many professionals out there trying to eat healthy, and I believe this can be KEY for a lot of people. I see it happening all the time, even some of my coworkers have started doing it.
Here’s an example of my day using the My Macros+ App:
LASTLY BUT V IMPORTANT!
This guide is meant to be used as a STARTING point to calculate your daily needs to reach your health goals. All formulas, no matter which one you use, will have some error built into them. For this reason, it is very important to stick to your macros and take pictures at the beginning and every subsequent 4 weeks. After 4 weeks, you will need to adjust your macros if they have been too low or too high, either based on how you felt or how you appear after 4 weeks. I have increased my macros over time (I am now at ~1800), seeing as I am very active, and I could still increase it more.
Lingering questions? Comment below!