What Are Macronutrients (Macros)

What in the WORLD are macros?

You have all heard this term before, “Macronutrients”, but do you actually understand what it means? It is a frequently asked question and when I start to explain it, I lose people quickly. Thankfully for you, this whole blog post is dedicated to you all who have asked yourself what in the hell macros are, how to set your macro count, and much more! Knowing this information will set you up for success when trying to understand your diet and why your progress might not be working out the way you planned.

Macro, short for macronutrients, is a term for the three main energy sources which include protein, carbs, and fats. These three sources of energy make up the calories that you eat in everyday life. Keeping track of how and what you are eating defines the idea behind flexible dieting or IIFYM (if it fits your macros).

Tracking your macros gives you the tools to learn what the food you are consuming contains. If you can utilize your total calories in a smart way, you will see better better results. You will notice bodybuilders eat more protein than the yoga lover, or a runner will eat more carbohydrates than someone that is more stationary. Having a coach that can help you find these numbers to reach your goals is beneficial but know the science behind it all also helps. The numbers that a coach might come up will be different due to many other factors so unless you have a degree or prior knowledge in this science, tracking incorrectly could be unsafe.

1.       Everyone is different. All of us will react differently to the amounts of food we eat. Even experienced coaches can miscalculate the amount of macros your body needs every day at the beginning of a diet plan. Counting macros over time will help you figure out what your body needs calorie wise to get you closer to the physique you desire.

2.       Your metabolism is individually based. These calculated numbers are specific to each person and are determined by many factors including weight, age, and activity level.

3.       If you set a number and you find you are starving, than eat. When you find your numbers they are not permanent and will need to be altered slightly over time. Depending on your activity level you may have calculated too high or too low and listening to your body will tell you if you need to change it up. This is why having a coach that understands the process is key. IF you follow a plan wrong for your body you can really mess up your metabolism!

4.       People who are obese or extremely lean will have to use different and specialized calculations due to extreme composition differences. 

The goal is to eat right and get to a desired weight while being able to enjoy yourself and be full. This is why I do not want anyone to copy my numbers or anyone they might see online!

Well thanks for asking. We must first calculate your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). In lamens terms, this means how many calories total your body burns in a day. If you manage to eat under your estimated TDEE you will lose weight and if you eat over you will gain weight (all depending on activity level too). There is a difference between losing weight and losing fat. If you don’t manage your macros correctly, you will lose weight due to muscle loss as well as fat loss.

REE Calculation for women: (remember to use order of operations)

10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161 = REE

EXAMPLE:

Take a female who weighs 55.7kg and is 160cm. She is 24 years old and is moderately active.

(10 x 55.7) + (6.25 x 160) – (5 x 24) – 161 = REE

557 + 1032 – 120 – 161 =

1308 = REE

Once you have this equation figured out select the activity level that best suits your lifestyle:

Pick one of the following:

REE(1308) x 1.55(activity) = TDEE

2,025 = TDEE

 Now since we have these numbers we can start to calculate our macros!

  Calculating Macros

Protein

Important for building muscle, maintaining muscle mass, repairing muscle tissue from training.

First we calculate protein. Protein is very important when it comes to body building and creating a lean physique. Protein builds new muscle and gives your body the nutrients that it needs to repair itself.

If you are bodybuilding then it is recommended to eat 1-1.2g of protein per pound of bodyweight. For an average person who has a moderate activity level it is recommended to eat .825 g of protein per pound of bodyweight.

Example:

A 123lb woman who has a moderate activity level.

123 x .825 = 101g protein a day

Fat

Important for hormone production, back up energy source, and vitamin absorption.

Next you must calculate your fat percentage. Do not be fooled by all of the negative comments surrounding the intake of fat. You need a healthy amount of fat in your daily diet to not only feed your body but to lose weight! Consume fat to lose fat! This is due to the fact that fat helps regulate your hormones and cortisol levels. If you mess with them you mess up a lot of bodily functions.

Once again if you are into bodybuilding and creating a lean physique you should stay on the lower end around 20% of your total calories. If you are just wanting to calculate a normal fat percentage I would suggest staying under 30% of total calories regardless.

Something to consider when deciding on your fat percentage. If you love your healthy fats more than you love carbs than use a higher fat percentage. This would result in a lower carb allowance so choose wisely. If you know your body well enough and you know that you run better on a higher fat % intake, then this would be another example of using a higher percentage.

Example:

TDEE- 2,025 for an average woman who love her fats.

2,025 x 30% = 607 calories

607/9 = 67 g fat/day

Carbs

Important for energy for your whole body and brain.

 Last but not least we have to calculate our carbohydrate intake! It is no secret that most people love their carbs. All the breads, pastas, and baked goods come at a price if you are consuming too much of them. Carbs are converted into glucose and your body in return uses it as your main source of energy. However, if you consume too many carbs in comparison to your calorie expenditure than your body will store those carbs as fat. Carbs are sneaky and are in everything so tracking condiments is a tip to follow!

To calculate carbs you just have to take the remaining calories you have left from your TDEE! You will want to add your protein and fat calories together then subtract that from your total TDEE.

Example:

TDEE- 2,025

(404 (protein) + 607 (fat) ) = 1,011

2,025(TDEE) – 1,011 (carbs/protein) = 1,014 calories for carbs

1,014 calories/4 = 253 g carbs

Now that you have your macros calculated, you want to figure out your goals. Are you trying to lose weight, gain weight, etc. Depending on those goals you will have to lower or add to the numbers you calculated. Remember a lb of fat is -3500 calories a week. To lose a lb you must be in a deficit of 500 calories per day which can be from cutting food, adding exercise, or a combination of both.

You will also have to reassess these numbers as you lose weight, gain muscle, and change activity levels!

Tracking

You have calculated your macros. You now have these magical, mysterious numbers that people always chat about… but what to do with them? WELL you must learn how to track them! Personally, I used MyFitnessPal. The app is easy to downloaded on cellphones and is also accessible on computers. You simply go in and set your own calorie and macro percentage and BOOM. Now all you have to do is track your food. Trying this out is an amazing way to learn about your food so when you need to make decisions on the fly or want to eat healthy you know what to eat and what portion sizes you need! Knowledge is POWER.

As Americans we have been raised to over eat and we need to desperately relearn what portion sizes look like. It is time to wake up and take responsibility for what we put into our bodies. I measure out my food by using a scale I bought from Walmart for 15 dollars. There should be no excuses for not being able to do this. It has definitely made tracking food much easier and once I weigh my food I scan the barcode and enter the portion size onto my app! It is as easy as that!

I hope that this blog provided you with enough information so you can finally start tracking your macros, or at least have an idea of what macros are and learn what nutrients your body needs to meet your specific goals!

I have used IIFYM for my preps and it works. You start to learn what your body reacts well to and what foods you enjoy eating that are healthy for you. If you want results try it out! After a few weeks, play around with the numbers and see what happens! If you bloat easily try a couple days without artificial sweeteners, sugar alcohols, alcohol, simple sugars, and dairy. Many people have an intolerance to these food groups and do not know it!

Well thanks for reading friends! Let me know if you have any concerns or questions!