Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by
You’ve heard the saying, “Abs are made in the kitchen.” Right now you’re probably thinking, “Oh yeah? Well, I’m gonna buy a crunch machine and prove that’s not true!” Stop it. You know deep down this myth is just that — a myth. Your hard work in the kitchen is what’s going to get you the great abs you’ve always dreamed of. But in order to get those lean muscles you have a lot of work to do.
Losing weight is hard. You have to give up eating the foods you like, restrict your calorie intake, and work out for hours a day. It takes real dedication to get results. I know because I’ve done it! Weight loss isn’t easy but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Sometimes we don’t do things that are easy otherwise they wouldn’t be worth doing. If you want to know more about Macro Breakdown For Weight Loss, make sure you read this article.
Macro Breakdown For Weight Loss

For decades, calories were regarded as the sole reason why we gained or lost weight. So, naturally, diets of the past focused almost exclusively on calorie counting. But as anyone who’s followed a low-calorie diet has noticed, this usually means deprivation that doesn’t often equate to effective, long-term weight loss.
It’s true that calories matter. The body has unlimited capacity to store extra energy (calories) as fat tissue, so we can’t ignore them. But what we’ve all come to realize (researchers included) is that the nutrients in the foods that provide those calories are equally, if not more, important. In fact, you may find that you can lose weight by simply tracking your nutrients with calories (known as macronutrients) while not cutting calories significantly — which is exactly what the macro diet is about!
What is the macro diet?
What are macros in food? “Macro” stems from the term macronutrient. There are six classes of nutrients that make up all foods, and three of those — carbohydrate, protein, and fat — are known as macronutrients. These three are the only ones that provide energy (which gets measured as calories) to the body.
Vitamins and minerals (referred to as micronutrients) and water are the other three, which play key roles in enabling the body to break down and use energy in macronutrients. However, they don’t directly provide any calories to food or the body.
The macronutrient amounts that you eat are what determine total calories consumed. The macro diet focuses on tweaking those within your estimated calorie needs to determine what macronutrient ratio most effectively supports weight loss and fuels the body.
And it’s not limited to weight loss: The macro diet can also support other goals, like building muscle, weight maintenance, or eating a healthier diet.
What are the benefits of a macro diet?
The macro diet has several benefits: The first one being that it offers a weight loss solution that doesn’t focus on keeping track of calories. Instead, you track daily macros. While this may not seem like a big difference, it’s brought a new, healthier perspective to those of us with calorie-counting fatigue. Many also find that tracking macros shifts their mindset from a calorie-driven one focused on what you can’t eat to a macro-driven one focused on what you can eat.
Counting macros offers several other benefits, too. For the dieting newbie, meal planning by counting macros is a good way to get a handle on portion control, says Ariane Hundt, a clinical nutrition coach in New York City. “It helps people understand where their calories come from and what impact they have on the body,” she adds. And it also helps you make good, informed choices, such as whole food over processed food.
“Becoming aware of macronutrients allows one to figure out the tipping point at which the body creates the desired changes,” says Hundt. “Everyone’s different, but when macros are customized, one can lose between 2% and 5% body fat in a month and an average of 10 pounds in the first month.”
Counting macros can help you make smarter food choices. Instead of choosing a snack based on its total calories, it forces you to look at what is in those calories. And there’s big difference when you compare the macros in a 250-calorie snack of Oreos and a 250-calorie snack of Greek yogurt topped with berries and nuts.
Other times, counting macros may help you choose a snack that fuels your body yet is significantly lower in calories compared to choosing what looks good in the vending machine. Making smarter choices like these also works to keep hunger at bay, balance your energy levels, and curb sugar cravings.
How is a macro diet similar to — and different from — other diets?

The macro diet is similar to the Mediterranean diet, Whole 30, and the Paleo diet because they all emphasize the value of whole, less processed foods.
Additionally, it shares some commonality with Weight Watchers, which uses a point system rather than calorie-counting. On the other hand, the macro diet is unique because it’s not a one-size-fits-all diet. No two macro diet plans look exactly alike or consist of the same foods. This is because it’s highly individualized, and you can adjust the macro ratio or calories based on the results you’re seeing.
How to calculate and track macronutrients
Before you can start tracking, you’ll need to determine your daily macronutrient goals. These four steps guide you through that process.
Step 1: Determine your energy needs and daily calorie goal.
While calories aren’t the primary focus of the macro diet, they do provide a framework for macros. So you have to start by determining your body’s daily calorie needs and then setting a calorie goal.
To determine this, Lauren Kelly, a registered dietitian in New York City, says, “First you want to calculate your personal calorie goal; you can use the Mayo Clinic calorie calculator to estimate your current needs for maintenance, and then reduce that by 10-20% to determine your personal calorie goal for weight loss; a healthy weight loss is about 1-2 pounds weekly.”
For someone whose estimated needs are 2,000 calories per day, this means setting a daily goal of 1,600 to 1,800 calories for weight loss. Those wanting to maintain weight may want to use the original calorie needs calculated, while those looking to gain or add lean body mass, may want to set a goal slightly above estimated needs.
Also, if your goal is weight loss, avoid the temptation to set a calorie goal that’s less than 80% of your estimated calorie needs, as this can backfire from both a hunger and metabolic standpoint.
Step 2: Determine your macronutrient breakdown.
The next step is finding a macronutrient ratio that’s best for your body and goals. This means determining what percentage of your total calories will come from each macronutrient.
A good starting place is to choose a percentage for each macro that falls within the DRI guidelines:
- 45 to 65% of calories from carbohydrate
- 10 to 35% of calories from protein
- 20 to 35% of calories from fat
The percentage total should add up to 100%, which means you have lots of options. For example, someone who feels they lose best by keeping tabs on overall carbohydrate intake might choose a macro breakdown that’s 50% carb, 25% protein, and 25% fat, or 45% carb, 20% protein, and 30% fat. Someone trying to build muscle might choose a breakdown of 55% carb, 25% protein, and 20% fat.
Step 3: Calculate your daily macros.
We now have the information needed to calculate our macro amounts. Using the scenarios above, let’s assume we set a daily goal of 1,800 calories with a macro breakdown of 50% carb, 20% protein, and 30% fat. To determine daily macro goals, multiply your calorie goal by each percentage. This gives you the calories that each macronutrient will provide. Then, divide each of those by the number of calories each macro provides per gram (carb and protein: 4 cal per gram, fat: 9 cal per gram).
Based on this example, your daily macro goals are 225 g carbohydrates, 90 g protein, and 60g fat.
- Carbohydrates: 1,800 x 0.5 = 900 cal divided by 4 cal per gram = 225 g
- Protein: 1,800 x 0.2 = 360 cal divided by 4 cal per gram = 90 g
- Fat: 1,800 x 0.3 = 540 cal divided by 9 cal per gram = 60 g
Step 4: Track your macros.
The easiest way to track your macros is to use a diet or meal planning app that has this feature. MyFitnessPal is a free app that’s easy to use. Once you update the settings to reflect your calorie and macro goals, you start entering your intake. The app provides a running total for each macro and compares that to your daily goal. At the end of the day, you can see your exact macro percentages for the day. Other popular tracking apps are My Macros+ and Lose It!.
How to use macros for weight loss

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Determining the right breakdown of macros for weight loss varies by individual and often requires some trial, error, and adjustment. To get started, the best thing to do is to determine your calorie goal (see step one above) and choose a macronutrient breakdown within the ranges provided in step two. Once you calculate your daily macro goals and start tracking and follow it for several days to a week, assess how you’ve felt over the past few days,
- Do you have enough energy? If not, you may need to go back to step two and increase the carbohydrate percentage.
- Are you getting hungry between meals? If yes, try slightly decreasing the carb percentage and increasing protein and/or fat a little bit.
- Are you eating all your macros (or getting pretty close)? If not, you’re falling significantly short of your calorie goal. Don’t make any changes yet. Keep going, placing a greater emphasis on hitting your macro goals, then reassess.
“For someone just getting started on this diet, it is a good idea to meet with a registered dietitian to determine the macronutrient breakdown that you are currently consuming and discuss your goals,” says Lisa Cohn, RD. “Your dietitian can then help determine the best breakdown for you and guide you on how to make this lifestyle transition.”
2 keys for weight loss on the macro diet
There are a two important factors that affect your success on the macro diet. In fact, these are equally important as calculating and tracking your macros.
#1 The quality of food choices matters.
The macro diet focuses on whole, minimally processed foods — ones that are packed with nutrients instead of added sugars, trans fats, and other less healthy ingredients — and this impacts overall nutrition and metabolism.
For example, the added sugars in sodas, candy, and desserts count toward your daily carbohydrate goal, meaning there’s less room in your diet for healthier complex carbs with fiber. They also cause glucose fluctuations. “It’s important to understand there are versions of each of the macronutrients that are healthier than others,” says Kelly. “It’s best to stick with the less processed foods, and instead choose whole, fresh food. The fewer ingredients, the better!”
Hundt agrees and suggests focusing on choices like these for each of the macros.
- Carbohydrates: Vegetables, including starchy ones, whole grains, legumes, and fruit.
- Protein: Fatty fish (salmon, mackerel, herring); lean animal proteins like grass-fed beef, chicken, and turkey; eggs, nuts, seeds, and some dairy, like Greek yogurt.
- Fat: Foods high in essential fatty acids such as olive oil, avocado, almonds, Brazil nuts, and macadamia nuts.
#2 Portion sizes and servings matter.
The more accurately you’re able to track, the better. Usually, this means measuring everything while you’re getting started. Measuring cups and spoons will help you learn the macros in portion sizes of different foods. A food scale can be helpful, too. After a while, you’ll probably get good at eyeballing your favorite foods to log portion size into your tracking app and not have to measure as much.
The macro diet is an approach to weight loss that’s tailored to your nutrient needs and goals. And the best part by far is there’s no calorie counting!
Counting Macros Is a Smart Way to Lose Weight and Build Muscle

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Dieting is really, really hard—and this simple fact is why so many diets fail.
But it makes total sense: Who likes being told what you can and can’t eat, especially when so many diets restrict you to eating too many foods you don’t like and not enough of the foods you do?
And even though diets often work in achieving their primary goal—helping you lose weight—they often do so at the expense of your general health, overall enjoyment, and long-term stick-to-it-ness.
“Long-term” is a key phrase there too. Fad diets are also often called “crash” diets because they work for most people, but only in the short-term.
Here’s where counting macronutrients, or “macros,” offers relief. This approach to eating (it’s not really a diet) also goes by the names of “If It Fits Your Macros (or IIFYM) Diet” and the more general “flexible dieting.” Again, it’s not really a diet because basically you can eat anything you want and still lose weight—without counting calories.
According to an IIFYM eating plan, if you stick to your daily macro goals, you’ll automatically consume fewer calories, which can lead to weight loss.
“The overall concept is similar to [WW] in that you can eat what you want as long as you’re keeping your calories at a certain level, but with flexible dieting there’s an emphasis on protein,” explains Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., director of the Human Performance Lab at CUNY Lehman College in New York. That said, unlike WW, you’re not expected to keep track of points (although there is a little math involved).
Another bonus to counting macros: That emphasis consuming enough protein can also help you build muscle while losing weight. And that’s not a promise any weight-loss-focused crash diet can deliver on.
Intrigued? Here’s everything you should know about how to count your macros, and whether or not it actually works for weight loss.
First of all, what’s a macro?
There are three macronutrients that make up every bite of food you eat: protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

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While many foods contain all of these macronutrients, most foods skew heavily toward one or two of them. For instance, meat is loaded with protein, bread is mostly carbohydrates, and olive oil is predominantly fat. Your body needs all three in some capacity to perform its daily functions.
According to the macro diet, you can lose weight by setting a goal for exactly how many grams of protein, carbohydrates, and fat to eat per day. Again, unlike most traditional diets, you don’t have to count calories, and unlike low-carb or low-fat diets, you don’t need to to eliminate your favorite foods, like potatoes, pasta, or bacon.
In theory, you can eat anything you want under the IIFYM plan, provided it fits into your macro count.
How do you find out how many macros you need?
Calculating your macros requires some basic math.
But if you’d rather not take the DIY approach, IIFYM.com offers a macro calculator using your current weight, goal weight and activity level.
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Step 1: Find out your “energy balance,” or the number of calories you take in and burn each day, Schoenfeld says. The National Institute of Health (NIH) offers an online calculator that uses your weight, activity level, and gender to estimate how many calories your body expends each day. Websites and apps like My Fitness Pal can help you log your calorie intake.
Step 2: Once you have those figures, you need to come up with a target calorie intake to meet your weight goals. To lose weight, you need the number of calories you consume to be 10 to 15 percent below what you’re burning every day, Schoenfeld says.
Step 3: After determining the total number of calories you should eat per day, you’ll have to figure out how many of your daily calories should come from fat, carbs, and protein. Some IIFYM sites and blogs advocate for a strict 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbohydrate, and 20 percent fat split, but Schoenfeld says “there is no optimal ratio. Some people do well on lower-carb plans, and some people do well on lower-fat. It all depends on the individual.”
And not just the individual, but what the individual is doing in terms of activity.
That said, you should keep an especially close eye on your protein intake: “the scientific literature is very clear that getting proper amounts of protein is the most important thing to maximize muscle and improve body composition,” he says. Some macro diet coaches even advise eating one gram of protein for every pound that you weigh.
If you’re an athlete or in training, your diet should weigh more heavily towards carbohydrates, says Stella Volpe, Ph.D., chair of nutrition sciences at Drexel University in Philadelphia. “You need to replenish that glycogen your muscles are using during exercise,” she explains, since glycogen is the energy that powers you during a workout.
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And if you constantly feel hungry, emphasizing healthy fats, like avocados and nuts, may be beneficial. “Fats are very satiating,” Volpe says.
What does an example of a macro plan look like?
Let’s take a daily calorie goal of 2,000 (which, yes, is low for the average, active adult male, but this is just for illustrative purposes).
Here is what a macronutrient breakdown would look for that daily caloric goal of 2,000 based on the 40/40/20 ratio noted above.
2000 calories per day x .40 (percentage of calories from carbs) = 800 calories➗ 4 (the number of calories per gram of carbohydrate) = 200 grams of carbohydrates
2000 calories per day x .40 (percentage of calories from protein) = 800 calories➗ 4 (the number of calories per gram of protein) = 200 grams of protein
2000 calories per day x .20 (percentage of calories from protein) = 400 calories ➗ 9 (the number of calories per gram of fat)= 44 grams of fat
Does counting your macros help you lose weight?
It sure can—with some general rules in place.
Macros can help you lose weight, some nutrition experts argue, because flexible dieting because it doesn’t restrict foods and offers more wiggle room for occasional indulgences.
“I think focusing on the right balance of protein and carbs and fat while allowing yourself some freedom to eat candy or fun foods now and then is a good approach,” says Volpe.
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That said, flexible dieting is not an excuse to eat whatever you want. Food quality still matters. Vegetables, which are full of disease-fighting antioxidants and fiber, will always be better for you than chips or cookies, which are essentially empty calories.
“I’m a proponent of flexible dieting, and I think it’s the most practical approach to weight maintenance, but I think the concept has been bastardized a little bit,” Schoenfeld says. “Some people have oversimplified it and said you can eat Pop Tarts or Cheez Doodles for your carbohydrates as long as you’re hitting your macros, and I don’t agree with that.”
Consistently eating large amounts of fast food and processed snacks just because it “fits your macros” isn’t necessarily sustainable when you look at the bigger picture of what it means to eat for your health. “The quality of your diet is still one of the most important factors,” says Volpe.
How do you meal plan on the macro diet?
If you don’t already cook, meal planning may sound stressful–but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some things to consider:
- Determine how many meals you’ll actually need for the week. If you want enough food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner throughout the work week, then technically you’ll need 15 meals.
- Instead of cooking 15 separate meals, whip up a few batches of protein, vegetables, and grains that can be prepared in various ways throughout the week. For example, roasted pork loin can be served alongside broccoli one night, scrambled with eggs the next morning, or served as a salad topper for lunch.
- If you want fool-proof meals, invest in a crockpot so you can throw in your meat and veggies for a designated amount of time and monitor progress.
- A food scale is necessary to ensure you’re not overeating. It’s way too easy to underestimate portion sizes. The Escali Primo Digital Kitchen Scale costs less than $30 on Amazon and has more than 1,000 reviews.