Macro Split For Weight Loss

Last Updated on November 7, 2022 by

Losing weight is not just a simple matter of counting calories. And by now, we all know that the popular “3 Small Meals A Day” is an outdated approach to dieting. To lose weight and get in shape effectively, you need to find an eating schedule that’s flexible enough to fit with your work, life, and family. This app will help you do just that.

There are no miracle pills when it comes to weight loss. There are no shortcuts and there is no magic diet. If you want to drop a couple of pounds, you’re going to have to take some sort of action. Studies have shown that the most effective way to do this is with a macro split, also known as intermittent fasting. Macros have been around for ages and have been used by bodybuilders for weight gain. Now it’s time for you to use Macro splitting to lose weight as well. If you want to know more about Macro Split For Weight Loss, make sure you read this article.

Macro Split For Weight Loss

Great question! In reality, when you’re trying to lose weight, there’s no ironclad macronutrient law for mapping out your diet plan. No macro mix can save you if you eat way too many calories or way too few.

Yet your macro mix is an important consideration. Your body type, metabolism and weekly physical activity level all have some bearing on your ideal percentages for that moment in time. But that doesn’t mean it will be the macronutrient ratio you’ll use forever. It may change if and when your body weight or body fat fluctuates, or if you run into any plateaus.

Pie chart: 50% protein, 35% carbs, 15% fat

Then there’s the fact that you have to continuously manipulate your ratios throughout any fat-loss plan. The macronutrient ratio I typically play with for maintenance purposes is 50% protein, 35% carbs and 15% fats. But that’s for me. I need to stay lean all year round. That ratio won’t necessarily work for you because you have a different body type, fitness goal and activity level.

My body type is an ecto-mesomorph, which means it has a higher tolerance for carbs than most people. Even if I increase my carbs to 40-to-50 percent, I won’t suffer. Not everybody is like that. Individuals who are carb-sensitive have to monitor their carbs closely and make adjustments in their ratios.

Macro-Morphing

Each body type or combination of body types will have a different reaction to various macronutrient ratios. If you’re not sure which type you are—or how to even begin thinking about your macros—here are the ISSA recommendations:

Ectomorph: If you’re an ectomorph, you’re naturally thin with skinny limbs and a high tolerance for carbohydrates. Usually, your metabolic rate is fast. A good starting macronutrient ratio for you would be something like 25% protein, 55% carbs and 20% fat.

Mesomorph: Mesomorphs are naturally muscular and athletic. They have a moderate carbohydrate tolerance and a moderate metabolic rate. Mesomorphs can usually start at a 30% protein, 40% carb, 30% fat macronutrient ratio.

Endomorph: If you’re naturally broad and thick, you’re probably an endomorph. Endomorphs have a low carbohydrate tolerance and a slow metabolic rate. If you’re an endomorph, try a ratio of 35% protein, 25% carbs and 40% fat.

Illustration of mesomorph, ectomorph, and endomorph body types

Don’t let your body type be an excuse for not reaching your goals. If you’re an endomorph and have a difficult time leaning out, or are an ectomorph and can’t seem to gain weight, don’t give up. You can beat your biology; you just need to put some serious work into doing it. You need to want it bad enough.

These ratios are a starting range for most body-types, but don’t be afraid to experiment for better results. Sometimes, decreasing your carbs and increasing your good fats can show remarkable fat-loss results. Get to know your body!

What Should My Macros Be?

Your “macros” are your caloric intake from macronutrients (protein, carbs, and fat). In most cases, these foods should be eaten in a ratio of 45-65% carbs, 10 to 35% proteins, and 20 -35% fats (15). The balance between those macros determines if you’re eating for cutting or bulking/ gaining muscle mass or losing fat.

However, there’s no one-size-fits-all macro split for cutting. Your body type, metabolism, and weekly physical activity level all impact your ideal percentages at a given time. Bear in mind that you won’t use one macronutrient ratio forever. It may change if and when your body weight or body fat fluctuates, or if you run into any plateaus.

macro split for cutting

Macro-Morphing

According to ISSA guidelines for cutting this is the protocol you want to follow : 

  • A calorie deficit of 10-20% from your TDEE. 
  • Protein intake of 1 g/lb of lean body weight.
  • Carbs with remaining calories coming from fats.

Just like your body is different from someone else’s, so are the macro requirements for you. Before settling on a macro split regimen, it is important to understand which macronutrient ratio will work best for your body type. Based on ISSA recommendations, there are 3 main types of ratios based on body types:

Ectomorph

If you’re an ectomorph, you have a lean, hard-gaining body type. You’re naturally thin with a high metabolic rate and have a high tolerance for carbs. A good starting macronutrient ratio for you would be 25% protein, 55% carbs, and 20% fat.

Mesomorph

If you’re a mesomorph you have an athletic, well-toned physique that gains muscle easily on a diet rich in protein with moderate carbs. You have a moderate metabolic rate. A good macro split for you would be 30% protein, 40% carb, 30% fat.

Endomorph

If you’re an endomorph you have a round figure. You have a low tolerance for carbohydrates and a slow metabolic rate. An ideal macro split would be 35% protein, 25% carbs, and 40% fat.

How To Calculate Macros For Cutting?

When doing a recomp (cutting) diet, the main goal is to lose body fat while maintaining as much muscle as possible (2). Most people lift weights regularly to avoid going into a catabolic state where their muscle gets eaten up for energy. Your goals are to lose fat, preserve your muscle mass, and have a balanced diet to avoid getting sick from having too little carbs or protein.

You’ll notice that most macro split recommendations are called “starting macros” This is because the best way to determine your ideal macro split for cutting while retaining muscle is by trial and error over several weeks. You’ll keep adjusting the ratio as you go. 

Start by finding your ideal macro ratio using a macro calculator found on several fitness sites. All you need to do is enter some basic information and it will tell you exactly what percentage of calories should come from protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Then, begin your trial and error by following these steps:

  • Measure your weight once per week.
  • Track daily macro intake. 
  • After at least 2 weeks’ notice the results. 
  • If you lose fat but maintain muscle mass over several weeks it’s a sign of good macro-management. In that case, try to learn what happened and how you can improve your ratios for future meals and workouts. 
  • If you’re not losing enough fat, then consider reducing calories or increasing exercise until results are seen. 
  • Maintaining the same workout routine without seeing improvement could also be due to poor recovery from workouts (recovery is known as hypertrophy) so make sure sleep, diet, and supplementation are adequate before changing your macros.
  • Give it time; don’t change ratios more than once every 2 weeks. 
  • Once you get in touch with the best ratio, then consider increasing calories by 5%, because it’s quite difficult to maintain a caloric deficit over long periods.

This increase in calories doesn’t mean that you can eat anything you want as long as it fits your macros. You still need to follow the basic rules of healthy eating: avoid too much junk food, sugar, and processed foods as much as possible (8).

macro split for cutting

Counting Calories Vs. Counting Macros

When it comes to losing fat, how much you eat matters more than the amounts of macronutrients. Several studies have proven that any reduced-calorie (low-carb, low-fat, etc) diet can cause similar amounts of weight loss in the long term (5).

So, the key to fat loss is a calorie deficit. Without this, no macro ratio will work. 

However, not all calories are the same. Calories from different food sources have a different impact on satiety, metabolic rate, and hormonal responses (13). And this is why you need to consider your macros. 

Think of it this way: to get 100 calories from broccoli, you’ll have to eat four cups (340 grams) of it. On the other hand, to get 100 calories from doughnuts, you’ll only eat one-half of a medium-sized glazed doughnut. 

If you manage to finish four cups of broccoli in one sitting, you’ll be full of all the fiber. Plus, you’ll have gotten all the nutrients contained in these veggies. However, to get full of doughnuts you’ll have to eat more than one-half. Even worse, you’ll be filling up on refined carbs and fats. 

So, although calories determine weight loss, they differ in how they affect your health and ability to lose weight. It’s why simply counting calories is not enough, you have to go the extra mile to choose healthy sources of these calories, And this boils down to finding the best macro split for your body type.

macro split for cutting

Meal Prepping To Hit Your Macros

Knowing your macros is only half the battle, you also need to eat a diet that helps you hit them. Meal prepping for a macro-based diet is not easy — it takes a fair amount of strategy and commitment. 

That being said, if you are serious about reaching your goals and getting results consistently, meal prepping is what’s going to separate the protein shake crowd from the shredded one.

Meal prepping provides a number of benefits that help you reach your goals and lose weight (11). You’ll have no excuses to eat junk food because you’ve stocked up on healthy meals and snacks. More importantly, you’ll have less stress by planning out meals in advance, this makes healthy eating less frustrating and easier to stick to for the long term. 

Get Your Portions Right

Meal prepping on a macro diet can make keeping your portion control in check and calorie control even more manageable. Consider buying a food scale or use a food tracking app to be as precise as possible and learn the exact portion sizes that match your individual needs.

Note that your portions can change based on your activity (10). You can adjust carb and protein portions around your workouts, eating more food when you are more active and a lighter meal on rest days or not moving around as much.

Here are some portion control tips for your meals:

Pack Each Meal With Veggies

Choose greens that you enjoy eating; they help minimize hunger pangs and keep you feeling fuller longer so you don’t go overboard on the rest of your food (3). Leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, or dark leaf varieties can be especially beneficial and easy to prepare in advance.

Choose Lean Proteins

Include foods with lean protein in each meal. Aim for about 30 grams of healthy protein per meal (14). Keep it as clean and lean as possible; trim the fat off your meats or remove the skin when preparing chicken breasts. Turkey, fish, eggs, beans, legumes, dairy (in limited amounts), nuts, and seeds are all great sources to use throughout the day.

Use Whole Grains 

Whole grains are a great addition to each meal. They’re naturally rich in fiber, which will help you feel full, and have been shown to help stabilize blood sugar levels after eating (6). Stick with whole grains like oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, or whole-grain pasta.

The Fats You Add To Your Meals Should Be Healthy Ones

Healthy fats can include foods like avocado, olive oil, and nuts (1). Incorporate these into your meals for extra satiety and nutrition (especially if you’re using them as snacks between meals). Fish oils, flaxseed oil, and walnuts are all great options for boosting Omega 3’s in your diet too — something that is important when following a low carb diet since carbs take the place of Omega 3’s in the body.

Minimize Heavy Sauces And High Sugar Dressings

Try to keep your meal prep as simple as possible by minimizing the amount of high sugar dressings that you use, even in the sauces. Dark chocolate is a great addition and can be used to sweeten sweeter veggies like steamed beets or cauliflower.

Consider Volume Eating

Your portions should be just enough so that you are satiated. Too little will leave you starving, and too much will result in overeating. One way to get full without eating too many calories is by volume eating. Volume eating is eating large portions of low-calorie foods, e.g. vegetables.

Split Up Nuts Into Single Servings

Nuts contain a lot of calories, but don’t let that scare you off because they are also rich in protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals (7). Just remember not to overdo it! Since the serving size is pretty small, split it into 4 individual servings by using sandwich bags. This allows you to still enjoy each snack portion without overeating.

When preparing single-serve containers, add some fresh berries to give it a little extra flavor, which is not only delicious but also satisfies any cravings you may be having for something sweet.

Choose A Method That Works For You

Meal prepping doesn’t have to mean spending hours in the kitchen every day planning out meals (although if you want to do it this way then go for it). You might find that batch cooking on weekends works best for you (9). Prepare one “big” meal at the beginning of each weekend and then split it into individual containers throughout the week when we are ready to eat them e.g chicken burgers with salad and sweet potato fries, so you can then have one meal that is ready to go.

macro split for cutting

Stock Up On Staple Foods When They Are On Sale

A macro-based diet can be expensive to stick to when shopping at regular grocery stores, so search for sale items on things that are commonly used in your recipes and stock up when they are available. 

Food like chicken, peanut butter, ground beef & cheese freeze well when packaged properly in air sealed containers or bags. Pick a few staple flavors of your favorite protein sources and then mix them up by cooking different sauces with them (ex. BBQ sauce mixed with ground beef) so you have less repetition on what you’re eating throughout the week.

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