What Are Macros And Why Should I Be Counting Them? (2024)

What Are Macros And Why Should I Be Counting Them? (1)

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In the world of weight loss, there are TONS of diet plans out there. Some work. Some don’t. You can count calories. Or points. Or carbs. Or you can track one of the most countable elements: macros. Macros or “flexible dieting” is all the rage, but is it a proven method to healthy living? Here’s the skinny on macro counting:

What is a macro?

First and foremost, knowing what you’re counting is super important, right? Well, “macro” is short for macronutrient. What’s a macronutrient? They’re the three categories of nutrients you eat the most and provide you with most of your energy: protein, carbohydrates and fats. So when you’re counting your macros, you’re counting the grams of proteins, carbs or fat that you’re consuming.

Why do people count macros?

Keeping track of your macros can help you make (or plan to make) smart, healthy food choices. It’s similar to counting calories or points, but it takes the ideology one step further.

What Are Macros And Why Should I Be Counting Them? (3)

So calories don’t matter?

Sorry, but no. Calories DO matter. In the simplest terms, weight loss happens when you burn more calories than you consume. Macro counting helps you understand where those calories are coming from and how they affect your body. It also helps you understand that not all calories are created equal.

For example, let’s say you have a calorie goal of 2,000 a day. One gram of protein is 4 calories. So if you eat 125 g of protein, you’re eating 500 calories from protein, leaving you 1,500 calories to split between your fat and carbs.

“I like that people can focus more on the composition of their food, so they’re going to pay more attention to how they’re fueling their body and how their body reacts, which is really beneficial,” says Claire Brailer, a Registered Dietitian in Montana. “It also might help people meet their fitness goals because they will be having greater satiety when they’re focusing on getting enough protein and paying more attention to what kind of carbohydrates they are consuming rather than just calories alone.”

Sounds like a lot of work, but is it worth it?

Well, that’s up to you to decide. Macro counting is great because it’s not a one-size-fits-all plan. It’s commonly referred to as “flexible dieting” since you’re eating real foods without really depriving your body. People who count their macros might throw around the acronym “IIFYM,” or “If It Fits Your Macros,” meaning you can eat it as long as it fits into your macros. Now, should you cheat the system so you can eat a bunch of cookies and nothing else? No. But can you indulge in a cookie every once in a while and still see success? Yes! Technically there are no “cheat” foods when you’re counting macros, it just means you have to move some macros around to make it fit.

Counting macros can help you:

  • Lose stubborn fat
  • Maintain lean muscle mass
  • Keep your body satisfied

But just because you’re counting macros doesn’t mean you’re eating healthy and this is one of the downsides experts see in the flexible diet method. Technically, you could hit your macro goals without ever ingesting a single veggie. Because of this, you need to make sure you’re focusing on WHAT you’re eating, not just the numbers. As Brailer says, you still need to “eat the rainbow.”

“There is so much more to good nutrition than just macronutrients,” says Cole Adam, a Registered Dietitian in Denver. “This diet says nothing about vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, and other nutrients that are often not on a food label, but play an essential role in good health.”

Some nutrition experts also complain that a macro plan oversimplifies things and won’t address behavioral or emotional aspects of overeating. Others argue that this simplification is a good thing. Have you ever read a nutrition label? There’s so much on there, it can be hard to know what to pay attention to. Calories? Vitamins? Saturated fat? Focusing on macronutrients is a good place to start because every food we eat is made up of some ratio of protein, carbs and fats. And those building blocks quite literally fuel our lives!

OK, how many macros should I eat?

There is no standard amount of macros a person should eat. It is different from person to person and depends on your height, weight, activity level, age and your personal goals.

The first step is determining your daily calorie intake. The National Institute of Health has a very cool calculator to help you figure this out.

Then, it’s time to do some macro math. The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine recommends adults try to get 10-35 percent of your calories from protein, 45-65 percent from carbs and 20-35 percent from fats. You can find macro-counting calculators online (like this one) to help you determine your magic numbers, but it’s best to work with a registered dietitian who can use his or her expertise to guide you through the process. Brailer says to make sure you’re using guidelines from a reputable medical source because some websites, particularly those that promise to turn you into the next Mr. or Miss Olympia, recommend unhealthy ratios like 60 percent protein or 40 percent fat.

Even after you get your starting numbers, you’ll likely have to wiggle things around to find the ratios that work best for your body. And if you see success and experience weight loss, you’ll have to continue to adjust your macros based on your body weight.

How do I keep track of everything?

The tracking process may seem a bit daunting, but apps like MyFitnessPal make it easy to set up daily goals and track your macro intake throughout the day. Most people who successfully count macros as part of their daily routine will tell you, “A failure to plan is planning to fail,” and recommend meal planning and prepping to help you stay on course.

If tracking seems too cumbersome (we get it, like you need ANOTHER thing to do every day), try just tracking your macros for a week. This can help you identify places you could optimize your diet. Many people find that they’re light on protein and can make an effort to beef up the meat (or beans for those vegetarians). Veggies are also commonly missing from the plate but a simple smoothie can help you get your greens.

What Are Macros And Why Should I Be Counting Them? (4)

Ready to get started?

While we’ve focused a lot on macro counting and its benefits to weight loss, it’s also a good way to add some lbs if you’re looking to bulk up (yeah...we kind of hate those people, too). Before starting a new diet routine, you should always consult your doctor to make sure it’s a safe and healthy thing to do. Also remember that while nutrition is key to weight loss and healthy living, exercise is also an important component of the equation. When setting your weight loss goals, remember losing 1-2 pounds a week is a healthy average and consistency is key!

What Are Macros And Why Should I Be Counting Them? (5)

What Are Macros And Why Should I Be Counting Them? (2024)

FAQs

What are macros and why should I be counting them? ›

Well, “macro” is short for macronutrient. What's a macronutrient? They're the three categories of nutrients you eat the most and provide you with most of your energy: protein, carbohydrates and fats. So when you're counting your macros, you're counting the grams of proteins, carbs or fat that you're consuming.

What are the macros? ›

Macronutrients are carbohydrates, fat, and protein. They're the nutrients the body needs in large quantities. These are opposed to micronutrients, which are vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C and zinc, that the body needs less of, in comparison.

How do I know what my macro count should be? ›

To work out how many grams of each you need, you multiply your total daily calories by 0.4 for protein and 0.3 for carbohydrates and fat. The protein and carbohydrate figures are then divided by 4 and the fat figure by 9.

What's most important when counting macros? ›

The most important steps in counting macros are setting a calorie goal and macronutrient range for carbs, protein and fat that works best for you. Then, log your food intake and aim to stay within your macros by eating a diet rich in fresh produce, healthy fats, complex carbs and protein sources.

What is the purpose of a macro short answer? ›

A macro is an action or a set of actions that you can use to automate tasks. Macros are recorded in the Visual Basic for Applications programming language. You can always run a macro by clicking the Macros command on the Developer tab on the ribbon.

What is the main purpose of macros? ›

Macros are used to make a sequence of computing instructions available to the programmer as a single program statement, making the programming task less tedious and less error-prone. (Thus, they are called "macros" because a "big" block of code can be expanded from a "small" sequence of characters.)

What is macro and example? ›

A macro is a piece of code in a program that is replaced by the value of the macro. Macro is defined by #define directive. Whenever a macro name is encountered by the compiler, it replaces the name with the definition of the macro. Macro definitions need not be terminated by a semi-colon(;).

What is an example of good macros? ›

Good Macros
  • Fresh Fruits (carb)
  • Vegetables (carb)
  • Whole Grains (carb)
  • Lentils (high protein carb)
  • Beans (high protein carb.
  • Nuts (high protein fatty carb)
  • Lean Meats and Poultry (protein)
  • White Fish (protein)

What is a macro for dummies? ›

A macro is a piece of code within Excel that you can use to automate many routine tasks—just like the ones I mentioned above.

What should my macros look like if I want to lose weight? ›

How do you count macros for weight loss?
  • If you exercise for an hour or less daily: 30% protein, 30% fat, 40% carbs.
  • If you exercise for one to two hours daily: 30% protein, 25% fat, 45% carbs.
  • If you exercise for more than two hours daily: Consider seeing a certified sports dietitian.
14 Jan 2022

What macros should I eat daily? ›

The acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges (AMDR) are 45–65% of your daily calories from carbs, 20–35% from fats and 10–35% from protein. To lose weight, find a ratio you can stick with, focus on healthy foods and eat fewer calories than you burn.

What's the best macros for weight loss? ›

The best macros for fat loss
  • 50% carbs.
  • 35% protein.
  • 15% fat.
16 Mar 2022

Does it matter what you eat when counting macros? ›

With macro counting, each person's total calories and their macronutrient profile are tailored to their individual goals, but the appeal of macro counting for many people is that they are free to eat whatever foods they'd like as long as they fit into their daily macronutrient totals — no matter if that's broccoli or ...

Do I have to count macros or can I just count calories? ›

If your goal is to have a poppin' six pack and sculpted shoulders, then counting macros is the only way to prevent muscle loss and guarantee that the weight you're shedding is unwanted fat. Bottom Line: Counting calories can not only help you lose weight but also build muscle, have more energy, and get lean.

Why counting macros is better than calories? ›

An advantage of counting macros is that it ensures that some essential nutrients are incorporated into your diet, instead of focusing solely on calories. Counting calories takes no account of nutrients.

What is macro explain with steps? ›

A Macros is a piece of programming code that runs in excel environment, and it helps to automate routine tasks. In other words, a macro is a recording of your regular steps in excel, which you can replay using a single button.

What are the 3 goals of macro? ›

In macroeconomics three of these goals receive extra focus: economic growth, price stability and full employment. Economic growth refers to a nation's ability to produce more goods and services over time.

Why is micro and macro important? ›

Microeconomic analysis offers insights into such disparate efforts as making business decisions or formulating public policies. Macroeconomics is more abstruse. It describes relationships among aggregates so big as to be hard to apprehend—such as national income, savings, and the overall price level.

Do I need to count macros? ›

That said, even if your relationship to food and eating isn't and has never been disordered, macro tracking still probably isn't necessary, especially over the long term. Tracking your macros or eating a macro diet can help you feel empowered and in control of your personal nutrition.

Is a major benefit of using macros? ›

Speed versus size The main benefit of using macros is faster execution time. During preprocessing, a macro is expanded (replaced by its definition) inline each time it's used. A function definition occurs only once regardless of how many times it's called.

What are the types of macros? ›

Types of macros
  • Executive macros.
  • Declarative macros.

How many types of macros are there? ›

There are two types of macros: Object-like Macros. Function-like Macros.

How do I create a macro? ›

When you have a repetitive series of tasks to perform, you can record those tasks as a macro.
  1. Place the cursor where you want to start recording the macro.
  2. Click the Record Macro button. ...
  3. Give the macro a name. ...
  4. Click the Keyboard button.
  5. Press the keyboard shortcut keys that you want to use. ...
  6. Click Assign.
  7. Click Close.

How do I count macros examples? ›

You can calculate the calories for each macro by multiplying each by their designated macronutrient calorie count.
  1. 3g of fat x 9 calories per gram = 27 calories.
  2. 13g of carbs x 4 calories per gram = 52 calories.
  3. 3g of protein x 4 calories per gram = 12 calories.
18 Apr 2018

How long does it take to learn macros? ›

So, if you need to create basic macros, you can just learn basic syntax and start coding in about 2 hours. If however, you wish to create complicated programs, you would require to know about all the Excel formulas and how they work as well. That might take up to 1 month.

How much protein is too much? ›

Excessive protein intake would be more than 2 grams per kilogram of body weight each day. If you are overweight, your weight is adjusted before calculating your protein needs to avoid overestimating. You can see a dietitian to help develop a personalized plan.

What are 3 foods that are high in protein? ›

eggs. dairy products – milk, yoghurt (especially Greek yoghurt), cheese (especially cottage cheese) nuts (including nut pastes) and seeds – almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, macadamias, hazelnuts, cashews, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds. legumes and beans – all beans, lentils, chickpeas, split peas, tofu.

Do macros matter when losing weight or just calories? ›

Are macros or calories more important for weight loss? Calorie intake is more crucial for weight loss than macronutrients. All diets produce weight loss by creating a calorie deficit. Some people believe restricted foods are unhealthy or cause fat growth, although nutritional research has debunked this many times.

Which macro burns the most calories? ›

However, protein does have a much greater energy cost than the other macronutrients, so following a higher protein diet – and thereby replacing some of your fat and carb calories with protein – will result in a greater number of calories burned per day.

How fast can you lose weight counting macros? ›

“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.

Can you lose weight by just counting macros? ›

Why counting macros is more effective than counting calories. It's true that the only way to lose weight is by creating a calorie deficit but there's much more to being healthy and promoting sustainable weight loss than simply counting calories. The best way to do this is by tracking your macros.

What does counting your macros mean? ›

It seems like everybody is doing it these days – “counting macros” – which means that they are keeping track of what they eat by weighing and measuring their food and then recording the grams of each macronutrient: protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Is it better to count carbs or macros? ›

For sustainable weight loss, it's better to focus on macros to learn how to eat well. While you could presumably lose weight eating fat and carbs as long as it still resulted in a calorie deficit, that would be unbalanced and result in future health issues.

What happens if you don't hit your macros? ›

Tracking Macros

If you don't get enough protein in your diet, you could lose muscle instead of losing fat, which leads to a lower metabolism. Likewise, not enough carbs can make you feel sluggish, while a diet too low in fats can lead to imbalances in your hormone levels.

What if I go over my macros but not calories? ›

Don't worry… your macro targets aren't that strict! Remember that your total calorie intake is what determines overall weight loss or gain. Regardless of macronutrient intake, as long as you eat less calories than you burn, your body will need to utilize its fat stores to make up the difference.

What is a healthy balance of macros? ›

As a general rule, Albert advises a macronutrient breakdown of 20%-30% fat, 30% protein and 40%-50% carbohydrates. "Focus on getting healthy fats from things like nuts, seeds, olive oil, salmon, and avocados," Albert says. "Keep portion control in mind, because fats are higher in calories.

Is it worth it to count macros? ›

Counting macros is a great way to lose weight. When you choose your macro targets for fat loss, It can help you feel fuller during a diet, retain more muscle during weight loss, and have more energy during your workouts. It is a good way to manage your treats as well.

Should I count macros or calories to lose weight? ›

Are macros or calories more important for weight loss? Calorie intake is more crucial for weight loss than macronutrients. All diets produce weight loss by creating a calorie deficit. Some people believe restricted foods are unhealthy or cause fat growth, although nutritional research has debunked this many times.

Is it better to count calories or macros? ›

An advantage of counting macros is that it ensures that some essential nutrients are incorporated into your diet, instead of focusing solely on calories. Counting calories takes no account of nutrients.

Do you have to hit macros to lose weight? ›

Ultimately, you don't need to track macros or calories to lose weight. You need to be in an energy deficit, and tracking might help you work out how to do that.

Is it better to count calories or protein? ›

Many bodybuilders maintain that protein intake is more important than total calories. In the presence of adequate protein but reduced calories, most individuals will lose weight, but the resulting loss comes from fat tissue, while muscle mass is spared.

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