I keep receiving so many messages on facebook, Instagram etc to help people understand macros more and help them track them! I unfortunately don't have time to reply to everyone & calculate them so I thought instead I would post a blog to share how I calculate mine, what I have learnt from macros tracking and the ways to go about it!
Firstly let me start by saying... macro tracking is not for everyone and actually I wouldn't recommend it if you are just starting out on a weight loss journey! Why? Simply because it can be quite time consuming to start and a little overwhelming. Anyone who is starting on a weight loss journey simply needs to make small changes i.e. increasing the protein in your diet so eat more chicken / turkey, increasing the amount of vegetables you eat with each meal, cutting out the processed foods and eating clean... This will be the best way to start your journey and won't be so daunting that it puts you off!
For those who are training & looking to improve your results / strength etc - macro tracking may well be for you! It massively opened my eyes to what I was eating, what foods are super high in fats / carbs / proteins, what I should eat more of...!
So let me try to simplify things!
The starting point for any macro tracker has to be calories as these are ultimately what will impact your weight gain / maintenance or loss.
I personally use the Harris Benedict Equation to calculate my calorie requirement (there are so many formulae available however a number of people recommended this one to me and this is the one my nutrition course recommends too so I'm happy with this one!) So for anyone looking to get started - google this!! Calculate your calorie requirement!
One of the questions is regarding your activity levels - be honest now!! I put myself in low / moderate activity and I DO exercise.... really think about how much of your day you spend active. You may be like me and exercise but then sit at a desk all day!
So... you now have your ideal calories calculated! This is simply a starting point and must be manipulated in order to gain or lose weight.
I personally applied a 15% deficit to my recommend calories to aid weightloss - no one should really need to have a higher than 15% deficit unless extremely obese, however, we are all so different! The thing with macro tracking / calories is it depends on the individual and how they feel!
So maybe as a starting point make a 5-10% increase or decrease and continue to monitor your progress over a couple of weeks, then make changes if you want!
So now you have your calories.... let me explain macros as simply as I possibly can! Macros (macro nutrients) are simply 1. Alcohol 2. Carbs 3. Protein 4. Fats. Macros are the building blocks to calories!
If you have 2,000 calories to use in a day... you build up to that by hitting your macros! I'm excluding alcohol from this as I don't think it is necessary to be included in this blog post!
Fats - 9calories per 1g
Carbs - 4 calories per 1g
Protein - 4 calories per 1g
As you can see.... by adding fats, proteins and carbs together you can hit that calorie target!! (it's all basic mathematics.... Can you see why I look it now? The accountant in me enjoys the geekiness that comes with macro tracking!)
What's the ideal split?
I have played around with my macros over the past 6 months - high carbs, high protein, low fats. Low carbs, high protein, moderate fats. You get the point.
Carbs are NOT the enemy and therefore should form a substantial part of your calorie intake per day, especially if you are training. As I said above, macro tracking I personally think should only be used by people who are training too!
Again, as with calories, the macro split is dependent on the individual and there is a lot to consider! How you feel is key! I reduced my carbs and felt shattered all the time so I have now increased them! There is also only so much protein your body needs... so no need to go crazy and overload it with protein! To get the ideal split it is a matter of playing around for a few weeks and see what works for you.... but as a starting point and to get going I would recommend 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat!
So let me show you my own macros from today:
Calories - 1,650 - 1700 per day
Fats - 59g - 531 calories (31%)
Protein - 140g - 560 calories (33%)
Carbs - 150g - 600 calories (35%)
Firstly, I do not say to myself my calories are 1,691 per day or whatever it calculates at! I am not going to be so anal about it! So long as I fall between 1,650 - 1,700 per day that's all that matters, even this is quite strict, you could say between 1,600 - 1,700!
Then my actual split - I aim for 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fats however as you can see I'm not always hitting this!! I make sure I have 30% protein per day then I make the rest up with my fats / carbs and try to get as close to 40% carbs as possible! I'm not going to be so strict that I hit 40/30/30 every single day! Life is for living right? Not being so strict and hard on yourself!! Yes I want results and to be healthy but I also want to enjoy myself, this is my balance!
So now I have my splits.... how do I track it? My fitness pal is the best app in my opinion! Download it if you haven't got it already and track your food which you are having each day (ignore the exercise section!) - I use the bar code facility on this app to make it easier to find what I am eating!
Finally....such a common question (and not a stupid question at all as I think a lot of people think this!)
"If you have 140g protein a day does that mean 140g chicken and that's it?" No. The macro is the amount of protein within that chicken i.e. 100g chicken breast contains 26.1g protein.
You hit your macros by eating a variety of food.... My biggest tip is to still eat healthy unprocessed food!! A lot of people work on the "IIFYM" - if it fits your macros principle i.e. eat crap but it fits. I personally think your food is your fuel and you want to get the most out of it! The beauty of macro tracking however is that it does allow you the flexibility! I love a piece of chocolate every now and then, or some sweets & I can fit it into my day without over indulging or feeling guilty!!
I hope this very simple guide has helped those who have been asking me... I am by no means saying I am an expert, and as I advised above, everyone is different it is all a game of trial and error firstly with your calories calculation and then your split of macros but remember one thing we all have in common? We all needs CARBS to function / feel normal, so do not cut these right down!
Enjoy!! Let me know how you all get on and if macro tracking is for you! xx
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