What Are Macros and How To Count Them

Macros are macronutrients — the nutrients in food that provide calories. The three main macros are protein, carbohydrates and fat. This guide explains what macros are, why they matter, and how to count and track them.

‘Macro coaching’ is increasingly common these days.

Some call it flexible dieting. Others, macro-tracking. 

You may know all about it. Through a personal trainer, a nutritionist, or friends who uses them.

Or perhaps just heard the phrase used in health and fitness circles.

In this article we'll discuss it all. From the basic principles, to specific advice on how you can track your macro intake. And some of the issues you need to address to be successful using this approach. 

Key Takeaways

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The Basics: What Are Macros?

Macros stands for macronutrients. Macronutrients are the nutrients in food that provide energy (calories). The three main macronutrients are protein, carbohydrates and fats.

Alcohol also contains calories. It is not technically considered a macronutrient, but we do need to track alcohol intake because it contributes to our overall energy intake.

• Protein has 4kcal per gram. Assuming an average chicken breast of 100g, this has approximately 31g of protein equating to 165kcal (1, 2)

• Fats 9kcal per gram. A tablespoon of olive oil is around 13.5g and is all fat, so it has ~120kcal. (1, 3)

• Carbs 4kcal per gram. A large baked potato is approximately 299g and provides 278 kcal, 63.24g of carbohydrate, 7.48g of protein and 0.39g of fat. (1, 4)

• Alcohol 7kcal per gram. (1)

In simple terms, when people talk about “macros” in food, dieting or fitness, they are usually referring to the protein, carbohydrates and fats they get from the foods they eat.

To lose weight - or more specifically body fat - we need to be using more energy each day than we consume from food. If we are looking to gain weight the opposite is true. 

Why Macros are Important (or Perhaps Not)

Naturally, if we consider that calories matter, then keeping an eye on our food intake and counting macros is probably a good idea. But why not just track total calories and not worry about macros?

Well, there are a few reasons.

To lose weight - or more specifically body fat - we need to be using more energy each day than we consume from food. If we are looking to gain weight, the opposite is true. This calories in versus calories out equation (CICO) is also known as energy balance. (5, 6)

Our total calorie intake will determine whether we lose or gain weight, but macro composition can influence how we lose or gain weight, how much we potentially lose, and how easily we can lose it.

A healthy diet depends on more than calories alone, because not all foods are created equal. If you track macros, you get a clearer view of your macronutrient intake and whether your meals support a balanced diet, your health goals, and your fitness goals.

Even with people who ‘track’ their intake but don’t get the results they expect, this does not refute CICO but does highlight some problems with the approach.

These are largely related to potential errors in tracking macro data and/or people ignoring all those little things that can really add up, which can make it harder to maintain a caloric deficit. Yes, that bite of cake... that spoonful of peanut butter... or that one last beer 'for the road' all contain calories no matter how insignificant they might seem.

Understanding the three main macronutrients - protein, carbohydrates and fat - is therefore a basic part of nutrition and how the body works. The amount of each we eat can influence how easy it is to manage our calorie intake, support our health and achieve our fitness goals.

Protein, Carbs and Fat: A Beginner's Guide

Protein

Protein is the key macronutrient in this regard. Counting macros can help align intake with specific health goals or fitness goals, and in an energy deficit, a higher protein diet will help to preserve lean mass - especially when combined with exercise.

This is, of course, exactly what we want. When we lose weight we actually want fat loss, not just weight loss.

Preserving lean mass (and muscle tissue) will also help to maintain - or perhaps even increase - our energy expenditure.

This helps us to grow muscle and lose body fat at the same time. Particularly in those who are already overweight and/ or new to resistance training, or trying to gain muscle mass.

If the goal is weight gain, then we would typically want to ensure that it is from muscle mass not fat mass. And that adequate protein is required to maximize this process. Older adults may also need more protein to help preserve muscle mass. 

Protein may also help keep us feeling fuller during weight loss

There is some evidence to suggest that when protein is digested into its building blocks - amino acids - the body detects these. And signals the brain to feel full, which is one reason tracking grams of protein can be useful in meal planning. (7)

Finally, protein actually takes a significant amount of energy to digest and absorb in the body. The energy required to digest food is called the thermic effect of food (TEF), and calories are not all created equal when food quality and macronutrient balance differ. Protein also helps support the immune system. (8)

Calories in, calories out (CICO) is a dynamic process. So if we have a diet that contains foods that have a higher TEF, we can actually increase the ‘calories out’ side of the equation.

Same calories in, more calories out

Protein has a much, much higher TEF than both carbohydrates and fats. That means if we swap a very low protein diet for a high protein one, BUT keep the same amount of calories - we could actually cause fat loss.

Because although the ‘calories in’ side of the equation stays the same, our ‘calories out’ are significantly increased due to TEF. 

This is why it is important for protein intake to be matched when comparing diets. In case the differences in fat loss is due to dietary composition.

Carbohydrates and Fats

It is very ‘on trend’ at the moment to follow a low carb diet for fat loss. But what does science say?

It is certainly true that a low carb diet can cause fat loss. But are they actually more effective than diets with an equal amount of calories, but a higher amount of carbohydrate?

In terms of fat loss the answer to this is no. Although low carb diets may get more weight loss in the initial stages, a lot of it will be water weight. Because carbohydrates in our muscles and liver (glycogen) also hold a significant amount of water. (9)

Weight loss v fat loss

If we reduce carbohydrate intake, rather than following a low fat diet, our glycogen reserves are quickly depleted. This prompts big drops in scale weight. But, remember - weight loss isn’t necessarily fat loss.

In terms of pure fat loss, it has been repeatedly shown in well-controlled studies there is no difference in dietary composition between carbs and fats - as long as calorie count is equal. (10)

Carbohydrates have a slightly higher thermic effect of food (TEF) than fats, meaning the body uses a little more energy to digest and process them. However, this difference is relatively small and should not be viewed as a major factor when choosing between carbohydrates and fats for fat loss. (15)

The type of carbohydrate matters too: simple carbs can provide quick energy, while complex carbohydrates are usually more filling and slower-digesting. Foods like baked goods, for example, are faster-digesting carb sources that can also make appetite harder to manage.

Many advocates of low carb diet suggest that hormones, like insulin, are responsible for fat gain and controlling this helps to lose body fat more rapidly.

Carbs v fats: Understanding the macronutrient ratio

It is certainly true that insulin is released as a response to carbohydrate (and protein) intake and not fat. Plus, insulin does increase fat storage - at least in the short term after eating. 

But this is a gross oversimplification of how our body responds after eating.

Fats are essential in the diet because they aid in hormone production, support healthy cell membranes, and help the body absorb certain vitamins. Saturated fats can fit in moderation, while trans fats should be minimized.

For adults, the acceptable macronutrient distribution range for total fat is 20–35% of total calories (Institute of Medicine, 2005). The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, also emphasise choosing healthy fats from whole foods and oils, while limiting saturated fat to no more than 10% of total daily calories. (11, 12)

So even if we follow a lower fat, higher carb diet we need to make sure that there is some focus on fat intake for health reasons.

How Do We Track Macros or Count Macros Accurately?

There are several different food logging apps now available that allow you to either scan the foods you eat.

The most popular food tracking app is My Fitness Pal (MFP). MFP has a huge database of foods, including pretty much every restaurant chain, supermarket and product you can think of, which makes it a solid beginner's guide in practice.

Even if you are eating somewhere that doesn’t have its ‘macros’ on MFP, you can simply choose somewhere similar and get a rough estimate of intake.

Macro Tracking

So it really is this simple:

1. Figure out how many calories you need using a calorie calculator.

2. Work out how many grams of each macro you need for your goals.

3. Track your food intake, starting with one meal if that feels easier, and use portion control to stay consistent and close to your targets each day.

If you prefer, you can have higher or lower days - depending on your schedule. You might want to cut loose a little at a social event, or perhaps want more food on a day when your energy expenditure is higher. No problem. As long as your averages over the course of a week (or weeks) come out the same.

Macro targets can also be adjusted within different eating patterns, including intermittent fasting.

The devil is in the data

Finally, we have to appreciate that these targets are only estimates. So we should be monitoring progress through collecting data on weight, measurements and pictures to inform any tweaks that might need making. 

However, a few words of caution… 

Food tracking apps are only as accurate as the people who use them.

Firstly, if we are tracking data and we can’t accurately weigh our macro intake it is easy to underestimate our intake.

It is also worthwhile noting that our version of a ‘serving’ might be different to what is on an app, and what the app logs as a serving compared to what we might see on a packet or on nutrition labels. As body weight, activity, or progress changes, macro targets should be reassessed rather than left static.

There are obviously many occasions where tracking accurately is a challenge. This is why it is also important to try to use tracking when we can, as a way to understand/educate ourselves on the nutritional value of foods. So when we can’t be 100% accurate, we can at least make a solid estimate.

Check what you track

Secondly, it is important to note that the foods in many tracking apps, including My Fitness Pal are often user generated. This means we might be reliant on other people putting in food data correctly.

Quite often data can be wrong or even missing. For example, we might think we are tracking macros when we are just tracking calories. So we could be easily racking up our calorie intake without realizing if we are solely focusing on macros.

It is a good idea to compare what you are tracking on the app to the information on the product/ restaurant website. Many companies now post their nutritional information online. 

Are Macros the Be All and End All? 

No, no they are not!

As much as calories matter and macros may do too, there are other things we need to consider if we are looking to get the most benefit from our dietary approach.

The foods we choose will impact on our feelings of fullness, helping us stick to a calorie deficit and making weight loss a bit easier. Good nutrition also means including different food groups to support overall health.

One of the mis-applications of food logging is to use it to save up calories to then binge on junk food. Of course, there might be times when we want to keep certain days or meals lower in calories so that we can have the odd treat. 

But purposefully saving up all your calories each day to then eat highly processed ‘junk’ foods is not the way to build positive eating habits or a positive relationship with food. Likewise, relying solely on processed foods can lead to poor macro balance.

Many people struggle with weight loss because of emotional eating. If someone overeats because of a behavioural trigger, then tracking alone is not going to deal with these issues. 

In some situations, food timing and type might matter. Such as for athletes looking to fuel performance. We also need to pay attention to food quality, not just quantity. Making sure that we are getting enough fibre and essential vitamins and minerals in the diet to keep us healthy.

Practical Recommendations

Once you have estimated your calorie needs using an online calculator like this one...

Start by focusing on hitting your calorie targets with your normal food choices, and identifying your high calorie foods and those that don’t keep you feeling full.

If needed, swap in higher quality food sources into your diet. Regardless of your goal, good nutrition supports overall health, not just body composition, and you will benefit from including lean proteins, fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats.

Protein can come from animal sources or plant proteins depending on your diet, and a mix of food groups also helps cover both macros and vitamins and minerals. But some processed and refined foods are fine.

Here's my personal rule of thumb: If your diet is 80% unprocessed foods and 10-20% ‘junk’ then you should be able to have a nice balance between health and enjoyment (but try not to fit in junk for the sake of it). Portion control matters here too.

Once you have a solid foundation and can track this accurately, then start to tweak your macronutrient ratios for your goals.

That's where pairing the best low carb fiber supplement you can find with a quality multivitamin such as Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi comes into play. Then, you can focus more on the macronutrients you need, like protein, while aiming for at least 25-38 grams of fibre per day (depending on age and sex) as a sensible baseline for health.

On that note, the National Academies' Dietary Reference Intakes specify 25 g/day of fibre for adult women aged 19–50 and 38 g/day for adult men aged 19–50. For women over 50, the figure is 21 g/day; for men over 50, 30 g/day. (13)

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For people who exercise regularly, aiming for around 1.5–2g of protein per kg of body weight per day is a useful target for supporting muscle growth and maintenance. Higher protein intakes may also be beneficial during periods of calorie restriction to help preserve lean mass. For example, a 100kg person would aim for around 150–200g of protein per day. (14)

Protein is related to lean body mass, so if you are a little overweight you might want to start at the lower end of this range. Improving eating habits alongside tracking also matters.

Protein + fat + macros to suit

Aim to consume at least 0.5g/kg of fat per day or 15-20% of total daily calorie needs. Use olive oils, nuts, seeds and oily fish to get most of your dietary fats. Some animal fats like butter or in meat are fine in moderation. 

Finally, once you have your protein and minimum fat requirements sorted, then fill out the rest of your macros as you see fit.

Your macronutrient ratio can then shift based on your goal and food preference. If needed, swap in higher quality food sources and select lean proteins like chicken, fish, and tofu for meals. Protein shakes can also be a convenient option when whole-food intake falls short.

If you like more carbs, keep fats lower and eat more carbs. If you like more fat… do the opposite. Portion control still helps manage calorie intake, even with healthy foods.

Be patient, accurate and monitor consistently and before you make any adjustments. Give things at least 2 weeks to take effect before making changes. 

With regard to muscle building, use increases in strength as your key guide as muscle growth is a slow process. And remember - all weight loss isn’t fat loss and other factors can play a part.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does hitting your macros mean?

Hitting your macros means eating roughly the amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat you have set as your daily targets. You don't need to hit every number exactly, but staying reasonably close to your targets can help keep your overall calorie intake and macronutrient balance aligned with your goals.

What is macro counting?

Macro counting means tracking the amount of protein, carbohydrates and fat you eat each day. Rather than focusing only on total calories, you monitor your intake of each macronutrient and compare it with your individual targets.

How do you track macros?

The easiest way to track macros is to use a food logging app to record what you eat and drink throughout the day. You first work out your calorie and macronutrient targets, then log your food and pay attention to portion sizes so that your intake stays reasonably close to those targets. Food tracking apps can make this easier, but their nutritional data should be checked against product or restaurant information where possible.

What should my macros be?

There is no single macro ratio that works for everyone. You may have heard of the 30/40/30 split, which means 30% of calories from protein, 40% from carbohydrates and 30% from fat. This ratio is prescribed by some specific dietary approaches, such as the Zone Diet, but it isn't a one-size-fits-all recommendation. Your ideal balance depends on factors such as your goals, activity levels and overall calorie needs. Rather than aiming for a fixed percentage split, calculate your protein and fat requirements first, then allocate the remaining calories to carbohydrates.