What are macros?
Protein, carbs and fat. That is all macros are.
Three things you eat
Every food is a mix of protein, carbohydrate and fat. These are macros. Almost all your calories come from them.
What each one does
- Protein builds muscle and keeps you full. Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, beans, tofu.
- Carbohydrate is fuel. Rice, potatoes, oats, bread, fruit.
- Fat helps make hormones and absorb vitamins. Oils, nuts, eggs, oily fish.
None of them is bad. Eating more calories than you burn, for a long time, is what adds fat.
Fat is the dense one
A gram of fat has 9 calories. A gram of protein or carbohydrate has 4. That is why oil, butter and nuts add up fast.
Figure 1
Calories in one gram
Fat
9
Alcohol
7
Protein
4
Carbohydrate
4
0612
Calories per gram
A sensible split
Figure 2
Where a day's calories come from
Carbohydrate 50%
Protein 25%
Fat 25%
Share of a day's calories
Set protein first. Keep fat moderate. Fill the rest with carbs.
Don't forget fibre
Fibre comes with carbs from plants: oats, beans, wholegrain bread, fruit and veg. The World Health Organization says aim for at least 25 g a day.
Do you have to count?
Count for a few weeks. You will learn what a portion looks like. Then you can stop. Food targets works out your numbers.
Put it into practice: Lose fat, keep muscle
Based on 5 sources
- Official daily needs for calories, protein, carbs and fatGuidance · 2005 · The National Academies Press
- Calories, not low-carb or low-fat, drive fat lossReview · 2017 · Gastroenterology
- What different diets do to fat and muscleGuidance · 2017 · Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
- How much protein helps muscle gains from liftingReview · 2018 · British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Eat at least 25 g of fibre and 400 g of fruit and veg a dayGuidance · 2023 · World Health Organization
