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Is it just me, or are these Instagram “macro coaches” popping up everywhere? No shade against them, but I’m pretty sure a lot of them don’t have any more qualifications than you and I! And I even see some of them preying on people that want to lose weight, which is just not cool to me. So, in this post, I’m going to teach you how to calculate your own calories and macros for weight loss. You will NEVER pay a coach again! But, if you’re not ready to do some math, you might as well leave now!
Calories in vs. Calories out
In a nutshell, weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out. Simply put, in order to lose weight, you have to eat less than you burn. And in order to gain muscle, you have to eat more than you burn. Simple logic. So, how do you figure out this magic number of calories to eat? Well, there are three steps and a semi-simple equation. First, plug your stats into the following equation:
For women: 655 + (4.35 x Weight in pounds)+(4.7 x Height in inches) – (4.7x Age)= BMR the amount of calories your body burns just from being alive
For men: 66+(6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) – ( 6.8 age in years)= BMR the amount of calories you burn just from being alive.
Next, we must account for the amount of calories you burn from exercise. Take the number you got from the last equation, and multiply it by your activity level below:
- 1.2 Sedentary (little to no exercise)
- 1.375 Lightly Active (1-3 days a week)
- 1.55 Moderately Active (3-5 days a week)
- 1.7 Very Active (6-7 days a week)
The last step is to create a calorie deficit or surplus. If you want to lose weight, subtract 500 from the last number. To gain weight, add 500 to the last number. And, to maintain weight, keep the last number the same. And that’s it for calories!
What are Macros?
Simply put, macronutrients, or macros, are carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. And although weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out, some people take it a step further by eating a specific ratio of macronutrients each day. Now, this is probably why you clicked on this blog post. How much of each macronutrient should I eat? Well, a balanced diet should have this ratio:
Carbohydrates: 45-65% of your calories
Fat: 20-35% of your calories
Protein: 10-35% of your calories
What percentage is right for me?
In order to figure out how to personalize these ranges, you need to look at the purpose of each macro and your personal goals. Let’s start with carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates
Carbs are the main fuel source for the body and the brain. So naturally, you’ll want to have the highest percentage of calories come from this macronutrient. And, the more active you are, the more carbohydrates you’ll need. For example, if you are an athlete, training for multiple hours a day, you’ll probably want 65% of your calories to come from carbs. If you’re just a normal person, somewhere in the middle is fine. And if you want to lose weight (which I’m assuming you do since you’re reading this post), you’ll want to be around 45-50%.
Now, how do you translate that percentage into grams of carbohydrates to eat in a day, like what you’d get from a macro coach? Easy! 1 gram of carbs is equal to 4 calories. So, let’s say you did the calculations above, and after considering your exercise level and your deficit, you need 1,700 calories to lose weight. And, you want to start with 55% carbs, somewhere in the middle, since you don’t want to cut too much right away. First, you would multiply 1700 x .55 = 935. So, 935 calories would come from carbs. Divide this number by 4 to get 935 / 4 = 234. Thus, to lose weight, your starting number of carbohydrates would be 234g a day. If you’re using an app like MyFitnessPal, you can easily track your calories and macronutrients daily. As your body changes or you increase or decrease exercise, you can adjust the macros as needed. Personally, I would try a set of macros for a few weeks before adjusting.
Carbohydrate Calculation:
Calories needed to lose weight x Percentage of Carbohydrates / 4 = Grams of carbs to eat in a day for weight loss
Fats
Fats are essential to any diet. They provide our energy reserve, help insulate our bodies, and help transport fat-soluble vitamins. However, we don’t need as much fat as we do carbs. And just as with carbs, the percentage of fat you need in your diet depends on your activity level and personal goals. But since we’re talking about weight loss, we’ll stick to the lower end of things. Let’s say, you want to start with a healthy 20-25%.
Now, how do you translate that percentage into grams of fats to eat in a day, like what you’d get from a macro coach? Easy! 1 gram of fat is equal to 9 calories. So again, let’s assume you need 1,700 calories a day to lose weight. We’ll first multiply that by your percentage, 20% to get 1700 x .20 = 340 calories a day from fat. And since each gram of fat is equal to 9 calories, 340/9 = 38g of fat daily. If you’re using an app like MyFitnessPal, you can easily track your calories and macronutrients daily. As your body changes or you increase or decrease exercise, you can adjust the macros as needed. Personally, I would try a set of macros for a few weeks before adjusting. And these ranges can all be personalized! For example, even when losing weight, my body runs better on a higher percentage of fats, closer to the 35% range. Don’t be afraid to make it your own!
Fat Calculation:
Calories needed to lose weight x Percentage of Fat / 9 = Grams of fat to eat in a day for weight loss
Protein
Last but not least, we have protein. A lot of weight loss professionals put the focus on protein, but it’s really just as essential as all of our other macronutrients. However, people associate protein with muscle and tissue repair, so it gets all the glory. Just as with our other macronutrients, the amount of protein you need depends on your activity level and personal goals. But, when you’re trying to lose weight, you want your protein to be on the higher side, just as if you were an athlete. Why? Because studies have shown that a higher protein diet can boost metabolism (cool, huh?). So for weight loss, the ratio of 25-30% for protein is perfect.
Now, how do you translate that percentage into grams of protein to eat in a day, like what you’d get from a macro coach? Easy! 1 gram of protein is equal to 4 calories. So, let’s say you did the calculations above, and after considering your exercise level and your deficit, you need 1,700 calories to lose weight. And we’ve already accounted for carbs and fats, so we have 25% of our calories left for protein. Perfect! First, you would multiply 1700 x .25 = 425. So, 425 calories would come from protein. Divide this number by 4 to get 425 / 4 = 106. Thus, to lose weight, your starting number of protein would be 106g a day. If you’re using an app like MyFitnessPal, you can easily track your calories and macronutrients daily. As your body changes or you increase or decrease exercise, you can adjust the macros as needed. Personally, I would try a set of macros for a few weeks before adjusting. If you’re stuck at a weight plateau, macro coaches typically raise protein and lower carbs and fats first. But of course, you’re not bound to a coach, so make it your own!
Protein Calculation:
Calories needed to lose weight x Percentage of Protein / 4 = Grams of protein to eat in a day for weight loss
Well, that’s it! That is how to calculate and adjust your own calories and macros like a pro! Of course, as you lose weight, you’ll have to run all the calculations again, but that’s the fun part: watching your changes and making adjustments. If you’re wondering what foods to eat to fill up each of these macros in a healthy, filling way, stay tuned for next week’s post on healthy vegan sources of carbs, fats, and protein for weight loss.
*Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nutrition coach, or personal trainer, but I do have my Masters in Health and Wellness. Take all tips at your own discretion. I am not responsible for any adverse health effects or injuries from following my advice.
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