Have you ever tried a new diet, lost weight, jumped for joy, and then gained it all back? Have you ever tried a diet just because it worked for a friend, but it didn?t work for you? Have you ever stuck to a plan so rigidly you went a little crazy and ended up eating 25 Olive Garden breadsticks? Maybe you are doing everything you think is right, but that scale is just not budging! *insert high-pitched angry screams*
The cycle of success, failure, guilt, and starting over is a lot to carry emotionally. How about we set the record straight with a few helpful basics about food once and for all?! As I have recovered from an eating disorder myself, one of my biggest personal goals was to improve my relationship with food. I didn?t want to be afraid of it. I didn?t want it to dictate every move of my life or every MOOD of my life. I can confidently say today that so much of my personal recovery has come simply through educating myself about food and a whole lot of trust in the process!
*Photo credit: James Patrick (right)
Gosh, it’s hard for me to even believe I was ever that girl on the left. I remember so clearly thinking I had my eating disorder under control when this picture was taken. But c’mon?this picture says it all. I may have been free from my binge/purge behaviors, and even free from starvation, but clearly, the scale still controlled me. CALORIES controlled me!!! Macro counting (in conjunction with carb cycling) truly has FREED me, you guys. “So what is this macro counting thing?” you ask. Simply put, macro counting?allows you to take control of your body composition (once and for all), whether you feel you are too big OR too small, WITHOUT deprivation. In my case, I felt too small and wanted to gain…but this same concept?has been applied to carb cycling and has worked WONDERS for those needing to lose weight as well.
So let?s talk about food. Whether you are a clean eater, junk eater, vegan, vegetarian, Paleo, dairy-free, or gluten-free eater, ALL EDIBLE items are made up of 3 macronutrients: CARBS, FAT, and PROTEIN.
Here?s the downright truth: MOST diets fail because of one simple problem?they are not REALISTIC! It?s nearly impossible for even the STRONGEST OF WILLS to commit to an extreme plan that doesn?t account for real life moments like cake at birthday parties, pizza after baseball games, cotton candy at the carnival, handfuls of goldfish, and eating the remainder of your kids? mac and cheese. If you completely deprive yourself of these ?indulgences? for long periods of time, you will either end up in the crazy house OR in a cycle of binge and guilt. So where is the balance? Can you really reach your fitness goals without starving? YES! It?s time to shift our beliefs in food and how it affects our bodies.
I ALWAYS thought that if I ever wanted to see my abs and have nicely defined legs, I would have to consistently eat a perfectly clean diet (think chicken, brown rice, and broccoli), train 6 days a week, and rarely (if EVER) indulge in my love affair with sugar and baked goods. I told myself, sure… abs are nice, but I love donuts. And pizza. And ice cream. What if I told you that you could have abs AND donuts, pizza, and ice cream. Excited? Yeah, me too. Read on.
Tracking macros basically means consuming a balanced and appropriate ratio of carbs, proteins, and fats every day. An easy ratio to follow is 40% of your calories coming from carbs, 30% of your calories coming from protein, and 30% of your calories coming from fat. To break it down even further, if you need 1500 calories per day, your TOTAL macro intake for the day will be 150g carbs, 113g protein, and 50g fat. But before you start plugging in those numbers, everyone’s breakdown looks a little different according to your needs and goals. We will get there…hang with me.
It?s like working within a budget. How will you ?spend? your macros? To give you an example, I love oatmeal for breakfast! Well, I really love gluten-free lemon cake?for breakfast,?but let?s use oatmeal (my 2nd fave) as the example. Alright?oatmeal alone is mostly just carbs, so I may add some berries (more carbs), some coconut oil for fat, and a scoop of vanilla protein powder. It?s quick, easy, and delish! This meal comes out to be a total of 29g carbs, 14g fat, and 29g protein. That meal gets deducted from my total for the day, and now I have 121g carbs left, 36g fat left, and 84g protein left!
Using an app like MyFitnessPal (my favorite) will automatically track these numbers for you when you input your food items into the app. Easy peasy. Now, everyone has different goals, so this ratio doesn?t always translate perfectly across the board. For instance, due to my goals, existing body type, workout routine, and wanting to put on some serious muscle mass, my coach has me eating 55% carbs, 25% protein, and 20% fat every other day, then 68% carbs, 20% protein, and 12% fat the other days. These ratios help me add lean muscle mass to my frame while keeping my body fat low!
So why track macros?
Tracking your macros rather than just calories alone ENSURES that the calories you are taking in go to all the right places in your body. They preserve lean muscle mass and help rid unwanted body fat. That’s the goal! We are so conditioned to jump on that scale in the morning (totally naked, of course, because we need all the help we can get) and jump for joy if the scale goes down. But what if some of that weight loss is muscle mass? Your body just became slightly less efficient at burning body fat. Boooo! So, tracking those macros and being sure that our calories are distributed appropriately can allow us to rest easy and know that weight lost is the weight we WANT to lose?that extra fat jiggle.
What about calories? Do I have to track those too?
NOPE! Crazy enough, 1 gram of carbs always equals 4 calories (yes, whether it?s a gram of sweet potatoes or a gram of white sugar), 1 gram of protein always equals 4 calories, and 1 gram of fat always equals 9 calories. Interesting, right? So, if you are tracking your macros and hitting the same numbers every day, you will also be reaching roughly the same calorie goal each day.
Can I track my macros AND carb cycle?
YES!! This is just a more DETAILED way to focus on your overall composition and goals. On high carb days, your macro goals may be set to 200g carbs, 120g protein, and 39g of fat, but on your low carb days, maybe you get 125g carbs, 120g protein, and 60g fat. Again, these numbers are just examples, but in short, carb cycling (like in Extreme Transformation) and macro tracking actually work synergistically for maximum results!
The best way to get started on your own is to input your information and goals into a macro calculator, and I’ve got you covered there! Click HERE for an awesome one I found. Then, start tracking using an app like MyFitnessPal. It will take a little while to get the hang of it, but long-lasting and true results are what we are all after, right? Here’s the kicker: Online calculators can be off and not as precisely customized as a plan that comes from a real-life macro coach. The macro coach is going to cost more than ?free? online calculators to get started, but it’s the BEST investment I’ve made for my health and fitness EVER. Doing things on my own has proven to have me going in circles, and having a coach has truly been life-changing. For anyone interested, here are links to my own coach’s team…they are amazing, and I trust them with your plan completely:
Pro Physiques, or @theprophysiques on Instagram, or email them at?[email protected]
I also LOVE my good friend, Cori Baker…who many of you may already follow. She is incredible, is coached by the same coach I am, and is working wonders with her own clientele.?She’s?@cori_fit on Instagram, and her site is corifit.com/coaching.
Did it scare me to hear my coach say I needed to eat WAY more carbs than I was eating? YEP! Did I doubt it would really work for me? YEP! Was I afraid that eating carbs AND lifting weights would make me “bulk up? or gain weight in places I didn’t want to? ABSOLUTELY. What kept me going was the ability to be consistent on a plan, enjoy foods I always thought were on the naughty list (because they fit into my macros), and? drum roll please… THE RESULTS!! I could not have transformed my body the way I have this past year if it wasn?t for understanding HOW macros affect my body composition. I?m happier than ever, not afraid of food (or the scale), NEVER hungry, and flexible with how I eat. It?s a life I wish for everyone!
Now here’s something crazy…MOST people who need to lose weight actually are coached to INCREASE carbs or other macros when they begin following a macro counting plan. Here is my good friend, Kacey Luvi Pearson.
She increased her macros (and calories by about 500 a day) over the past 6 months with the help of a macro coach and shredded down to this!! Insane, right? True story. And one story I will be featuring in the upcoming months.
Here are some of my favorite MACROS I always keep on hand!
PROTEINS:
grilled chicken
extra-lean ground turkey
eggs/egg whites
Greek yogurt (nonfat, plain)
cottage cheese (low-fat)
protein powder (I use whey, but adjust according to your own food sensitivities)
CARBS:
brown rice
white rice (yes, I said ?white,? believe it or not)
sweet potatoes
red potatoes
white potatoes (there?s that ?w? word again?I?ll save my why for another post)
KIND granola
Udi?s gluten-free bread
Kodiak Cakes pancake mix (not gluten-free?but was a fave of mine before I pulled gluten. The Power Cakes are high in protein too!)
fruit
cereal (yes, I can eat cereal again!!)
oatmeal
brown rice powder (Quest is the only brand I know of that makes this. Great for shakes and baking gluten-free)
FATS:
flaxseed
olive oil
avocado
cream cheese
shredded cheese
coconut oil/butter
peanut butter
Be happy, healthy, and never go hungry!
Xoxo,
Heidi
Related reading:
Carb Confusion
The Power of Protein
Carb Cycling 101
Heidi-Approved (& Macro-Friendly) Fast Food Picks
Ask the Powells: How Do I Gain Healthy Weight?
The Extreme Cycle | Meal Planning Tips
Eating with Macros: A Day in the Life
*This blog was a collaborative effort with my good friend, and fellow macro counter, Kacey Luvi Pearson. Thanks, Kacey, for lending your experience, and for spending time putting our brains together and pen to paper on this one!
260 Responses
Hi Heidi!
I’ve been Macro Tracking for about 5 months and Carb Cycling for about 6 weeks now. I struggle with finding the right calorie count for me. I feel hungry all the time regardless of how high my calorie count is. I’m starting to wonder if there’s something wrong with the TDEE calculators. They generally say I need to eat around 1900 calories per day. I was rotating around a 1900 daily intake (low at 1700 and high at 2100), but if I’m still hungry almost every day. Two weeks ago I decided to take a day and continue to eat until I was no longer hungry. I tracked it to see what calorie count satisfied me. I landed at around 2400 calories. I figured some of this was making up for the hunger from the previous week. so, I decided to up my daily calories to 2000. After a week, I still feel hungry every day. I’m currently just trying to maintain my weight. Do you have any suggestions or insight you can give me? Should I increase again (maybe 2200?) I don’t want to end up gaining weight if I continue to increase it too much. Thanks!!!
Hi Jonnie: This can be so frustrating! If the macro recommendations aren’t working, you might want to work with a macros coach who can tailor your macros to you, your workout schedule, and your goals. Often, just a few tweaks here and there can help with hunger and get you closer to your goals. There is a link to some macro coaches in this post, and there are many other coaches available also. I hope this helps! 🙂
Try macrostax. They seem to help a lot of people. Im not completely planning my macros yet. But, you can adjust your goals and activity levels. Also, there is a community on facebook that can help as well.
If you’re wanting to stay at maintenance, then increase your calories, continue your workouts and make sure you’re not doing weight after a few weeks. I’m 5’8″ and actually eat 2700 a day. My bodyfat is 18% right now. If you’re hungry, eat, but eat correctly and drink more water 🙂
My name is Robyn and I am currently pregnant with my third child. I have been tracking macros for two years. What approach would you suggest for calculating? Maintenance, bulk, or a reverse diet?
Hi Robyn: Congratulations! Since you are pregnant, it’s best to discuss any nutrition program with your healthcare team and then follow their recommendations. We wish you and your little ones all the best! 🙂
Thanks for all the great info! According to the calculator my macro percents to lose 10% are 45% Carbs, 25% Fat, and 30% Protein. Are these calculations used for a “high” carb day? If so, how do I calculate the percents to follow for a low carb day?
Thank you!
Hi Alyshea: These numbers are for any day in general. If you’d like to carb cycle, it’s best to work with a macros coach who can help you figure out the correct numbers for both low and high carb days for you and your goals. These numbers can be different for each person, so that’s why working with a macros coach is so important. 🙂
Hi Heidi, Thanks for this article I really needed to read this! I have been following a diet program from an online trainer of eating nothing but chicken, rice, and broccoli and I feel like I am being deprived from food lol. Now I will definitely be looking into counting my macros, I am so excited to change up my meals to much more variety of foods that are good for me. Because chicken and just rice can get so boring and old. But thanks again this article helped me!
After beginning to transform, how often should one recalculate the percentages of different Macros?
Hi Amber: You can recalculate them when you notice your progress slowing down/stopping. In Chris and Heidi’s new app, Transform with Chris and Heidi, your macros are automatically calculated for you, and they will readjust for you too! You can learn more about their app here: http://thetransformapp.com. 🙂
Is there a more complete list of approved carbs, proteins and fats anywhere? Thanks.
Hi Joni: There are complete lists of approved foods for these categories in all of Chris and Heidi’s books. If you don’t have any of their books, I’d choose “Extreme Transformation” their newest book: http://amzn.to/2eTGrVy. I hope this helps – you can do this!
Hi Heidi!!
I have been tracking my macros and I am currently at fat 60 carbs 165 and protein 110 which is 1640 calories a day. But I’m pretty active and I’m still so hungry at the end of the day. Can or should I increase my carbs a bit? I feel run down and sluggish. Help!!!
Hi Amy: It gets a bit tricky when you increase one macro since you’ll need to adjust the other ones also. And since the correct combination of macros can be different for each person based on body composition, workout intensity/frequency, and goals, if these numbers aren’t working for you, you might want to work with a macros coach who can tailor-make your program to you now and as you progress on your goals. We wish you all the best – you can do this! 🙂
Lower your fats by 10 and add it to your protein. This is what helps me. If that doesn’t work lower your protein by 10 and put it on your carbs. Always try to adjust your protein first to see if that curbs the hunger. Make sure most of your carbs and fats are from fruits and veggies and not processed foods. This will also help curb hunger. Beans are essential at helping you stay full.
Will this coach help plan meals for the week that fit the macros you need. I have the calories and the macros I need, but when it comes to meal prepping and planning meals-that’s where I fail miserably. Thanks for your time
Hi Michele: Different coaches offer different options, so I’d contact them and see what options they have available. 🙂
I’m planning on starting this Macros system (great information and lovely site guys!) but I don’t feel mentally ready to tackle the carb-cycling out of the gate. Will eating by the Macros suggested by the site healthyeater.com (which you linked to use) help me somewhat slim down and tone up off the bat in conjunction with my workout routine? Or does it only work when you cycle macros/carb cycle all together? I was hoping to get used to the macros system without switching carbs everyday to receive some benefits and just want to make sure I’m setting my expectations correctly.
Thank you kindly!
Hi Holly: This site can definitely help you know what to do nutrition-wise to help you achieve your goals. It’s not actually set up to put together a carb cycling schedule for you, it’s more of a general macro tracking site where your macros remain the same every day. If you ever get to the point where you’d like to carb cycle, Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling programs have all of your macros figure out for you (for both low and high carb days), or you can also work with a macros coach who can tailor-make a program for you and your goals. You can learn more about Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling programs here: https://heidipowell.net/2713. You can do this! 🙂
So…I put my info into the calculator you linked to and my jaw dropped at the calories it said I needed per day: 1620 (set on “lose” and protein to “high”/ I am currently 215 lbs, 29 yrs old, 5’4”, female).
1620!??! …That number is more than a little terrifying to me. Should I really be eating that many calories? I have definitely had a VERY hard time losing any weight the past 2 years (I’ve been trying to stick to the ole 1200 average). But I’m having a rough time with the idea that eating so much will help me LOSE weight. :-/
Hi Eliza: Some people do eat too few calories, and that can hinder their weight loss. If jumping to 1620/day is too much for you to wrap your head around, I’d add in 50-100 a day for a week (following the same percentages from the calculator), then do the same the following week, until you get more comfortable with the higher number of calories. You can also probably put your protein at the “regular” amount instead of high, unless you’re doing killer workouts every day. Hope this helps!
I have started this method and have lost 28 pounds in 4 months. As long as you eat mostly healthy foods for your carbs and fats (fruits and veggies make up most of your carbs and healthy fats) it works. And be honest with how you work out…if you don’t move you and sweat you won’t lose. But I recommend this to everyone it has changed my life. It doesn’t feel like a diet it really feels natural for me now.