When I started posting about my macro tracking journey a while back, the questions started coming. Then after answering a few questions and posting in detail about my macro lifestyle (yes, I said “lifestyle,” NOT “diet”), the questions actually started?pouring?in! Among all of the requests, the most common was for a visual example of exactly what a day in the macros life looks like. HOW do I (and you) actually translate the principles of this way of eating into what to eat?
I was asked to do a news segment on the topic for a local station and figured what better way to teach than to show EXACTLY what my foods look like. Since I Facebook LIVEd the segment, you all can watch it too. Yay?love technology! Click HERE if you want to watch. It?s long (but super cute because Cash came along to help out!), so if you don?t want to watch, and you want the full breakdown of what and how-to, just keep reading?
So, we’ve already covered the basics of the macros way of eating in my previous post.? But just to quickly recap before we get to the “meat and potatoes” of the post (pun intended), let’s talk about what a Macro Diet is.?Well, it?s not really a DIET, per se, but it?s the best?way to fine tune?a diet for your own wants and needs. I STILL carb cycle, and Chris STILL carb cycles, but we’ve actually taken carb cycling to?another level by tracking our daily macronutrient intake while carb cycling.
The plain and simple of it is that it is?NOT “clean eating,” but it’s not “unclean eating” either. Clean eating diets require you ONLY eat foods on the “healthy” list and deprivation is the name of the game. This is hard for most?people to follow, myself included.?The idea behind a macro-based plan, however, is that no foods are off limits, but instead we track our proteins, carbs, and fats for each day until we reach our?goal macronutrient numbers. So if I want a donut, I eat a donut. But I am aware (thanks to MyFitnessPal) of the exact macronutrient breakdown of that donut (high fat and carb content) and plan accordingly for the rest of my day.
This begs the question, “Is this easier or harder than clean eating?” While the food part is easier (because c’mon…allowing yourself pizza every now and then is MUCH easier than saying you can never eat it again), the actual calculating part is harder and much more tedious. I happen to love math, and I love treats…so this is a (marshmallow) dream (bar) come true for me. If you aren’t too keen on math?like Chris (ha!)?we can help you out. Download our free Macro Counting 101 Ebook now. Our simple guide will give you the basics of macro tracking and will help you figure out the appropriate macros for you and your goals.
Alright, so on to my sample day. This particular day’s goal for me is 120g protein, 250g carbohydrate, and 50g fat. While this happens to be my lower carb day, it actually has wonderfully balanced macros for the average person (about 50% carb, 25% protein, 25% fat). I’m not saying this is right for you, just giving an example. I’ll share info at the bottom of this post on how you can calculate your own macronutrient needs, but here’s a little breakdown of exactly what one of my recent days looked like.
Meal 1 (every single day for me, no joke) consists of a protein shake (1 scoop) and a Marshmallow Dream Bar. Starbucks should send me free MDBs for life with all the promo I give them. 😉 Ha!
This meal contains 25g protein, 49g carb, 5g fat. Soooo, let’s do some math here and subtract those macros from my macros that I started with?remember, they were 120g P, 250g C, and 50g F. After meal 1, I have 95g P, 201g C, and 45g F left in my macro bank. You follow how I am doing that? Easy!
Okay, now on to meal 2. A few hours later I am eating 5.3 ounces nonfat plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup of strawberries, topped with 1/4 cup of THE best low-fat granola by KIND (Banana Nut Clusters).
This meal has 18g P, 37g C, and 2g F. Back to math class here…subtracting these numbers from my macro bank means I now have 77g P, 164g C, and 43g F left over for the rest of the day.
Next up, one of my favorite convenience meals?1 cup of brown rice pasta with 3 ounces extra-lean ground turkey, 1/4 cup marinara, and 1 1/2 cups of steamed broccoli to keep me full. This meal is SO easy to make if you have the brown rice pasta and ground turkey meal prepped in advance like we like to do.
My pasta perfection has 26g P, 52g C, and 3g F. Macro bank, after subtracting these numbers, is now at 51g P, 112g C, and 40g F.
Early afternoon, I will eat some more meat and veggies?this time with rice?to keep my hunger minimized and my blood sugar levels stable. This meal is 3 1/2 ounces grilled chicken, 1/2 cup jasmine rice, 1 ounce teriyaki sauce, and some mixed veggies.
This meal has 25g P, 34g C, and 3g F.?After mowing this down in 3 seconds flat (okay, I’m not that fast), I have 26g P, 78g C, and 37g F left for the day.
Now you will notice I have been going super low fat for most of the day. Yes, I am aware of this…and this isn’t THE way to do macro counting, this is MY way of doing it. I do this because I want to bank my fats and a decent amount of carbs for my last meal of the day. I know that by saving these macros for night, I can enjoy a perfectly calculated, on-plan indulgence meal.
And my indulgence meal is….gluten-free, peanut butter-topped Eggo waffles. Yes…I am serious. The kid in me will never go away. I legit lick every. single. spot. off of this plate.
To be exact, this meal consists of 3 gluten-free Eggo waffles, 3 tablespoons all-natural chunky peanut butter, 1/8 cup pure maple syrup, and 1 low fat mozzarella string cheese. Macros for the heaven-on-a-plate are 26g P, 78g C, and 37g F…which is EXACTLY what my macro bank had left!! Bingo, bango, bongo, baby. To summarize, I’ve put it all in one handy dandy printable graphic for you:
Now in full transparency, I rarely finish a day spot on. This happened to work out perfectly, but usually I am 1 gram over or under on each of the macros. Give it a try and be patient with yourself. I remember at the beginning I would literally be OVER my carb allowance by noon because I still hadn’t figured out the balance and proper way to divvy up my macros. Over time, I feel like I’ve become a macro queen, and you can too!
Now about that macro calculating and tracking for those of you who would like to get nerdy with me and start calculating macros…and eating peanut butter waffles at night. ;)?The Transform App?2.0 finally has macro tracking capabilities! ?So now you can track the foods that YOU eat.
And to help you calculate the appropriate macros for you, we?ve created our Macro Counting 101 ebook?available for FREE download now. ?Pick it up while you can because this baby won?t be free for long! ;-)? Click here to download!
Now that I’ve made us all hungry, let’s end this blog now and go eat some delicious, nutritious, and possibly-indulgent macros.
Hugs and (chocolate) kisses,
Heidi
Related reading:
Macro Tracking for the Win! All of Your Questions Answered
Carb Cycling 101
Heidi-Approved (& Macro-Friendly) Fast Food Picks
It Really Is All About the Promise
And click HERE for the GMAZ Facebook Live Segment in case you missed it above. 😉
210 Responses
Are there any apps you recommend for macro counting?
Hi Teresa: Heidi’s favorite is MyFitnessPal, but there are others out there too.
Hi, I have used MFP in the past and went to the suggested link and have tweaked my macros. Should I unsync my Fitbit from MFP because it adds calories. Does the macro and calories provided already take exercise into account? Thank you!
Hi Amanda: The macro calculator does take exercise into account, so if weight loss is your goal, you’ll want to subtract calories every day from that daily total. To lose weight, you need a calorie deficit, which means you burn more throughout the day than you consume. You can do this!
Hello,
I have two questions:
1. If I’m trying to do macro counting and carb cycling is there really a difference in calories? Could you give an example. If you have time.
2. Can I do 3 low carb days in a row instead of 2? I thought I read once that some bodybuilders will do up to 3 low carb days in a row. Will it cause problems gaining lean body mass if I do? Or any problems?
Thanks so much you guys are wonderful.
-Anna
Hi Anna: If you’re carb cycling and macro counting, it’s best to work with a macros coach who can tailor your macros and your carb cycle to you and your goals. And it’s best to only do 2 low carb days in a row. Our bodies do need those carbs!
Hi,
So can I carb cycle along with counting macros for fat loss and if so how do I determine what days are low carb and what days are high carb days?
Ryan
Hi Ryan: If you follow any of Chris and Heidi’s carb cycling programs, all your macros are figured out for you! https://heidipowell.net/2713. If you do your own carb cycling, it’s best to work with a macro coach who can help you tailor your low and high carb days to your goals.
What’re thoughts about a shake or bar post workout? Is there a certain type or brand (Whey I know is best) for post workout, or bar, such as a Quest bar, then aim for dinner an hour or so later? Or if working out in the morning, breakfast should consist of proteins, carbs, and fats?
Hi Jennie: It’s totally okay to do whatever works best for you! As far as protein powders in general, Chris and Heidi recommend low-fat, low-carb powders with around 20 grams of protein per serving. Here’s a post that can help you figure out the working out and eating thing: https://heidipowell.net/9194/qa-with-the-powells-to-eat-or-not-to-eat/. Hope this helps!
Hi!
I’m on the turbo-cycle and am very interested in counting the macro’s. Can you tell me if this is right?
On High Carb day:
150-200 grams of carbs
100-150 grams of proteines
40-55 grams of fat
On Low Carb day:
50-100 grams of carbs
120-150 grams of proteines
48-95 grams of fats
Thanks in advance
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie: Here are the recommended macro percentages for the Turbo Cycle: High Carb Meal (including EVERY breakfast):
Protein: 40%, Carbs: 40%, Fats: 20%. Low Carb Meal: Protein: 40%, Carbs: 20%, Fats: 40%. 🙂
Hello Chris and Heidi. I’m wrighting on the behave of my brother who is 400 pounds with two kids and a wife in Jacksonville Florida . My siblings and I have tried all possibles and he has tried and quite every time . We are afraid that out brother will meet the same fate as our father dying to soon for being stubborn . We are asking for your assistance and would love for Chris ‘s to intervene . We are running out of options and time .
Hi Jason: I’m so sorry to hear about your brother’s struggles. Chris and Heidi would love to help him personally, but unfortunately, they’re not taking on clients right now. And we understand it is difficult to watch a loved one struggle with his obesity or health challenges. Remember that ultimately the transformation has to come from within. You cannot do this for your brother?he truly has to want it for himself. One thing you might try, and this is the first step Chris and Heidi take with every single client they work with, is to have him make and keep a small daily promise to himself. This promise doesn?t even have to be health related – the important thing is to build his confidence and personal integrity. Read about the process here: https://heidipowell.net/8679. When he is ready to start his own transformation, have him check out Heidi and Chris’ carb cycling program in their books, “Extreme Transformation” and “Choose More, Lose More for Life.” (https://heidipowell.net/books-dvds/) These books contain Chris and Heidi’s complete mind, body, and food program, and these are the same tools they use on the show and with every client they work with. They work! He can learn about the program basics here: https://heidipowell.net/9060. In addition to these tools, Chris and Heidi have recently created the Powell Metabolic Program, where their Arizona team members can provide not only clinical one-on-one coaching through his health insurance provider, but distance coaching as well. For more information, please visit http://www.powellmetabolics.com or call 480.378.3522. Chris and Heidi are so excited to offer this new, more personal component to their transformation program! We wish your brother the best as he begins his transformation journey – he can do this!
You. Are. Awesome! Great post. And love your last meal of the day! Makes me feel normal. ??????
Thank you!
I was wondering about this meal. On the extreme cycle the last meal recommends protein, fats and veggies how does this meal fit in to this?
Hi Jacquie: Great question! When Heidi posted this post, she was on a bit of a different carb cycling program due to prepping for a competition. When following the Extreme Cycle, you will eat protein, fat, and veggies for every dinner. Hope that helps!
Awesome post! I have finished reading ‘The 7-Day Carb Cycle Solution’. I am a 350lbs man. I have used the IIFYM calculator and it suggests I eat 2500 calories to lose weight. Should I use 2500 on High Carb days and around 2000 calories on the Low Carb days? Or stick with the 1500 (LC)/2000(HC). In addition, how many calories should my cheat day consist of, if I decide to indulge. Thanks for your help! Much success to you and Team Powell :^)
Hi Stephen: If you’re going to follow one of Chris and Heidi’s carb cycles, it’s best to follow the calorie recommendations for your chosen cycle. For cheat days, you can eat anything you want to up to an extra 1000 calories (for a total of 3000 calories). You can do this!
I wish I had your carb macros 🙁 I have been following iifym since January – had amazing results. Did an 8 week challenge with an online instagram coach and had the BEST results – results I never thought I could have. We were supposed to reverse out of the macros up to give our bodies a break… and my body isn’t happy 🙁 It’s like I never did the challenge – although I have kept up my workouts religiously and stuck with counting macros… I’m heavier than before my challenge started and I do NOT get it. At all! I’m not even up to where I started the challenge… so… I love the iifym lifestyle… I need to get to maintenance and can’t – my clothes are already not fitting!
I’m going to keep trying… it worked so well before. Not sure what happened. I’m going to recalculate with the links you offered! Thank you for sharing your day with us! super helpful.