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Counting your macros for weight loss can seem quite intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be. If you stay up-to-date with health news, or if you're an athlete or fitness enthusiast, chances are you might have heard of the IIFYM diet.
Athletes have been following the macro diet for a long time, they know that it’s the best way for them to maintain their performance and a fit body. IIFYM stands for "If It Fits Your Macros", and it has become quite the trend owing to TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
In this article, we will look at how you can balance your macros for weight loss by calculating the number of calories the body needs or burns every day. You can then plan your macros for weight loss accordingly to shed some extra pounds.
What is IIFYM or Counting Macros for Weight Loss?
The macro diet is all about consuming a certain number of calories every day. People who follow this diet consume a specific, pre-calculated amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
The amount of macros to be consumed is generally established in grams. For example, a person who wishes to consume 2000 calories per day may choose to get 40% of his total calories through carbs, 20% through fat and 40% through protein. They then figure out the number of grams of the various macros that would fulfill the required number of calories to be gained from a particular macronutrient.
If you're confused, don't be. Below, we will guide you on how you can do this calculation for yourself with minimum hassle.
What Are Macronutrients?
Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are the three macronutrients that give you most of your energy. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytochemicals are known as micronutrients, as they're used by the body in smaller amounts.
Most foods contain 2-3 or even all kinds of macronutrients. However, they're classified according to the macronutrient present in them in the highest amount. For example, lentils are rich in protein and are classified as such although they also contain carbs, Meanwhile, chicken is widely considered as a good source of protein even though it contains some amount of fat.
Below, we will discuss each of the macros for weight loss in detail.
1) Carbohydrates: All sugars, starches, and fibres are different types of carbohydrates, either simple or complex.
Carbohydrates are broken down by the digestive system into glucose, which is used by the body either to release energy or stored as glycogen for later use. Major health organizations agree that consuming 45-65% of your daily calories from carbs is ideal.
2) Proteins: Proteins are another important macronutrient in diet that plays an important role in the body.
Proteins are responsible for building and repairing tissue, cell signaling, immune function, and building of hormones and enzymes. Proteins keep the cells and processes in the body running smoothly. Generally, you should consume 10-35% of your daily calories from proteins.
3) Fats: The third and final macronutrient, and probably the most loved one is fat. Fat is another source of energy for the body (the first one is carbohydrates).
The body needs fat to perform critical functions like production of hormones, absorption of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature. Typically, fats should provide 25-35% of your total daily calories.
Here you can check out these high-protein low-fat foods for weight loss.
Macros for Weight Loss: How to Calculate
Once you know how to count your macros for weight loss, it's just a question of time. Check out the process below.
1) What are your Calorie Needs?
Every person needs a specific number of calories every day to perform their daily activities with ease. To know the number of calories you need, calculate your resting energy and non-resting energy expenditures.
Resting energy expenditure is the number of calories a person burns while at rest, whereas non-resting energy expenditure is the number of calories burned during any activity or digestion. Adding both these values will give you the total number of calories you burn in a day. This is known as the total daily energy expenditure.
You can use a simple online calculator to figure out how many calories you need in a day. You can use the following equation to calculate it.
Women: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161
Men: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5
You can now multiply the result with an activity factor. Check this below.
Sedentary: x 1.2 (very little exercise)
Lightly active: x 1.375 (light exercise less than 3 days a week)
Moderately active: x 1.55 (moderate exercise on most days of the week)
Very active: x 1.725 (hard exercise every single day)
Extra active: x 1.9 (strenuous exercise two or more times a day)
After doing that, you will get to know your total daily energy expenditure. Now that you know how much energy you need every day, you can calculate the number of calories you need to maintain, lose, or gain weight.
If you're looking to maintain your weight, you should consume the number of calories equivalent to the amount of energy you spend daily. If you wish to lose weight, consume a lower number of calories than the energy you spend every day. If you wish to gain weight, consume a greater number of calories than you spend every day.
Now, you can decide the amount of macros for weight loss you will need. Check out the following numbers, which will tell you the ideal amount of macros for weight loss.
- Carbs: 45-65% of total calories
- Fats: 20-35% of total calories
- Proteins: 10-35% of total calories
These values also depend on your body type and fitness goal. If you're an athlete, you will need a higher carb intake than someone trying to lose weight. A diabetic person may need to decide their macros for weight loss differently, i.e. remain on the lower side of carbs while being on the higher side of protein.
Final Thoughts about Macros for Weight Loss
Deciding your macros for weight loss is not a difficult task once you have set your goals in mind. If you're looking to lose weight, you need to plan your macros accordingly.
For more info, check out how to count macros for weight loss.
