Macro Guidelines for Losing Weight
Apr 8, 2020 mindpumpCounting your macronutrients is not a “one size fits all” approach. Our goal here is to help you identify different macro breakdowns you can implement when trying to lose body fat. These macro ratios typically bring success to many people, but this doesn’t mean it will be perfect for you. At the end of the day, the best advice we can give you is to figure out what works best for you and adjust if needed.
Calculating Your Calorie Intake
Before I get into macro guidelines for losing body fat, the bottom line is this…you must be consuming fewer calories than you are using. When you track your macros, you are essentially tracking your calories. Calories are very important to lose body fat, if you are in a calorie deficit you will lose weight.
The easiest way to find out your calorie intake for weight loss is to calculate your total daily energy expenditure or, TDEE. You can find a calorie calculator online. You enter simple data such as your age, gender, weight and activity level. It will calculate your calorie intake for your specific goal (in this case, weight loss).
Macros for Weight Loss
Once you have your calorie intake goal numbers, you can begin to create your macro targets. Generally, your protein intake should never change. It doesn’t matter if you are losing weight or putting on muscle, eating enough protein is vital when it comes to being successful in both. Your carbs and fats will change based on what you want. When you are in a caloric deficit and tracking your macros, feeling hungry is inevitable. For this reason, some people like to have a higher carb / lower-fat diet. Others like a higher fat diet because it keeps them full longer. There are benefits to both.
Carbohydrates help elevate your energy levels and keep you satisfied. Why? They are just more fun! Everyone loves carbs, it’s not a source you should stray away from. People who have indigestion issues and get very bloated eating a lot of carbs may do better on a higher fat diet. Fats balance your hormones and keep you satiated for longer periods, but a high-fat diet isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. So, it’s important to explore what works best for you and to tailor your diet based on what you enjoy. If it’s not something you like, you’re more likely to give up on your goal.
If you want to follow a higher carb / lower fat diet while counting macros, a general macro breakdown can be:
30% protein 40% carb 30% fat
Here at Mind Pump, we don’t recommend dropping your fat intake below 25% to keep your hormones balanced.
If you want to follow a higher fat / lower carb diet while counting macros, a general macro breakdown can be:
25% protein 25% carb 50% fat
If you don’t care for a higher carb or higher fat diet and just want to eat a balanced diet between the three macros, a good ratio to use for weight loss is:
10-30% carbs, 40-50% protein, 30-40% fat.
Whether you choose to use these guidelines or not, the important thing is finding ratios that are most sustainable for you. Overall, tracking your macros efficiently will be a contributing factor to your weight loss journey. So, stay on top of your macro targets, do resistance training and focus on sleep and recovery. These will play a big role in your overall physique and health.
