This Old-School Bodybuilding Hack May Help With Weight Loss (2024)

Some diets out there (looking at you, lion diet and ice diet) are questionable at best, but there are a few eating approaches that can be healthy, effective, and sustainable. Case in point: counting macros for weight loss. As the name suggests, counting macros revolves around keeping tabs on macronutrients (macros): protein, carbohydrates, and fat.

A huge plus is that it's somewhat flexible, says Jessica Crandall Snyder, RDN, a certified diabetes educator and the founder and owner of Vital RD. Meanwhile, popular diets like keto and certain intermittent fasting protocols can be restrictive. "They’re not sustainable long-term, they don’t teach good eating patterns, and they could set you up for long-term risk for deficiencies," she says. With counting macros, the best part may be that no foods are off-limits.

As amazing as this all sounds, counting macros for weight loss is a little more complex than just writing everything down in a food journal, and it may not be for everyone. Fortunately, we’ve had experts break down what you need to know about macros for weight loss—plus, the benefits and potential risks of the method.

Meet the experts: Jessica Crandall Snyder, RDN, is a dietitian, diabetes educator, and the founder and owner of Vital RD. Jonathan Valdez, RDN, is a dietitian, certified personal trainer, and owner of Genki Nutrition. Alexandra Sowa, MD, a New York City-based internal medicine physician and diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. Sonya Angelone, RD, is a dietitian and a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Mascha Davis, RDN, is a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Diala Alatassi, MD, is a board-certified internal and obesity medicine physician at Endeavor Health Medical Group.

What are macronutrients, exactly?

Macros are the nutrients your body can't live without: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Each macro plays its own role and each has its own superpowers.

To determine your macros, you'll want to look at the individual number of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins you're taking in and modify that based on your goals for weight loss or performance, says Snyder. "Instead of tracking calories, you’re tracking the components of calories that fuel your body," she explains.

Here's a breakdown of each macronutrient.

Macro #1: Carbs

Repeat after me: Carbs are not the enemy—even if you're trying to lose weight. “Carbohydrates are the most important energy source for almost all human cells,” says Mascha Davis, RDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Your body digests them quickly and turns them into sugar, or blood glucose, which you then store in your liver and muscles as glycogen. Together, blood glucose and glycogen fuel high-intensity exercise—the kind you need to burn fat and build metabolism-boosting muscle.

Carbs are also tied to your levels of the happy-maker neurotransmitter called serotonin (so carbs may impact your mood).

Macro #2: Protein

Protein intake is used to build and maintain your body’s lean muscle, but it does a whole lot more than that. “Protein makes up the enzymes that power chemical reactions in the body,” Davis explains. “It also makes the hemoglobin that transports oxygen through the body.” And if oxygen doesn’t get where it needs to go, you can forget about having the energy to take the stairs, let alone power through an hour-long run.

Plus, when it comes to boosting your satiety levels so that you can feel full on fewer calories, protein kills. (When you eat protein, your gut makes hormones that slow down the movement of food through your GI tract, meaning you stay fuller for longer.)

By slowing digestion, protein also slows the release of glucose into your bloodstream to prevent the blood sugar and insulin spikes that can create health issues, says Alexandra Sowa, MD, a New York City-based internal medicine physician and diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

Macro #3: Fat

If the keto diet has taught us anything, it’s that consuming fat does not automatically lead to weight gain—even if fat does contain more calories, ounce per ounce, than the other macros.

Fat makes up cell membranes, promotes nerve and brain health, and increases the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, all of which are crucial to healthy weight-loss efforts. And while fat doesn’t trigger the exact same satiety-boosting hormones that protein does, it is relatively slow to digest, further stabilizing blood sugar levels and keeping cravings away.

Benefits Of Counting Macros

• You may lose weight. By tracking your macros and sticking to a certain amount, you may eliminate excess calories from your diet and lose weight.
• You'll be able to gain muscle more easily. Many people struggle to eat the amount of protein they need to build and repair muscle mass after workouts. Counting macros can help ensure you're getting enough protein to see results from your strength training.
• You'll have a clear roadmap to solid nutrition. “Most people need structure to guide their eating habits,” says Sonya Angelone, RD, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Otherwise, people tend to eat what they want, when they want it.” If you have trouble listening to internal cues, like when you feel full, this can be helpful, she says.
• You'll pay more attention to what you're eating. “Just paying more attention to what you eat will have an impact on food intake and will usually result in better choices and fewer calories,” Angelone says.
• By getting the ideal combination of carbs, protein, and fats, your body will function optimally. Carbs fuel your energy production, proteins build up your immune system, muscle mass, and metabolism, and fats help absorb essential nutrients, says Snyder.

How To Count Your Macros

First, this is how many calories are in each gram of the three primary macronutrients (you'll need this information later on):

• Carbs have four calories per gram
• Fat has nine calories per gram
• Protein has four calories per gram

Everyone’s macro goals can vary slightly, but it’s recommended that adults get 45 to 65 percent of their calories from carbs, 25 to 35 percent from protein, and 20 to 35 percent from fat, says Diala Alatassi, MD, a board-certified internal and obesity medicine physician at Endeavor Health Medical Group.

When counting macros for weight loss, prioritizing protein is often a key strategy supported by research, says Dr. Alatassi. "Higher protein levels help preserve muscle mass, enhance metabolism, and improve satiety, making it easier to maintain a calorie deficit," she says, adding that you may choose to aim for the upper range of 35 percent protein, or even slightly higher, up to 40 percent. You'd then adjust your carbs and fats accordingly to stay within your target calorie range.

That said, personal preferences, dietary restrictions, goals, lifestyle, activity level, and existing health conditions can influence your ideal macronutrient balance, so consulting with a doctor or registered dietitian can help you nail down your exact numbers, she says.

To start counting your macros, you should first consider how many calories per day you need for weight loss (if that's your goal). You can use an online calculator like this one from The National Institute of Health or check out some other ways to find your number here. Once you have that, you can plug it into the below formula:

• Carbs: Calories per day (e.g. 2000) x percentage of calories from carbs (e.g. .50) / Number of calories per gram in carbohydrates (4) = grams of carbs per day
• Protein: Calories per day (e.g. 2000) x percentage of calories from protein (e.g. .30) / Number of calories per gram in protein (4) = grams of protein per day
• Fat: Calories per day (e.g. 2000) x percentage of calories from fat (e.g. .20) / Number of calories per gram in fat (9) = grams of fat per day

So if you were to aim for 2000 calories a day, you might go for 250 grams of carbs, 150 grams of protein, and 44 grams of fat, as a very rough example based on a macro breakdown of 50 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent fat. It bears repeating that this is very individual and is not an expert-recommended one-size-fits-all plan! And it may take some trial and error to nail down the best macro ratio for you.

Potential Risks Of Counting Macros

As you’ve probably already guessed, counting macros involves a good amount of planning and math. “It’s a bit cumbersome to count macros unless you eat the same thing every day,” Angelone says. “But then your diet becomes monotonous and probably not nutritionally adequate.” Still, she says, it gets easier once you get the hang of it.

There are a few side effects you should be aware of, especially if you're planning on counting macros without the help of an RD. Setting macro goals too low, for example, might cause energy fatigue, brain fog, and nutrient deficiency, while setting them too high might not give you the health benefits you’re looking for (weight loss, improved performance, etc.).

And when it comes to these numbers, some people may find themselves getting a little too focused on their daily macro counts—which could possibly lead to disordered eating. Remember: Your macro goals should act as guidelines, but you shouldn't feel obligated to hit them every. Single. Day.

For people who feel overwhelmed by counting macros, Snyder recommends incorporating counting in spurts. "Try and track for a week and then you have a really good idea of the kind of foods you’re typically eating and where you need to adjust, and that may give you some really good insights," Snyder says. "I don’t encourage tracking forever, but I do think checking in with yourself every once in a while and seeing if you’re on track can be helpful for some clients."

Beginner-Friendly Tips For Counting Macros

If you want to test it out first before upending your current diet, Angelone recommends kicking things off by keeping a food diary to get an idea of what you eat on a regular basis. Track and calculate your macros (per the instructions above) and look at your food choices to see what changes you need to make based on those numbers.

“Be sure to choose less processed foods, choose whole grains and high-fiber foods, and healthy fats, limit refined sugar, and drink plenty of water,” Angelone says. “And be sure to incorporate regular exercise and more activity into your day.” After that, you should be good to go.

If you're looking to count macros for a longer period of time and have some serious weight loss or performance goals you're looking to achieve, consult an RD as soon as possible to get a personalized plan developed, says Snyder.

Best Apps For Counting Macros

If you prefer a more tech-forward approach versus an old-school paper journal, consider one of these apps:

MyFitnessPal: In the free version of the app, you can track how many proteins, carbs, and fats you've eaten for the day. And if you upgrade to premium, you can actually set a target for each macro. (Free for iOS and Android, or $79.99 for yearly premium.)

Lose It!: You can track your macros easily on the Lose It! app. Just log your meals and the app will calculate all of your macros consumed under its "nutrients tab." (Free for iOS, or $39.99 per year for the premium version.)

Eat This Much: You can use this app to not only track macros but create meal plans matching your goals. One of the best features about the app is its barcode scanner, which inputs food items directly into your account. (Free for iOS and Android, or premium $4.00 per month with annual subscription.)

My Macros+: This app gives users a macros countdown, body-weight tracking options, and has a database with over 1.5 million foods. (Starts at $2.99 for iOS.)

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should/should not count macros for weight loss?

Counting macros can be beneficial for anyone with specific weight loss or fitness goals, but it's particularly useful for athletes, bodybuilders, and those who thrive on structured eating plans, says Dr. Alatassi.

However, counting macros may not be suitable for those with a history of eating disorders or anyone who finds meticulous tracking stressful or anxiety-inducing, Dr. Alatassi says. “For these individuals, focusing on intuitive eating, portion control, or seeking guidance from a nutrition professional might be more beneficial and sustainable.”

How long does it take to lose weight by counting macros?

Just like any other diet, patience is key, says Dr. Alatassi. Counting macros won’t magically induce weight loss overnight, but with consistency and regular exercise, counting macros for weight loss can be successful.

Additional reporting by: K. Aleisha Fetters, CSCS, Korin Miller, and Alexis Jones