Why do you need to count macros for fat loss? In this guide, I’ll explain how to take your weight loss journey to the next level with macro counting.

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If the journey to weight loss was an actual road trip, then calories would be the one behind the wheel.

When you are looking to finally lose those stubborn, unwanted pounds, it’s always going to be dictated by your consistent effort to burn more calories than you eat (also known as a caloric deficit).

Every good road trip has a great partner sitting in the passenger seat, playing the role of navigator and yelling at the kids to shut up and to stop touching each other. This is where your macronutrient setup (or macros) comes into play.

When you nail down the right combination of carbs, fats and proteins in your diet, you’ve transitioned from a journey to weight loss town and can continue through to sexyville.

I’m here to show you exactly how to do just that.

Enough with the metaphor. Let’s talk macronutrients … or macros.

In this guide, we’re going to break down the following:

• What are macros?
• Why count macros instead of counting calories?
• How to count macros for weight loss
• How to count macros when eating out
• Why you should use a food scale and how to use a food scale to count calories and macros

Let’s get into it.

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What are macros?

Macros (macronutrients) are what make up the calories that we eat. And calories are simply a unit of measurement to determine how much energy is in our food that we are eating.

There are three primary macronutrients: Proteins, Carbohydrates and Fats. Alcohol is treated as the fourth honorary macro.

Each macro carries a specific caloric measurement:

• Protein (4 cals per gram)
• Carbohydrate (4 cals per gram)
• Fat (9 cals per gram)
• Alcohol (7 cals per gram)

Together, they all play well in the sandbox to help determine our body composition (i.e., how we rate on the sexiness scale).

Protein

Many diets place a huge emphasis on proteins and the amount that you eat, and for good reason: It’s the one macronutrient that the body cannot create on its own.

This means you must get enough protein through your eating in order to achieve that awesome physique and terrific health.

How much protein

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about just how much protein our bodies can handle. Rest assured, your body can process a lot more protein in each meal than what your favorite morning show may have you think.

One of the biggest myths about protein is that you shouldn’t have more than 20-30 grams of protein in a meal and that any more than that will go to waste. Wrong.

This is part of the reasoning behind that whole idea to eat small and frequent meals throughout the day. The thought being that 4-6 small meals, every 2-3 hours, with a decent size of protein (but never more than 30 grams!) would still allow you to hit your daily protein goals and “raise your metabolism.”

Science has since debunked this theory.

Sure, it is beneficial to consume some protein before and after a workout (and even sometimes during the workout, depending on the workload), but it is not the end-all-be-all.

Get your total protein source for the entire day … spread out throughout the day … however that breaks down in a convenient fashion for you and your lifestyle.

Typically, we should target anywhere from about 0.7 to 1.0 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight for those who are active.

More specifically, we really should be hitting about 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per lean body mass (LBM). But, this can be difficult to calculate. So for the real sticklers out there, set your daily goal at 1.0 gram of protein per pound of your TARGET or GOAL weight.

In other words, if you are 180 pounds and would like to lose 20 pounds … you’d set your protein goal at 160 pounds. Simple enough, right?

That’s the top end range of protein. And if you aren’t into eating that much chicken and eggs and beef, you can still see substantial benefits from lowering your protein target to something closer to 0.82 per pound of bodyweight … even as low as 0.7.

So for our 180 pound individual, he could target 126 to 147 grams of protein per day and still do well to hold on to all-important muscle tissue throughout the dieting process.

Fats

The fat scare of the 70s and 80s really did drive many of us to fear things like bacon and butter. Thankfully, that craziness is over. Because bacon is amazing.

The truth is that fat is a major source of fuel for the body and has a ton of responsibilities, including: the absorption of vitamins, regulating inflammation and hormone production.

Just like its cousin, the protein, many fatty acids (like Omega-3) cannot be produced by the body, so we must include them in our diet.

Eating a diet rich in whole, natural foods that include vegetables, fruits and nuts, along with lean sources of proteins, should be enough to get the right amounts of good fats to the body.

How much fat

It is highly individualized as to how much fat we should include per day. Too little fat will lead to a host of hormonal and mood issues.

Too much fat could cause some weight gain––remember, at 9 calories per gram, fat is still the most calorically dense macronutrient. So go easy on that spoon in the peanut butter jar.

The guideline here is to stick with about 20 to 35 percent of your total daily intake from fatty acids at a minimum. Play around with it and find out what works best for you.

But wait. If fat is so important, wouldn’t it be even more awesomer if I had even more fats?

Good question. Something to keep in mind is that our body is more likely to store dietary fat as actual body fat. And while a high fat diet tends to work really well for sedentary individuals, usually an active person does better with a lower fat and higher carb approach.

Which transitions nicely to the next macro …

Carbs

Just like a well-oiled machine, the human body needs fuel. And that’s the primary role of the carbohydrate.

Once in the system, the body breaks the carb down into glucose to help power the cells throughout your body. But, here’s the catch about carbs: unlike proteins and fats, the carbohydrate is not considered essential.

The body can create fuel sources through processes called gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis––meaning that proteins and/or fats can be broken down and converted into energy (glucose).

This is where the concepts behind popular low-carb and keto diet approaches come from. Reducing carb intake to force the body to pull from other sources (usually fat) to create the energy necessary to function.

Carbohydrates still play a major role in a healthy nutritional profile. Fruits and vegetables are both important sources of carbohydrates and both are needed to provide nutrients to the body to ward off diseases.

One of the toughest myths to bust in the current climate of nutrition is that the low-carb approach is the only effective method for success. The carb has been demonized over the last 20-25 years as being the cause of obesity.

This is not (entirely) the case.

Low-carb diets do have their advantages and it is obviously been proven that diets lower in carbs can lead to real success. But, this is not the ONLY way to succeed.

A caloric deficit (burning more calories than you eat on a daily basis) is the only scientifically proven way to lose weight. When dieters lose weight by going low-carb or even keto, they have been putting their bodies into a caloric deficit, it wasn’t some magical unicorn that made the body fat disappear.

How many carbs

The right amount of carbs depends largely on your level of activity. If you are more active, than a higher amount of carbohydrates in the diet could be beneficial to help fuel your lifestyle.

Sedentary individuals should strive for less.

As a general rule, aim to consume 4-5 servings of vegetables per day, while allowing for another 1 or 2 of those sources from either fruit and/or a starchy-type vegetable (ex: potatoes) at minimum.

Why you should count macros instead of counting calories

Remember, calories are absolutely king in the weight loss game. For beginning dieters, counting calories on their own is a fantastic new skill to practice and will lead to success.

Counting macros is the next level. It leads to better progress overall and tends to provide for a bit more accuracy. Why? Because simply going off of calorie counts on nutrition labels from our favorite foods can result in some rounding errors.

When counting calories, you are given a target to reach and you can essentially combine the macronutrients (protein, carbs and fats) in any way that allows you to reach that target.

For a comprehensive guide to determining your calories for weight loss, make sure you read this piece here: How to Lose Fat: The Ultimate Guide to Fat Loss.

Macro counting means setting specific targets for each macronutrient and concerning yourself with reaching those goals on a daily basis.

It’s important to make sure the body is getting enough of each macronutrient to properly fuel itself during a dieting phase:

• Getting enough protein during a diet helps preserve lean muscle tissue.
• Eating enough fat while in a cut ensures proper nutrient absorption and hormonal output.
• Carbs fuel workouts, which is why it’s important to eat enough of them if you are active with strength or endurance training.

It’s much easier to slack a little and go over calories when given more rope to hang yourself. Having individual macro targets is likely to keep you tighter on your game each day.

For most of my one-on-one online coaching clients, particularly those just starting out, I like to marry both strategies here and direct them to count calories and just protein.

This keeps them hitting both that caloric target and the only macro that cannot be created on its own to ensure adequate protein. The rest of the calories for the day are made up of whatever approach that works for them.

But, once you are ready for making some next level physique changes, it’s time to dial in your macros and start counting.

How to Calculate Macros For Weight Loss

Once you’ve determined your appropriate caloric deficit and the daily goal for weight loss, it’s time to break down your calories into their macro targets.

Let’s play this out.

Jeff is a dad of stay at home dad of three and has developed a bit of a protruding gut, commonly referred to as a Dad Bod.

He’s hoping to drop a little bit of weight and he’s committed to a strength training program and vows to dial in his diet by counting his macros.

Since Jeff is a pretty smart dude, he’s read my guide to finding a proper caloric deficit. He’ll multiply his current weight by a good activity multiplier to get a decent starting point.

Yes, it’s time to break out the calculator and get a notepad. Sorry, there will be a little bit of math here.

Jeff weighs 180 pounds and is “somewhat active.” He works out 2-3x per week and likes to walk in the park on the weekends. But otherwise, most of his day is fairly sedentary. Jeff would take his weight and multiply that by 11 to get a calorie target of 1,980 for fat loss.

From here, we can calculate his macro targets; and that starts with protein.

Jeff enjoys a good steak, like any red-blooded American male would, but he’s not necessarily interested in eating pounds of meat throughout his day. Meal prep can be a bit of a drag since he’s got his kids occupying so much of his attention.

Let’s keep his protein target fairly modest and aim for about 0.82 per pound of Jeff’s bodyweight (180 x 0.82 = 147 grams of protein per day).

Remember that protein comes at a cost of 4 calories per gram. So that 147 grams of protein equals 588 of Jeff’s 1,980 total calories.

He has 1,392 remaining calories to play with between carbs and fats.

This is a decent starting place. Jeff could consistently hit this calorie and protein goal and see good results.

But, since our man is really focused on looking sexy for wifey and impressing the nannies at the local playground, we need to take this to the next level.

Next step: take some time to determine the total fat target.

A good range to avoid any potential hormonal side effects is to aim for about 25 to 30-percent of calories.

In Jeff’s case, that would equate to 594 calories (0.3 x 1,980 = 594 calories) and that breaks down to 66 grams of fat per day (fat = 9 calories/gram).

Between Jeff’s protein (588 calories) and fats (594 calories), we now know that Jeff has quite a bit of wiggle room for the final macronutrient of the trio, the yummy carb, with 798 calories remaining.

Protein is crucial in a diet to preserve muscle, and fats are required to protect things like digestion and hormones. This leaves carbs as our scalable option.

Carbs should always be the variable based on your perceived activity level. It should be the macro that you scale up or down accordingly if or when weight loss hits a bit of a stall.

Jeff has 798 calories remaining and carbs are 4 calories per gram, so he can aim for a whopping 199 grams of carbs and still lose weight (we’ll round up to 200 grams for convenience).

Putting it all together, our stay at home dad will be aiming for these targets every day:

• 1,980 calories
• 147 grams Protein
• 66 g Fat
• 200 g Carbs

With a game plan in place, it’s time for Jeff to execute.

He can download a handy macro tracking app or go old school with a pen and paper and a calculator.

Whatever method that allows you to stay consistent over an extended period of time is the best method for you. Period.

But to ensure accuracy in the macro counting game, you’ll need some extra tools.

Why you should use a food scale and how to use a food scale to count calories and macros

Food quantity is always going to the the leading factor in weight loss over the quality of your daily diet.

This doesn’t mean you should immediately cram a bunch of Pop Tarts into your shopping cart because it fits your macros. It’s just crucial to understand the importance of accurately measuring your food.

Now, if your food of choice has a nutrition label, you’re all set. Log your food into your handy app of choice (or food log/diary) and keep it moving.

Note: Be mindful of the serving sizes detailed on each label, it can be really misleading.

The nutrition facts for each food is for one serving, but each package might contain 2-3 servings. Even the smallest of food options can have multiple servings.

Sometimes you think that 1 cup of cereal is a nice portion, when actually the macros and calories you logged are provided for a ½ cup serving. In other words, you just ate double the calories.

For whole food sources like produce and meat, you’ll need to take this a step further.

The most accurate way to do this is to utilize a few handy tools that every successful dieter should have in the arsenal: measuring cups and spoons and a scale.

Use the scale for solid foods.

Use the cups and spoons for liquids.

Sure this is a bit tedious, especially if this is a brand new skill. But, you’d be shocked to see how far off your macros can be when you simply eyeball your portion sizes.

For example: Eyeball 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter and scoop it onto a plate. Then measure out a proper serving of 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter.

Being off on something as calorically dense as nut butter can add a whopping 5-6 more grams of fats … or about 50 more calories to your day. This can add up quickly.

A word on tracking macros in meat.

Food labels are almost always based on the raw version.

You’ll want to weigh your portion sizes prior to cooking, as it will lose moisture and fat during cooking, and the cooked product will weigh less.

OR … if weighing before cooking is not an option, you can find the weight after cooking, but then you’ll need to find the macronutrient values for the cooked version of that particular meat.

For example: search “cooked chicken breast” in an app like MyFitnessPal and you’ll get a more accurate version for your tracking purposes, as the macros for about 2-3 oz cooked are closer to 4 oz raw.

How to count macros when eating out

You can’t bring your measuring cup and food scale everywhere. Well, I suppose you could, but that’s a bit obsessive.

Instead, you’ll need to find a system for guesstimating your portion sizes and macros when eating out at restaurants.

Some establishments, like Chipotle, have their food options listed online and include the full macro breakdown. In this cases, you are golden. Just log on to the restaurant’s menu, find your option and plug it in.

But sometimes, you are forced to eat on the road or at a party and there are no handy solutions. Instead, utilize a simple guide for eyeballing portions:

• 4 ounces of meat is roughly the size of a deck of cards or the palm of your hand
• ½ cup of starchy carbs is about the size of your cupped fist
• 1 tablespoon of fats (like olive oils, butters, etc) looks similar to the size of your thumb

You’ll have to break down the entire plate of food, ingredient by ingredient, as best you can to determine these macro figures.

Is this perfect? No. Is it close enough? Sure. It’s just one meal and hopefully you’ll be back to your normal routine with the next one.

As a rule of thumb, always add in an extra tablespoon of oil or butter to your tracking since many restaurants cook with extra oils in all of their dishes.

If you goal is fat loss, it is always wise to overestimate the calories than to undershoot your guesstimate and end up eating way too much.

Macros FAQs

Q: What about alcohol?

What about it? Alcohol is awesome.

This is one of the most frequently asked questions for a fat loss coach. And here’s the deal: Alcohol is kind of a stand-in fourth macro and should be counted at 7 calories per gram.

As you can see, that really calorically dense, similar to fats. But it’s even deeper than that.

As alcohol enters the body, it sure does taste good and really provides beer muscles and liquid courage, but your actual system is not a fan. It’s poisonous to the body. And the body treats it as such.

All efforts are made within the system to metabolize the alcohol and get it out of the body. Your fat loss or strength building functions are slowed to a screeching halt until you can get rid of the alcohol in your system.

Depending on how much wine, beer, bourbon, etc., you imbibed at the wedding over the weekend, that process could take a few days before returning to normal.

Not a terrible situation if you don’t drink all that often. But, let’s say you enjoy a glass of wine just about every night. You could be slowing down your body’s ability to burn fat.

This is not meant to scare you out of that Happy Hour or Thirsty Thursday. It’s meant to simply remind you to prioritize things. If you really want that beach bod in three to four months time, you might need to cut back the drinking to just once or twice per week.

If you are cool with a potentially slower approach, then continue on.

Q: Do I have to do this forever?

Yes and no. As with any skill, things get easier over time.

Remember when you first picked up a basketball and tried to dribble and likely bounced it off of your knee or foot about a bazillion times before you finally started to do something that resembled a Steph Curry crossover. It’s similar with counting macros.

This is a skill. In the beginning, it’s going to take time and practice to get this skill down. Once you do, it will eventually become inherent and almost mindless to you.

That’s the Jedi Master level of macro tracking awesomeness. You’ll be able to eyeball things and get an idea for how many carbs, fats and protein is in the food you are eating.

But, until you are strong enough to use The Force to lift an X-Wing Fighter out from the swamp with your mind … then yes, you are going to have to physically track and log your foods.

Q: Should I count the macros in vegetables?

You should count the macros for starchier versions of vegetables like potatoes, carrots or corn.

But, you can skip the macro counting for leafy greens like spinach, kale or broccoli.

Q: What about micronutrients?

Vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals in your food make up micronutrients. While they do not play a direct role in fat loss or muscle/weight gain, they are absolutely crucial in overall health and how we feel.

Micros assist with digestion, hormones and the daily functioning of the body. If you are lacking (or deficient) in any micronutrient, it can prevent you from looking or feeling optimal and awesome.

You do not need to track your micronutrient intake, unless specifically instructed by a healthcare professional. And if you eat a variety of fruits and vegetables and aim for mostly organic lean meats in your diet, you’ll be sure to hit the necessary targets for your micros without worry.

Let me help you figure out how to count macros for fat loss … 

Calculating your calories for weight loss is one thing, transitioning to macro counting is another ball game that can be a bit daunting at first. But, I’m here to help.

If you have any questions, reach out. I answer all of my emails at pete [at] petecataldo [.] com … Hit me up with the subject line “What are my macros?” and I’ll calculate them for you (free of charge).

Or you can hit me up anytime on the socialz on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

If you enjoyed this post, maybe you’d like more knowledge bombs from me. I’d be honored if you join my mailing list to get regular updates every time I post something pretty dope.