How to Calculate Your Macronutrients
Hi friends! As you know I've been tracking my macronutrients on and off for some time now, and just recently started helping some friends understand macros what they are and how to calculate their own. Over the years, my tracking has changed drastically from weighing every single food item to using them as a guide for intuitive eating. It's different for everyone, but I've found that at least knowing how much to track macros has helped transform my nutrition over the last few years.
There are several ways to calculate macronutrients, but I use NASM's guidelines, along with some basic nutrition information. **I'm not a doctor but this calculation has worked for me while loosing and then maintaining weight**
Step 1: Calculate Total Daily Energy Expenditure
a. Find Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
Weight x 10 =
Ex. 150 x 10 = 1500
b. Find Total Energy Expenditure (TEE)
RMR x Activity Factor (see chart below) =
Ex. 1500 x 1.5 = 2250
c. Total Calories
TEE - Calorie Surplus/Deficit =
Ex. 2250 -/+ a min/max of 500 = between 1750-2750
Nutritional Breakdown & Macro Calculation
Depending on how you want to break down your diet, each macronutrient will be made up of a percentage. For example, I keep mine at 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat. And within each, there is a particular calorie per gram (listed below).
2. Calculate Total Calories for each Macronutrient
a. Total Carb Calories
40% x Total Calories
Ex. .40 x 1750 = 700
b. Total Protein Calories
30% x Total Calories
Ex. .30 x 1750 = 525
c. Total Fat Calories
30% x Total Calories
Ex. .30 x 1750 = 525
Each macronutrient has a certain number of calories per gram:
Carbs: 4 calories per gram
Protein: 4 calories per gram
Fat: 9 calories per gram
3. Convert Calories into Grams
a. Total Carbs in Grams
Total Carb Calories/4
Ex. 700/4 = 175g
b. Total Protein in Grams
Total Protein Calories/4
Ex. 525/4 = 131g
c. Total Fat in Grams
Total Fat Calories/9
Ex. 525/9 = 58g
And there you have it, your very own macronutrients! If you have any further questions, you can contact me via email (thealoelife8@gmail.com) or DM on Instagram @the_aloelife, always open to talk with you!
thanks for reading!
xx maria