Macro counting is a popular approach to dieting that can support muscle gain, fat loss, and general health…but macro counting for beginners can feel a bit daunting.

In this post, I’ll walk you through what it means to count macros and give you a few pros and cons to this popular approach. I’ll also share a few macro counting tips for beginners.

What are Macros?

Macros is short for macronutrients, which are the three main nutrients in our diet that give us energy (aka, calories).

The three primary macronutrients are protein, fat, and carbohydrates. In addition to contributing calories to the diet, each of these nutrients has many important functions in the body

Let’s talk about each of these macronutrients in more detail. 

Protein

From a health standpoint, proteins are involved in nearly every chemical process in your body. 

In terms of body composition, protein helps you maintain and even build muscle. Some studies also suggest that protein is more filling than carbohydrates, which is why so many fat loss diets are higher in protein. 

Protein has four calories per nutritional gram. For example, a chicken breast with 25 grams of protein would have 100 calories from protein. 

Macro-counting diets tend to favor lean proteins simply because they have less hidden fat. Good sources of protein include chicken or turkey breast, lean beef, fish, shellfish, tofu, protein powder, and low-fat dairy. 

Fat

Fats have many important functions in the body, like maintaining hormone balance.

Most macro counting plans call for lower fat intake. Fats have more than twice as many calories per gram (nine, to be exact) as protein and carbohydrates.

Good sources of fat on a macro counting diet include olive oil, avocado, nuts, seeds, and nut butter.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates got a bad reputation in the 1990s, but they’re super important for your health (even when you’re trying to lose weight). 

For starters, carbohydrates are your body’s most readily available energy source. This is especially important if you’re working out while counting macros—you need those carbs to put in hard work at the gym!

Second, carbohydrate-rich foods also contain other beneficial nutrients, like fiber and B vitamins. Undershooting your carb targets leaves you at a higher risk of nutrient deficiencies. 

Complex carbohydrates—like whole grains, fruit, and beans—are your best bet when counting macros. It’s best to limit or avoid sugary carb sources—like juice, soda, candy, and baked goods.

What is Macro Counting?

Macro counting is a bit like calorie counting but more detailed.

Counting macros involves keeping track of your protein, fat, and carbohydrate intake day to day. 

The goal is to get as close as possible to specific macro targets, which are based on your age, height, weight, activity level, and goals.

Pros and Cons of Macro Counting

Before we get into the specifics of macro counting for beginners, let’s talk about whether it’s even right for you.

Macro counting is popular for a reason—it’s very effective when done well. Plus, nearly any food can fit into a macro counting diet, at least in moderation.

As a registered dietitian, I also appreciate that macro counting promotes a balanced diet. I certainly wouldn’t say the same about keto, paleo, or any diet that requires giving up entire food groups. 

That said, macro counting isn’t for everyone. 

It’s an incredibly detailed method that takes some time and energy, especially in the first weeks.

This much attention to detail can be triggering if you’ve ever struggled with disordered eating. You’d be better off working with a registered dietitian who specializes in disordered eating patterns.

Overall, the people who do best with macro counting enjoy gathering data about their diet and don’t get too discouraged when they have “off” meals. They simply get back on track at their next meal or snack.

Macro Counting for Beginners: Six Tips for Success

Macro counting for beginners can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! 

Here are a few macro-counting tips for beginners:

Calculate Your Target Macros

The easiest way to start macro counting for beginners is to use an app like Macrostax. 

When you sign up for a tracking app, you’ll input your height, weight, age, activity level, and goals. The app will use these data points to estimate your starting macros.

These targets probably won’t be perfect right away, and that’s okay! Your app will adjust your macro targets every couple of weeks (as necessary) to help you reach your goals. 

You can help the app do its job by tracking consistently and accurately and by inputting your body weight at least three times weekly. 

Manage Your Expectations

So you’ve signed up for an app, received your starting macros, and started tracking…only to be SHOCKED by how far you are from your targets.

Take a deep breath. This is very common, and it is very fixable. 

It just takes a bit of time. 

Macro counting is an advanced skill. You didn’t master riding a bike in one day, and you won’t master macro counting either. 

In fact, it may take a couple of weeks even to get close to your macro targets. On that note, it’ll likely take a couple of weeks to see the scale move, even when you’re really close to hitting your macros. 

Commit to the process and keep logging, even when you have those off-days. You’ll soon learn to use your tracking data to get closer to your targets!

Ease Into It

Want to know a little secret? 

You don’t have to hit your macros to make progress.

You’ll lose weight (if that’s your goal) by eating fewer calories than you burn, day in and day out. 

On the flip side, you’ll gain weight by eating more calories than you burn.

Weight changes mostly come down to calories in vs. calories out. The rest of the macro targets are mostly icing on the cake (assuming, of course, you’re eating enough protein, fat, and carbs to stay healthy).  

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you can start by just trying to hit your calorie goal. 

Once you’ve hit your calorie target for at least a week, you’ll begin working on your protein target. 

After that, I typically have my clients focus on increasing fiber while dialing in their fat intake. 

An all-or-nothing mentality is NOT your friend when counting macros, especially for beginners. Easing into it increases your odds of success, making it easier to stick with it for the long haul. 

Track in Advance

You’ve probably heard the quote, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”? 

This is 100 percent true with macro counting. 

You’ll be much more successful when you get in the habit of planning your menus at least one day in advance. 

Planning in advance takes spontaneous decision-making out of the equation. You’re much less likely to run into a “guess I better get a large fries in the drive-thru” situation when you know exactly what you’ll eat at your next meal.

Entering your macros into your app a day ahead of time also helps you avoid any discrepancies between your macro targets and what you actually eat. 

These discrepancies are really difficult to correct when you track them retrospectively. 

(Need a little help finding recipes that fit into your macros? Click here to get my free meal planning by macros Google sheet.)

Stock Up on Macro-Friendly Foods

Speaking of discrepancies, one of the best ways to be successful at macro tracking for beginners is to keep some macro-friendly foods handy. 

Let me explain. 

Say you’re planning your meals for tomorrow, and you find yourself over your fat goal and under your protein goal. 

What could you do to shift that balance? 

• replace chicken thighs with skinless boneless breasts
• sub all or some of your eggs with egg whites
• swap the goat cheese on your salad with fat-free feta

See where I’m going with this? 

When macro counting for beginners, it can be really helpful to make a list of (mostly) single-macro foods. These foods can help you get closer to your protein, fat, and carb targets without impacting the other macronutrients too much.

Here are just a few examples.

• Protein: egg whites, fat-free Greek yogurt, Ratio yogurt, turkey breast slices, low-fat string cheese
• Carbs: fruit, rice
• Fat: Olive oil, nut butter 

When you’re over your macros, swap these foods out for similar ones and see if they help you get closer to your targets.

Get Help!

Macro counting is more fun (and a heck of a lot easier) with friends!

That’s why I created our six-week macro challenge: to ease you into macro counting and provide support and motivation every step of the way!

Our next six-week challenge kicks off July 29th and includes:

• access to Macrostax (a $60 value!) with ask-a-coach support feature
• private Discord community for support and accountability
• Macro Counting Success Guide
• Goal Setting Worksheets
• Meal Prep Masterclass
• Exclusive educational videos
• Motivational emails

Essentially, I’m giving you all the tools you need to start your macro counting journey…all for $110.

Enrollment closes on July 26th, and the price goes up next challenge. Email [email protected] to get in on this round!