What are Macronutrients?
Macronutrients—commonly referred to as macros—are the three primary chemical compounds in food that provide the human body with metabolic energy: proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
While counting total calories dictates whether you lose or gain weight, balancing your macronutrient ratio dictates what kind of weight you lose or gain (e.g., preserving lean muscle mass while losing adipose tissue fat).
The Caloric Density of Macros
To accurately calculate your daily macro targets, dietitians use the standard Atwater specific factor system to assign caloric values to each gram of a macronutrient:
*Note: Alcohol is considered a non-essential macronutrient that contains 7 calories per gram.
A Practical Example
Consider Elena, who has a daily target of 2,000 calories and wants a High Protein diet ratio of 35% Protein, 40% Carbs, and 25% Fats.
Protein: 2,000 × 0.35 = 700 calories. Divided by 4 = 175g.
Carbs: 2,000 × 0.40 = 800 calories. Divided by 4 = 200g.
Fats: 2,000 × 0.25 = 500 calories. Divided by 9 = 55.5g.
Elena now knows exactly how many grams of each macronutrient she needs to consume daily to hit her specific body recomposition goals without exceeding her 2,000 calorie limit.