CALCULATING YOUR MACROS

There are a few different calculators out there on the inter webs and I encourage you to use more than 1 calculator so you can see the difference between some of them. I’m not sure why some of them are so different, but it definitely proves my point in that flexible dieting is completely experimental at first. It’s totally trial and error.

I used a calculator found in a book that I read on flexible dieting (Flexible Dieting: A Guide to Macros & Eating for Life by Krissy Mae Cagney, and she just released a new book: Flexible Dieting 2.0 which is even better) but ended up adjusting it just a little bit based on a few different factors. Here are the calculations I did the first time around (feel free to skip this part if it looks overwhelming; we can talk individually):

Step 1: Establishing Maintenance Calories

(Body Weight) x (Calorie Multiplier) = Maintenance Calories

Example: 135 lbs. x 14 = 1890 calories

So 1890 calories are the amount of calories needed for me to maintain my weight (according to the book, the way I understand it).

Step 2: Determine Your Goals

Fat Loss: Subtract a few hundred calories, add HIIT (high intensity interval training)

Bulking/Muscle Gain: Add 500-700, omit all cardio (more about this for us functional fitness exercisers, don’t worry)

Call it a 6th sense, but I KNOW 1890 calories is not enough for me, so I just rounded my number to 2000 calories to maintain my current weight. This was my goal so I didn’t really complete Step 2. For you, this may be different.We will talk more about your personal numbers one-to-one and what might be best.

Step 3: Determine Your Macros

Protein for Fat Loss: 1.0g per lb. of (lean body mass – total body weight)

Example: 1.0g x 135lbs = 135g Protein

Protein for Gain: 1.0g per lb of (total body weight – goal body weight)

Example: 1.0g x 140lbs = 140g Protein

Carbohydrates: 1.0-1.5g per lb of lean body mass

Use lower end for fat loss (1.0g) or higher end for gain (1.5g)

Example: 1.0g x 116lbs = 116g Carbohydrates

Fat: Total Calories – (Protein Calories + Carb Calories) = Fat Calories

Example: 2000 – (540+464) = 996 Fat Calories

Fat Calories divided by 9 = g Fat 

Example: 996 divided by 9 = 111g Fat

I imagine some heads are spinning- mine was. But that’s why we are going to go over this one-on-one. I’ll be able to show you how I got each value and why I think maybe we might have to adjust some of your numbers. Based on this calculator, here are my macros:

Flexible Dieting: A Guide to Macros:

Protein: 135g

Carbohydrate: 116g

Fat: 111g

After seeing these numbers, I checked out other calculators…

Healthy Eater: 

Protein: 135

Carbohydrate: 286g

Fat: 62g

IIFYM:

Protein: 108g

Carbohydrate: 270.5g

Fat: 54g

You can see how different these values can be across different calculators. Each of these calculators used different formulas for different reasons, so you can imagine how confused I was when I first started. What you need to know: DON’T GET OVERWHELMED. I ALREADY DID THAT FOR YOU. Bear in mind that whatever values you end up using is a STARTING POINT. You are going from a NOT structured way of eating to a STRUCTURED way of eating, so no matter what you do, you will see a change (unless you miraculously calculated your EXACT maintenance calories). After establishing your macro values and trying it out for a couple of weeks, you will see a change- if it’s a change you like, then we’ll keep doing the same thing. If it’s a change you don’t like, we will adjust. Simple!

What I do now is use My Fitness Pal’s % feature, which makes things a bit easier for me. After entering in the total amount of calories, I select the % of each macro I would like to achieve every day. I start with protein and then adjust the others. I can show you how to do this.

Well, I hope I didn’t lose anyone from this blog post, but I do think it’s important to understand exactly where your numbers are coming from and why. For those of you on the current cycle of flexible dieters with me, feel free to email me! I imagine you have questions!