How to Set Your Own Macros: A Step-by-Step Manual Guide

Step 2: Adjust Calories for Your Goal

Next, adjust your TDEE based on whether you want to lose fat or gain muscle.

• For Fat Loss: Create a calorie deficit by subtracting 300-500 calories from your TDEE, or reduce it by 15-20%. This creates a sustainable energy gap that encourages your body to use stored fat for fuel.
• For Muscle Gain: Create a calorie surplus by adding 250-500 calories to your TDEE, or increase it by 5-10%. This provides the extra energy needed to build new muscle tissue.

Step 3: Set Your Macronutrient Targets

Now it's time to divide your goal calories among the three macronutrients: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Each macro has a specific calorie value:

• Protein: 4 calories
• Carbohydrates: 4 calories
• Fat: 9 calories

We'll use the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) as a flexible and healthy framework. These ranges are set by health organizations to ensure you get a balanced intake of nutrients (Institute of Medicine, 2005). You can learn more about them in our guide to AMDR for macros.

Example 1: 150 lb Sedentary Woman (Fat Loss)

• BMR Calculation: (10 x 68) + (6.25 x 165) – (5 x 30) – 161 = 680 + 1031 - 150 - 161 = 1400 kcal.
• TDEE Calculation: 1400 (BMR) x 1.2 (Sedentary) = 1680 kcal for maintenance.
• Fat Loss Goal: 1680 - 300 = 1380 kcal per day.
• Set Macros (for 1380 kcal):
• - Protein (30%): 1380 x 0.30 = 414 kcal / 4 = 104g
• - Fat (25%): 1380 x 0.25 = 345 kcal / 9 = 38g
• - Carbs (45%): 1380 x 0.45 = 621 kcal / 4 = 155g

Example 2: 185 lb Moderately Active Man (Muscle Gain)

• BMR Calculation: (10 x 84) + (6.25 x 183) – (5 x 35) + 5 = 840 + 1144 - 175 + 5 = 1814 kcal.
• TDEE Calculation: 1814 (BMR) x 1.55 (Moderately Active) = 2812 kcal for maintenance.
• Muscle Gain Goal: 2812 + 250 = ~3060 kcal per day.
• Set Macros (for 3060 kcal):
• - Protein (25%): 3060 x 0.25 = 765 kcal / 4 = 191g
• - Fat (30%): 3060 x 0.30 = 918 kcal / 9 = 102g
• - Carbs (45%): 3060 x 0.45 = 1377 kcal / 4 = 344g

Step 4: Track, Assess, and Adjust

Remember, any macro calculation is just a starting point. The real key is consistency and adjustment. Track your food intake and monitor your body weight, energy levels, and performance for 2-4 weeks.

• Not losing weight? Decrease your daily calories by 100-200, primarily from carbs or fats.
• Not gaining weight? Increase your daily calories by 100-200, primarily from carbs.
• Feeling sluggish? You may need to adjust your carbohydrate intake around your workouts.

Key Takeaways

• Estimate TDEE: Calculate your BMR with the Mifflin-St Jeor formula and multiply by an activity factor.
• Set a Goal: Adjust your TDEE calories down for fat loss or up for muscle gain.
• Assign Macros: Use percentage ranges (e.g., 30% protein, 25% fat, 45% carbs) to set your targets in grams.
• Adjust as Needed: Treat your numbers as a starting point and fine-tune them based on your real-world results.

Sources & Further Reading

• Mifflin, M. D., St Jeor, S. T., Hill, L. A., Scott, B. J., Daugherty, S. A., & Koh, Y. O. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 51(2), 241-247. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2305711/
• Institute of Medicine. (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press. https://www.nap.edu/read/10490/chapter/1
• Institute of Medicine. (2005). Chapter 12: Dietary Reference Intakes for Macronutrients. In Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. The National Academies Press. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK56068/