What is a Macro Calculator? If you’re under the impression that maths has no place in the kitchen, it’s time you got to grips with a macro calculator. Whether you’re looking to bulk up or lean down (or both simultaneously), learning how to calculate macros can help you progress at a rate you’ve not seen before - even if you’re already tracking calories. And we’ll tell you why. Tracking macros provides information about the relative and absolute amount of carbs, fats and protein - and, in doing so, we can track total calorie intake,' says Dr Tom Little, performance and nutrition specialist for HeroPro Sport. As anyone who’s tried to build muscle or lose belly fat will attest, there’s far more to creating your ideal body shape than nailing workouts 24/7. By learning how to calculate macros, you’ll fuel your training, quicken your results, and Learn more a few handy lessons about plate portioning and portion control while you’re at it. That’s why a macro calculator is one of the most effective tools at your disposal, whether you’re bodybuilding, eating keto, or newly plant-based.

Below, we detail everything you need to know about how to calculate macros and figure out the ratios that will work for you. Because there’s more to nailing your diet than a half-arsed scan of the ingredient list. Knowing how to use a macro calculator first requires an understanding of what macros are. Put simply, macronutrients are the bulk of the matter that makes up the energy content of every piece of food you’ve ever eaten. Protein, carbohydrates and fat are the three 'macros' in your food, and they all contribute to your overall calorie intake in different ways. Each macronutrient is measured in grams and calories, which will contribute to your daily goal. By tweaking the quantity of each with a macro calculator, you can fuel your body for any type of training - whether you’re prepping for a photoshoot or an endurance race. Plus, Prime Boosts Pills learning how to count your macros means you’re paying close attention to the make-up of your food.

This helps you get specific about why you might not be losing as much fat or gaining as much muscle as you’d like. Then, using our macro calculator below, you can tailor your diet to get granular on your gains. Dubbed the ‘muscle macro’, protein is made up of long chains of amino acids. There are around 20 different amino acids commonly found in plant and animal proteins - in varying proportions, depending on the food - but only nine are ‘essential’, which means your body can’t make them. Examples of high-protein foods include; fish, chicken, beef, Greek yoghurt, tempeh, cottage cheese, eggs, jerky, lentils and tofu. 1, carbohydrates play a crucial role in your bodily functions. They’re the most important energy source for your body, which converts the macro into glucose to fuel your organs and muscles. This is why endurance athletes and highly active individuals follow a high-carbohydrate diet.

While both ‘simple’ and ‘complex’ carbohydrates are sugars, there’s a difference between them. Simple carbohydrates are fast-digesting sugars found naturally in certain foods like white bread, fruit and milk, but also added to biscuits, sweets and cake. Complex carbohydrates - also called starches - contain longer chains of sugar molecules, which take longer to break down and provide lasting energy. They’re found in peas, beans, enhance size whole grains and veggies. Fat gets a bad rap, but in truth, fatty acids - the building blocks of fat, such as omega-3 - are essential to your health. They play several crucial roles, from protecting your organs to acting as chemical messengers for proteins. Fat also helps your body absorb vitamins A, D and E. Unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, avocados and nuts, help protect your heart by regulating your cholesterol. You’ll find healthy fats in oily fish, avocados, nuts, dairy products and animal fats.