Understanding what macro splits you need for a fat loss meal plan and how to calculate them
What are the best macros for fat loss?
There’s many diets you can do to lose weight and the macros diet is one which is very popular. The premise is simple, you have 3 macronutrients, Protein, Carbohydrate (carbs) and Fat. They all carry a calorie load and the macros diet apportions the 3 macros out.
Sometimes a macros fat loss diet is split into ratios eg 40/30/30 so
- Protein is 40%
- Carbs 30%
- Fats 30%
This is one of the most popular macro splits for cutting diets.
The % refers to the percentage of the calories that the particular macro has so a 2000 calorie cutting diet would see
- 800 calories from Protein
- 600 calories from Carbs
- 600 calories from Fats
Sometimes the macros are set straight into grams eg
- Protein 200g
- Carbs 150g
- Fats 67g
this would give the 40/30/30 split in 2000 calories but in grams.
Do macros matter for fat loss or is it all about a calorie deficit?
However the macros diet is split up it’s either based on a calorie deficit calculator result or it’s just macros that the coach decides to follow.
The former will be more effective than the latter as you must have a calorie deficit in order to lose weight.
The problem with macro based diets is that the users generally become militant in their adherence and at the end of the day it’s quite common to see dieters trying to find a food that fits 3g carbs, 10g fats and 5g protein, or something similar in order to hit their macros. When in fact a large banana would fit those calories quite nicely.
Why I’m not a fan of strict macro based fat loss plans
It’s ultimately about the calories and this is why I’m not a fan of the stringent macros rules. It’s nice as a guide but not as a set in stone plan.
I go into the finer details in this video about how much protein you should be aiming for, how much fat you can cut out or add in and what to do with the carbs you are left with.
I’ll also run over the best macros split for fat loss if you are training in the gym and the best macros for muscle building when on a cutting diet.
Get a free macro calculator for fat loss here
Calorie Calculator for fat loss
This will give you your calories for fat loss and also some macro guidelines for your day.
Watch the video below for more details on macros for a fat loss diet
You can also listen to the video on a podcast which is below the video link
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