Macro Friendly Recipes: The Best Meal Prep Recipes for Counting Macros - Smile Sandwich (2024)

FAQs

What are the best foods to eat when counting macros? ›

While all foods are allowed, it's easier to meet your macro goals with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, high-quality proteins, nuts, seeds and whole grains.

A basic strategy would be to divide your total daily targets including calories, carbs, fat and protein by four. This would give you even macro targets for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. Then, divide that 1/4 number by two to get the target macros for your two snacks.

There is no consensus on what constitutes the ideal percentage split however, the following are common targets used by adopters of the macro diet: 30/30/40 - 30 per cent from protein, 30 per cent from fat and 40 per cent from carbs. 40/40/20 - 40 per cent protein, 40 per cent carbs and 20 per cent fat.

A macro diet involves counting the intake of three macronutrients — proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

Calculate Your Macros

Since each gram of carbohydrate and protein contains 4 calories, and each gram of fat contains 9 calories, you can calculate your macro needs as follows: Carbohydrates: Daily calories * 0.40 / 4 = grams of carbs per day. Proteins: Daily calories * 0.30 / 4 = grams of proteins per day.

Set Your Macro Ratios

However, a general guideline for fat loss is to aim for a moderate protein intake, with slightly higher proportions of carbohydrates and lower proportions of fats. A common macro ratio for fat loss is 45% of calories from carbohydrates, 25% from protein, and 30% from fats.

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Macros: 25% carbs, 40% protein, 35% fat. Who is the High Protein diet for? This diet is generally for people who are trying to build muscle. This diet is highly efficient for building muscle and body mass while reducing body fat.

Yes, it's possible to consume all your daily calories and macronutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats) in one meal rather than spreading them out throughout the day. This eating pattern is known as intermittent fasting, and one of its variations is the "one meal a day" (OMAD) approach.

The 80/20 rule is a guide for your everyday diet—eat nutritious foods 80 percent of the time and have a serving of your favorite treat with the other 20 percent. For the “80 percent” part of the plan, focus on drinking lots of water and eating nutritious foods that include: Whole grains. Fruits and vegetables.

What is the 60 20 20 rule for macros? ›

This means, you should receive 60% of your calories from simple and complex carbohydrates, 20% of your calories from healthy fats, and 20% of your calories from high-quality animal and/or plant-based proteins.

The 30-30-30 diet involves eating 30g of protein within 30 minutes of waking up, and then completing 30 minutes of low intensity exercise. This method first appeared in Tim Ferriss' book The 4-Hour Body in 2010 but was recently popularized by nutritionist and wellness podcaster Gary Brecka.

The 40/30/30 macros refer to a specific ratio of macronutrients – 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fats. This balanced macro split has become one of the most well-known and recommended approaches for those looking to build muscle, lose fat, or simply eat healthier.

Allows for flexibility in your diet

The number one IIFYM rule is that all foods can fit into your macro plan, with no foods off-limits. In other words, it doesn't matter where those grams of carbohydrates, fat, or protein are coming from, as long as they add up to your recommended total grams by the end of the day.

The most convenient way to track macros may be through a nutrition app like MyFitnessPal, Lose It!, or My Macros +. These apps are user-friendly and specifically designed to simplify tracking macros. In addition, a digital food scale may help you track your macros — though it isn't necessary.

Oats–raw oats, old-fashioned rolled oats, steel-cut oats, quick-cooking oats–are all a form of complex carbohydrates that you're going to need when counting macros to help you hit your numbers for the day.