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“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” -Jim Rohn

Nutrition Simplified

In my past two newsletters, we've calculated your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate), determined your TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure), and set your target caloric intake based on your goals. Now the next question that I often get asked is: "Ok, so I need to eat X number of calories, but HOW should I split those calories between the three macronutrients?" With the three macronutrients being protein, carbohydrates and fats.

This is where most people fall into the rabbit hole of conflicting nutrition advice. One expert tells you to eat high protein. Another swears by high carbs. A third insists that fat is the key to everything. The thing you have to remember with bold sweeping statements is that they lack nuance, are most likely incomplete thoughts and often seem to be true because they are partially true. In today’s world of attention grabbing headlines and buzz words, it’s more important than ever to dive deeper into subjects in order to gain full comprehension.

After 15 years in the fitness industry and seeing firsthand what actually works, I can tell you that the following statement is very true. The right macronutrient split can be the difference between you struggling to reach your goals or you hitting them with surprising ease.

Today, I'm going to give you the exact formulas that you need in order to split your calories between the three macros for optimal results. This is the last installment of my, “Take Back Control By Calculating What Your Body Actually Needs” series and is the final piece of your body composition puzzle. Let’s dive in!

Why Macronutrients Matter More Than You Think

Before we dive into the numbers, let me explain why getting your macro split right is so important.

While calories determine whether you lose, gain, or maintain weight, macronutrients determine what ratio of fat and muscle you lose or gain. They also dramatically affect how you feel, how well you recover from workouts, and how easy it is to stick to your plan.

Let me briefly describe what each macronutrient does:

Protein builds and preserves muscle, keeps you full, and has the highest thermic effect (burns the most calories to digest).

Carbohydrates fuel your workouts, support recovery, and help maintain your energy levels throughout the day.

Fats support hormone production, help with vitamin absorption, and provide long-lasting energy.

The key is getting the right balance for YOUR specific goal. Let's break down the exact formulas for each phase.

The Fat Loss Macro Formula

When you're cutting, your priority is losing fat while preserving as much muscle as possible. This requires a specific macro approach that maximizes satiety and muscle preservation.

Here's the split I recommend:

• 40% Protein (maximum muscle preservation and satiety)

• 40% Carbs (energy for training and recovery)

• 20% Fat (hormone support with calorie control)

To calculate your daily targets:

Protein: Target calories x 0.4 ÷ 4 = grams of protein

Carbs: Target calories x 0.4 ÷ 4 = grams of carbs

Fat: Target calories x 0.2 ÷ 9 = grams of fat

(Remember: protein and carbs have 4 calories per gram, fat has 9 calories per gram)

Example- If you're eating 1,500 calories for fat loss:

• Protein: 1,500 x 0.4 ÷ 4 = 150 grams

• Carbs: 1,500 x 0.4 ÷ 4 = 150 grams

• Fat: 1,500 x 0.2 ÷ 9 = 33.3 grams

If numbers and math aren’t your thing, there is a shortcut that will get you roughly the same numbers.

For most people, this works out to approximately:

• 1.1 grams of protein per pound of body weight

• 1.1 grams of carbs per pound of body weight

• 0.25 grams of fat per pound of body weight

The Muscle Building Macro Formula

When lean bulking, you want to maximize muscle growth while minimizing fat gain. This requires more total calories with an emphasis on carbs for energy and recovery. However, I do want to emphasize that I will be covering lean bulking here, not the typical “dirty” bulking that people say they are doing when they want to use it as an excuse to eat anything and everything. This is something that I have actually fallen victim to in the past, so no worries if you have as well.

So here's the split for lean bulking:

• 25% Protein (adequate for muscle synthesis)

• 55% Carbs (maximum training energy and recovery)

• 20% Fat (hormone support)

Example: If you're eating 2,200 calories for lean bulking:

• Protein: 2,200 x 0.25 ÷ 4 = 137.5 grams

• Carbs: 2,200 x 0.55 ÷ 4 = 302.5 grams

• Fat: 2,200 x 0.2 ÷ 9 = 49 grams

Quick Shortcut: This typically works out to:

• 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight

• 2.2 grams of carbs per pound of body weight

• 0.35 grams of fat per pound of body weight

The Maintenance Macro Formula

When maintaining, you have the most flexibility. The goal is sustainable eating that supports your training without weight change.

Here's the maintenance split:

• 30% Protein (muscle maintenance and satiety)

• 45% Carbs (energy balance)

• 25% Fat (hormone support and satisfaction)

Example: If you're eating 2,000 calories for maintenance:

• Protein: 2,000 x 0.3 ÷ 4 = 150 grams

• Carbs: 2,000 x 0.45 ÷ 4 = 225 grams

• Fat: 2,000 x 0.25 ÷ 9 = 55.5 grams

Quick Shortcut: This works out to:

• 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight

• 1.6 grams of carbs per pound of body weight

• 0.4 grams of fat per pound of body weight

Some Popular Questions

Let me address two questions that I often get about macros.

1) That’s a lot of protein! Do I really need to eat that much?

Research consistently shows that when you're cutting calories, you need MORE protein than when you're maintaining or bulking. You need to preserve as much muscle as possible when you are in a caloric deficit so that you can achieve the body composition that you want. This makes OPTIMAL PROTEIN CONSUMPTION ESSENTIAL. Studies suggest 0.8-1.2 grams per pound when cutting, and 0.55-1 gram per pound when bulking or maintaining.

Furthermore, I would recommend consuming an amount in the upper end of these ranges because the downsides of eating too little protein (muscle loss, poor recovery, constant hunger) outweigh the negatives of eating slightly too much (fewer calories available for carbs and fats).

2) Can I Really Eat That Many Carbs and Lose Fat?

I understand this sounds crazy if you've been exposed to anti-carb messaging, but the research is pretty undeniable: CALORIE DEFICIT DETERMINES FAT LOSS, NOT CARB RESTRICTION

With that being said, most people who are looking for a quick answer to lose fat, are eating too many carbs and fats. So if I say to cut back on carbs it’s really an attempt to have the person cut back on calories. I find that it’s simpler for people to quickly pinpoint and reduce carbs in their diet than it is for them to figure out fats. As for protein, most people who are overweight are not eating enough lean protein. So I would not have them reduce protein in an attempt to reduce calories.

A Harvard study found that "reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful weight loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize." Multiple studies comparing high-carb to low-carb diets with equal calories show identical fat loss.

The carbs in my approach here serve a purpose and it’s important for all things to have a purpose. Carbohydrates fuel your training, support recovery, and make the diet sustainable. You WILL lose fat on a high-carb diet when in a CALORIC DEFICIT.

Why This Approach Beats High-Fat Diets

Every few years, a new high-fat diet trend emerges claiming to be the solution to everything. While dietary fat is important for hormone production and vitamin absorption, the extreme high-fat approach comes with significant downsides for active people:

• Lower training performance - Your muscles prefer carbs for high-intensity exercise

• Harder to get adequate protein - Fat is calorie-dense, leaving less room for protein

• When it does work- it’s because of a corresponding significant reduction in total calories as I talked about previously, not some metabolic magic.

The approach to dietary fat that I recommend in this article provides all the benefits of fat while optimizing training performance and body composition.

Your Complete Body Composition Blueprint

You now have everything you need to take complete control of your nutrition:

Step 1: Calculate your foundation

BMR → TDEE → Target Calories (From Parts 1 & 2 of this series)

Step 2: Set your macros

Use today's formulas based on your goal (fat loss, lean bulking, or maintenance)

Step 3: Plan your meals

Choose foods you enjoy that fit your macro targets. Focus on whole foods 80% of the time.

Step 4: Track and adjust

Monitor your progress and fine-tune based on results. Remember, these are starting points, not final destinations.

The beauty of this systematic approach is that it removes all guesswork. You know exactly how much to eat, what to eat, and why you're eating it. If you would like some additional imagery, think of calories and macros in the following way. If you were a sculptor, calories will determine the size of the sculpture you create while macros will determine how detailed the chiseling is of the sculpture.

Ready to Put Your Complete Nutrition Plan Into Action?

If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels with nutrition and start using a systematic approach that delivers predictable results, I'd love to help you implement these strategies with a personalized plan.

My online coaching program takes everything we've covered in this three-part series and transforms it into a practical eating strategy that fits your real life. I'll calculate your numbers, give you ideas for meals, and adjust based on your progress and preferences.

Ready to discover what becomes possible when you finally have a complete nutrition blueprint?

Click here to apply for customized online personal training today!

You now have all the tools you need to achieve your body composition goals. The only question is whether you'll use them consistently.

Your best body is waiting on the other side of implementation. Let's make it happen!