IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros), or a macro eating lifestyle, is a flexible dieting style promoting weight loss and muscle gain. Tracking macros for beginners can feel a little overwhelming. I have followed a macro lifestyle (including strength training) since October 2021, and boy, was it a learning curve!
A few questions I get asked are "why track macros?" and "how do you track macros?" So, here is everything I've learned so far tracking macros since 2021.
What are Macros?
Macros are short for macronutrients, which mean the protein, carbohydrate, and fat that make up any type of food. Macronutrients are found on the nutrition label of packaged foods. Foods are made up of macronutrients and micronutrients.
Counting macros is a slightly different approach to counting daily calories because you are trying to hit certain protein, carb, and fat goals. They can be calculated using a food scale and macro calculator (like My Fitness Pal).
For example, a person counting calories wouldn't care if all of their total calories came from carbs or fat, they would just want to hit their calorie goal for the day. When tracking macro targets, you modify your eating based on the allotted carbs, fat, and protein.
Why I Track Macros
Tracking macros seems like a lot of effort- why do people do it? I use macros, strength training, tracking body weight and measurements, and weekly photos to reach fitness goals.
My macronutrient intake and weekly activity are the inputs. My weight, photos, and body measurements are the outputs. By monitoring both the inputs and outputs, I can reach different goals.
Think of it like tracking your monthly budget to reach financial goals. If you didn't have data to understand how much you were spending each month, it would be hard to set realistic goals and make changes.
What is a "Macro Diet"?
A macro diet is an eating style that adheres to a particular macronutrient ratio to manipulate body composition. Macro diets are often used by bodybuilders or fitness competitors to monitor their nutritional inputs. Macros change depending on a person's specific goals.
👉🏼 Personally, I find a macro diet similar to the Mediterranean diet. Both eating styles eat a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats, seafood, beans, and low-fat dairy. 👈🏼
Tracking macros helps keep my meals well-balanced (enough fat, carbs, and protein).
What Are My Macros?
Every person's macros are different and can change over time depending on metabolism, hormones, or energy needs. So the short answer is: you won't know your macros until you start tracking them. The long answer is: your macros will change, and you'll see patterns over time.
I hired a macro coach in October 2021 (the one and only Brittney Carbone!). I've increased my metabolism (and macros) over the last 16 months and reduced my body fat.
⭐️ When I first started my macro journey, my maintenance daily macros in October 2021 started at 175 grams of carbs, 170 grams of protein, and 50 grams of fat. My daily calorie intake was around 1830 calories. I weighed 172 lbs. ⭐️
Side note: I believe my body is beautiful at EVERY stage. I honor what it gives me, including the ability to grow a human, climb a mountain, and eat yummy food! Hopefully, this post isn't triggering.
⭐️ After a year, my maintenance macros changed to about 250 grams of carbs, 160 grams of protein, and 50 grams of fat. My daily calorie counts are at 2090 calories. I weigh 149 lbs. 🥳
This proves you can increase your metabolism and lose excess fat at any age. I did this by focusing on strength training and eating consistent macros.
How To Track Macros
I track my macros using a food scale and a macro calculator like MyFitnessPal. Packaged foods have food labels containing nutrition information. I find weighing foods is more accurate than volumetric measuring. In my experience, tracking macros gets easier with time- woohoo!
How To Make Tweaks
The best way I have found to tweak my diet is to find foods I LOVE to eat. I started with breakfast and brainstormed my favorite breakfasts like protein oatmeal, egg white breakfast tacos, and fruit and greek yogurt granola.
It's SO much easier to eat things you like, which is why it helps to find some faves. If I miss something, like a Whataburger, I'll plan it into my day. That way, I can have the burger but be more conscientious in other meals.
I can turn just about anything into a macro-friendly version. Let me give you an example of "tweaking" things at Chic-Fil-A:
| Starting With This | Tweaking To This |
|---|---|
| 8-count meal with fries and drink | 8-count grilled nuggets + 8-count fried nuggets + a Cosmic Crisp Apple (no fries or drink) |
| cobb salad with a whole packet of dressing | southwest grilled chicken salad, hold the cheese, ⅓ the creamy salsa dressing |
| Chic-Fil-A chicken biscuit | Egg white grill |
| Chick-Fil-A sandwich | Grilled Chic-Fil-A sandwich, hold the cheese |
More Of My Favorite Recipes
On repeat, I eat lean turkey tacos, lean beef pho, poke bowls, taco salad, sushi, turkey chili, egg white breakfast casserole, homemade chicken noodle soup, grilled chicken thighs with epic fatoush, and the list goes on.
Tips for Getting Started
- Give yourself time and grace to learn something new. Progress, not perfection. I am continually learning new skills to improve. My current adherence rate is about 70%, so this is not all or nothing. Every little bit adds up.
- Possibly work with a coach to uncover hidden beliefs and learn new skills. In my experience, working with a macro coach, like my girl Brittney Carbone, was crucial to my success. I would never expect to learn to play tennis without a coach. Nor would I expect to teach myself another language fluently without the help of a tutor.
- Start small. Don't make any diet changes for a few weeks. Just learn how to track food using macros.
- Get curious. The data you uncover is not good or bad; it's just telling you information.
If you are curious about a macro lifestyle, just get started!
Eloise says
Are you still able to maintain the same weight years down the road? Do your macros change? How do you know if rhwy do? Do you ever practice intermittent fasting or restrictive eating? I
Thanks!
Lily Guidry says
Hi Eloise, great questions! I should probably do a few update posts to cover each year since this post because my experience has been different! My second year of resistance training/tracking macros was an even better experience- maintaining my weight and "leanness" felt easier. Maybe it was due to habit and/or a better metabolic response, but I did not struggle in ways that I had prior. I consumed more, weighed less, and had more "eating joy"! My macros do change depending on my goals. My third and fourth year of tracking macros have been different because I've been pregnant- delivered a baby July 2024 and a second baby July 2025. I tracked macros and did some modified resistance training throughout both pregnancies. I am currently tracking macros and training 4 times a week. In my experience it's a slow journey, but I've fallen in love with process and made gradual progress over time. I have previously practiced intermittent fasting and had a positive experience. I do not intermittent fast now.
Althia says
When you are lifting five days a week, what are you working on each day? Do you lift for all parts of your body every day? Do you do any walking or anything outside of the gym exercises?
Have you still been able to maintain, or have you had to change your macro split along the way?
Did you try different macro splits? Like what happens if you increase the fat and decrease the carbs?
Thank you!
Lily says
So this is just my personal experience, and I think it can be different for everyone, but my body responds better to high carb low fat in terms of fat loss and energy. Not everyone is like that- some people do better with moderate carbs or lower carbs and higher fat.
I’ve been lifting for 4 years, and the last two years I have been pregnant twice (currently 39 weeks + 4 days), so my macros are quite different pregnant vs. not pregnant. I’m currently eating about 2600 to 2700 calories a day. Postpartum that will drop to about 2400 calories a day while I’m breastfeeding. When I’m ready to enter a weight loss phase, I’ll maintain probably around 2200 calories and slowly start reducing calories each week gradually until I hit 1800 calories. I’ll increase cardio as well. My protein remains steady, and I shave off extra calories from carbs and fat.
Weight training has been consistent for 4 years including pregnancy. I change up my training splits every 6-8 weeks with a little different focus. Usually it’s 3 lower body days with different focuses and 2 upper body days. Pre-pregnancy and pregnancy is different in terms of steps and cardio. This second pregnancy has kicked my butt, and I’ve done less cardio. But depending on my goals cardio changes- if I’m in a weight loss phase, cardio increases up to about 30 minutes of cardio 4-5 times a week, and 45 minutes cardio high intensity on rest days. For maintenance, cardio is 40 minutes twice a week. Usually cardio is walk/jog or elliptical.
Althia says
Oh so you technically work out seven days a week with two days of just cardio? Thank you for your help as I enter my journey.
Lily says
Good luck on your journey!! How exciting!! After this pregnancy, I will have a journey to embark on too haha, which just goes to show that this is a lifestyle and not a quick fix.
When I’m not pregnant and in a weight loss phase, my physical activity during the week looks something like this:
Sunday: 45 minutes run/walk
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: 45 minutes weight training + 30 minutes walking
Thursday: 45 minutes run/walk
Friday & Saturday: 45 minutes lifting weights + 30 minutes walking.
Sometimes I jog instead of walking, but I really find my adherence to anything is much easier when it’s something I want to do. Also, I could technically take off two days for a full rest day if I add more cardio to the weight training days, but I like some form of movement each day. My gym time is sacred, and I look forward to it.
A weight loss phase is most definitely not something you do forever. In fact, many people don’t realize it’s counterproductive and starts to impact the metabolism and increase burn out.
Once I hit a weight goal, I go into maintenance which is significantly less cardio and my calories go back up to maintenance (about 2100 to 2200 calories a day). In maintenance, I do about 60-90 minutes of cardio total for the week. I’ll split it on rest days or add it to training days.
Something else- I never try to “make up” a missed cardio or training session. I just try to do better the next week and make small incremental improvements. Sometimes kids are sick, or there are holidays. I just try to keep showing up more of the time than not.
Best of luck with everything!!
Althia says
Thank you for the tips! I pray for a safe and speedy delivery for you and the baby and may God bless your family.
Lily says
Thank you!!!
Mariam says
I see it has almost been two years now since started to track macros. Are you still able to maintain your progress? May I ask how tall you are? I am 177cm tall and right now I weight 80kg. I have lost more than 22kg and am having a hard time losing more. I would like to lose 7kg more. I will download that app and try. I want to learn to lift weights but I cannot afford a coach or anything like that. Do you have advice for how to get started with weight lifting without coaching please? Thank you.
Lily says
Hi Mariam, thanks for the questions and comments. First off, 22 kgs is a huge accomplishment! I’m sure it wasn’t easy and took a lot of hard work. I’m around 170 cm, and it took me about a year to lose 11 kgs. I’ve been able to maintain my weight for the past year, and I’ve found it easier than other times in my life.
I would say 3 main things clicked during the last 2 years. One, I realized how useful and effective strength training is in reducing body fat and increasing metabolism. I strength train 45 mins five times a week and I prioritize training sessions over cardio if I had to choose. Two, I eat foods with high satiety. My current macro split has less fat, moderate protein, and high carbs (yay!). Right now I’m eating 155gr protein/250gr carbs/50 gr fat in maintenance. I don’t like to feel hungry, so I try to fill my day with lots of fruits and veggies. Three, I don’t drink alcohol nor do I consume my calories in liquid form other than a morning coffee. Tracking macros have been a great way for me to understand my inputs and subsequent outputs. It’s just collecting data and making tweaks. If you’d like to get started with strength training, you might be able to find YouTube videos you can do from home. The key is that it’s challenging and some form of resistance training.
Great job on your journey- it’s hard to make the kind of progress you’ve made!
Kate says
Hi. I am going through perimenopause and it sucks. You look like you are around my age and you look happy and healthy! How are you getting that much protein each day? My doctor just told me to increase protein. I am doing the egg whites and Greek yogurt and I am eating meat (I hate eating meat everyday) but still can’t get enough.
Are you still maintaining your progress after two years ? I am looking for something long lasting and no fad dieting. My body hates intermittent fasting.
Thank you for your advice.
Lily says
Hey Kate! I am 38 years old (turning 39 in October) and I don’t think
I’m in perimenopause but I was majorly struggling with a low metabolism, energy, and extra fat stores.
What worked for me was hiring a coach. I made three main shifts: adding LEAN protein, lifting weights, and tracking macros.
Since this post, I’ve done more than maintain. I should probably give another update but I improved my physique and metabolism the second year.
I am pregnant currently and this pregnancy has been night and day difference than my first. I walked into this pregnancy with a higher metabolism and active lifestyle. I gained 60 lbs the first pregnancy and will probably settle at 35 lbs this second pregnancy.
In terms of eating more protein- egg whites, fat-free Greek yogurt, shrimp, chicken, lean turkey, or any other lean meat are great. To hit daily Protein requirements, I try to hit protein in every meal. That can be as simple as adding some sliced lean turkey to a breakfast sandwich or a protein powder to a Greek yogurt granola and fruit bowl. Beans are also a great source of lean protein! There is lean turkey chili, turkey tacos, Greek yogurt granola bowls, egg white oatmeal, lentil soup, sautéed garlic shrimp, roasted steelhead trout, and grilled chicken thighs that are great high protein recipes on the blog if you just search those names.
I try to find foods I enjoy eating- like poke, tacos, sushi, kabobs, salads and find my favorite recipes. Flavor doesn’t have to come from just fat. You can add spices, herbs, different textures to keep things interesting. Hope that helps!