Why Is Everyone Tracking Their Macros Now?

While on the hunt for a digital diary recently, I noticed many of the meal-prepping sections had a “macros” tab. A space in which to meticulously track your macros – short for macronutrients, which refers to the three essental nutrients our bodies require, protein, carbohydrates and fats – it struck me as a little too close to restrictive eating, and borderline problematic. But while tracking macros was crossed off my personal to-do list, I continued to see them mentioned online.

Macro tracking has long been used as a dieting technique by bodybuilders and professional athletes, but has edged its way into the mainstream in recent years via social media, where it is often framed as a weight-loss tool.

Here, three experts – Emily English (@EmTheNutritionist), Bianca Wise, Pilates instructor at ALO Wellness Club, and Rachel Butcher, head of nutrition at Third Space – break down the obsession with macros, and explain whether there is a healthy way to track them.

What are macros?

The term “macros” is short for macronutrients, and refers to proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Protein helps with muscle building and repair, as well as supporting immune function, hormones and enzymes. Carbs provide us with energy, and fats are essential for hormone production and regulation.

How does macro tracking differ from calorie counting?

Calorie counting doesn’t place as much emphasis on where your calories come from, the goal is to simply to hit the right number. Macro counting means ensuring the body receives specific nutrient ratios, rather than just focusing on your total calorie intake.

What is a macro calculator?

Macro calculators are a tool to help you work out the appropriate amount of protein, fats and carbohydrates to eat each day. You begin by entering your age, gender, current weight, level of physical activity and height (just like a BMI calculator). The calculator will then generate a figure to estimate the number of calories you should typically consume in a day. This total calorie amount will then be divided into a certain number of protein, fat and carbohydrate grams to consume per day.

Depending on your goal – muscle gain, fat loss, longevity – these ratios may change. For example, someone looking to build lean muscle may concentrate on higher carbohydrate and protein ratios with lower healthy fats.

Provided you begin with a healthy, sensible calorie quota, the way you split your macronutrients should result in eating enough food and not in a restrictive calorie deficit. However, if you have any sort of medical condition, it’s worth reaching out to your GP before embarking on any diet plan.

Is it beneficial to track your macros?

“[Done sparingly] macro tracking can be a useful entry point for understanding how food fuels the body, but I don’t believe it should be the end goal,” Wise says. According to English, “like most things in nutrition, it sits in a grey area.” For some, it can be a helpful tool, for others, it can feel overwhelming. “There is no single right way to approach nutrition,” she explains. “What works brilliantly for one person might not work for someone else.”