What’s the best macro split?
And run from any coach who says to do so.
What are macro percentages?
If you’ve ever googled how to set macro targets, you’ve probably gone down the rabbit hole of what the perfect macro ratio is for fat loss or muscle building.
Perhaps it was 40-30-30 for the zone diet (meaning 40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, and 30% fat).
Or was it 50% carbs, 35% protein, and 15% fat for the best fat-loss results? (👀 Looking at you Women’s Health Magazine).
Either way, at this point, we know better, and you should too.
Here’s why you shouldn’t use percentages to set targets and what you should do instead: 👉
percentage Problems:
Let’s start with why percentages can be problematic.
1. We have optimal protein and dietary fat ranges that don’t rely on a percentage of calorie intake.
We have current research on protein (and have had for years) where protein targets should be set based on your current level of lean tissue.
Is protein intake too low? You’re not going to be providing your body with the building blocks for building muscle.
Is protein too high? You may experience digestive distress, too much satiety, or have the opportunity cost of leaving carbs on the table that would aid in recovery.
Problems: Dietary Fat
2. We have optimal dietary fat ranges that don’t rely on a percentage of calorie intake.
Like protein, dietary fat has a relatively broad range as well that most feel optimal in.
Too low? You’re not supporting your hormones.
Too high? You’re likely experiencing digestive distress and leaving gains on the table by sacrificing carb intake.
percentage scalability
3. They don’t scale infinitely:
The average 150-lb female client who works with us may scale from 1600 calories in a deficit to upwards of 2700 calories in a muscle build. What happens if we apply the 35-50-15 to those calorie ranges?
A Better way
Rather than using macro percentages, we like to use the current research to set an optimal range for protein and fats and then allocate all remaining calories to carbohydrates.
Optimal Dietary Fat Intake:
For most clients, especially women, we find a sweet spot for dietary fats in the 60-90g/day range with a higher top-end range when calories climb in a build, and a hard minimum (usually around ~50g) in fat loss.
Men? We’re looking at 50-100g per day if your calories are less than 3,000 a day. Above 3,000 calories and we let that float as needed, assuming digestion remains in a good spot.
Not sure how much protein to target every day?
Protein minimums and ranges are either a function of current body weight or estimated muscle mass, depending on your current body composition.
A general goal to start with when setting a protein minimum target is to aim for 0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight. However, depending on our current body composition, we may need to adjust that target.
Setting protein minimums for each individual may involve several factors, so click here for education on setting your protein minimums.
We promise it’s worth it, it’s just too long for a blog post and it includes a calculator to do the math for you!
