4 Things That Can Affect Macros

Macros are the amount of macronutrients and calories taken in by the food you eat. There are several factors that matter when determining how many calories, carbs, fats, and proteins you should eat.

1- Your current age, weight, and height. Although macros are not one-size-fits-all when it comes to these three things, the tracking apps treat them as such. In general the older you are the fewer calories you may need if you’re like the typical older person who’s not very active. The heavier you are the more energy intake you need and how tall you are in relation to your weight is also a determining factor.

2- Activity level. Someone who is sedentary is going to need fewer calories than someone who is very active. For the more active person there’s also a matter of realistically just how active you are - how often do you train, what’s the volume of your training and is it intense or more casual?

3- Your goals. This one might seem obvious, but someone with a goal of just getting stronger and healthier isn’t going to have the same strictness with their calories as someone who is going to go on stage for a bodybuilding show or go to a powerlifting contest. Context matters.

4- Health conditions. Certain health conditions are going to require the elimination or addition of certain foods. How much one can tolerate of any certain food is going to be taken into consideration when determining macros. For example someone with IBD or IBS or any other major gut/digestive issues should not eat a high carbohydrate diet. Same goes for someone with diabetes or for fighting or preventing cancer - lower carbs are required.

If you’re not getting the results you want take this list into consideration and figure out if there’s something you need to change.