Calculating Macros for Lockdown Weight Loss

The commercial weight loss industry is huge and constantly growing, as an increasing number of people are looking for new and improved diets that will help them lose weight quickly. Actually though, if you’re looking to lose lockdown weight or have decided this is the year to change your lifestyle, the best thing you can do is to avoid fad diets altogether and simply focus on eating a balanced diet along with regular exercise. 

Counting macros is one way to ensure you’re eating the right kind of food day-to-day. Although macros is a term thrown around often that may seem intimidating, once you understand the meaning and reason behind calculating macros, it is easy to set goals for yourself that you can stick to without going hungry. 

As we enter a new year, many people are ready for a fresh start and a new challenge. Particularly after the pandemic where most of us were stuck at home, many of us will be focusing on losing lockdown weight.  By understanding macros and how to calculate yours and stick to them consistently, you can lose weight healthily and steadily, in a way that allows you to maintain your lower weight instead of fluctuating. 

Weldricks Pharmacy has put together a simple guide to macros for weight loss, including calculating macros for weight loss, counting macros for weight loss, and the macros we should all be trying to eat more of. We aim to make the concept of weight loss seem far simpler and more accessible. 

What are macros?

The term ‘macro’ is simply a shortened version of ‘macronutrient’, which are the three core nutrient groups humans require: fats, carbohydrates and proteins. By working out the proportions of each of these three groups that your body needs to either maintain, gain, or lose weight, you can set goals for yourself and adapt your diet accordingly. 

Macros are different to calories in that they help you to track what you’re eating, whereas calories allow you to monitor how much you’re eating. They go hand in hand when it comes to weight loss for men and women because no matter how much of a caloric deficit you are in if all you eat is carbs, you won’t lose weight or build muscle as effectively. 

Why? Because each macronutrient group has different benefits and roles in the functioning of your body. Carbohydrates provide energy, fats keep us satisfied, and proteins allow us to build new muscle mass and repair existing muscle. Without one of these food groups included in your diet, your whole weight loss regime simply won’t be as effective. 

Here are some examples of foods that fall into certain macro groups:

Protein - meat and fish, eggs, yoghurt, tofu. 

Carbohydrates - rice, pasta, bread, potatoes, oats.

Fat - avocados, nuts, seeds.

Calculating your macros for lockdown weight loss

Next, we’ll explain how to calculate your macros, whether you’re looking to lose lockdown weight or simply cut down on a few pounds. Before we do, it’s important to note that monitoring your macros alone will not enable you to lose weight, it must be done in combination with being in a caloric deficit. A calorie deficit means you are burning a higher volume of calories than you are consuming through food or drink throughout one day. 

When calculating macros for weight loss, follow the below steps:

1. Calculate your BMR 

This metric means how many calories you burn every day without any movement whatsoever. For women, BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

2. Identify your activity level

For example:

‘Sedentary’ would be relevant for those who have desk jobs and do very minimal exercise

‘Little exercise’ would be relevant if you exercise 1-3 times per week

‘Moderate exercise’ if you exercise 3-5 times per week

‘Heavy exercise’ if you do so 6-7 times per week

3. Times your BMR by your activity level to reach your daily amount of calories (DAC)

4. Calculate your macros according to your recommended split

This is where it can be easier to use a macro calculator to work out your macro split. There are various split ratios you can use that are recommended for fat loss, such as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fats, or 45% protein, 30% carbs and 25% fats. The ready-made macro calculators online allow you to enter your height, weight and activity level, to be presented with your macros to maintain or lose weight. 

How can you count macros?

If you’re unsure of which foods contain which macros, you can do a trusty Google search to find the macros for a certain type of food, or, you can benefit from a fitness and diet app like MyFitnessPal, which highlight the macros in any food you track each day, along with the calories. 

Not all foods can be put into one macro category; usually, foods span across multiple macros. An app or macro tracking tool online can help you to identify the correct macros of any food. 

What are the best macros for weight loss?

Protein is recommended for building muscle and repairing muscles from exercise, so generally, it’s best to aim for a higher protein diet than a carb-heavy diet to increase muscle mass and lose weight at the same time from a calorie deficit. 

Despite this, there is no set amount of each type of macros for fat loss. By using the calculation above or using a macro calculator online, you can find out your desired macros to lose weight healthily and consistently, which is far better long term than trying to drop weight in a short amount of time. 

Need help with lockdown weight loss and management?

Weldricks Pharmacy offers a range of products to help with weight management and weight loss. Whether you’re looking for weight loss capsules to use alongside a calorie deficit and balanced diet from Alli or Orlos, or sugar-free sweets to help you snack without adding extra sugar to your diet.