Do not make the target weight more than 10 lbs less than your current weight.
Once you lose 10 lbs, you can reset for another lower weight. It is better to choose a more conservative number and be successful versus setting a 20 lb weight loss (or more) and not being able to stick with it!
GAIN WEIGHT
Skip the calculator!
Select a target weight.
Generally, stay within 10 lbs of where you currently are. Once you gain that weight, you can always reset your numbers to something higher.
Set your macro targets as:
Protein = Target Weight
Carbs = 2x Target Weight
Fat = ½ Target Weight
For example, suppose a 170 lb athlete wants to be 180 lbs. Their macros would be 180g protein, 360g carbohydrates, and 90g fat.
KETO
Change the macronutrient ratios to:
25% Protein
10% Carbohydrate
65% Fat
Keto ranges can actually be:
15-30% Protein (too much protein can kick you out of ketosis)
5-10% Carbohydrates (usually looking for ~20 grams of carbs)
60-75% Fat (or more, if necessary)
You may have to alter percentages if you are measuring ketones and not yet in ketosis.
HIGH VOLUME (GAMES ATHLETE)
Note: Athletes in this category are working out several times a day and have elite capacity in their sport.
Skip the calculator! Multiply your current body weight in lbs by 20 for total target calories.
Calculate your macronutrient distribution of those total calories by using:
Protein = [(Total Calories) x .25]/4
Carbohydrate = [(Total Calories) x .55]/4
Fat = [(Total Calories) x .20]/9
Depending on a bunch of factors, this multiplier may have to go up to 25 calories/pound of bodyweight.
UGH, THIS IS TOO MUCH PROTEIN!
Do you feel like all you do is eat protein? Good news! There is some flexibility on what is “enough.”
Athletes can be in a range of 0.7-1.0 grams of protein per pound of body weight (g/lb).
This translates to 23% (0.7g/lb) – 33% (1.0g/lb) of calories from protein. Note: the default of 30% of calories from protein translates to 0.9g/lb.
Change the percentage to 23-29% calories from protein.
Consider increasing it again if you notice losing lean mass, although you likely won’t!
ADJUSTING NUMBERS
If you’ve lost or gained weight, it’s best to reset your macros.
While a 40/30/30 split of calories from carbohydrate, protein, and fat respectively is generally a “good” ratio you can alter it to whatever works for you.
Some general guidelines:
To preserve lean mass, the protein is best kept in the range of 0.7-1.0g protein per pound of body weight (23%-33% of total calories).
People doing CrossFit programming on The Bailey Program are best served with carbohydrates near 40% or more due to intensity. YMMV!
Fat grams shouldn’t drop below 30-45 grams per day.
THIS ISN’T WORKING
Have you been following your macros to a “T” and it isn’t working?!
How consistent have you been? Have you been within +/- 5 grams of each macronutrient for the last 6 weeks? If not, you haven’t been consistent enough.
If you have, are you eyeballing portion sizes or guestimating take-out food? This can kill the accuracy of your macros! Eyeballing portions of food (particularly processed food or alcohol) can be a slippery slope and restaurant cooking fats, sauces, creams, etc. are very calorically dense. These can add up to big errors in what you are tracking versus what you are actually eating. Be sure to weigh and measure everything for the next several weeks, and ideally prep and eat more food you can prepare.
Check in on lifestyle factors: How is stress? How is sleep (7+hours)? Are you exercising as much as you budgeted for? These things matter for weight loss!! Before you worry about fiddling with the numbers, try to nail down these basic factors.
