Macros Are More Than Numbers
Why What You Eat to Hit Them Matters
If you have ever heard someone say, “I’m tracking my macros,” you may have wondered what exactly that means.
Macros, short for macronutrients, are the nutrients your body needs in larger amounts: protein, carbohydrates and fat. Each provides calories, which are a source of energy for the body. Protein and carbohydrates provide about 4 calories per gram, while fat provides about 9 calories per gram. When I create a macro plan for a client, I establish individualized targets for these nutrients based on her goals, activity level and overall needs.
But a macro plan is about more than simply reaching three numbers at the end of the day.
Two people could technically hit the exact same protein, carbohydrate and fat targets while eating very different diets. One might get most of those macros from chicken, eggs, potatoes, fruit, vegetables, oats, rice, Greek yogurt, nuts and other minimally processed foods. Another might rely heavily on protein bars, shakes, packaged meals and other highly processed convenience foods.
The numbers could look similar on paper. The nutritional value of the diet, how satisfying it is, and how well it fuels the person eating it can look very different.
Food is fuel
This is something I emphasize with my clients: food isn't simply about calories or weight loss. Food provides the energy and nutrients your body needs to function.
If you are trying to lose body fat while also maintaining or building muscle, training consistently, recovering from workouts and having enough energy to get through your day, the quality of the food filling your macro targets matters.
Whole and minimally processed foods can provide protein, carbohydrates and fats along with vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients that support overall health. They can also make it easier to build satisfying meals that keep you fueled between meals rather than constantly looking for your next snack.
Research also gives us reason to pay attention to the proportion of ultra-processed foods in our diets. In a 2019 randomized controlled trial, adults consumed about 500 more calories per day while following an ultra-processed diet compared with an unprocessed diet, despite the diets being matched for presented calories, macronutrients, sugar, sodium, fiber and energy density. Participants also gained weight during the ultra-processed phase and lost weight during the unprocessed phase.
A large 2021 prospective study of more than 348,000 adults across nine European countries also found that greater consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with greater five-year weight gain and a higher risk of being overweight or developing obesity. Because this was an observational study, it shows an association rather than proving that ultra-processed foods caused the weight gain.
More recently, a 2025 randomized crossover trial compared minimally processed and ultra-processed diets while both followed healthy dietary guidelines. Both diets resulted in weight loss, but participants lost significantly more weight during the minimally processed diet.
The takeaway isn't that every packaged food is bad or that you should never eat ultra-processed food. It's that the foundation of your diet matters.
Convenience foods have a place
I don't expect you to cook every meal from scratch or avoid packaged foods altogether. I certainly don't.
When I'm traveling, hiking, camping or backpacking, convenience matters. I regularly pack foods such as pouched chicken or tuna, seed crackers, dried fruit, fruit bars and protein products because they are portable, practical and easy to take on an adventure.
The same applies to my hospital shift days. I may pack Three Wishes cereal to pair with my chia seed pudding, or have a protein cereal with fresh fruit and Greek yogurt. These are processed foods, and that's okay. They make a busy workday easier while still allowing me to build a meal around foods that provide protein, fiber and other nutrients. I also pay close attention to ingredient lists and choose products that make sense for what I'm doing.
I simply don't rely on these foods to make up the majority of my everyday diet. That's the distinction I want my clients to understand:
Convenience foods can be a tool, but they shouldn't have to be the foundation of your nutrition.
For everyday meals, I want to see the majority of your macros coming from foods that provide more than just a protein, carbohydrate or fat number. Think chicken, fish, eggs, lean meats, Greek yogurt, beans and lentils for protein; potatoes, oats, rice, fruit and whole grains for carbohydrates; and foods such as avocado, nuts, seeds and olive oil for healthy fats. Add plenty of vegetables and you have the foundation for meals that provide both fuel and nutrition.
This doesn't mean your diet has to be perfect. It means that when you have a choice, you are considering what your body actually needs rather than asking only, “Does this fit my macros?”
Your macros are numbers. Your food is the fuel.
This is why I don't view a macro plan as simply handing someone a set of numbers and telling them to make them work.
A good macro plan should teach you how to use those numbers in real life. It should help you build meals around foods you enjoy, understand how to adjust portions, recognize where convenience foods can be helpful and make choices that support your goals without making nutrition unnecessarily complicated.
If your goal is weight loss, building muscle, improving energy or simply being able to keep up with the active life you want to live, your food should help you get there.
Hit your macros, but don't lose sight of what you're using to hit them. Your body needs more than numbers. It needs fuel.
If you would like help determining your individual macro needs and learning how to build your nutrition around them, I offer personalized macro plans as part of my 1:1 coaching. The goal isn't to give you another rigid diet to follow. It's to give you a practical framework you can use in your everyday life—and continue using when you're traveling, training, hiking or simply living it.
To apply for 1:1 coaching, click here.