Counting Calories Vs. Macros
Need to Know:
Macros, or macronutrients, provide calories in different amounts, so counting macros is a variation of counting calories.
Simply counting calories will provide you with information about whether or not you are providing your body with the right amount of energy (calories) each day.
Counting macros provides information about the nutritional balance of your diet and can help you reach more targeted goals, like body recomposition, fat loss, or fitness goals.
In the counting calories vs. macros debate, tracking macros wins the battle, even if your goal is weight loss. When you track macros instead of calories, you can fine-tune your meal plan so that you have enough energy throughout the day, you maintain lean muscle mass, keep your skin and nails looking fabulous, and even stave off hunger.
Calories vs. Macros: What’s the Difference?
It’s important to understand the terms “calories” and “macros” before you can really decide whether counting calories or tracking macros is best for you. So what are macros and what are calories?
Calories are a unit of heat or energy used by the body to fuel all of its functions and activities. Estimates vary, but according to research, adult women should consume roughly 2000 to 2200 calories per day, and men need about 2600-2800 calories per day. But these numbers will change depending on their activity level and weight goals. (1)
Macros or macronutrients provide the body with calories—or energy—in varying amounts. Carbohydrates and protein each provide 4 calories per gram, and fat provides 9 calories per gram. Alcohol, sometimes considered the fourth macronutrient, provides 7 calories per gram.
Since macronutrients provide calories, you can see how counting macros is a variation of counting calories. If you track macronutrient grams, you can easily calculate the number of calorie that you are consuming with a simple math equation.
For example, if you consume:
225 grams of carbs
135 grams of protein
40 grams of fat
Then simply muliply each number by the number of calories provided by each macro and tally them up to get your daily caloric intake. Like this:
225 x 4 (calories per gram of carbohydrate) = 900 calories from carbs
135 x 4 (calories per gram of protein) = 540 calories from protein
40 x 9 (calories per gram of fat) = 360 calories from fat
900 + 540 + 360 = 1800 total daily calories
So there is really no need to choose between counting macros and counting calories, but you can choose which number to focus on. And your needs may change from week to week or month to month.
Why Count Calories?
If your goal is weight loss, calories matter most. Even if you have the perfect macronutrient balance, you will not lose weight unless you create a calorie deficit. The correct calorie deficit should be approximately 500 calories per day. That means you need to consume 500 fewer calories than your body needs so your body has to burn stored fat for fuel. At a 500-calorie per day deficit, you are likely to lose about one pound per week. (2) This method of weight loss is commonly referred to as the “calories in, calories out” method.
If you are not a person who loves tracking your nutrition, simply counting calories may work for you. It is simple and direct. Calorie tracking assumes that all calories are created equal, so calories from a chicken breast are the same as calories from a chocolate shake. Calorie counting may work best for a beginner.
However, simply counting calories will not help you to manage hunger, maintain muscle, boost your energy, or maximize the thermic effect of food (also called TEF or the amount of energy needed to metabolize the food you consume). To gain these benefits, you’ll need to take a closer look at what you are eating and manage your macronutrient intake.
Why Count Macros?
When you track macros, you can fine tune your caloric intake to meet specific needs. Why? Because beyond just providing energy in the form of calories, each macronutrient plays various roles in the body. When you are trying to reach a specific fitness or health goal, such as managing hunger or gaining muscle, you want to tailor your intake of each macro to best serve your needs.
For instance, if your goal is to gain muscle, you’ll want to make sure you get enough protein since that macro helps to build and maintain muscle mass. If your goal is fat loss, you want to be sure you get balanced amounts of each macro to make sure you feel full and satisfied throughout the day while also maintaining steady energy levels.
The bonus to counting macros is that when you set up your macro diet, you can tailor it to reach both calorie and macro targets. But tracking macros provides a level of specificity that just counting calories can’t provide.
The downside to tracking macros is that it can be tedious and time consuming for some people. But you can use a macro calculator to provide your daily targets and use an app to help you track your food intake. Many apps have special features, such as a barcode scanner, to help make the process easier.
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When you track macros, you don’t just ensure that you get the calories you need to function, you also ensure that you get the type of calories you need to help your body function at its best so you can reach your goals faster.
What’s the Bottom Line?
Counting macros requires a little bit more work in the beginning. But the payoff is significant. There are three reasons that the benefits of macro tracking outweigh the benefits of counting calories alone.
Improved nutrition: When you count calories, there is no incentive to choose healthier foods. You can reach calorie goals by eating nothing but candy and soda, but you are likely to feel the effects of rapid blood sugar swings, energy dips or surges, and hunger throughout the day. When you track macros, on the other hand, you’ll build a more balanced plate at mealtime, and you’re encouraged to consume a greater variety of foods, which can help nudge you towards choosing nutrient-rich options.
Better customization: Calorie goals can help you to lose or gain weight. In some cases, weight gain or weight loss can improve your health in a general sense. But macro tracking allows for greater customization to help you reach more specific goals. For instance, a runner who wants to lose weight and a weight lifter who wants to lose weight may have the same calorie goal. However, the runner will adjust their macros to provide more carbohydrates for sustained energy, while the weight lifter will try to consume more protein to build muscle mass.
Promotes abundance rather than restriction: If you’ve ever counted calories, you know that feeling of restriction that comes along with it. You often deny yourself certain foods because the calorie cost is too high. But with macro tracking, the focus shifts to consumption rather than denial. You are encouraged to fill up on protein-rich foods, healthy fats, and fiber-rich carbs so that you can nail your targets. Yes, there is a built-in calorie limit, but “filling up” feels far better than “cutting back” as you navigate food choices throughout the day.
There is no one-size-fits-all program when it comes to nutrition. The more you can tailor your food plan to meet your individualized needs, the more enjoyable and sustainable it becomes. Macro tracking allows for that customization. And with the abundance of apps and other macro tracking tools, like Macro Diet for Dummies, it’s a system that anyone can follow to feel healthier and stronger throughout the day.
Sources:
Faizan U, Rouster AS. Nutrition and Hydration Requirements In Children and Adults. [Updated 2023 Aug 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-.
Kim JY. Optimal Diet Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance. J Obes Metab Syndr. 2021 Mar 30;30(1):20-31. doi: 10.7570/jomes20065