Why macros? Because it's math.
Ryan Engel, founder of RE Fitness, has been in the fitness industry since 2009. Every meal plan we build, for every client, starts with the same thing: macros.
The three macros
Everything you eat is made of protein, carbs and fats. Each one does a different job, and each carries a set number of calories per gram.
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4calories per gram
Protein
Builds and repairs muscle and keeps you full between meals. It's the macro that helps you keep muscle while you lose fat.
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4calories per gram
Carbs
Your body's main fuel for training and everyday energy. Timed and portioned right, they help you train harder.
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9calories per gram
Fats
Needed for hormones and for absorbing vitamins A, D, E and K. More than twice the calories per gram, so portions matter.
The math, in one meal
Know the grams and you know the calories. No guessing, no food that's off-limits: it just has to fit your numbers.
| Protein | 40 g × 4 | 160 |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 50 g × 4 | 200 |
| Fats | 15 g × 9 | 135 |
| The meal | 495 calories |
Why it beats guessing
Calories decide the direction your weight moves. Macros decide what your body does with those calories: enough protein to hold on to muscle, enough carbs to fuel your training, enough fats to stay healthy.
That's why every RE Fitness meal plan is built from your macros first. Once the numbers are set, the meals are just food that adds up to them.
Start with the free Macro Cheat Sheet
Over 200,000 downloads, now in a women's and a men's edition.
Get the free cheat sheet