What Should My Macros Be for Fat Loss and Muscle Gain?

October 10, 2025 •

3 min read

Research consistently shows a high-protein diet is an effective and safe tool for weight reduction and preserving fat-free mass while in a calorie deficit. Knowing what your macros should be for fat loss and muscle gain is crucial for achieving a leaner, more muscular physique through body recomposition.

Quick Summary

A high-protein diet is crucial for body recomposition, supporting muscle maintenance during fat loss and fueling muscle growth. Tailor your protein intake based on body weight, while distributing carbs and healthy fats within a slight caloric deficit to achieve optimal results. Combine this with a consistent strength training regimen for success.

Key Points

Protein is Priority: Aim for 1.6-2.2 grams per kg of body weight daily to preserve muscle while in a calorie deficit.
Calorie Deficit is Key: Maintain a slight 15-25% calorie deficit for fat loss, as a large deficit can lead to muscle loss.
Resistance Training is Essential: Combine your diet with consistent strength training to build muscle and optimize body recomposition.
Monitor and Adjust: Use a combination of body measurements, progress photos, and how clothes fit—not just the scale—to track progress and fine-tune your macro plan.
Nutrient Timing Can Help: Consider timing your carb intake around your workouts to optimize energy and recovery, especially during intense training.
Quality Matters Most: Focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods for your macros to get the necessary vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Consistency over Perfection: Sustainable, long-term adherence to a balanced macro plan and training is more effective than short, extreme dieting.

Understanding Body Recomposition: The Foundation

Body recomposition is the process of simultaneously reducing body fat and building lean muscle mass. This approach differs from traditional dieting by focusing on improving the ratio of fat mass to lean mass rather than just overall weight. Achieving body recomposition requires a balance: maintaining a slight calorie deficit to lose fat while consuming enough protein to support muscle growth stimulated by resistance training.

Step 1: Calculate Your Caloric Needs

Determining your caloric needs is the first step before setting your macronutrient targets. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) represents the calories you burn daily. A common method to estimate this involves calculating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and then multiplying it by an activity factor.

Mifflin-St. Jeor Equation:

Men: $(10 imes$ weight in kg) $+ (6.25 imes$ height in cm) $- (5 imes$ age in years) $+ 5$
Women: $(10 imes$ weight in kg) $+ (6.25 imes$ height in cm) $- (5 imes$ age in years) $- 161$

Activity Factors:

Sedentary (little to no exercise): $1.2$
Lightly Active (1-3 days/week): $1.375$
Moderately Active (3-5 days/week): $1.55$
Very Active (6-7 days/week): $1.725$
Extra Active (strenuous exercise daily): $1.9$

For body recomposition, aim for a moderate calorie deficit, typically 15-25% below your TDEE, or consider calorie cycling with higher calorie days on training days.

Step 2: Prioritizing Protein Intake

Protein is paramount for body recomposition due to its role in muscle repair, synthesis, and satiety.

Target Intake: Consume 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram (0.7 to 1.0 grams per pound) of body weight. Higher intake within this range can be beneficial for active individuals.
Distribution: Distribute protein intake across 3-6 meals daily to support muscle protein synthesis.
Quality Sources: Include lean protein sources like poultry, fish, eggs, and legumes.

Step 3: Determining Carbohydrate and Fat Distribution

After calculating your protein needs, the remaining calories should be allocated to carbohydrates and fats. The ideal distribution can vary based on individual preferences and response.

Fats: Aim for at least 20% of your daily calories from healthy fats, essential for hormonal health. Include sources like avocados, nuts, and olive oil.
Carbohydrates: The rest of your calories will come from carbohydrates, which provide energy for workouts and aid recovery. Prioritize complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and vegetables.

Sample Macro Ratios for Fat Loss and Muscle Gain

These sample ratios provide a starting point for body recomposition:


Goal	Protein (% of Calories)	Carbohydrates (% of Calories)	Fats (% of Calories)
Starting Point for Recomp	30-35%	30-35%	30-40%
Aggressive Fat Loss	35-40%	25-30%	25-30%
Prioritizing Muscle Growth	30%	40-50%	20-30%

How to Implement and Track Your Macros

Practical Tips for Hitting Your Targets

Use a Food Scale: Accurate measurement with a food scale improves macro tracking precision.
Meal Prep: Preparing meals ahead helps maintain consistency with your macro plan.
Utilize Tracking Apps: Apps like MyFitnessPal can simplify logging and monitoring your macro intake.

Adjusting Your Macros for Optimal Results

Regularly assess your progress using various indicators beyond just scale weight. These include body measurements, photos, and how clothes fit. If progress stalls, small adjustments to your macros may be necessary. For fat loss plateaus, slightly reduce carbs and fats while keeping protein intake high. Increase carbs gradually if more energy is needed for performance.

Balancing Nutrition and Training for Success

Body recomposition requires a holistic approach combining macronutrient planning with consistent resistance training to promote muscle growth, even in a deficit. Incorporating moderate cardiovascular exercise also supports fat loss and overall health.

The Role of Nutrient Timing

While total daily intake is generally most important, nutrient timing can offer benefits, especially for those with demanding training schedules.

Pre-Workout: Consuming carbohydrates 1-4 hours before exercise can fuel performance.
Post-Workout: A combination of protein and carbs within two hours after training can aid recovery and glycogen replenishment.

A Holistic Approach

Prioritizing nutrient-dense whole foods within your macro targets is crucial for overall health, providing essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber often lacking in processed foods.

For further research on the mechanisms of high-protein diets for weight loss, you can consult studies like this one from the National Institutes of Health.

Conclusion

Optimizing your macros for fat loss and muscle gain is a personalized process centered on sufficient protein intake, a slight calorie deficit, and consistent resistance training. A starting point of 30-35% protein, 30-35% carbohydrates, and 30-40% fats is often effective, but monitoring progress and making minor adjustments is essential for long-term results. Focus on nutrient-dense foods, consistent training, and patience to achieve a leaner, more muscular physique.

Frequently Asked Questions

While there is no single 'best' macro ratio for everyone, a good starting point for body recomposition is often a balanced approach, such as 30-35% protein, 30-35% carbohydrates, and 30-40% fats. The optimal ratio will vary based on individual factors like activity level and body composition.

You can calculate your daily calorie needs by first estimating your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using an equation like the Mifflin-St. Jeor and then multiplying that number by an activity factor that corresponds to your exercise level. This gives you your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE).

For body recomposition, a higher protein intake is generally recommended to preserve muscle mass. Aim for approximately 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day.

A protein intake of 40% of total calories can be on the higher end, and some sources suggest it can be effective for weight loss and muscle gain, particularly short-term. However, other experts suggest a lower percentage is often sufficient and may be easier on the kidneys. Finding a sustainable balance is key.

While total daily carb intake is generally more important for most individuals, athletes or those engaging in intense training may benefit from timing carbs 1-4 hours before and after workouts to enhance performance and recovery.

If you experience a plateau, make small adjustments to your macros. You could slightly decrease total calories by reducing carbohydrates and fats while maintaining high protein, or consider implementing calorie cycling.

To track macros accurately, use a food scale to weigh portions and utilize a macro tracking app. Meal prepping can also significantly help with consistency.