Macros explained: protein, carbs and fat for training and fat loss

Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three nutrients that give food its calories: protein, carbohydrate and fat. Protein and carbs have about 4 kcal per gram, fat has about 9. For most people who train, a simple setup works: get enough protein (roughly 1.6–2.2g per kg of bodyweight), eat enough fat for health (roughly 20–35% of calories), and fill the rest with carbs to fuel training. Your total calories decide whether you lose, maintain or gain weight; your macros shape what that weight is made of and how well you train.

This is general guidance. If you have diabetes, a kidney condition or any other medical issue, speak to a doctor or dietitian before changing how you eat.

What does each macro do?

Macro	kcal per gram	Main job	Common sources
Protein	~4	Builds and repairs muscle, keeps you full	Chicken, fish, eggs, tempeh, tofu, yoghurt
Carbohydrate	~4	Fuels hard training and the brain	Rice, noodles, potatoes, oats, fruit, bread
Fat	~9	Hormones, vitamin absorption, long-lasting energy	Olive oil, nuts, avocado, eggs, fish
Alcohol (not a macro)	~7	None you need	Beer, wine, cocktails

Protein

Protein is the macro most people under-eat. It repairs muscle after training, helps you hold on to muscle in a calorie deficit, and is the most filling of the three. See how much protein do you need for a table by bodyweight.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are your main fuel for high-intensity work like sparring, sprints, surfing or heavy lifting. Cutting them very low often makes hard sessions feel awful. Whole sources such as rice, potatoes, oats, fruit and vegetables also bring fibre.

Fat

Fat matters for hormones and absorbing fat-soluble vitamins. It is calorie-dense, which is why fried food and creamy sauces add up quickly. Most people do well keeping it somewhere around 20–35% of daily calories.

How do macros add up to calories?

Multiply each macro by its calories per gram and add them up. Take the Chicken Tawook and Fattoush from The Solimans High Protein menu:

Macro	Grams	Calculation	kcal	Share
Protein	79g	79 × 4	316	46%
Carbs	38g	38 × 4	152	22%
Fat	24g	24 × 9	216	32%
Total			684

That matches the 684 kcal listed on the menu. Labels can be a few calories off this maths because of rounding and fibre, which is normal.

How should you set macros for your goal?

Start with calories, then set protein, then fat, then let carbs fill the rest.

Goal	Calories	Protein	Fat	Carbs
Fat loss	~300–500 kcal below maintenance	1.8–2.2 g/kg	~20–30% of calories	The rest
Maintenance	At maintenance	1.6–2.0 g/kg	~25–35%	The rest
Lean muscle gain	~250–500 kcal above maintenance	1.6–2.2 g/kg	~20–30%	The rest, often higher
Heavy training (fight camp, endurance)	At or near maintenance	1.6–2.2 g/kg	~20–30%	Higher, to fuel sessions

A worked example

A 75 kg person training four times a week, aiming for steady fat loss with an estimated maintenance of 2,400 kcal:

1. Calories: 2,400 − 400 = 2,000 kcal.
2. Protein: 2.0g × 75 kg = 150g = 600 kcal.
3. Fat: 25% of 2,000 = 500 kcal ÷ 9 = about 55g.
4. Carbs: 2,000 − 600 − 500 = 900 kcal ÷ 4 = 225g.

Result: roughly 150g protein, 225g carbs, 55g fat. Your real maintenance may differ, so watch your weight trend over two to three weeks and adjust. The calculator below does steps 1–4 for you.

How do the Solimans menus compare on macros?

The Solimans runs three menus with five meals a day each. Average macros per meal, from the full two-week menu:

Menu	kcal	Protein	Carbs	Fat	Rough split (P / C / F)
Balanced	~718	50g	65g	29g	28% / 36% / 36%
High Protein	~619	54g	29g	32g	35% / 19% / 46%
Vegan	~726	45g	77g	27g	25% / 42% / 33%

The High Protein menu is lower in carbs because many meals swap rice or noodles for shirataki, cauliflower rice or salad. The Balanced and Vegan menus carry more carbs for training fuel. You can mix menus day by day, for example a High Protein lunch with a Balanced dinner on a heavy training day.

Two extremes from the menu show how different meals can be:

Meal	kcal	Protein	Carbs	Fat
Seafood Shirataki	335	44g	24g	7g
Tempeh Pad Thai	836	45g	101g	28g

Almost the same protein, but the Pad Thai has about 500 kcal more, mostly from carbs. One suits a cut, the other a big training day.

What about fibre and micronutrients?

Macros aren't the whole story. Fibre (from vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains) helps digestion and fullness, and micronutrients such as iron, calcium and vitamin D matter for health and training. Two diets with identical macros can be very different in quality, so get most of your carbs and fats from whole foods, and eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.

Do you need to hit your macros exactly?

No. Aim to land within roughly 5–10g of your protein target and close to your calorie target most days. Carbs and fat can swing day to day as long as calories are about right. Consistency over weeks matters far more than precision on any single day.

Can you get your macros without counting?

Yes. Build meals around a palm-sized or larger serving of protein, add a fist or two of carbs on training days, include vegetables, and use fats sparingly when cooking. Or let someone else do the counting: every Solimans meal lists its kcal and macros, and a custom plan can be built around your exact numbers.

The short version

Protein builds, carbs fuel, fat supports. Set calories for your goal, lock in protein, keep fat reasonable and let carbs fill the gap. Then stay consistent.

Check this week's menu for every meal's macros, or build your week around your numbers.