30 to 35 percent of calories from protein. The following ratios are general guidelines for a bodybuilder’s needs, but it’s best to consult a registered dietitian to ensure your goals (and nutritional needs) are being met: (If you need a refresher, macros are your protein, carb, and fat intake.) Luckily, your macronutrient ratio won’t change based on the phase you’re in. Now that you’ve calculated your calories, you need to determine your macronutrient ratio. It’ll help ensure you don’t gain too much body fat or lose too much muscle. You should also continue to adjust your calories as you lose weight, like you did in the bulking phase.ĭuring both phases, try not to lose or gain more than 0.5 to 1 percent of your body weight each week. Once you’ve met your muscle mass goal and your weight is stable, the next step is to reduce your calorie intake by 15 percent of the amount you’ve been eating while your weight has been stable. This means that if your maintenance number is 3,000 calories a day, you should try to consume 3,450 calories a day.Īs you gain weight, continue to evaluate and increase your caloric intake (preferably on a monthly basis). 
If, by the end of the week, your weight has stayed the same, the number of calories you’ve consumed per day is your maintenance calories (it’s helping you maintain your weight, not gain or lose).ĭuring the bulking phase, you should aim to increase your maintenance calories by at least 15 percent.
Use a calorie tracking app to record everything you eat. Weigh yourself at least three times over the course of a week. The simplest way to determine your maintenance calories is to: The first step: Find out your maintenance calories. Macros for Bodybuilders: 101Ĭalculating macros for bodybuilding requires a little more precision than, say, calculating macros for regular weight loss. They also tend to consume lots of nutrient-dense foods from all different food groups, which may also help reduce the risk of chronic disease. This can last from 12 to 26 weeks.Ĭompetitive bodybuilders are judged purely on their physical appearance, but there are a few health benefits associated with the lifestyle.įor one thing, they often practice resistance and aerobic training, which can help reduce the risk of dying from cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, and other critical illnesses. Once they reach their muscle mass goal, they often transition to the cutting phase. Before they start cutting fat, they go through a bulking phase that can last for months (or even years - whoa).ĭuring the bulking phase, bodybuilders follow a high calorie, protein-rich diet and an intense weightlifting regimen to build as much muscle as possible. Luckily, studies have found that a high protein diet can reduce appetite, boost metabolism, and even help preserve lean muscle mass.Ĭutting is just one element of a bodybuilder’s in-season eating plan. Since you’re consuming fewer calories and exercising routinely while cutting, your protein needs will increase. Studies have found that losing 1 pound (or 0.5 to 1 percent of your body weight) per week may be most effective. It’s also important to keep in mind that while a larger calorie deficit could help you lose weight faster, research shows that dropping weight too quickly could result in muscle loss.Ī slow, even rate of weight loss often works best for cutting. The number of calories you should consume each day depends on your height, weight, lifestyle, gender, and activity level. But a cutting diet isn’t just about reducing your caloric intake. Do the mathįat loss occurs when you consistently eat fewer calories than you burn. To determine your ideal macronutrient breakdown, you must first figure out your caloric needs. 
A cutting diet often involves getting a certain amount of calories from fat versus carbs, which is where counting macros comes into play. Macronutrients - aka macros –– include protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Is the term “macros” unfamiliar? Don’t worry - you already know what they are!
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