My #1 WEIGHT LOSS Question I Get Asked | How To Calculate Your Macros

In this video, I cover the number one question I get asked: "How to calculate my macros?". While this weight loss question doesn’t always get asked in the same way, when you get down to it, understanding what your body needs to survive, and then what you can do to help it maintain, lose, or gain weight all comes down to understanding how to calculate your macros.

As discussed in this video, here is the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation:

Men: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) + 5
Women: calories/day = 10 x weight (kg) + 6.25 x height (cm) – 5 x age (y) – 161

Multiply your result by an activity factor:

Sedentary: x 1.2 (limited exercise)
Lightly active: x 1.375 (light exercise less than three days per week)
Moderately active: x 1.55 (moderate exercise most days of the week)
Very active: x 1.725 (hard exercise every day)
Extra active: x 1.9 (strenuous exercise two or more times per day)

The end result gives you your TOTAL DAILY ENERGY EXPENDITURE (TDEE).

[CandieFlavuhs]

So many videos I’ve watched that completely bombard me with so much information I leave feeling even more confused than when I began. You are the first person to explain this in a simplistic way and I’m leaving feeling like I have a better understanding! Thanks so much!

[nonna]

Thank you for this. Do these calculations need to be adjusted for menopause/post menopause and insulin resistance?

[AnnaKincaid]

Thank you this is the best explanation on macros I have found! Your amazing :-)

[SamanthaH]

This may be a dumb question- but is it supposed to be calculated exactly as you wrote it in description- or is it like this using PEMDAS
???
Or
10 x weight + 6.25 x height - 5 x age - 161 ???

[charlenemiller]

I still do not understand how to do macros.

[sherissemalic]

How do you know what an appropriate decrease in calories should be to lose weight but not go into starvation mode? That's always what concerns me.

[matcam]

Is the activity factor based on what you are doing now or what you will be doing. So if I don't workout I am sedentary....but if I plan on walking and doing weight I become moderate so which factor do I use? Pls thks

[marianaespinosa]

Very useful info! :) I've been looking for this video.

[stevene]

Lacey... love your channel. I have a lot of problems with your links. Anyone else have these issues? Can you check those or have a friend check those from their phone? For instance.. trying to follow link for mason jars and keep getting error message

[kelly]

Hi from Perth Australia Lacey, just came across your channel recently. Great content. This vid verrrry helpful, but I would like to know how do you arrive at the calorie deficit amount to know the total cals to eat in a day to lose the weight you want? I guess your tdee changes as you do lose but what cals do you start at? Thanks And will be watching more of your channel. Xx

[mijemumijemu]

Well I just eat when I am hungry and never have any issue with weight. I mean you should throw in levels of metabolism your body has cause if you have a low metabolism all those numbers might not quite add up.

[katherinalmonte]

Is there somewhere I can chat with you about your program?

[Stahlmaks]

Ok .... I just did the calculations. I'm thinking my calculating is way off as it gave me a TDEE of 2, 491.92!
If I understood you, that is the number of calories my body burns in a normal day. Correct?
That seems incredibly high as I'm over 300#'s and can't move around much with my disability.

[quilawilson]

I love your videos but this only confused me and didn't help me much.

[benekbailey]

How do you put height in a calculator? I’m 5’2. So 5.2?

[Liz-icjb]

This MIFFLIN calculation was not clear. Are we supposed to calculate each line equation separately, then add the results of all 3? Or am I supposed to add 6.25 to the result in line one?

[colinreidcr]

so I weigh 160 pounds 5'7 male aged 32 and apparently my total calories is 1622 so I guess I need less than that to loose weight

[kimthatsallyouneedtoknow]

Did the numbers twice and I'm coming up with 920 calories a day. Maybe I'm reading the equations wrong? I mean, yeah... I'll lose weight eating less than 920 calories a day but I'll be crazy hungry or just pissed at eating only veg and fruit. What am I calculating wrong?

[AEW]

Holy smokes. I only allow myself 1200 calories a day and I can’t seem to lose weight. I’m 5’5”, 50 years old and 135lbs. According this this equation, I should be able to eat 1, 476 to maintain.

[carrierobinson]

Yes I need help I am so fat 288 lbs ugggg