What Are Macros? A Simple Guide to Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fat
- Carissa Dore
- Jun 15
- 8 min read
Over the past few months, I have found myself having the same conversation again and again.
Women tell me they want to eat better. They want more energy. They want to lose weight, improve their health, reduce inflammation, lower their cholesterol, or simply feel better in their bodies. They are reading articles, listening to podcasts, following experts on social media, and genuinely trying to make thoughtful choices about their health.
Yet many of them feel more confused than ever.
Recently, one woman shared that she had stopped at a health food store for lunch and spent so much money on a container of soup, a wrap, and a specialty drink that she felt she could have enjoyed a steak dinner at a restaurant for the same price. Another client told me that her doctor had encouraged her to eat more protein. She looked at me and asked, “How do I know what foods actually have protein?” Her daughter had tried to explain protein ratios and calorie calculations before my client finally said, “I don’t want to do a math problem before I eat. I just want it to be easy.”
As I listened to these women, I realized something important. Many people are working hard to improve their health while trying to navigate an overwhelming amount of information. They are being told to eat more protein, increase their fiber, drink more water, avoid processed foods, limit sugar, and read nutrition labels. At the same time, they are hearing conversations about macros, blood sugar, inflammation, gut health, supplements, and calories.
I understand that confusion.
In 2018, I scheduled an appointment with a dietitian because I realized I was experiencing information overload myself. I had always been interested in health and wellness and considered myself reasonably informed. Yet the more I read, the more questions I seemed to have. Some of the things I had learned growing up no longer aligned with current recommendations, and I wanted someone to help me sort through the noise.
That appointment started a journey that continues today.
Before we go any further, I want to be clear about something. I am not a registered dietitian. I am a therapist, yoga teacher, writer, and lifelong student. I love research. I enjoy learning from experts, reading books, reviewing studies, and looking for patterns across different sources of information. One of my favorite things is taking a complicated subject and making it more practical.
That is exactly why I decided to write this series.
Over the next several weeks, we are going to explore nutrition from the ground up. We will talk about protein, carbohydrates, fats, and fiber. We will discuss my personal 30/30/30 framework and why I find it helpful. We will explore practical ways to shop on a budget, build balanced meals, and eat vegetarian or vegan without feeling overwhelmed.
But for today, let’s start with one of the most common terms you’ll hear in nutrition conversations: macros.
What Are Macros?
The word “macro” is short for macronutrient. Macronutrients are the nutrients our bodies need in the largest amounts and the nutrients that provide energy.
There are three primary macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
Think of calories as energy and macronutrients as the sources of that energy.
Imagine a campfire. The fire itself represents the energy your body uses to think, move, work, exercise, and carry out all the functions that keep you alive. The macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates, and fat—are the fuels that keep that fire burning.
Just as a fire can be fueled by different materials, our bodies can get energy from different macronutrients. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat all contribute energy, but they contribute it in different amounts and serve different purposes in the body.
Protein and carbohydrates each provide 4 calories per gram, while fat provides 9 calories per gram. In other words, a gram of fat contains more than twice the energy of a gram of protein or carbohydrate.
This is one reason foods such as nuts, avocados, olive oil, and nut butters tend to be more calorie-dense than fruits, vegetables, or lean proteins. That doesn’t make them unhealthy. In fact, many of these foods provide important nutrients and can help us feel satisfied after a meal.
The goal is not to memorize numbers or turn every meal into a math problem. The goal is simply to understand where our body’s energy comes from and how different foods contribute to our overall nutrition.
What About Calories?
A calorie is simply a unit of energy.
Our bodies need energy to think, move, digest food, work, exercise, and perform the countless functions that keep us alive. Many women are surprised to learn that healthy calorie needs are often higher than they expect. While individual needs vary, most adult women require somewhere between 1,600 and 2,400 calories per day depending on age, body size, activity level, muscle mass, and health goals.
Rather than asking, “How little can I eat?” a more helpful question is often, “How can I nourish my body well within a healthy range for my body and lifestyle?”
Calories tell us how much energy a food provides. Macronutrients help us understand where that energy comes from and how that food may affect our hunger, energy, and overall nutrition.
Why Protein Matters
Protein has become one of the most discussed nutrients in recent years, particularly for women in midlife and beyond. Protein helps build and maintain muscle. It supports our immune system, contributes to hormone production, helps repair tissues, and plays a role in countless processes throughout the body. Protein is also highly satisfying. Meals that contain adequate protein often help us stay fuller longer and maintain steadier energy throughout the day. Good sources of protein include chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, tempeh, edamame, beans, and lentils.
One reason healthcare providers are encouraging women to pay more attention to protein is because muscle mass naturally declines as we age. Consuming adequate protein, combined with regular movement and strength training, can help support healthy aging, strength, and independence.
Why We Need Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates may be the most misunderstood macronutrient. For many years, carbohydrates were presented as something to avoid. The reality is that carbohydrates are the body’s preferred source of energy. Our brains, muscles, and nervous systems all rely on glucose, which comes from carbohydrates. When many people hear the word carbohydrate, they immediately think of bread or pasta. In reality, carbohydrates include fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, oats, rice, potatoes, bread, and pasta.
An apple is a carbohydrate.
Broccoli is a carbohydrate.
Oatmeal is a carbohydrate.
Black beans are carbohydrates, and, well, cookies are carbohydrates too.
The difference lies in the nutrients that accompany those carbohydrates. Fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, and whole grains provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and more sustained energy. More processed carbohydrates can provide energy too, but they often contain fewer nutrients and are digested more quickly. Think of them like kindling on a fire—it burns fast and creates a quick burst of heat, but it doesn't keep the fire going for very long. Foods rich in fiber and nutrients are more like seasoned logs, providing a steadier, longer-lasting source of energy.
Rather than fearing carbohydrates, focus on including a variety of nutrient-dense carbohydrate sources that help fuel your body and support your overall health.
What About Fat?
Healthy fats play important roles in hormone production, brain function, nutrient absorption, and satiety. Satiety is the feeling of fullness and satisfaction after eating. A meal that provides good satiety helps us feel nourished and satisfied for longer periods of time.
Most of us have experienced this without realizing it. Compare eating a plain rice cake to eating an apple with peanut butter. One may leave you looking for another snack shortly afterward, while the other is more likely to keep you satisfied until your next meal. Examples of healthy fats include avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butters, olive oil, olives, and fatty fish such as salmon.
Building a Balanced Plate
Most of us do not sit down and calculate macronutrients before every meal. We simply want to know what to put on our plate. One of the easiest ways to build a balanced meal is to include a source of protein, a source of carbohydrates, fruits and/or vegetables, and a healthy fat.
A simple hand guide can help:
Palm = Protein
Fist = Fruits or Vegetables
Cupped Hand = Carbohydrates
Thumb = Healthy Fats
This isn’t meant to be a perfect formula. It’s simply a practical way to think about building a balanced plate whether you’re cooking at home, packing lunch, or ordering at a restaurant.
Here are three examples:
Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bowl
Greek yogurt, berries, oats, and walnuts.
Approximate nutrition:
290 calories
25 grams protein
27 grams carbohydrates
9 grams fat
4 grams fiber
Chicken Salad Bowl
Palm-sized grilled chicken, mixed greens, vegetables, quinoa, and olive oil vinaigrette.
Approximate nutrition:
430 calories
33 grams protein
24 grams carbohydrates
22 grams fat
5 grams fiber
Salmon Dinner
Palm-sized salmon, roasted broccoli, and a fist-sized sweet potato.
Approximate nutrition:
500 calories
36 grams protein
33 grams carbohydrates
22 grams fat
8 grams fiber
Notice that none of these meals require specialty products or expensive ingredients. They are built from ordinary foods found in almost any grocery store and typically cost between $2 and $7 per serving. Even the most expensive meal often costs less than a restaurant lunch, and with a little planning, many women can eat this way for less than $100 per week—and sometimes much less.
Recipe of the Week: Maple Dijon Salmon
One of my favorite balanced meals is grilled maple Dijon salmon served with a strawberry spinach salad and mashed sweet potatoes.
Whisk together equal parts Dijon mustard and pure maple syrup and brush the mixture over salmon fillets. Preheat your grill to medium heat and lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Place the salmon skin-side down on the grill and cook for approximately 8–10 minutes with the lid closed. Most fillets do not need to be flipped.
Serve with a salad made from three generous handfuls of baby spinach, sliced strawberries, goat cheese, and walnuts tossed in a simple honey-lemon vinaigrette. Add a side of mashed sweet potatoes prepared with a little butter and salt.
This meal provides protein from the salmon, carbohydrates from the sweet potatoes and strawberries, vegetables from the spinach, and healthy fats from the salmon, walnuts, olive oil, and goat cheese. It is a simple example of how a balanced plate can be both nutritious and enjoyable.
Mind, Body, and Spirit
At Every Girl Living, we approach wellness through the lens of mind, body, and spirit.
Nutrition is part of that conversation because the food we eat influences our energy, our mood, our focus, our physical health, and our ability to engage fully with the people and purposes that matter most to us.
If all of this still feels overwhelming, remember that you do not need to master nutrition overnight. The goal of this series is not perfection. The goal is understanding. Each week we will build on what we’ve learned, adding one more piece to the puzzle until healthy eating feels less confusing and more practical.
This Week’s Takeaway
This week, don’t worry about counting calories or calculating percentages.
Instead, look at one meal each day and ask yourself four simple questions:
Where is my protein?
Where are my fruits or vegetables?
What carbohydrate is providing energy and fiber?
What healthy fat will help make this meal satisfying?
Start there.
Small, sustainable changes are often the ones that last.
Healthy eating doesn't have to be complicated—or expensive. Next week, we'll explore practical ways to eat well on a budget, including simple grocery strategies, affordable sources of protein, and meal ideas that can help you nourish your body without overspending.
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