Why Is Everyone Tracking Their Macros Now?

While on the hunt for a planner recently, I noticed many of the meal prepping sections had a “macros” tab. This was a space where you can meticulously track your macros, aka the three essential nutrients our bodies require to function. At the time, it struck me as a little too close to restrictive eating, but my interest was piqued after continuing to see chatter about it online.

Macro tracking is a dieting technique traditionally used by bodybuilders and professional athletes—and it’s finally edged its way into the mainstream in recent years via social media, where it is often framed as a weight-loss tool.

Here, three experts—Emily English (@EmTheNutritionist), ALO Wellness Club pilates instructor Bianca Wise, and Rachel Butcher, head of nutrition at Third Space—break down the obsession with macros, and explain whether there is a healthy way to track them.

The term “macros” is short for macronutrients, and refers to proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Protein helps with muscle building and repair, as well as supporting immune function, hormones, and enzymes. Carbs provide us with energy, and fats are essential for hormone production and regulation. And when it comes to fat, keep in mind that not all of it is bad—there are healthy versions like avocados and walnuts that help keep you full.

Calorie counting doesn’t place as much emphasis on where your calories come from; the goal is simply to hit the right number. Macro counting means ensuring the body receives specific nutrient ratios, rather than just focusing on your total calorie intake.

Macro calculators are a tool to help you work out the appropriate amount of protein, fats, and carbohydrates to eat each day. You begin by entering your age, gender, current weight, level of physical activity, and height (just like a BMI calculator). The calculator will then generate a figure to estimate the number of calories you should typically consume in a day. This total calorie amount will then be divided into a certain number of protein, fat, and carbohydrate grams to consume per day.

Depending on your goal—muscle gain, fat loss, longevity—these ratios may change. For example, someone looking to build lean muscle may concentrate on higher carbohydrate and protein ratios with lower healthy fats.

Provided you begin with a healthy, sensible calorie quota, the way you split your macronutrients should result in eating enough food and not in a restrictive calorie deficit. However, if you have any sort of medical condition, it’s worth reaching out to your GP before embarking on any diet plan.

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“[Done sparingly] macro tracking can be a useful entry point for understanding how food fuels the body, but I don’t believe it should be the end goal,” Wise says. According to English, “like most things in nutrition, it sits in a gray area.” For some, it can be a helpful tool; for others, it can feel overwhelming. “There is no single right way to approach nutrition,” she explains. “What works brilliantly for one person might not work for someone else.”

Both English and Wise acknowledge some benefits, but are careful to note that it depends on the individual. “Tracking can build awareness and help people to understand whether they are eating enough protein,” explains English. “Plus, it can help clients understand what a balanced meal looks like in practice.” Wise notes that this is often most effective in the short term – especially when aligned with a specific goal or medical need. “For women navigating concerns such as metabolic imbalances or training for performance or strength, understanding macronutrients can offer invaluable insights,” she says. “It may help people to identify whether they’re under-fuelling, lacking protein, or unintentionally skipping key nutrients – all of which can impact hormones, energy, and recovery.”

However, the best way to understand if you’re lacking in nutrients is to make an appointment with your GP for a blood test.

The answer is… complicated. “Tracking macros usually involves estimating or weighing portions and logging them in an app or database,” English explains. The science behind it is never exact, though. “Food labels vary, and cooking changes the nutritional value,” she adds. Plus, absorption differs from person to person. “I always say that consistency matters more than perfection—the numbers should be seen as a guide rather than an absolute truth.”

The experts acknowledge a worrying side to tracking macros. “For some, tracking can distort your relationship with food,” explains Butcher. “You can risk becoming overly-focused on the numbers over food quality or hunger cues.” This can also lead to anxiety when eating out, as you can’t accurately track those macros at all.

“Macro tracking doesn’t automatically mean a diet is nutritious—someone can hit their macro target and still be low in key nutrients such as fiber, magnesium, omega-3, and polyphenols,” she continues. “Food quality still matters hugely for sleep, recovery, and long-term health.”

English agrees, pointing out that tracking your macros can encourage obsessive eating habits. “The body is not a maths equation,” she says. “Hunger, hormones, sleep, and stress each affect our needs in different ways—I also think the high-carbohydrate versus low-carbohydrate debate is often exaggerated,” she adds. “When protein intake and total calories are matched, the differences tend to be much smaller than people expect.”

All three experts agree that tracking your macros is not a sustainable diet plan—on its own. “I do not usually see strict macro tracking as a long-term lifestyle for most people,” English says. “I prefer to use it as a short phase to build awareness, and then clients can move towards a more holistic way of eating, where they understand their needs without needing to log everything. I like to talk about protein and fibre as key anchors in my meals because they really influence how I feel after I eat, from fullness to energy levels and blood sugar balance.”

Butcher offers a useful rule of thumb to follow: “If a nutrition strategy either increases stress, makes social eating difficult, or requires constant attention, then it usually isn’t sustainable—regardless of how effective it may be in the short term.”

The most important thing to remember? “Flexibility matters,” English concludes. “Nutrition should support real life, not make it smaller.”

Always consult the advice of a GP before creating a diet plan.