Staying organized is essential when starting a new diet. Counting calories, tracking food, and monitoring your progress can feel overwhelming. You might even wish there were a way to speed things up and make the process easier.
For those looking to shed some extra pounds, the apple diet is a fruity option that can help. This guide will teach you how to track macros for muscle gain and introduce you to DietAI's calorie counter, which helps you count calories faster with AI. DietAI's calorie counter is an excellent tool for reaching your goals. This AI-powered app can help you count calories faster, so you can spend less time tracking your food and more time enjoying your favorite meals.
Table of Contents
Are Macros Good for Muscle Gain?
Protein: The Essential Nutrient for Building Muscle
Protein is the building block of muscle. Adequate protein (around 1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight) is essential for muscle repair and growth after exercise.
Carbohydrates: Fuel for Your Workouts
Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of fuel, especially during intense workouts. Sufficient carb intake helps maintain muscle glycogen stores and prevent muscle fatigue.
Fats: Supporting Hormones for Muscle Growth
While not directly involved in muscle building, healthy fats support hormone production and overall health, which are essential for muscle growth.
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How to Consume Macros for Muscle Gain
Figuring Out Your Caloric Needs to Build Muscle
You must strength-train and eat in a calorie surplus to gain muscle. Your total energy expenditure, or TDEE, is the daily calories you burn daily. To know how many extra calories you need, first calculate your TDEE. You can do this in a couple of ways. First, try an online calculator that considers your gender, age, height, weight, and daily activity level. You can also use a fitness tracker. Or, try both and compare the results. There is likely to be a discrepancy, but using both methods together should give you a good idea of how many calories you burn.
Increasing Calorie Intake for Muscle Gain
You'll find a few different answers about how much to increase your calorie intake to build muscle. A good general rule is 10% over your TDEE. Much less than this, and you can lose muscle mass. Too much, and you may gain fat and muscle. It's a balance that can take some practice, but start with 10% and see how it works for you. For example, if your TDEE is 2,500 calories, increase your daily intake by 250 calories. This gives you a total of 2,750 calories per day.
Nutrients You Need to Build Muscle
Eating a balanced, nutrient-dense diet is key to supporting muscle gain. A nutritious muscle-gaining diet should consist of high-quality proteins, fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and monounsaturated fats.
Quality Protein Sources
Proteins are the building blocks of muscles, tissues, and cells, and sufficient protein intake is essential for muscle gain and recovery. Complete proteins are foods that contain all nine essential amino acids (building blocks of proteins), which are the amino acids the body cannot produce on its own. Animal proteins, like meat, fish, and dairy, and some plant proteins, like soy, are complete. Some animal proteins are better than others for supporting overall health. Lean proteins, like skinless chicken breast, turkey, and lean beef cuts, offer a good source of protein but with lower sodium and fat content. Limit or avoid processed meats like hot dogs and bacon, which have high sodium and saturated fat levels. Fatty fish, like salmon and trout, provide heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, while other seafood, like shrimp and oysters, contain beneficial minerals like selenium and zinc. Plant-based proteins, like legumes, offer fiber, magnesium, and other health-protective nutrients.
High-quality protein choices include
Beef (93% lean ground beef)
Turkey
Chicken
Seafood and fish
Milk
Greek yogurt
Eggs
Lentils
Cottage cheese
Tofu
Carbohydrates for Muscle Fuel
Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source, used as glucose (sugar). Eating enough carbohydrates is essential for fueling physical activity, like weight-lifting sessions, and supporting muscle recovery. Simple carbohydrates, like honey, fruit juice, and foods with added sugar, provide a quick burst of energy as the body digests them quickly. Complex carbohydrates, like whole grains and starchy vegetables, are digested more slowly, breaking down and releasing glucose into the bloodstream more slowly. Eating complex carbohydrates will give you longer-lasting, more sustainable energy.
Nutritious complex carbohydrate foods include
Sweet potatoes
Oats
Brown rice
Quinoa
Whole wheat pasta
Beans and legumes
Whole wheat bread
Farro
Barley
Healthy Fats
Fats provide energy, maintain hormone levels that support muscle growth, and help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Choosing mono- and polyunsaturated fats over saturated and trans fats can help improve cholesterol levels and support heart health. Saturated fats are found in meat, dairy products, and some plant foods, like tropical oils (coconut and palm oil). Trans fats are found in fried foods and processed baked goods. Saturated fats, and especially trans fats, have been shown to worsen cholesterol levels and increase cardiovascular risk.
Foods with heart-healthy unsaturated fats include
Avocados
Unsaturated oils like olive oil and avocado oil
Nuts like almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, pecans
Nut and seed butters, like peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter
Seeds like chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds
How DietAI Works: The Technology Behind the App
DietAI transforms calorie counting with our AI calorie counting app. Take a picture of your food, and our app instantly analyzes your meals from a simple photo, delivering accurate calorie and macro information without manual logging. Beyond photo recognition, the app provides comprehensive progress tracking, personalized nutrition insights tailored to your goals, and convenient barcode scanning for packaged foods. Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain a balanced diet, DietAI makes nutrition tracking effortless by eliminating the tedious aspects of traditional food journaling. Download now to effortlessly track your calories and macros with DietAI, the AI-powered app that makes logging meals as simple as snapping a photo. Download today for 80% off!
10 Best Practices for Using Macros for Muscle Gain
1. Let AI Handle Your Macro Counting
DietAI helps you count macros and calories without tedious manual logging. This AI-powered app analyzes your meals from pictures, producing accurate macro information and progress tracking in seconds. You can even scan barcodes for packaged foods. DietAI makes tracking effortless so you can focus on your goals—whether that’s building muscle, losing weight, or maintaining a healthy diet. Download today for 80% off!
2. Don’t Forget Your Veggies
When people think about nutrition and muscle growth, they often focus on protein—understandably. However, veggies are just as vital to the muscle-building process. Eating greens helps regulate your metabolism and digestive system, aiding your body’s ability to regenerate cells from healthy nutrients. Your body will need energy to encourage that cycle, and veggies can provide a hefty serving of fiber and carbs to help you hit those macro goals every day.
3. Prioritize Protein at Every Meal
I often hear from my clients that they struggle the most regarding their macro count: hitting their daily protein goal. And I get it! But when you prioritize protein in your meals, you’ll start to feel more full and satisfied, which ultimately helps to curb cravings and keep unnecessary snacking to a minimum. Finding ways to hit your protein count is essential, especially if you’re trying to build muscle. So here’s a quick list of foods high in protein to start adding to your breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
4. Choose Lean Meats
Look for low-fat meats, like 93% lean beef, to keep the calories low and the protein content high. Check out these lean meat options:
Chicken breast
Tuna
Turkey
Salmon
Cod
Halibut
Tilapia
Pork loin
Lean beef (90% lean or higher)
5. Don’t Forget Eggs and Dairy
Great for breakfasts or snacks, eggs and dairy can pack a protein punch. Here are a few examples:
Greek yogurt
Cottage cheese
Eggs
Milk
Mozzarella
Swiss cheese
6. Choose High-Protein Produce
Adding protein-packed produce to your meals helps balance your meals and adds extra grams of protein to help you meet your goals. Try these:
Edamame
Peas
Spinach
Lima beans
Avocado
7. Stock Your Pantry with High-Protein Foods
Many people avoid pantry items, but they can be great protein sources. These protein-packed options are perfect for snacks, side dishes, or breakfasts:
Kidney beans
Black beans
Chickpeas
Lentils
Peanut butter
Almonds
Oatmeal
Protein pancakes
Quinoa
8. Focus on Whole Foods
If you’re training to build muscle and counting macros simultaneously, that probably means you’re on a journey to reach a new level of health and wellness for mind and body, and I am so excited for you! So here’s my third tip that can make you feel even better as you work each week: Try to eat clean foods. This can be hard, especially if your favorite snacks are usually processed with additives and preservatives. And listen, I get it. I love a good treat occasionally, but they don’t usually make me feel great. When I’m snacking on clean foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, etc., I feel like I have more energy to work out, I don’t experience bloating as often, and I’m more inclined to stay on track with my macros. If the goal is to build muscle, fuel your body with foods it can process more efficiently and avoid the ones that leave you feeling sluggish and uncomfortable.
9. Cut Back On the Sugars
This is related to the last tip, but sugar can be a challenge when counting macros for many of my clients. If you have a sweet tooth, you may crave a bit of ice cream, chocolate, or some other sweet treat, and it can be challenging to get out of that loop once you’re in it. So, if you’re trying to cut out processed sugars, have natural sugars on hand to help stave off those cravings. If you like fruit, replace your nightly dessert with a little yogurt parfait and add shaved nuts and chopped fruit. This way, you get a little extra protein if you’re under your limit for the day, and you’ll satisfy that craving for something sweet. You can also try these four protein shake recipes that taste like dessert but are macro-friendly! Each one is made with my BodyByBree protein powder, another excellent protein source without additives, preservatives, and chemicals.
10. Personalize Your Macro Goals
Lastly, it’s important to remember that your macro count for building muscle will be unique to you. With a customized macro count, you won’t have to wonder if you’re giving your body precisely what it needs; you’ll know.
How to Calculate Macros for Muscle Gain
Use DietAI to Track Macros for Muscle Gain
Tracking macros can be tedious, but it doesn’t have to be. DietAI transforms calorie counting with our AI calorie counting app. Take a picture of your food, and our app instantly analyzes your meals from a simple photo, delivering accurate calorie and macro information without manual logging. Beyond photo recognition, the app provides comprehensive progress tracking, personalized nutrition insights tailored to your goals, and convenient barcode scanning for packaged foods. Whether you are trying to lose weight, gain muscle, or simply maintain a balanced diet, DietAI makes nutrition tracking effortless by eliminating the tedious aspects of traditional food journaling. Download now to effortlessly track your calories and macros with DietAI, the AI-powered app that makes logging meals as simple as snapping a photo. Download today for 80% off!
Manually Calculate Macros for Muscle Gain
To calculate your macros, determine your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). This is the number of calories your body needs to maintain essential functions like digestion and breathing. It’s based on age, sex, weight, and height.3 You can estimate your BMR using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation:45
For males
BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) – 5 × age (years) + 5
For females
BMR = 10 × weight (kg) + 6.25 × height (cm) – 5 × age (years) – 161 Once you’ve calculated your BMR, multiply it by a factor that corresponds to your activity level:4
1.2: Sedentary or very light exercise
1.3: Light exercise (i.e., walking, stretching, yoga; 1-3 days a week)
1.5-1.6: Moderately active (i.e., exercising 3-5 days a week)
1.9-2.1: Very active (i.e., intense exercise or physical activity most days)
This gives you your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), the total number of calories you burn daily based on your activity level. Now that you know how many calories you need, you can divide those calories into your macronutrient targets.6 A higher protein intake is key for muscle gain. Sufficient carbohydrates and fats are also necessary to fuel workouts and support recovery.7 For example, the ideal macronutrient breakdown for muscle gain for a person following a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet may look like this:
Carbohydrates: 900-1,000 calories (45-50%)
Protein: 600-700 calories (30-35%)
Fat: 400-500 calories (20-25%)
Monitor your progress and adjust your macronutrient ratios and calorie intake as needed.
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Download DietAI Today for 80% Off!
DietAI uses advanced artificial intelligence to analyze your meals for accurate nutrition information, taking the guesswork out of tracking macros. When you take a picture of your food, the app’s innovative technology identifies the items on your plate. It delivers detailed nutrition information within seconds, so you don’t have to log anything manually. This makes tracking your calories and macros for every meal, snack, and dessert easy. The app can even scan barcodes to quickly retrieve nutrition information for packaged foods. Beyond photo recognition, DietAI allows you to track your progress over time and offers personalized insights to help you reach your goals.
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