The Truth About Macro Counting: Why I Don't Recommend It for Long-Term Success
If you’re a CrossFitter, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about macro counting, and you might even feel like it’s the only way to see results. It’s everywhere in the CrossFit world, and I totally get why. The idea is that by tracking the macronutrients in your food (carbs, proteins, and fats), you can optimize your nutrition for performance and body composition goals. But here's the thing: while macro counting works for many, it’s not the best approach for most people—and it’s definitely not my go-to for coaching balanced meals.
Let me explain why.
What are Macros?
Macro is short for macronutrient. Macronutrients consist of protein, fat, and carbohydrates.
Protein helps build and maintain muscle and keeps us lean.
Fats are vital for brain function, they store energy, keep us warm, and protect our organs.
Carbohydrates provide our bodies with the key components for making energy to perform basic functions such as digestion, and also more intense activity such as exercise.
How Does it Work? When you hear someone say they’re “counting macros,” what they mean is that they are tracking the specific amount of carbs, protein, and fat they’re eating each day—usually with an app like MyFitnessPal or Chronometer. The goal is to hit a certain ratio (often something like 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat) to fuel their training and achieve a desired body composition. How long do you do this for?
This really depends upon your goals, but macro tracking is not intended to be done long term. Once you do this for a few months and your goals are met, you can use what you learned to loosely continue eating in this manner. But the problem is most people quickly go back to how they were eating before and that is where the problem lies.
Can I eat whatever I want?
The answer to this is yes … Flexible eating is flexible. …. But ...
You can incorporate any foods into your meal plan. You will find that it can be harder to meet goals when you incorporate too many lower quality foods such as pizza for example, that you may then have to limit the foods you eat the rest of the day to end up with the correct ratio of macronutrients (you can eat your daily caloric expenditure for fat in one quick meal).
But this isn’t to say that you can’t take the day off and enjoy yourself once in a while. If you have a birthday party for example, you may eat a bit less during the day and then enjoy yourself at the party and then the next day get back on track. As long as you are consistent with tracking and meeting your daily goals, you will still meet your goals. We are not necessarily needing perfection all the time, just be consistent most of the time. I say that because striving for perfection is no fun and can make it stressful. That isn’t a place you necessarily want to be if you want to be successful.
While counting macros I heard you can eat a lot more food and still lose weight. How does that work?
When you are switching from a more traditional diet that may include more refined carbohydrates and lower quality foods to a diet that is more nutrient dense, you can eat a lot more food. Fruits and veggies are generally lower calorie and low carb so you can eat a ton and the volume will fill you up. Protein is prioritized as well and the volume of protein can be tough to get in at times so it is important to incorporate it with each meal / snack.
Do I have to balance my macros with each meal?
No, you don’t have to. What matters is achieving the established macro balance at the end of the day. However, eating more balanced meals with all macronutrients in each meal may make you feel better overall and it helps ensure you’ll meet your macros at the end of the day. I recommend being somewhat balance per meal as to not have an excess of any one macronutrient at the end of the day.
The Problem with Macro Counting
For some athletes, especially those at an advanced level, macro counting can be a helpful tool for dialing in their nutrition. But for the average CrossFitter or fitness enthusiast, I’ve found that it often creates more stress than it’s worth.
Here’s why:
It Becomes a Part-Time JobTracking every single thing you eat is time-consuming. You have to weigh and log your food, calculate the macros, and adjust your meals to meet your daily targets. This quickly becomes exhausting, and it’s not a sustainable way to live for most people.
It Adds StressLet’s be honest: life doesn’t always happen in neat little macro-balanced packages. Sometimes you want to enjoy a meal out, have a snack, or eat something that doesn’t perfectly fit into your macro ratios. Trying to “make it fit” can add unnecessary stress and guilt around food—especially when you’re constantly juggling less-than-ideal foods into your calculations.
It Doesn’t Teach Long-Term HabitsWhile macro counting can give you a good short-term understanding of your diet, it doesn’t necessarily teach you how to eat for long-term health and balance. You might hit your macro targets for the day, but are you really learning how to nourish your body in a way that feels sustainable for life?
Why Macro Counting Isn’t My Preferred Method
Instead of having my clients track every bite of food, I focus on helping them build macro-balanced meals in a much simpler way—without the need for an app. By structuring meals that are naturally balanced (around 40% carbs, 30% protein, 30% fat), my clients are able to eat in a way that supports their training and recovery, without the added hassle of tracking.
The truth is, many CrossFitters I work with aren’t eating enough to fuel their workouts properly. Often, they’re also not getting enough protein to support muscle recovery and growth. By focusing on the quality of their meals and ensuring a balance of macronutrients, we can achieve the same (if not better) results without the stress and obsession that often comes with macro counting.
So, while macro counting can be a helpful tool for some, it’s an advanced diet strategy that doesn’t always serve people in the long run. My approach is all about balance, simplicity, and sustainability—so you can fuel your body, feel strong, and enjoy life without constantly calculating numbers.
There you have it. Macro eating in a nutshell. Most people just switching from standard American diet can simply benefit from incorporating better quality foods into their diet, making better lifestyle choices, and making progress over time. Consistency, not perfection is the key and most will see the results they are looking for.