Balancing your diet is one of the most critical (and challenging) first steps toward a healthier, fitter lifestyle. Whether your goal is to lose fat, tone your body, or build lean muscle, it all starts with knowing what and how much you should eat—and that comes down to understanding macronutrients, or “macros.”
In this comprehensive diet guide from BODY TIME, we’ll show you how to calculate your macros, adjust your daily intake based on your goals, and pair your nutrition with EMS training for faster results in less time.
Let’s break it down.
What Are Macronutrients?
Macronutrients (or macros) are the three essential nutrient groups that provide your body with energy (calories):
- Protein
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
Every calorie you consume comes from one of these three sources. The secret to fat loss, muscle building, and energy optimization lies in understanding the right macro ratio for your body.
Here’s what each macro does:
✅ Protein
Essential for muscle growth, recovery, and preservation during a calorie deficit. Protein also helps with satiety, keeping you full longer.
✅ Fats
Supports hormone production, brain function, vitamin absorption, and energy storage. But remember, healthy fats (like avocado, olive oil, nuts) are essential—while trans and saturated fats should be minimized.
✅ Carbohydrates
The body’s preferred energy source, stored in your muscles, brain, and liver as glycogen. While it’s technically possible to survive without carbs, performance and mood often suffer. Smart carbs (like oats, sweet potatoes, fruits, and legumes) help fuel workouts and boost recovery.
Why Macros Matter
Tracking and balancing your macros helps you control your total caloric intake. Here’s the golden rule:
Eat more calories than you burn = weight gain
Eat fewer calories than you burn = weight loss
But not all calories are created equal. Two people can eat the same number of calories but see vastly different resultsdepending on the quality and composition of their macros.
Step-by-Step: How to Calculate Your Macronutrients
Before you determine your daily macros, you need to calculate your REE (Resting Energy Expenditure), which is the number of calories your body burns at rest.
📊 Use the Mifflin-St Jeor Formula:
REE = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
For women, subtract 161 instead of adding 5.
Once you have your REE, multiply it by your activity factor:
- Sedentary (REE × 1.2)
- Lightly active (REE × 1.375)
- Moderately active (REE × 1.55)
- Very active (REE × 1.725)
- Super active (REE × 1.9)
This gives you your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) — the number of calories you burn daily. Adjust this based on your goal:
- Fat loss: Eat 15–20% less than your TDEE
- Muscle gain: Eat 10–15% more than your TDEE
Now apply your macro split. For general fat loss:
- 40% protein
- 30% carbs
- 30% fats
Nutrition Tips for Better Health
💡 Limit: Added sugars, refined carbs, processed food, and trans fats
💡 Increase: Protein, fiber, hydration, and whole foods
💡 Distribute macros smartly across your meals to fuel workouts and recovery
When to Eat: Timing Your Macros
It’s not just what you eat, but when you eat it that can dramatically impact your progress.
- Breakfast: High-protein meals (eggs, Greek yogurt, lean meats) jumpstart your metabolism
- Lunch: Lean protein + starchy carbs (grilled chicken + sweet potato) = energy + muscle support
- Dinner: Focus on fiber, vegetables, and moderate protein
Eating protein every 3–4 hours supports muscle retention, while carbs are best consumed around workouts for performance and recovery.
Combine EMS Training with Your Diet Plan
Tracking macros is powerful, but when paired with EMS training, your transformation becomes faster and more effective. At BODY TIME, our EMS system engages 92% of your muscles in just a 20-minute weekly session, making it the perfect training companion for your nutrition strategy.
Here’s why:
- EMS boosts your metabolic rate, increasing calorie burn
- Builds lean muscle, which burns more calories at rest
- Stimulates deeper muscle fibers, improving definition and posture
- Helps you reach your goal with less effort and time
Meet Our Nutrition Experts
Want personalized help? Visit BODY TIME studios across the UAE to meet with certified nutritionists and personal trainers who will:
- Assess your body composition
- Set your custom macro targets
- Provide meal planning support
- Align your nutrition with EMS workouts for optimal fat loss and muscle gain
Final Thoughts: Mastering Your Macros Is Life-Changing
If you’re serious about transforming your body, macronutrient control is the foundation. It takes consistency and discipline, but with the right plan, real results follow—fast.
At BODY TIME, founded by NORBERT SIMONIS, we don’t believe in guesswork. We combine smart science with BODY TIME X technology, offering a fully integrated ecosystem for fitness, nutrition, and lasting transformation.
Book your free EMS trial now and start your macro-powered fitness journey with BODY TIME—because results don’t lie.