What 1,600 Calories Looks Like on a Macro Diet || Dunnebells

Don’t have time to read? Watch this video and learn how to choose the best foods to support your goals!

When trying to lose weight, keeping track of your food and counting macros can be extremely helpful. Why is tracking macros so different than counting calories? The ratio of protein, fat and carbs in your quick weight loss diet plan is calculated to your specific goal which helps you to reach your objective more quickly and make smarter food choices along the way. For example, instead of just reaching mindlessly for a handful of chocolate candy, you’ll need to think about how much of each macronutrient your snack provides, which might lead you to choose a more balanced snack.

One of the biggest benefits of following the macro diet is any food goes. Nothing is off-limits. However, my recommendation is that you do your best to balance high-quality protein with foods rich in fiber carbs and don’t fear the fats, because the healthy ones are great! When you hit the right balance each day of these macronutrients, you will feel satisfied and this is a game-changer when it comes to your healthy eating goals.

Your macro percentages vary based on your goals, but a great place to start for weight loss programs is to take in 40% of your calories from carbs, 40% from fat and 20% from protein. (Pro tip: You can enter these percentages into your settings on the MyFitnessPal– the best personal trainer app Learn how to do that here).

Here, a sample menu to show you what a 1,600-calorie day might look like on a 40/30/20 macro plan:

BREAKFAST

Spinach Smoothie

Ingredients

2 cup Water

2 tbsp Peanut butter

1 scoop Whey protein powder

1 medium Banana

1 cup Spinach

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth. Enjoy!

Click here to add Spinach Smoothie to your day in MY FITNESS PAL make sure you are logged into My Fitness Pal - the best personal trainer app on your browser before clicking

LUNCH

Pickle and Cheddar Sandwich

Ingredients

2 slice Whole-wheat bread

1 tbsp light mayonnaise

1 cup Pickles

1 oz Cheddar cheese

Directions

Spread the mayonnaise on one of the pieces of bread 2. Top with pickles, cheese, and remaining slice of bread. Enjoy!

Click here to add pickle and cheese sandwich to your day in MY FITNESS PAL make sure you are logged into My Fitness Pal - the best personal trainer appon your browser before clicking

Peanut Butter & Celery

Ingredients

2 tbsp chunky peanut butter without salt

2 celery stalks

Directions

Spread peanut butter on celery and enjoy!

Click here to add celery and peanut butter to your day in MY FITNESS PAL - the best personal trainer appmake sure you are logged into My Fitness Pal on your browser before clicking

DINNER

Sloppy Joe Pita

Ingredients

90 grams of raw Ground turkey

1/2 cup Hunts Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce Bold (128 grams)

1/2 cup Kidney beans (128 grams)

1/2 pita, large (6-1/2" dia) Pita bread (32 grams)

1 leaf outer Lettuce (28 grams)

Directions

Crumble and brown 1 lb of ground turkey over medium-high heat in a medium pan, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in one can of Manwich original sloppy joe sauce and one can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed, and cook for 5 minutes or until hot.

Cut the pita in half. Line the pita with a clean romaine lettuce leaf. Fill with 1/4 of the sloppy joe mixture. Enjoy!

Click here to add sloppy joe pita to your day in MY FITNESS PAL - the best personal trainer app make sure you are logged into My Fitness Pal on your browser before clicking

Pepperoni-Cream Cheese Grenades

Ingredients

1 slice round Pepperoni (2 grams)

1 tbsp, whipped Cream cheese (10 grams)

1/16 cup, shredded Colby cheese (4.7 grams)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Grease a cupcake pan. Place a piece of pepperoni into each cupcake cup. Top with 1 tbsp of cream cheese and top with shredded cheese.

3. Bake for about 10 minutes until crisp. Enjoy!


Click here to add pepperoni-cream cheese grenades to your day in MY FITNESS PAL make sure you are logged into My Fitness Pal on your browser before clicking

You should have plenty of room left for some healthy snacks like these black bean brownies which are also really good for taking care of that sweet tooth during your8-week weight-loss program journey.

DAILY TOTAL

Calories: 1584 - Carbs: 171g (43%), Fat: 63g (37%), Protein: 78g (20%)