The Best Way To Calculate Macros For CrossFit

Macronutrients are the foundational elements of nutrition fuel the demanding regimen of CrossFit athletes. 

Each macronutrient serves a specific purpose – protein supports muscle repair and growth, carbohydrates provide the energy necessary for high-intensity workouts, and fats contribute to long-lasting energy and hormonal balance. (1)

As a CrossFit athlete, precise nutrition is crucial to optimizing performance, enhancing recovery, and sustaining energy levels throughout your rigorous training. A well-balanced diet tailored to your individual needs can make a significant difference in achieving your fitness goals. (1)

The CrossFit macro calculator is an invaluable tool for determining your macros for CrossFit-specific training. It customizes daily macronutrient intake based on personal factors such as weight, height, age, gender, and activity level.

By leveraging this calculator, you can ensure they consume the right macronutrients to support your training and overall health.

Try The CrossFit Macro Calculator

The Step-By-Step Framework For Great Nutrition

Whether you want to live a healthier life, change your current weight, fuel muscle growth, or shed body fat, these phases of nutrition should be considered before you begin your program.

​A macronutrient strategy can be a great way to outline your macro targets and control your caloric intake. But it can be too advanced for some people. If you are starting to learn about nutrition, you may be better off learning to avoid junk food rather than trying to use a food scale for every meal. 

Everyone is on their nutrition journey, and knowing where you are can help optimize your nutrition protocol.

Each phase considers where you are on your nutrition journey so your meal plan meets your capabilities and sets a strong foundation for your nutrition. 

Skipping over phases sets you up for failure, as each subsequent phase develops skills needed for more advanced techniques to reach your fitness goals. Read more to see which phase you are in, and work towards mastering it before continuing on the continuum. 

LIFE

The Life phase includes basic lifestyle guidelines every human should adhere to daily. These guidelines promote great metabolic and immune system function, circadian rhythm, and overall health.

Many CrossFit Athletes skip this phase and, as a result, end up in some dysfunction as they jump to a nutrient profile that is only “good enough” versus optimal since they are prescribing themselves macronutrients and calories without first laying a great foundation of daily habits and healthy behaviors.

FUEL

The Fuel phase is where we dive into nutrition’s actual nuts and bolts. Most people think of this when they think of crafting a diet. The fuel phase contains the specific prescription of calories, protein, carbohydrates, and fat needed to support performance and aesthetics.

The Fuel phase also contains the actual foods that you will consume. For example, in this phase, we are working towards moving away from processed foods and consuming more natural whole foods. 

PERSON

The last phase is “Person,” where true personalization occurs. In the Person phase, you are tweaking your diet based on dietary preferences or sensitivities and utilizing things like fasting to “deload” the gut.

The Person phase is optional; only some people need personalization at this level. Only some people need to deload their gut or have food preferences or sensitivities that require it.

These three phases are not linear whenever a new client begins their 1:1 Pain-Free Performance Program. If a new client starts and has good lifestyle behaviors that promote great metabolic function and circadian rhythm, then there is no point in changing things. We’ll monitor them to make sure it is sustained.

Suppose you fit this category, and we jump straight to Fuel. In that case, we will focus on improving food quality and designing the specific calories and macronutrients you need as a CrossFit Athlete.

For the remainder of this article, we’ll focus on crafting your macronutrient profile to help you drive fat loss, muscle gain, performance, or fuel your activity level.

How To Determine Your Macros For CrossFit

Follow these steps to determine your macronutrient ratios by hand. 

Step 1. Set Calorie Intake

Setting calories per day is the first step in designing a nutrition plan for CrossFit Athletes. The number of calories per day you need will depend on several factors, including your total daily energy expenditure. 

The first element of calorie intake is determining your basal metabolic rate, which is the amount of calories your body burns at complete rest. This accounts for 70% of total daily energy expenditure. (2)

Next is Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis, or NEAT for short. It makes up the next 15% of total daily energy expenditure. NEAT comprises all muscular actions and movements that are not exercises, such as daily steps and blinking. (2)

After NEAT is the Thermic Effect of Food, which comprises roughly 10% of total daily energy expenditure and is the calories burned from the digestion of food, this can vary based on which kinds of foods you eat most. (2)

Diets with mostly protein will burn more calories in TEF as it takes more energy to break down and absorb.

Lastly, daily energy expenditure is the total number of calories burned due to exercise. At 5%, this is the smallest percentage of the total calories burned daily and will vary based on the volume and intensity of your training. (2)

Now that we know what makes up your total daily energy expenditure, we can set calorie intake.

To start, you will determine your basal metabolic rate, which can be tested using high-tech and expensive machinery or more affordable bioelectrical impedance scales like my favorite, the InBody Systems.

You can base the rest of the elements from there on the basal metabolic rate.

You will add 10% to your basal metabolic rate for the thermic effect of feeding.

For exercise activity thermogenesis, you will add calories based on your training. If you train at high intensities and high volumes, you’ll add more, and if not, you’ll add less. The range for this will be between 200 and 500 additional calories.

The same rule of thumb applies to the thermogenesis of non-exercise activity. If you are more active, you will add more calories; if you are more sedentary, you add less. Again, this range will be between 200 and 500 additional calories.

The full equation to set your total daily energy expenditure will be as follows:

TDEE = BMR + TEF + EAT + NEAT

However, it is essential to note that many CrossFit Athletes will see this total number and be shocked at how many calories it is per day.

If this is you, then it is likely that various factors are causing some sort of down-regulation of the basal metabolic rate. But more often than not, it is due to chronic undereating.

So, instead, you can take a 3-5 day food log and track what you currently eat to maintain your weight. Then, you can use this number as your total daily energy expenditure while you work towards normalizing your calorie intake. 

Determine Appropriate Daily Calorie Amount

The total number of calories consumed by CrossFit athletes will likely need to be high to support the large amounts of exercise and intensity they perform.

As a general rule of thumb, if your goal is to support your training and energy levels over time, you should keep your total calorie intake as is.

But if you want to drive weight gain, the best way to do so is to add 15% of calories to your total daily energy expenditure. If you want to drive weight or fat loss, the best way to do so is to subtract 15% of total calories to create a caloric deficit.

This percentage allows you to kickstart change in the direction that you wish but not drive change so high that you put on unnecessary fat.

Similarly, if you reduce calories beyond 15%, you may quickly reach a plateau in weight loss due to metabolic adaptation.

Step 2. Determine Grams of Protein Per Day

Next to calorie intake, protein will be the most essential macronutrient you can consume as a CrossFit athlete. Protein provides the necessary building blocks to support recovery and the building of new muscle mass via its total and essential amino acids. (1)

To determine the Protein needs of CrossFit athletes,  the total grams of protein will likely be around one gram per pound of body weight. This will ensure you have a minimum amount of protein in your system and that your amino acid pool is such that you have the essential amino acids you need for daily training.

However, the total grams of protein you need may be much more than this if you train multiple times a day and less for recreational CrossFit Athletes who have a desk job the other hours of the day.

So, a more accurate way to set total grams of protein is to first assess your lifestyle and then set grams of protein based on the ranges below.

Sedentary: .5g/lb of lean body mass

Light Activity: .7g/lb of lean body mass

Moderate Activity: .9g/lb of lean body mass

High Activity: 1.1g/lb of lean body mass

Intense Activity: 1.3g/lb of lean body mass

Each macronutrient contains a specific amount of calories that contribute to the total calorie intake for the day.

Every gram of protein contains about four calories, so if you were to have 200 grams of protein, the total calories contributed from your protein intake would be 800 calories.

Step 3. Determine Grams of Fat Per Day

Fat is the next macronutrient that CrossFit Athletes should be concerned with. Fat is vital for hormone regulation and storage of fat-soluble vitamins. (1)

Fat can sometimes get a bad reputation due to common but misplaced sentiments in mainstream media. But rest assured, it is an essential macronutrient.

For this article, I won’t touch on the different types of fats, such as saturated vs unsaturated fats, or what constitutes good fats vs bad fats.

But describe how you can determine how many grams of fat you need daily.

The best way to determine the number of grams you need per day is to again assess your activity levels and how full you feel throughout the day and select a number based on a range.

Grams of fat per day will range from .4 – .6 grams per pound of body weight per day but shouldn’t be lower than 25% of the total calories per day.

Thus, if you consume 2000 calories daily, your total calories from fat should stay below 500 since each gram of fat will contain nine calories.

At the higher ends of Fat intake, you may need to leave more room for calories from protein and, more importantly, Carbohydrates to fuel the high-intensity workouts that CrossFit Athletes engage in.

Step 4. Determine Grams of Carbs Per Day

Consuming ample amounts of carbohydrates throughout the day is imperative for CrossFit athletes. (3)

Carbohydrates will be the number one source of Fuel during CrossFit Workouts due to the high intensity of the workouts and the speed at which carbohydrates can be broken down and utilized for energy via Glycolysis.

When CrossFit Athletes attempt to follow a low-carb diet such as the Atkins Diet, the Keto Diet, or even the Zone Diet, where total carbohydrates are reduced, they will inevitably run into fueling issues.

When Carbohydrates are restricted, as in this diet, the body turns to other sources of energy, such as fat and, in the worst-case scenario, protein or the muscle mass that we currently have.

The problem is that fat takes longer to break down, slowing performance as energy production is bottlenecked by this process known as Lipolysis.

To determine the amount of Carbohydrates you need daily, you can add up the total calories you consume from Protein and Fat and subtract that number from your total daily energy expenditure.

For example, let’s go back to the same 200 grams of protein per day individual who consumes 25% grams of fat and 3000 calories daily.

Their total Carbohydrate will be as follows:

3000 Calories – 800 calories from protein (200*4) – 750 calories from fat (25% of 3000) = 1450 Calories left for Carbohydrates.

From there, you will take the 1450 calories remaining and divide by the calories in each gram of Carbohydrate, which is 4 calories, to get your grams of carbs per day.

For this individual, it will be about 362 grams of carbs daily.

This may seem like a tremendous amount of Carbohydrates to you, but it is important to realize this is just one instance. Your actual grams of Carbohydrates per day can vary from 1x body weight to 2.5x body weight.

It is important to assess what your body needs and how you respond to certain carbohydrate prescriptions to determine the actual number you need.

Summary

To summarize, the best way to calculate macros for CrossFit Athletes is as follows;

1. Determine Total Daily Energy Expenditure (BMR + TEF + EAT + NEAT)
2. Determine grams of protein based on body weight or activity
3. Determine grams of fat based on total calories or activity
4. Determine grams of Carbs based on activity and total remaining calories

Final Thoughts On Macronutrient Intake

Macronutrients—proteins, carbohydrates, and fats—play a pivotal role in the performance, recovery, and overall health of CrossFit athletes. Proteins are essential for muscle repair and growth, aiding recovery from intense workouts and helping to build the strength necessary for high-performance training. 

Carbohydrates are the primary energy source, replenishing glycogen stores depleted during rigorous WODs and ensuring sustained energy levels for short bursts and prolonged activities. 

Healthy fats support hormone production, provide long-lasting energy, and assist in absorbing essential vitamins. Balancing these macronutrients in the diet enables CrossFit athletes to optimize their training outcomes, maintain high energy levels, and recover efficiently, ultimately leading to improved performance.

Now, use this article as a guide to create the best macronutrient ratios for your goals and training. Please don’t hesitate to book a free consultation (HERE) if you have questions about crafting the best nutritional plan to support your training and fitness goals.

References:

1.  Kerksick, C. M., Wilborn, C. D., Roberts, M. D., Smith-Ryan, A., Kleiner, S. M., Jäger, R., Collins, R., Cooke, M., Davis, J. N., Galvan, E., Greenwood, M., Lowery, L. M., Wildman, R., Antonio, J., & Kreider, R. B. (2018). ISSN exercise & sports nutrition review update: research & recommendations. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 15(1), 38. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-018-0242-y

2, Aragon, A. A., Schoenfeld, B. J., Wildman, R., Kleiner, S., VanDusseldorp, T., Taylor, L., Earnest, C. P., Arciero, P. J., Wilborn, C., Kalman, D. S., Stout, J. R., Willoughby, D. S., Campbell, B., Arent, S. M., Bannock, L., Smith-Ryan, A. E., & Antonio, J. (2017). International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0174-y 

3, Cermak, N. M., & van Loon, L. J. (2013). The use of carbohydrates during exercise as an ergogenic aid. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 43(11), 1139–1155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-013-0079-0