What is Macro Cycling?

Macro cycling is a diet where you eat varying amounts of carbohydrates and fats over alternating 2–week periods.

People who use macro cycling are generally trying to lose weight. Though some individuals have found it can help promote weight loss.

Macro cycling is a way of dieting where you alternate how much protein, carbs, and fats you consume over 2-week periods.

Macros, also known as macronutrients, refers to the three major nutrients that our bodies use. These are:

protein
carbohydrates
fats

Macro cycling vs. carb cycling

Macro cycling stems from a diet strategy called carb cycling.

Carb cycling involves cycling through carbs on a daily or weekly basis. The purpose is to consume carbs when you most need them, like before or after exercise, and avoid them at other times.

How to Macro Cycle

You’ll input your:

sex
weight
height
age
activity level

Then, the calculator will help determine a suitable daily calorie intake for you.

Macro ratios

Starting ratio: 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat
Lower carb, higher fat ratio: 40% protein, 20% carbs, 40% fat
Lower fat, higher carb ratio: 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat

When following a macro cycling approach, most people use this starting ratio for the first 2 weeks:

40% protein
30% carbs
30% fat

Benefits

Simplifies meal prep

With carb cycling, you need to prep a variety of foods that are lower in carbs for low carb days and higher in carbs for higher carb days.

This can make it more difficult to prep meals in advance because you need to change your carb ratio on a daily basis.

Following a macro cycling approach may allow for simplified meal prepping because you only have to vary carbs and fats every 2 weeks. This may allow you to batch-cook meals for the whole week, for example.

This could save you time pondering what you are going to eat and allow more time for other things.