What 1,500 Calories Looks Like on a Macro Diet

When trying to lose weight, keeping a food log and counting calories can be extremely helpful. To take that a step further, many experts advocate tracking macronutrients — the ratio of protein, fat and carbs in your diet — to help you make smarter food choices. For example, instead of just reaching mindlessly for a bag of chips, you’ll need to think about how much of each macronutrient your snack provides, which might lead you to choose a more balanced snack.

While any fare can fit into a macro diet, you’ll want to focus on nutrient-rich foods to make your macros go further. Balancing high-quality protein (Think: lean meats, eggs, fish and dairy) with fiber-rich carbs (like fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and healthy fats (nuts and avocados) helps keep you satisfied longer.

Your macro percentages varies based on your goals, but a great place to start for weight loss is to take in 50% of your calories from carbs, 25% from fat and 25% from protein. (Pro tip: You can enter these percentages into your settings on the MyFitnessPal app as a premium member).

Here, a sample menu to show you what a 1,500-calorie day might look like on a 50/25/25 macro plan: