Macro Diet Plan: Complete Guide to Meal Planning Based on Macros
A walkthrough for building a week from protein, carbohydrate, and fat, with sample plans at 1,500, 1,800, 2,000, and 2,500 calories. Set each client's targets in Foodzilla.
Your macros, your plan
Stop guessing. Plan meals that hit the numbers you set.
How to make a meal plan from macros
Six steps. Use them for fat loss, muscle gain, or maintenance.
Find TDEE with a calculator. That number is BMR plus daily movement and training. Every macro plan starts there, because it is the calorie level that holds current weight.
Move calories for the goal. Fat loss: subtract 300 to 500 from TDEE. Muscle gain: add 250 to 500. Maintenance: stay at TDEE. Large swings are harder to keep and easier to rebound from.
Pick the split. Common starting points: fat loss 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat. Maintenance 30% protein, 40% carbs, 30% fat. Muscle gain 30% protein, 45% carbs, 25% fat. Those percentages turn total calories into grams.
Split the day across 3 to 5 meals. Put protein at every meal. Put more carbohydrate around training. Spread fat through the day.
Choose foods the client will eat. Protein first, then vegetables, then carbohydrate and fat. Variety keeps micronutrients up and boredom down.
Review every 2 to 4 weeks. Check tracking accuracy before you change targets. A 5 to 10% shift in one macro is usually enough. This is ongoing work, not a one-off spreadsheet.
Sample macro meal plans
Four sample weeks at different calorie levels, each with meals and a full macro breakdown. Start there, then change foods and portions.
How to use this template in your practice
Use the steps as a teaching script, then lock the client's numbers in Foodzilla and generate the week at their calorie level.
Export a branded PDF with the macro table and send it through the portal. The grocery list follows the foods you kept.
Macro meal planning tips
These are the habits that stop a macro plan dying in week two.
- Prep protein in bulk. Cook chicken, turkey, or fish on Sunday so a lean protein is always ready.
- Build meals around protein first. Add carbs and fat after the protein is on the plate.
- Keep 10 to 15 go-to meals whose macros you already know.
- Use a food scale. Eyeballing is the usual reason people miss targets. A digital scale costs under $15.
- Plan the largest meal first, then spend the remaining macros on the other meals and snacks.
- Allow swaps. Chicken for fish is fine if the protein grams are close.
- Front-load carbohydrate around workouts.
- Do not ignore fibre. Inside the carb target, aim for at least 25 to 30g a day from whole grains, vegetables, and legumes.
- Drink enough water. Digestion and training both suffer when intake is low.
- Track for at least 2 weeks so portion sizes stop being a guess.
Key Features
Prep protein in bulk
Cook chicken, turkey, or fish on Sunday so a lean protein is always ready.
Build meals around protein first
Add carbs and fat after the protein is on the plate.
Keep a list of go-to meals
10 to 15 meals whose macros you already know make the next week faster.
Use a food scale for accuracy
Eyeballing is the usual reason people miss targets. A digital scale costs under $15.
Plan the highest-calorie meal first
Spend macros on the largest meal first, then fill the rest of the day.
Allow flexibility
Chicken for fish is fine if the protein grams are close.
Disclaimer
This template is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or nutritional advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making dietary changes.
Use This Template in Your Practice
Start with this template, customise it for each client, and send a finished meal plan in minutes instead of hours.
Branded PDF Export
Your logo, your colours, your brand
Custom Macros
Adjust calories and macros per client
Smart Grocery Lists
Built automatically from the meal plan
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