How to Track Macros for Body Recomposition Over 60

Why 'Eating Less' Fails After 60 (And What to Do Instead)

To effectively track macros for body recomposition over 60, you must eat more protein than you think-around 1.8 grams per kilogram of your bodyweight-while maintaining a small 200-300 calorie deficit. If you've tried losing weight only to feel weaker and look “skinny-fat,” you’ve experienced the single biggest mistake people in their 60s make: aggressive calorie cutting without enough protein. Your body, in a desperate search for energy, breaks down valuable muscle tissue along with fat. This lowers your metabolism, making future fat loss even harder.

Body recomposition is different. The goal isn't just weight loss; it's fat loss while building or maintaining muscle. This is the key to looking and feeling strong, not just smaller. After 60, your body's ability to build muscle (a process called muscle protein synthesis) becomes less efficient. You need a stronger signal to kickstart it. That signal is a combination of two things: resistance training and a high protein intake. The standard advice to just “eat less” is a recipe for sarcopenia-age-related muscle loss. For a 175-pound (80kg) person, this means targeting around 145 grams of protein daily, not the 70-80 grams they might be eating now. This isn't about endless dieting; it's about strategic eating to change your body's composition.

The Protein Threshold: The Hidden Number That Unlocks Recomposition

Your body doesn't respond to protein the way it did at 30. This is a biological reality called “anabolic resistance.” It means you need more protein per meal, and per day, just to trigger the same muscle-building response. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. For a 165-pound (75kg) person, that’s a meager 60 grams. This number is the bare minimum to prevent disease in a sedentary person, not the optimal amount to build a strong, resilient body.

For body recomposition after 60, the target is 1.6 to 2.0 grams per kilogram. For that same 75kg person, this means 120-150 grams of protein daily. That’s double the RDA. This higher amount provides the building blocks your muscles need to repair and grow from your workouts, even while you’re in a calorie deficit. Without it, the deficit will pull from your muscle mass. The second part of the equation is the size of your calorie deficit. A huge 500+ calorie deficit sends a panic signal to your body to shed energy-expensive muscle. A small, controlled deficit of 200-300 calories is a gentle nudge. It encourages your body to pull from fat stores while the high protein intake protects your muscle. This is the fundamental math that makes body recomposition possible at any age, but it's absolutely critical after 60.

You have the numbers now: 1.8g of protein per kg of bodyweight and a 250-calorie deficit. But knowing the target and hitting it are two different things. Can you say with 100% certainty that you hit your 140g protein goal yesterday? Not 'I think I had chicken.' The exact number.

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The 3-Step Recomposition Protocol I Use With My 60+ Clients

This isn't about guessing. It's a systematic approach to give your body exactly what it needs. Forget complex diet rules and focus on these three steps. You will need a food scale and a tracking app to do this correctly. Precision is what makes it work.

Step 1: Establish Your Baseline (The First 7 Days)

Before you change anything, you need an honest look at where you are. For one full week, use a tracking app to log everything you eat and drink. Don't try to be “good.” Just be honest. This isn’t for judgment; it’s for data. At the end of the week, the app will show you your average daily calorie and macro intake. This is your starting point. Simultaneously, calculate your estimated maintenance calories. A simple, reliable formula for moderately active adults over 60 is your bodyweight in pounds multiplied by 12. For a 180-pound person, that’s 2,160 calories per day. This is the energy you need to maintain your current weight.

Step 2: Set Your Recomposition Targets

Now, you'll use your maintenance calories to set your new targets. This is your daily blueprint for the next month.

• Calories: Take your maintenance calories from Step 1 and subtract 250. Using our 180-pound person example: 2,160 - 250 = 1,910 calories per day. This is your new daily calorie goal.
• Protein: This is your anchor. Calculate your target bodyweight in kilograms (pounds / 2.2) and multiply it by 1.8. If our 180-pound person wants to weigh 170 pounds (77kg), their protein goal is 77 x 1.8 = 139 grams of protein per day. We use target bodyweight to avoid over-calculating protein for those with a lot of weight to lose.
• Fat: Set your fat intake to 25-30% of your total calories. For a 1,910 calorie target, 25% is 477 calories. Since fat has 9 calories per gram, that’s 477 / 9 = 53 grams of fat per day.
• Carbohydrates: These fill the remainder of your calories. Calculate the calories from protein (139g x 4 cal/g = 556) and fat (53g x 9 cal/g = 477). Add them together: 556 + 477 = 1,033 calories. Subtract this from your total calorie goal: 1,910 - 1,033 = 877 calories remaining. Since carbs have 4 calories per gram, that’s 877 / 4 = 219 grams of carbs.

Your daily targets are: 1,910 calories, 139g protein, 53g fat, 219g carbs.

Step 3: Execute and Adjust (The 4-Week Cycle)

Your job for the next four weeks is to hit these numbers as consistently as possible. Perfection is not the goal; consistency is. Aim to be within 10 grams of your protein and carb goals and 5 grams of your fat goal each day. Weigh yourself every morning after using the restroom, but only pay attention to the weekly average. The daily number will fluctuate. After four weeks, assess your progress:

• If your weekly average weight is down 0.5-1 pound and your strength in the gym is stable or increasing: Perfect. Keep going with the same targets.
• If your weight is stalled for two consecutive weeks: Reduce your daily calories by 100, taking them from either carbs (25g) or fats (11g). Do not touch your protein.
• If your weight is dropping too fast (over 2 pounds/week) or you feel weak: Increase your daily calories by 100-150, adding them to your carbs. Your deficit is likely too aggressive.

Repeat this 4-week cycle of execution and adjustment. This is how you make sustainable progress.

Your Body in 90 Days: A Realistic Recomposition Timeline

This process is a marathon, not a sprint. The changes are slow, steady, and lasting. Throw away the expectation of a dramatic 30-day transformation. Here is what you should realistically expect.

Weeks 1-2: The Adjustment Period

The first two weeks can feel strange. The high protein intake will make you feel much fuller. If you've been under-eating, the new calorie target might feel like a lot of food. The scale may not move, or it might even tick up a pound or two. This is normal. It's often due to increased water retention from more carbohydrates and muscle glycogen storage from your workouts. Your only job during this phase is to build the habit of tracking and hitting your macro targets. Trust the process.

Month 1 (Weeks 3-4): The First Signs of Progress

By the end of the first month, the noise settles down. Your weekly average weight should begin a slow, consistent decline of 0.5 to 1 pound per week. This is the sweet spot for losing fat while preserving muscle. You might not see dramatic visual changes yet, but your clothes may start to feel a little looser around the waist. Your energy levels should be stable, and your strength in the gym should be holding steady or even improving slightly on some lifts.

Months 2-3: Visible Changes Emerge

This is where the magic happens. After 60-90 days of consistency, the cumulative effect of your efforts becomes visible. You'll start to see more shape and definition in your shoulders and arms. The mirror will show a leaner version of you. That 4 to 8-pound fat loss is now noticeable. More importantly, because you preserved your muscle, you look strong and healthy, not gaunt. This is the payoff for your patience and diligence. This is body recomposition.

That's the plan. Three numbers to hit every day: protein, fat, and carbs. And three metrics to watch: scale average, gym performance, and progress photos. Most people try to juggle this with a notepad or a spreadsheet. Most people fall off by week three because life gets in the way.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Role of Resistance Training

Tracking macros for body recomposition is pointless without resistance training 2-4 times per week. The workouts provide the stimulus for muscle growth, and the protein provides the building blocks. Without the stimulus, that extra protein has nowhere to go. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, presses, and rows.

Best Protein Sources for This Goal

Focus on high-quality, easily digestible protein sources. These include chicken breast, lean beef, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and a quality whey or casein protein powder. Spreading your intake across 3-4 meals of 30-40g of protein each is more effective than one or two huge meals.

Handling Inaccurate Tracking

Don't let perfection be the enemy of progress. If you eat a meal you can't track, make your best estimate and move on. The goal is not 100% accuracy every single day. The goal is 85-90% consistency over months. One untracked dinner with family won't undo your progress. A week of giving up because of it will.

Adjusting Macros on Non-Training Days

Keep your protein intake the same every single day. Muscle repair and growth is a 24-48 hour process, so your body needs those building blocks on rest days, too. If you want to, you can slightly lower your carbohydrate intake by 30-50 grams on rest days, as your immediate energy needs are lower, but this is an optional fine-tuning step, not a requirement.

What If I'm a Vegetarian or Vegan?

Body recomposition is absolutely possible on a plant-based diet, but it requires more planning. Your primary protein sources will be tofu, tempeh, edamame, seitan, lentils, and beans. You must use a high-quality vegan protein powder to help you reach your high protein target. Pay attention to combining sources to ensure you get all essential amino acids.