If I Just Started Lifting Should I Track Macros

Why Tracking All Macros Is a Mistake for New Lifters

If you just started lifting, you should not track all your macros. For the first 60 days, it's an unnecessary complication that leads to burnout. Instead, focus on hitting just one number: 1 gram of protein per pound of your goal body weight. You're likely feeling overwhelmed, hearing about proteins, carbs, and fats, and wondering if you're missing a secret. The secret is that for beginners, simplicity wins. Your body is so ready to change right now that trying to perfectly balance every single macro is like using a sniper rifle to hit a barn door. You don't need that level of precision yet. The single biggest lever you can pull is getting enough protein to build muscle and lifting weights consistently. Focusing on just that one protein number builds the habit of awareness without the stress of tracking every bite of food, which is why most people quit.

Hit your protein goal. Every single day.

Track your food. Know you hit your numbers without the guesswork.

The Hidden Advantage You Only Get Once (Newbie Gains)

When you first start lifting, your body is in a unique state often called "newbie gains." This is a window of about 3-6 months where your muscles are hyper-responsive to training. During this time, you can build muscle and lose fat simultaneously, a process called body recomposition. This becomes much harder for intermediate and advanced lifters. Trying to track every macro at this stage is a waste of your most valuable resource: mental energy. You're optimizing for a 5% improvement when just showing up and eating protein will give you a 50% improvement. The goal is to make consistency as easy as possible. Adding the burden of tracking carbs and fats introduces three points of failure instead of one. If you miss your carb number or go over on your fat, you might feel like you've failed for the day and give up entirely. But if your only goal is to hit 150 grams of protein, that's a simple, achievable target. You master one skill-eating enough protein-before adding the next layer of difficulty. Don't squander the most productive training period of your life by getting bogged down in details that don't matter yet.

You now understand the 'why': newbie gains make protein the only macro that truly matters when you start. But knowing you need 160 grams of protein and actually eating 160 grams are two completely different skills. How can you be sure you hit your number yesterday? Or the day before? If you're just guessing, you're leaving your biggest advantage on the table.

Your macros. Every day. On track.

No more guessing if you ate enough. Know your numbers every day.

Your First 60 Days: The Only Two Rules That Matter

Forget everything else you've heard. For the next 60 days, your entire fitness plan boils down to these two rules. If you follow them, you will see results. You will get stronger, and your body composition will start to change. This is not a guess; it's the predictable outcome of giving your body the right signals.

Rule 1: Hit Your Single-Number Protein Target

The only nutrition number you need to care about is your protein intake. The formula is simple: 1 gram of protein per pound of your *goal* body weight. Not your current weight. This anchors your nutrition to your future self.

• If your goal is fat loss: You currently weigh 210 pounds but want to be a leaner 180. Your daily protein target is 180 grams.
• If your goal is muscle gain: You currently weigh 150 pounds and want to be a stronger 165. Your daily protein target is 165 grams.

To make this real, here’s what that looks like with actual food:

• 1 large chicken breast (6 oz): ~50g protein
• 1 scoop of whey protein powder: ~25g protein
• 1 cup of Greek yogurt (0% fat): ~22g protein
• 4 large eggs: ~24g protein
• 1 can of tuna: ~40g protein

For a 180-gram target, you could have a protein shake after your workout (25g), a chicken breast for lunch (50g), Greek yogurt as a snack (22g), and a 6oz steak for dinner (50g). That's 147 grams right there. Add in the trace protein from other foods and you're at your goal. Don't worry about carbs or fats. Just fill the rest of your plate with whole foods like rice, potatoes, vegetables, and fruits. As long as you hit your protein number, the rest will fall into place during this beginner phase.

Rule 2: Train Consistently with a Simple Plan

Your body builds muscle in response to being challenged. You need to lift weights 3 times per week. A full-body routine is most effective for beginners because it stimulates all major muscle groups frequently.

Here is a simple, effective 3-day-per-week plan:

Workout A

• Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Bench Press (or Dumbbell Press): 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Barbell Rows: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Plank: 3 sets, hold for 30-60 seconds

Workout B

• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Overhead Press: 3 sets of 6-8 reps
• Lat Pulldowns (or Pull-ups): 3 sets of 8-10 reps
• Bicep Curls: 2 sets of 10-12 reps

Alternate these workouts with a rest day in between. For example: Monday (A), Wednesday (B), Friday (A). The next week, you'd start with B. The only goal here is to get stronger over time. Try to add one more rep than last time, or add 5 pounds to the bar. That's it. That's progressive overload in its simplest form.

What to Do When You're Stuck

If you can't add weight or reps for two sessions in a row on a specific lift, don't panic. Simply reduce the weight by 10% for your next session and work your way back up. This is called a deload, and it gives your body a chance to recover and come back stronger. Don't overthink it. The plan is designed for progress, not perfection.

What Your First 8 Weeks Will Actually Look Like

Starting a lifting journey is exciting, but your progress won't be a straight line. Here is a realistic timeline of what to expect so you don't get discouraged by the normal ups and downs.

• Week 1-2: The Soreness Phase. You will be sore. Your muscles are adapting to a new stimulus. The scale might even jump up 2-4 pounds. This is not fat. It's water and glycogen being pulled into your muscles. This is a sign that it's working. Focus on hitting your protein goal and just showing up for your three workouts. Consistency is the only goal here.
• Week 3-4: The Strength Phase. The initial soreness will fade. You'll walk into the gym and the weights you used in week one will feel noticeably lighter. You'll successfully add 5 pounds to your bench press or do 2 extra reps on your squat. This is the neurological adaptation kicking in-your brain is getting better at recruiting your muscles. You might not see dramatic visual changes yet, but your strength gains are the leading indicator that muscle growth is happening.
• Week 5-8: The Visible Change Phase. This is when you start to see it. Your shoulders might look a little broader, your arms might feel firmer, or you'll notice your pants fit better around your waist. This is the payoff from the consistency of the first month. By day 60, you will have built the foundational habits of eating enough protein and training consistently. Your strength will be significantly improved from day one.

When do you start tracking all macros? Around day 60-90, when your rapid "newbie" strength gains start to slow down. If you go 2-3 weeks without being able to add weight or reps to your main lifts, that's a signal. It means your body has adapted and now requires more precision to keep progressing. You've proven you can handle the basics. Now, and only now, is it time to start tracking carbs and fats to fine-tune your diet for either a dedicated muscle-building phase (calorie surplus) or a fat-loss phase (calorie deficit).

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Macros Anyway?

Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three main nutrient categories your body needs for energy and function: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Protein builds and repairs tissue (like muscle). Carbohydrates are your body's primary fuel source. Fats are crucial for hormone production and overall health. Protein and carbs each have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9.

Is It Bad to Go Over My Protein Target?

No. For a healthy person, going over your protein target by 20-40 grams is not a problem. Your body is very good at using excess protein for energy through a process called gluconeogenesis. Don't stress about hitting your number to the exact gram. Aim for your target as a minimum, and if you go a little over, it's perfectly fine.

What If I'm Vegetarian or Vegan?

The 1 gram per pound of goal bodyweight rule still applies, but you'll need to be more deliberate with your food choices. Excellent plant-based sources include tofu, tempeh, edamame, lentils, chickpeas, and seitan. Supplementing with a high-quality vegan protein powder made from a blend of sources (like pea and rice) is a very effective way to help you hit your daily target.

When Do I Switch to Full Macro Tracking?

Switch to tracking protein, carbs, and fats after you've been lifting and hitting your protein goal consistently for at least 60-90 days. The best signal to make the switch is when your progress stalls. If you can't increase the weight or reps on your main lifts for 2-3 weeks in a row, it's time for more precision.

Should I Be in a Calorie Surplus or Deficit?

For the first 60 days, don't consciously try to be in either. Focus solely on hitting your protein target and eating satisfying meals made of whole foods. Because of the power of newbie gains, your body can pull from fat stores for energy while using the protein you eat to build muscle. This allows you to achieve body recomposition without the complexity of calorie counting.