As anyone who's tried to build muscle or lose belly fat will attest, there's far more to creating your ideal body shape than nailing workouts 24/7. Rather than a quick, concentrated effort, it can take weeks, months and years to find your rhythm and a structure that works for you. There is one habit, though, that can rapidly speed-up your progress: counting macros. Whether you're bodybuilding, on the keto diet, looking to lose weight or trying out IIFYM (If It Fits Your Macros), counting calories and macros can help you make progress at a rate you've not seen before.

On the surface, the process is simple stick to a certain amount of calories and you'll either lose, maintain or gain weight. Dig a little deeper, though, and you'll discover a sweet science that can be tweaked and tuned to suit your training schedule. Below, we walk you through everything you need to know about counting calories and macros, and how to calculate a method that will work for you. Because there's more to nailing your diet than a half-arsed scan of the ingredient list.

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Macronutrients are the bulk of the matter that make up the energy content of every piece of food you've ever eaten. Protein, carbohydrates and fat are the three "macros" in your food, all contributing to the overall calorie count in different ways.

Each macronutrient is measured in grams and calories, which will contribute to your daily goal. By tweaking the quantity of each macro, you can fuel your body for any type of training or workout whether you're prepping for a photoshoot or fuelling up for an endurance race. By counting your macros and paying attention to what's in your food, you'll also learn how to get more specific about why you're not losing as much weight or gaining as muscle as you'd like.

Then, using the instructions below, you can tweak your diet to really get granular on your gains. Firstly, though, a disclaimer on following diets and tweaking your food intake:

"While macros can really help get you where you want to be, it's still important to make sure you get enough of the "micros" too. Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that are used as catalysts and co-factors in reactions: nothing can happen without these nutrients. So if you want oxygen to be carried to vital organs then you need iron. If you want better skin, then you need vitamin C and zinc. Getting a balanced and varied diet can be the success or failure of any kind body composition venture. Counting macros can be really time consuming and somewhat difficult getting your food to match, but if it isn't for you, don't worry there are other ways. If things don't seem to be working with your plan, go and see a dietitian or qualified nutritionist who can help you tweak your diet." - Jo Travers BSc RD MBA

Protein is made of large-chain amino acids and are the most essential macronutrient when it comes to building and maintaining muscle. Examples of high-protein foods include: fish, chicken, beef, greek yoghurt, tempeh, cottage cheese, jerky, eggs, lentils, tofu and more.

Often misjudged as weight loss enemy #1, carbohydrates play an incredibly important role in your bodily functions. Carbohydrates are the most important energy source for your body, which converts the macro into glucose to fuel your organs and your muscles. It's exactly why endurance athletes and highly-active individuals will have a high carbohydrate diet. You'll find carbohydrates in rice, pasta, bread, grains, vegetables, fruit, sugar and more.

But, you also need to be aware of the difference between 'simple' and 'complex' carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are found naturally in some foods like fruit and milk, and foods with added sugar like biscuits, sweets and cake. The NHS advises that men consume under 70g of simple sugars a day. Complex carbohydrates, however, refers to starches found in bread, pasta, rice, potatoes and other food sources.

Don't be fooled fats are actually healthy. Healthy fats make up the outside layer of all cells, with fatty acids (such as omega-3) responsible for keeping the body working. You'll find healthy fats in oily fish, avocados, nuts, dairy products and animal fats. Despite what anti-fat diet products will tell you, a small amount of fat is an essential part of a healthy diet. For example, fat helps the body absorb Vitamins A, D and E and help maintain energy levels. Unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, avocados and nuts, help protect your heart by maintaining 'good' levels of cholesterol.

Simply put, macro calculators are a way of identifying how many calories you should be eating daily to support your goal. Whether that's weight-loss, muscle gain or purely maintenance of your current weight, it pays to know what your number is and everyone's is different. Below, we've included ways to count your macros according to your goal, but let's get one thing clear.

While the majority of food and training plans work by cutting calories overall, an approach that many neglect is counting the macros that form the calories themselves. It's a key part of nutrition and weight management that is often overlooked.

Calories, firstly, are the amount of energy that food or drink is measured in. When we consume more calories, our body stores the excess energy as fat, leading to weight gain. Currently, the NHS recommends a daily limit of 2500kcal for men to maintain a healthy weight.

Macros on the other hand, are the different types of macronutrients that make a type of food. Most foods will lean towards one type of macro high-protein foods are lower in carbohydrates, for example and will contribute to your overall calorie count.

Remember, though, that all calories are technically the same. 500 calories of fruit is the same as 500 calories from pizza your body doesn't care and will process it all the same. Obviously, you won't get the same nutritional benefits from the 500 calories of pizza, though not all things are equal.

Still with us? Great. Here's how to nail your first intro into counting calories and monitoring your macros.

First, you'll need to work out your BMR. Your basal metabolic rate is the number of calories you take and burn each day at rest. Your BMR factors in several things your weight, activity level and gender to give a final figure.

The most popular way to estimate your BMR is through the 'Harris-Benedict' formula, which uses weight, height, age and gender to identify your BMR. By identifying this figure, it can help you gain, lose or maintain weight. Here's how to find yours:

655 + (4.35 x your weight in pounds) + (4.7 x your height in inches) (4.7 x age)

Using a 30-year-old, six-foot and 85kg (187lb) male as an example, you'll get the following results.

655+(4.35x187)+(4.7x72)-(4.7x30)= 1665.85

So, our example male will burn approximately 1,665 at rest, by doing absolutely nothing. This, however, is where the current activity level will come into play. You can identify yours by multiplying the total calorie count (above) by the following method:

With most thirty-somethings hitting the gym or exercising around three times a week, we can use the 'moderate exercise' figure in our example. Multiplying the BMR by the activity level will give a total calorie count called your TDEE your total daily energy expenditure.

1,665 x 1.55 = 2,580.75

So, our example man will need 2580 calories a day to maintain weight. To lose weight, cut this count by no more than 15 per cent for manageable weight loss. To gain, up it by the same amount for steady weight-gain. Now, however, you'll need to work out how to split the calories to meet your goal. A popular splitting method is cutting this main number up by a 40/40/20 per cent rule in protein, carbs and fat respectively. SAYS WHO?!

There is no optimal ratio. Some people do well on lower-carb plans, and some people do well on lower-fat. It all depends on the individual, says Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., director of the Human Performance Lab at CUNY Lehman College. The scientific literature is very clear that getting proper amounts of protein is the most important thing to maximise muscle and improve body composition.

"Getting proper amounts of protein is the most important thing to maximise muscle"

Using the 40/20/20 rule, the diet will look like this:

To find the specific macro amounts, divide each macronutrient according to the calories per gram.

Of course, not all methods are created equally and a method such as the above may not work for everyone, especially if you plan to start bodybuilding.

Most bodybuilders will want want to carry more muscle and less fat and will probably exercise more than the average Joe. Both of which means that our example male should prioritise protein and carbohydrates. A 2014 study found that consuming up to five-and-a-half times the RDA of protein had no effect on body composition in resistance-trained individuals.

Generally, a surplus of 250kcal a day is enough to fuel muscle gain, according to nutritionist Melina Jampolis. However, lifters can only build approximately 230g of extra muscle a week, leading to unused calories and energy being stored as fat.

If that sounds like a lot, you're definitely right around two grams of protein per kilo of bodyweight is suitable (and safe) for building muscle. As the example male is 85kg, the calculation suggests that a figure of 170g is suitable for muscle-building. Similarly, the carbohydrate content would be the same, as it carries the same amount of calories per gram as protein and healthy fats would occupy the remaining calories. For an example, it would look like this:

Macros for Bodybuilding: C:177, P:177, F: 67.

When it comes to losing belly fat and unwanted paunch in other areas, you won't need to crunch the numbers as much as our other examples. Simply, you need to put your body in a caloric deficit where your body burn mores calories than it's consuming. A calorie deficit is shredding 101: so it pays to know your macros for weight loss. Here's how it works.

As aforementioned, cutting your daily calorie count by 15 per cent is enough to put yourself into a caloric deficit. Using our moderately active 85kg man as a continued example, he would need to cut his 2,580 the TDEE we found above by 15 per cent. The result is 2,125 calories. Sticking to the same split and avoiding the temptation to cut carbohydrates, his macros would be the following:

Macros for Weight Loss: C: 212 P: 212 F: 159g

As a Men's Health reader, you've probably heard of the ketogenic diet. It's a low-carb, high-fat and high-protein diet that promises to erase inches from your waist while still helping you build muscle. By going 'keto', you're putting your body into a metabolic state called 'ketosis', which facilitates weight loss by altering the way your body is fuelled.

By slashing your carbohydrate intake, your body becomes starved of glucose and sends a signal to your brain to start using ketones compounds in your liver created by fat stores to keep things running. The theory, your body switches into a fat-burning furnace.

But, if you're keen to count macros on your keto diet, then your ratio will probably look a little different. It's thought that, if you're doing keto, approximately 55 per cent of your calories need to come from healthy fats which explains 'keto' breath, but let's not go there ideally from nuts, eggs, avocados and meat. For the remaining 40 per cent, opt for 35 per cent protein and 10 per cent carbohydrates. Here's the breakdown of a 2000 calorie diet:

Counting Macros on Keto: Cal: 2000, C: 200kcal or 50g, P: 700cal or 175g F: 1100cal or 22g

MyFitnessPal, available on iOS and Android devices, is probably the most popular method of helping people calculate their macros for weight loss, bodybuilding, keto and much more. There are two version of MyFitnessPal free and 'premium' but the zero-cost option is perfectly suitable for anyone looking to get started with their macros.

Other apps, such as Fitocracy or Macrostax, offer similar benefits but can 'gamify' your weight loss or muscle gain mission. Our advice? Stick to MyFitnessPal to keep things simple.

With great macro knowledge, comes great responsibility. Now that you're armed to the teeth with nutritional know-how, you'll want to invest in a kitchen gadget or two to make light work of your muscle food. Here are a few we love:

Electronic Cooking Food Scale with LCD Display

9.99

When it comes to counting your macros, weighing your food is invaluable. It keeps you honest with your portion control and helps you understand how much food you'rereally eating

Leakproof Bento Box 2 Tiers Bento Lunch Box with Reusable Cutlery

14.99

Take your new muscle-friendly recipes to work and away with PuTwo's leakproof bento box. You don't have to worry about any spillage or unwanted liquids sloshing around your bag.

Nutrient Extractor and High Speed Blender, 8 Piece Set

54.99

Whether you need breakfast in a rush or just want to add more bang to your protein shake, a Nutribullet is a must in any muscle-friendly kitchen.

Let's Make Measuring Cups and Spoons Set

5.99

Measure rice, pasta, liquids and much more with this multi-set of measuring cups and spoons.

Fit Men Cook: 100 Meal Prep Recipes for Men and Women

Kevin Curry of Fit Men Cook fame has mastered the meal prep game and now, with his new cookbook, wants to help you. Move over, Joe Wicks.

George Foreman Steel Health Grill, Five Portions

29.99

Because oven cooking isso last year, George Foreman's handy kitchen appliance lets you grill up to five portions of food in one go making macros and meal prep a whole lot easier.

Maximuscle Protein Shaker, 700 ml

3.50

Because every man needs a new protein shaker every few months do your housemates, family and colleagues a favour by binning your old stinky shaker.

Power Tower, 180 x 3 ml

4.75

Keep your supplements, protein,BCAAs and more safely stowed away inMyProtein's supplement 'power tower', giving 180ml of room in each separate tub.

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Macros: Your Complete Guide to Counting Them - Men's health UK