How to track your macros to bulk up on MyFitnessPal

Are you ready to track your macros in order to bulk up? It can be a game-changer when it comes to increasing muscle mass, because it’s all about building the right panels to fuel your growth. You need enough protein to fuel your muscles, carbohydrates to power your workouts, and the right amount of fat to keep everything running smoothly. (1)

With MyFitnessPal, it’s easy to track your intake of the three big macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. You can adjust your goals to get enough of a calorie surplus to achieve your muscle building goals.

This guide will walk you through how to set up and track your macros to bulk up in MyFitnessPal so you can maximize your results. From setting personalized daily goals to logging every meal, drink, and snack, MyFitnessPal gives you the tools and structure you need to stay consistent and focused on your journey to bulk up.

Let’s break down how to use these features to support optimal muscle growth.

About the experts

Caroline Thomason, RDis a registered dietitian and diabetes educator who combines her love of nutrition with the ability to make better health easy to understand. With 12 years in the industry, she has published in over 40 publications, and is a CPG consultant, speaker, podcaster, and recipe developer.

Daisy Mercer, RDis the food data curator at MyFitnessPal. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in food science and dietetics from Colorado State University and completed her nutritional training at VA San Diego Healthcare System.

What are macros and why are they important for bulking

Macros, short for macronutrients, are the three basic nutrients your body needs in large amounts: protein, carbohydrates and fat.

You have to strike the right balance of macros to gain muscle mass without gaining fat. (1) Although any time you gain weight, you will gain muscle and fat. (Although it’s technically possible to gain muscle while losing body fat — known as body recomposition — that’s not what people typically mean by “bulking up.” It’s also very difficult to do.) Beyond macros alone, eating enough calories to support muscle building is very difficult. key. (2)

You’ll need to know how many calories you need to maintain your current weight, and you likely won’t need to add a lot of calories to your daily maintenance goals to see an increase in muscle mass. (2)

Here’s more context on each macronutrient to bulk up:

Protein 101

Protein is the cornerstone of muscle building. It provides the essential building blocks and amino acids for repair and growth of muscle tissue after intense exercise. (3) Getting enough protein not only promotes recovery, but can also help control appetite signals by reducing hunger levels because protein tends to be more satiating. (3)

To obtain confidential informationEat high-quality sources, such as meat, eggs, and dairy products, and spread them out throughout the day to maximize muscle gains.

Carbohydrates 101

Carbohydrates serve as the body’s primary energy source, fueling both training and the recovery process. (4) When bulking up, increasing carbohydrate intake (especially in conjunction with increased protein intake) supports your endurance and strength during exercise by replenishing muscle glycogen stores. (4) Boosting energy can improve exercise performance, allowing you to lift heavier weights, and exercise harder overall – all of which supports muscle gain. (3)

To obtain confidential informationChoose complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains, oats and sweet potatoes, for sustained energy and additional nutrients. Additionally, it’s okay to indulge in less nutrient-dense options while gaining weight to achieve more flexible calorie goals.

Fats 101 

Fat is essential for the production of hormones, such as testosterone and growth hormones, which play an important role in muscle gain. (5) Fat is the most calorie-dense macronutrient, making it easier to reach a calorie surplus for bulking up without overloading on large amounts of food. (5)

To obtain confidential information: Focus on healthy fats instead of those found in packaged foods. Think: avocados, nuts, seeds, dairy products, fish, and often olive oil.

How to set macro goals for muscle gain

Here’s how to set up macronutrient goals in the MyFitnessPal app:

1. From the control panel, press “more” at the bottom right to open the main menu, then select “Objectives“.
2. under “Nutrition goals“handle”Calorie, carb, protein and fat goals“To change your default goals based on general dietary guidelines.
3. First add a calorie goal, then adjust each macronutrient as a percentage of total calories.

To determine your macronutrient breakdown, here are some general guidelines on the percentage of calories for each macronutrient. (6)

• protein: Experts generally suggest targeting a daily protein intake of 1.2-2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight to support muscle recovery and growth. Protein should account for about 25-30% of your daily calories.(6)
• Carbohydrates: 55-60% of daily calories is the usual recommendation. In a 2,500-calorie diet, 55% carbohydrates would mean about 1,375 calories, or approximately 344 grams of carbohydrates (4 calories per gram). (6)
• Fat: Think about getting 15-20% of your daily calories. On a 2,500-calorie diet, 20% fat means about 500 calories, or approximately 55 grams of fat (9 calories per gram). (6)

Keep in mind that sports nutritionists agree that your protein target shouldn’t change much during the bulking phase, assuming you’re already eating 1.2 to 2.2 grams per kg of body weight per day. Carbohydrates and fats are the easiest macronutrients to deal with in a caloric surplus in order to gain muscle.

To summarize, if you’re aiming to eat 2,500 calories, your macros might look like this:

• protein: 150 grams (about 600 calories or 25% of total calories)
• Carbohydrates: 344 grams (about 1375 calories or 55% of total calories)
• fat: 55 grams (about 500 calories or 20% of total calories)

Your personal macronutrient goals may look different from these numbers, and that’s okay.

If you’re tracking your macros to add muscle mass but aren’t getting the results you want, here are some things I recommend:

• Check your tracking accuracy: Be sure to log your meals, snacks, and drinks to ensure accurate tracking. Measuring in grams will give you the most accurate numbers.
• Make sure your macronutrients are broken downOnce you know you’re tracking accurately, make sure your macronutrient breakdown is similar to the one above — about 25% of calories from protein, 55% from carbs, and 20% from fat.
• Think about how hard it is to exercise: If you’re tracking your macros and not seeing results, it may not be related to nutrition at all. Make sure you are training effectively – you should feel muscle fatigue by the end of each set to stimulate muscle growth. (3)
• Give it more timeGaining muscle takes time. If it’s only been a week or two, you’ll likely need more time to see results in weight gain and body composition changes to bulk up.
• Increase your calories: Finally, if all of the above are taken into consideration, you may simply need more calories to add muscle mass to your body.

You can use our macro calculator to find the macronutrient breakdown that works for you. If you want more personalized goals, speak with a dietitian to receive personalized nutrition recommendations for the macronutrients you need.

Track your protein, fat and carbohydrate intake in MyFitnessPal

It’s easy to track macros to bulk up your meals, snacks, and drinks.

Here’s how to do it in five steps:

1. Record your foodEnter your meals in the diary to start tracking your intake.
2. Go to Macros: From your food diary, tap the three dots in the bottom right corner of the screen to access the “More” menu. Click on “Feed”. At the top of the nutrition screen, tap Macros to view your macros.
3. Today’s review: You’ll see a pie graph showing the percentage of calories you consumed today that came from each of the three macronutrients. Below the pie chart, you can see how your day’s overall totals compare to your goals. Scroll down to see the foods and drinks you ate today that were highest in each macronutrient.
4. Different day review: Find the Today View menu at the top of the pie chart. Go to yesterday or tomorrow using the side arrows. Or tap “View Today” and then tap “Change Date” to choose another date.
5. Review your week: To see the bigger picture, tap Today View and then tap Week View. You’ll see a bar graph showing the percentage of your total calories that come from each macro on each day of the week, as well as the foods you consumed that were highest in each macronutrient that week.

For US-based users, you can also go to the feed overview to see the progress bar. If you’re already in the Nutrition section, click “Overview.” Or you can find it in Control Panel. The progress bar displays the meals you’ve eaten, your protein goals, and other nutritional goals. It also gives you tips to boost your day’s progress.

Tips for tracking your macros to bulk up with MyFitnessPal

Effective bulking requires consistency with nutrition and training, eating enough food, and paying attention to macronutrient distribution.

Here are our top expert-approved tips for effective weight gain with MyFitnessPal.

Set calorie and macro goals 

Determine your calorie needs and add a 10-20% surplus to support muscle growth without fat gain. Use the Goals feature in MyFitnessPal to set these goals.

Prioritize protein intake

Aim for 1.2-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (8).

Control carbohydrates and fats

Remember, carbohydrates provide energy and recovery, while fat supports hormone health, flavor, and fullness. You can adjust the ratios of these macros based on your personal preferences, energy needs, and progress.

Review your nutrient intake regularly

Periodically check your weekly nutrient summary to ensure you are meeting your goals for both macronutrients and micronutrients during the bulking phase.

Compare with weight trends

Track your weight changes in the “Progress” section of MyFitnessPal to make sure you’re bulking up at the pace you want, and adjust your calorie intake if necessary if you’re gaining weight too quickly or notice an unwanted increase in body fat.

Frequently asked questions about tracking macros for bulking