Macros for 170 lb Women (Cutting, Sedentary)
Reviewed by Andrew Menechian, Head of Fitness at FitCommit
Exact macros for a 170 lb woman on a cutting diet. Calculated from estimated lean mass, Katch-McArdle BMR, and a sedentary TDEE (desk job, little or no exercise).
1,565
Calories
~20% calorie deficit
150g
Protein
600 cal (38%)
50g
Carbs
200 cal (13%)
85g
Fat
765 cal (49%)
Running a 377 cal/day deficit (20% below TDEE). Expect ~0.75 lbs of fat loss per week while protecting 128 lbs of lean mass.
4 weeks
167 lbs
8 weeks
164 lbs
12 weeks
161 lbs
How These Macros Were Calculated
| Body Weight | 170 lbs |
|---|---|
| Estimated Lean Mass | 128 lbs (75% of body weight) |
| Lean Mass (kg) | 57.8 kg |
| BMR (Katch-McArdle) | 1,618 cal/day |
| TDEE (BMR x 1.2) | 1,942 cal/day |
| Target Calories | 1,565 cal/day |
| Daily Deficit | 377 cal/day (20% deficit) |
| Expected Weekly Change | 0.75 lbs loss per week |
BMR uses the Katch-McArdle formula (370 + 21.6 x lean mass kg), which accounts for lean mass and outperforms Harris-Benedict for accuracy across different body compositions. Lean mass estimated at 25% average body fat for women. Activity multiplier 1.2 = desk job, little or no exercise.
Macro Breakdown
| Macro | Grams | Calories | % of Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protein | 150g | 600 | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 50g | 200 | 13% |
| Fat | 85g | 765 | 49% |
| Total | - | 1,565 | 100% |
Protein is set at 2.6g per kg of lean body mass (128 lbs lean mass for this woman). Fat targets 35% of target calories with a minimum safety floor applied if needed; carbs fill remaining calories, with a 50g minimum for brain function.
Meal Split Examples
3 Meals Per Day
- Per-meal calories522 cal
- Per-meal protein50g
- Per-meal carbs17g
- Per-meal fat28g
4 Meals Per Day
- Per-meal calories391 cal
- Per-meal protein38g
- Per-meal carbs13g
- Per-meal fat21g
5 Meals Per Day
- Per-meal calories313 cal
- Per-meal protein30g
- Per-meal carbs10g
- Per-meal fat17g
Research shows muscle protein synthesis is maximized with 30-40g protein per meal. 50g per meal in 3 meals is within the optimal range.
What These Macros Look Like in Food
Protein: 150g
- 5 x 100g chicken breast (31g each)
- 25 large eggs (6g each)
- 9 cups whole-milk Greek yogurt (17g each)
- 6 cups cottage cheese (25g each)
Carbs: 50g
- 2 medium sweet potatoes (26g each)
- 1 cups dry oats (54g each)
- 1 cups cooked lentils (40g each)
- 1 cups cooked brown rice (45g each)
Fat: 85g
- 6 tbsp olive oil (14g each)
- 6 half avocados (15g each)
- 6 oz mixed nuts (14g each)
- 7 x 100g salmon fillet (13g each)
These are rough equivalents. Most meals contain a mix of all three macros. Use a food tracking app for precise logging.
These numbers use an estimated 25% body fat.
FitCommit measures your actual lean mass with an AI body scan from your phone camera, so your macros reflect your real body composition.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I do if I'm not losing weight at 1565 calories?
After 2 weeks with no movement, your actual TDEE likely differs from the estimate. Try reducing by 100-150 calories first. If energy drops significantly, check your protein intake before cutting calories further. Common issue: overestimating activity level.
How long should I stay in a cutting phase at 1565 calories?
Most people cut effectively for 8-16 weeks before needing a break. At 1565 calories, a 170 lb woman should lose approximately 0.75 lbs per week. After 10-12 weeks, take a 4-8 week maintenance break to reset ghrelin and cortisol before cutting again.
Should I eat more on training days at 1565 calories?
Cycling calories is not necessary for most people. Hitting your daily target consistently produces better results than complex cycling protocols. If you want to cycle, shift 10-15% of daily calories from rest days to training days while keeping the weekly total the same. For example, add 157 calories on training days and subtract 157 on rest days. Your weekly calorie total stays fixed.
How were the macros calculated for a 170 lb female?
The calculation uses the Katch-McArdle BMR formula. A 170 lb woman with an estimated 75% lean mass (128 lbs lean) has a BMR of 1618 calories. Multiplied by 1.2 for sedentary activity (Desk job, little or no exercise), the TDEE is 1942 calories per day. For cutting, a 20% deficit brings the target to 1565 calories.
When to Recalculate These Macros
Not losing weight after 2 consistent weeks
Reduce by 100-150 cal/day, pulling from carbs first. Your actual TDEE may be slightly below the 1.2x estimate. Confirm tracking accuracy before cutting further.
Losing more than 1.5 lbs per week
Add 100-200 cal/day from carbs. At 170 lbs, faster loss increases muscle loss risk and energy crashes. The target rate is 0.5-1 lb per week on a cut.
Lost 10 or more lbs from this starting weight
Recalculate at your new weight. BMR and TDEE drop as you lose mass. Eating the macros for 170 lbs when you weigh less will slow progress.
Other Weights and Goals
Same Weight and Goal, Different Activity Levels
Related Resources
Get Your Exact Macros with FitCommit
These numbers use average body fat estimates. FitCommit's AI body scan measures your actual lean mass from your phone camera.
Precise lean mass = precise TDEE = macros that actually match your body, not an average.
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