Getting Started
How to Use This System
The Black Iron Macro Calculator is your engine. Run it three times, record your numbers, and you have your entire year mapped out.
The Black Iron Macro Calculator is your engine. Run it three times, record your numbers, and you have your entire year mapped out.
You don't need to calculate everything upfront. Just figure out where you are, get your numbers, and start. This system works because it meets you where you are — not where you think you should be.
Look at the calendar. What month is it? That tells you which phase you're in. January–March is Maintain. April–June is Cut. July–September is Maintain. October–December is Build. Starting mid-phase? That's fine — jump in where you are.
Use the calculator below. Enter your stats and set the goal to match your current phase. That's it — those are your numbers until the next phase transition.
Read the chapter for your current phase. It tells you exactly what to expect, how to train, and what to watch for. When your phase ends, recalculate and move to the next one.
Enter your details, then change the goal setting to generate your numbers for each phase.
This isn't a 12-week fix. It's a system you'll use for years. Every phase builds on the last. Trust the process and stay consistent — the results compound over time.
Your numbers aren't permanent. Your body changes throughout the year, and your macros should change with it. Recalculate at these key moments.
When you move from one phase to the next, rerun the calculator with your current weight. Your body has changed — your numbers should too.
A significant weight change within a single phase means your TDEE has shifted. Update your inputs in the calculator to keep your targets accurate.
Starting or stopping a training program, changing jobs from desk to active, or any major lifestyle shift warrants a recalculation.
Regardless of which phase you're in, these four principles apply every single day of the year.
In every phase, hit your protein target first. It's the most important macro for body composition, recovery, and satiety. Build your day around protein and fill in carbs and fats around it.
Hitting your macros 80–90% of the time will get you better results than hitting them perfectly for two weeks and then quitting. This is a lifestyle, not a sentence.
You will feel tempted to extend your cut or skip the build. Don't. The system works because each phase sets up the next one. Cutting too long tanks your metabolism. Skipping the build limits what your next cut can reveal.
Use a food tracking app to log your intake. Weigh yourself consistently — same time, same conditions. But don't let the numbers run your life. The scale is one data point, not a verdict.
Now that you have your numbers, explore the complete guide for each phase of your year.
Get the full 4-Phase Nutrition Blueprint and take control of your nutrition year-round.
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