I just read people don't need to stress abut macros?
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DeguelloTex wrote: »For weight loss, the driver is calorie deficit, not what you eat. For overall well-being, it's a lot more complicated.
+1
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OP - really? Are you trolling?
People use MFP for a variety of different reasons. If you are just here to lose weight and get a healthy BMI then all you need is a straight calorie deficit and that is all one would care about.
if you care about body composition and strength training then macro /micro adherence is more important.
but you should already know that….0 -
dammitjanet0161 wrote: »I've seen it said that people should first focus on the total calories, and when they've got a handle on that then maybe start to think more carefully about macros - I'm sure that's in the famous Sexypants thread. Kind of aimed at newbies who are getting confused and stressed about low carb/paleo/eat"clean"andneverneedtocountcalories etc etc and putting the cart before the horse.
Very interesting...
In another post I read from a runner, people shouldn't stress about macros as long as they eat fruit, veg and lean protein...
But, that didn't really make sense to me as that promoting a low fat diet and fat in a macro..
you need to bump on your understanding of things…
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
You can disagree. You'd be wrong, because if you were eating less you'd be losing more, but you can disagree.DeguelloTex wrote: »
I'm gonna have to say that has nothing to do with macros, per se. You were eating less, probably because you were tracking.DeguelloTex wrote: »
Well, yeah, you're probably going to want more fat than that will provide. Still, you have to start somewhere and for most people that's calories, rather than macros.dammitjanet0161 wrote: »I've seen it said that people should first focus on the total calories, and when they've got a handle on that then maybe start to think more carefully about macros - I'm sure that's in the famous Sexypants thread. Kind of aimed at newbies who are getting confused and stressed about low carb/paleo/eat"clean"andneverneedtocountcalories etc etc and putting the cart before the horse.
Very interesting...
In another post I read from a runner, people shouldn't stress about macros as long as they eat fruit, veg and lean protein...
But, that didn't really make sense to me as that promoting a low fat diet and fat in a macro..
My issue with the advice I read is that I did just that when I started dieting last time **fruit, veg, lean protein**.. and at 235lbs I hit a wall pretty quick. I took some convincing to track macros, and boom I drop to 179lbs.
I'm going to disagree, when I decided to diet and go "clean" (to the extent I was only eating organic) I was eating far far to less. A lot less than when I started tracking macros.
For weight loss, the driver is calorie deficit, not what you eat. For overall well-being, it's a lot more complicated.
You can still hit wall on a calorie deficit, where you would stop losing weight?
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interesting, so people are just generally calorie counting?
That's all I track. It's all that matters to me. I want to lose weight ... therefore I track calories.
That said ...But by logging if the mood takes me I can check over time and then if something is jarring I can adjust it
Early on (back in February), I was craving potato chips, so I had a look at my sodium and discovered it was half the recommended value. So I started salting some of my food, and the craving for potato chips went away.
That's the one and only time I've looked at my macros and made a change based on what I saw.
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OP - really? Are you trolling?
People use MFP for a variety of different reasons. If you are just here to lose weight and get a healthy BMI then all you need is a straight calorie deficit and that is all one would care about.
if you care about body composition and strength training then macro /micro adherence is more important.
but you should already know that….
Interested, and entitled to my own opinion like everyone
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For me, it's All about the macros. Macros first, calories last. I tend to gain weight on too many carbs, even when those carbs come from lettuce... so, I make sure the carbs are good ones. I also never want to go over on protein. When you watch your carbs, you tend to go over on protein because too many carbs converts to glucose. Too much glucose converts to fat. For me, at least, Macros was how I lost all of my weight.0
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I also never want to go over on protein. When you watch your carbs, you tend to go over on protein because too many carbs converts to glucose. Too much glucose converts to fat. For me, at least, Macros was how I lost all of my weight.
I can see why you would want to avoid going over on carbs, but what happens if you go over on protein?0 -
Why no? I'm interested in your views?0 -
You can have a "deficit" that is sufficiently small that it gets swamped by logging and labeling inaccuracies or by changes in TDEE or other factors. However, if you stay in a true deficit, you won't stop losing weight. You'll die because of it some point, but you'll keep losing weight up to that point.DeguelloTex wrote: »
You can disagree. You'd be wrong, because if you were eating less you'd be losing more, but you can disagree.DeguelloTex wrote: »
I'm gonna have to say that has nothing to do with macros, per se. You were eating less, probably because you were tracking.DeguelloTex wrote: »
Well, yeah, you're probably going to want more fat than that will provide. Still, you have to start somewhere and for most people that's calories, rather than macros.dammitjanet0161 wrote: »I've seen it said that people should first focus on the total calories, and when they've got a handle on that then maybe start to think more carefully about macros - I'm sure that's in the famous Sexypants thread. Kind of aimed at newbies who are getting confused and stressed about low carb/paleo/eat"clean"andneverneedtocountcalories etc etc and putting the cart before the horse.
Very interesting...
In another post I read from a runner, people shouldn't stress about macros as long as they eat fruit, veg and lean protein...
But, that didn't really make sense to me as that promoting a low fat diet and fat in a macro..
My issue with the advice I read is that I did just that when I started dieting last time **fruit, veg, lean protein**.. and at 235lbs I hit a wall pretty quick. I took some convincing to track macros, and boom I drop to 179lbs.
I'm going to disagree, when I decided to diet and go "clean" (to the extent I was only eating organic) I was eating far far to less. A lot less than when I started tracking macros.
For weight loss, the driver is calorie deficit, not what you eat. For overall well-being, it's a lot more complicated.
You can still hit wall on a calorie deficit, where you would stop losing weight?
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When I first started on MFP I only counted calories but as I progressed with my weight loss goals I also began to focus on macros. I try to hit as close as possible (without going over) to balance my macro intake and calories for better long term health. I found that for me, a moderate carb, higher protein and fat macro split maximized my weight loss and provided a better balance, healthier caloric intake. I've lost 48 pounds balancing calories and macros and I'm within 4-6lbs of my goal weight.
It's not healthy to stress over anything, so there's that.0 -
I focus on calorie goals first and tweak to macros second. I preplan and log so if I see I need to up something for the day I may change a snack to even things out better. I try and focus on protien and sodium (for my HBP and I love processed foods that can kill my daily intake in 1 serving) and don't worry too much about the carbs and fat because they usually even themselves out during the course of a week.0
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Why no? I'm interested in your views?
If you're eating fewer calories than you burn, you'll continue to lose weight.
Weight loss doesn't happen in a nice neat downward slope, so there will be days, or even longer, once in a while where nothing happens, but you've just got to stick to CI<CO, and it will happen.
Water retention from things like air travel, extra exercise, TOM, and extra sodium intake can also cause mini-plateaus or slight weight gains. But again, if you stick with CI<CO, you'll resume losing weight.
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Why no? I'm interested in your views?
Is your profile picture suppose to make you more credible?
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I don't know what you want to classify as metabolic damage. However, to the extent metabolism is "damaged" it slows weight loss, it doesn't stop it. Instead of losing X you'll lose X-damaged amount. But you'll still lose weight if you're in a deficit.DeguelloTex wrote: »
Can you share why no? do you mean metabolic damage doesn't exist?
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I'll be honest here. I've been utilizing MFP to count calories off and on since 2009, and I only ever heard about "macros" about 3 months ago..... I still don't worry about them at all. But I don't really have more than 10 lbs to lose ever and that's easy for me to do just by lowering my calorie count back down from maintenance and actively counting calories again.0
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yopeeps025 wrote: »
Why no? I'm interested in your views?
Is your profile picture suppose to make you more credible?
Not at all, I'm proud of my transformation. And happy to have it as my profile picture as a lot of people do.
We are are all learners. Trying to be credible? I would prefer to become more knowledgeable!0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »
Why no? I'm interested in your views?
Is your profile picture suppose to make you more credible?
Not at all, I'm proud of my transformation. And happy to have it as my profile picture as a lot of people do.
We are are all learners. Trying to be credible? I would prefer to become more knowledgeable!
I only say that because you switch it as you started talking about metabolic damage which is what I guess for starvation mode.
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People shouldn't "stress out" over any of this. That's a path to failure. Should you keep an eye on your macros and make food choices that fit a certain macronutrient profile?
If you have specific reasons to mind your macros: sport performance, body comp, etc. Then yes, you should.
If you're just looking to lose a couple of lbs? No, a calorie deficit will be just fine.0 -
This response is for people who might read your post and think you're doing something other than being argumentative and bored. Because people do still read the forums to learn.
Metabolic damage: One needs to be on a VLCD for a prolonged period to cause metabolic damage. That doesn't just happen overnight. It happens primarily to people who do extreme cut-bulk cycles, to people who overtrain while eating too few calories, and to people with a disordered approach to eating (whether that be the below 1200 calorie crowd, anorexics, or morbidly obese people who are made to believe that they have to eat celery all day to lose weight), and yo-yo dieters.
Macros: They matter for body composition, muscle retention, hormone balance, overall energy, and general health. People have different needs, and macros are not something that are going to be the same for everyone. It isn't a one-size-fits-all thing. Distance runners don't generally want a lot of upper body mass (or even a lot of quad mass) to carry around, so packing in the protein to build mass isn't a high priority, but sufficient carbohydrates to fuel endurance runs would be. Lifters are the opposite, and protein becomes more of a priority. People who want to do it all eventually figure out a balance that works for them. Most people fit somewhere in between the extremes, and there's a lot of leeway for those of us involved in recreational fitness.0 -
Timorous_Beastie wrote: »There's a difference between "paying attention to macros" and "stressing over macros."
As long as I'm in the ballpark most days, that's enough for me. I aim for over 100g of protein. Most days, I'm around 120. If I'm at 87 one day, I'm not going to have a protein shake just to catch up.
Right.
As dammitjanet0161 indicated, beginners may do well enough focusing on just calories.
For long term health and fitness, ignoring macros can be risky. It takes no effort to look back at the macros and make an informed decision about how to adjust one's diet.
It varies from person to person. Some people don't even need to watch their calories or what they eat because they generally have good eating habits.0 -
Macros are a guideline, not a law. For the vast majority of ppl here, the critical one is to get close to or over your protein target. After that, you need to get close your calorie goals, whatever they are.
When we tell ppl to not stress macros, we are talkikng to those ppl that are worried about being 2% short on protein for a day or 2, or over on fat, etc. They're worried that somehow a minor miss for a short time period is going to have some devastating effect on their health, somehow overcoming all the *kitten* they put their body thru over the years .... and it just doesn't happen that way.
You have to look at it "big picture", and over weekly or longer averages. If you notice a trend to be significantly off on protein or below essential fat intake, then you need to fix it. If your PCOS or IR, you might want to pay more attention to your carbs, and be more careful if you exceed your plan.
You don't want to "freak out" because you blew up your macros over a holiday weekend, or binged and ate a whole pizza. You log it, you own it, you reset, and you move on ...0
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