I just read people don't need to stress abut macros?
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This has been a very helpful thread. Now no one flag me for getting off topic please
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yopeeps025 wrote: »MonkeyMel21 wrote: »make sure the first quote doesn't have a backslash. That's only for the closing quote tagMonkeyMel21 wrote: »make sure the first quote doesn't have a backslash. That's only for the closing quote tag
ahhh, I see. Trying it out now..MonkeyMel21 wrote:Someone tell me how you all can quote more than one post in your reply, lol!!!
Yay, I did it!! Small victories!
Alternatively you can just press the quote button for each of the posts you want which will appear in the text box at the bottom of the screen.
Can you do that if your quoting from different pages though?
I actually thought you could but it doesn't seem that way!
OPen new tab
click quote on that page
copy and past.
Cheers dude but I am neeeeeeever going to that much effort to quote anyone
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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.
This is incorrect, or rather half of a true statement. Rather a 1/4 of one.
The glucose from carbs converts to either ATP which is used for immediate energy needs or is stored as fat and then is later used by the body during periods of fasting when energy is called for. If there is an excess of energy taken in, there will be an excess of energy that remains stored.
It comes down to calories in the end, not the fact that some glucose ends up stored as fat.
So as not to derail:
Macro counting and calorie counting accomplish two different goals.
Macro counting accomplishes nutritional and fitness goals.
Calorie counting and management accomplishes weight management goals.
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My approach too.Liftng4Lis wrote: »I'm hit and miss. Calories always count and macros, I try to hit protein. Don't really care about the fat and carbs part.0 -
No, you don't damage metabolism, metabolism adapts. Weight loss slows or stalls and is easily dealt with through refeeding.
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This interests me as I saw it on another post..
And it made me think, if we shouldn't have to worry about macros then why do we use MFP?
My mind is blown :-/
The first time I used MFP, in 2012, I just used the default macros: 50% from carbohydrates, 20% from protein and 30% from fat. This time around, I reduced my carbs and upped my protein and found this combo fills me up better, thus making it easier for me to stick to a calorie deficit.
When a meal doesn't have meat in it, I look at the ratios to see if I need to add protein. I have smaller portions of carby foods like rice and pasta. Yesterday I felt good - had lots of energy, did yoga in the AM and gardened after work, and by EOD hit 46 % carbs, 30 % protein and 23 % fat.0 -
Something that I haven't seen yet in this thread, though admittedly I only skimmed, was that macro composition can have a very noticeable effect on satiety...which will then likely have an impact on adherence to the deficit.
Satiety is highly personal, and it's worth toying around with macros if one finds that they're eating at a reasonable and sustainable deficit but also struggling with hunger issues.0 -
I mean basically it's calories in and calories put but macros do matter especially if you aren't getting enough or getting way too much, obviously. But unless your following a super low carb or high protein diet most people, especially those on here, will likely meet those requirements throughout the week anyway.
I like looking at it because I typically take in too much fat so it's helping me to see how much is in the food I've been eating and to cut back during the rest of the week.0 -
Macro counting and calorie counting accomplish two different goals.
Macro counting accomplishes nutritional and fitness goals.
Calorie counting and management accomplishes weight management goals.
by and large, this.
A calorie deficit is the key factor in losing weight. As such, that is the primary number I watch.
However, the body needs more than just calories to be healthy - it needs certain nutrients to properly feed the thousands of chemical reactions that happen in your body each day. That is where the macro's come in. I track my macro's because it helps me ensure my body is getting the various nutritional components it needs. A side benefit I have found is that in balancing my macro's, I have to work pretty hard to actually meet my calorie minimums each day which means that some days I can treat myself to a little something sweet at the end of the day. I chose a low carb-fat ratio for personal reasons. Others prefer other macro levels. At any rate, I watch my macro's to ensure the right balance of foods my body needs.
I will add that I do believe there is a benefit to macro watching from a weight loss perspective. I have come to understand that not all weight loss is equal. When you lose weight, you are not losing 100% fatty tissue. I believe (and this is my opinion based upon reading and my own anecdotal observations) that balancing my macro's (along with strength training) maximizes my fat:LBM weight loss. That is to say, I believe it gives me the best chance to lose more fat and less LBM. Of course, I may be wrong on that or the truth may be that I am right, but the advantage it provides is negligible, but, for now, it works for me.
Beyond that, I also watch sodium intake for health reasons. My genetic tree is predisposed to high BP and other salt related issues so I feel it necessary to keep my sodium low. On the other hand, my wife and son have very low salt levels and require a higher amount than most folks in their diet. I do all the shopping and cooking, so tracking sodium content among other things such as iron for my wife allows me to adapt each base meal for each person. I may salt one person's plate a bit more or give one person a bit more kale than another.
There are no magic pills and everyone needs to figure out what works best for them. Some folks like things as simple as they can be (and I don't blame them) and calorie counting gives them the most bang for their buck. If that is what works for them, more power to 'em.0 -
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.
What I don't get is why people have this mentality that the moment something is converted to fat, it's stuck in your body as fat till the end of time. Why does your body store fat? So it can use it later for energy. Sometimes even minutes later. Look at the one or two people who have no body fat at all, and they have to eat several times an hour just to keep from dying.0 -
yopeeps025 wrote: »AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »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.
Your Metabolic damage description was basically how I started dieting.
So you admit that you did it in an unhealthy fashion?
No, thats not what I was saying. What I meant was when I started, I went down the route of eating fruit, veg and lean proteins but not tracking. I hit a wall and fat loss basically stopped, and someone said to me work out your calories, I was having around 1400/1500cals a day. Which is extremely low for a 230 plus pound man.
I worked my calories back up and got my calories up to 2900 and slowly progressively started to lose fat. As my body weight dropped I then started chipping away at my macros to lower my intake. I don't see anything unhealthy with that.0 -
I stopped stressing over macros. I cannot eat to numbers.
I am half-heartedly increasing protein, so I look at it on a weekly basis.
I'm looking at micros weekly, too, trying to improve my diet.0 -
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A lot of people just count calories. I was generally aware of my macros and used them as a guide to balance out my diet...but I really didn't give a *kitten* about being bang on...I think people worry about a lot of nonsense for no good reason.
I don't track anymore, so I have no idea what my macro ratios are...nor do I really give a feck. I'm fit, strong, and healthy and eat a well balanced and highly nutritious diet..so meh.0 -
This ^^DeguelloTex wrote: »Some people count calories without focusing on macros.
Yup. I log my food to keep track of the calories. I glance at the other stuff now and then, but don't worry about any of that stuff. Just the calories.
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If that actually happened, and you can show it actually happens with your body, you could be collecting a Nobel prize.yopeeps025 wrote: »AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »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.
Your Metabolic damage description was basically how I started dieting.
So you admit that you did it in an unhealthy fashion?
No, thats not what I was saying. What I meant was when I started, I went down the route of eating fruit, veg and lean proteins but not tracking. I hit a wall and fat loss basically stopped, and someone said to me work out your calories, I was having around 1400/1500cals a day. Which is extremely low for a 230 plus pound man.
I worked my calories back up and got my calories up to 2900 and slowly progressively started to lose fat. As my body weight dropped I then started chipping away at my macros to lower my intake. I don't see anything unhealthy with that.
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LiftAllThePizzas wrote: »
If that actually happened, and you can show it actually happens with your body, you could be collecting a Nobel prize.yopeeps025 wrote: »AmandaHugginkiss wrote: »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.
Your Metabolic damage description was basically how I started dieting.
So you admit that you did it in an unhealthy fashion?
No, thats not what I was saying. What I meant was when I started, I went down the route of eating fruit, veg and lean proteins but not tracking. I hit a wall and fat loss basically stopped, and someone said to me work out your calories, I was having around 1400/1500cals a day. Which is extremely low for a 230 plus pound man.
I worked my calories back up and got my calories up to 2900 and slowly progressively started to lose fat. As my body weight dropped I then started chipping away at my macros to lower my intake. I don't see anything unhealthy with that.
Where can I collect that prize?0
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