Macros/micros

ttfnweight

ok can someone please tell me what is macros?? I've heard it's whole foods but please can someone share an example? And why do I need to make sure to include them? HOW DO I include them. I know I'm lame but knowledge is power. Thanks in advance

bpetrosky

Macros are the major chemical classes of foods: Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats.

All of your food is comprised of those building blocks.

Micros are your vitamins and minerals.

malibu927

Macros=macronutrients...carbs, fat, and protein. They're there for your health and body makeup.

Micros=micronutrients, which consists of everything else. Fiber, sodium, sugar, iron, vitamins.

ttfnweight

Ahh so old school would just be to use the various category terms. Well I'm getting both. I think. There's no way to tell on the micros though..is there?

ttfnweight

Ok. And MFP tracks all that so really I just have to eat the correct amts.

Sabine_Stroehm

malibu927 wrote: »

Macros=macronutrients...carbs, fat, and protein. They're there for your health and body makeup.

Micros=micronutrients, which consists of everything else. Fiber, sodium, sugar, iron, vitamins.

Sugar isn't a micronutrient. It's a carb.
Fiber isn't either.

Mirconutrients are vitamins and minerals.

jgnatca

There you have it. Handily MFP tracks your macros for you so you can see how close you get to the daily recommended. No harm if you are a little over or under.

The micros (means small) are less critical and in a pinch can be covered with a good multivitamin.

bpetrosky

ttfnweight wrote: »

Ahh so old school would just be to use the various category terms. Well I'm getting both. I think. There's no way to tell on the micros though..is there?

MFP can track a few of the micros, but since the vast majority of database entries are member created it can be hit or miss if they've been entered correctly. You can double check the entries you use against other sources, and if there is a micro that you are particularly concerned about.

Generally, if you have a balanced nutrient-dense diet and you don't have a underlying condition, the micros take care of themselves.

Sabine_Stroehm

ttfnweight wrote: »

Ok. And MFP tracks all that so really I just have to eat the correct amts.

MFP counts a small subset of the micros.

ttfnweight

Thank you. Most helpful. I appreciate it.

Sabine_Stroehm

jgnatca wrote: »

There you have it. Handily MFP tracks your macros for you so you can see how close you get to the daily recommended. No harm if you are a little over or under.

The micros (means small) are less critical and in a pinch can be covered with a good multivitamin.

That may or may not be absorbed, and may or may not be utilized by your body the way a micro gotten from food.

ttfnweight

I really thank you for the feedback. Making this happen has been a bit more challenging then I first thought.

Sabine_Stroehm

ttfnweight wrote: »

I really thank you for the feedback. Making this happen has been a bit more challenging then I first thought.

Focus on eating a nutrient dense diet of food that tastes great, fills you up and meets your calorie goals. The rest will work itself out.

I try to eat a lot of veggies (high quality carbs), high quality fats (avocados nuts and seeds), and high quality proteins. I don't waste a lot of calories on low quality carbs like bakery items etc. Because those don't fill me up and keep me fueled and satisfied for long.

Then I build in a few discretionary calories for chocolate, or wine, or something yummy.

You'll figure out what works for you.

seska422

ttfnweight wrote: »

I really thank you for the feedback. Making this happen has been a bit more challenging then I first thought.

You don't need to make it too complicated.

Start out by focusing on the calories part. As you get more data over time, you'll see trends in the macro balance of what you are eating so that you can make adjustments as needed. It's a learning process.

sixxpoint

Protein is the bricks. Carbs are the brick layers. Fat is the cement.

Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc) are the weatherproofing.

Kalikel

It's just what makes up food. They've broken food down into groups. The big part (macro part) of food is carbs, fats and proteins. The smaller part (micro part) of food is your vitamins and minerals (e.g. calcium, vitamin E, selenium, iron),

One isn't more important than the other. Those small things are every bit as important. The micros are just needed in smaller quantities.

Some people think that if you hit your macro goals, the micros take care of themselves. It gets said here a lot. It's not true, though. You can hit your macros and still be deficient in different micro areas.

Tracking micros is a much bigger pain in the butt than tracking macros because there are so many of them. I want a healthy, balanced diet and am watching my micros to help me improve. I think it's worth doing, but am aware of how big a pain it is and get why not everyone wants to bother.

sixxpoint

If you predominate your intake with a rich variety of whole minimally processed foods, ensuring that you hit your target protein, dietary fat, and fiber minimums, then it would be rather difficult to be deficient in most, if not all micronutrients.

The mistake is focusing on nutrition the way that the media, tv doctors with their own agendas, and people who don't really know what they are talking about want you to believe. There are no miracle cures, superfoods, quick fixes, fat burners, muscle builders, etc. ~ Nutrition does not need to be that complicated.

Start with what you can control: Managing your caloric intake, your macronutrients, and your activity level. Work from there and realize that understanding the basics of nutrition does not have to be like trying to put together a 100k piece puzzle.

ttfnweight

THATS AWSOME! Thanks to you both. I get it. I'll just pay closer attention to the numbers other than caloric intake. I have put my activity level back to active as it seems from some of the responses I got for lowering it was that I'm not supposed to lower it to lose. I thought by lowering the slotted calories with the activity level I have it would help. Nope.

ttfnweight

"Allotted calories"