Looking at all the numbers

Asianbutterflies
Asianbutterflies Posts: 62 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm very new to this app/forum. I have been tracking my calories but not really paying attention/putting great emphasis on the other numbers. I guess it's a dumb question do I have to be so stringent on those numbers too in order to lose weight?

Replies

  • soapsandropes
    soapsandropes Posts: 269 Member
    To lose weight? No. However, you might not be getting the best nutrition if you totally ignore them. Or you may have to pay attention for others reasons (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.).
  • Asianbutterflies
    Asianbutterflies Posts: 62 Member
    soapsandropes wrote: »
    To lose weight? No. However, you might not be getting the best nutrition if you totally ignore them. Or you may have to pay attention for others reasons (diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.).

    Thank you for the feedback. I have recently had a physical Andy blood work came back good. However I will learn to be aware of these things for nutritional purposes.
  • amethyst1973
    amethyst1973 Posts: 25 Member
    I don't worry too much about the other numbers at the moment as I have quite a lot to lose, but as the weight comes off and I get nearer to my goal weight I will try to use the other numbers more.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Yes, counting is the only way to know what's going on.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Consider paying attention to protein and fiber. They can help you keep feeling full if you are struggling.
  • nordlead2005
    nordlead2005 Posts: 1,303 Member
    I pay attention to pretty much 2 numbers only in the following priority

    1) calories
    2) Protein

    After that, my diet is varied enough that I'm not worried about nutritional deficiency. My poop runs normal, so I'm not concerned about fiber either.

    Those 2 numbers get me the majority of what I'm after. Lean muscle mass and losing weight. If I ever find I'm not making progress or if something is off maybe I'll investigate if tracking more nutrition aspects will provide any benefit.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    Your needs and goals will determine your focus. For me, I pay attention to protein, carbs, and calories, in that order. My #1 goal every day is protein at or above 101g. Then, it's to keep my net carbs under 35g. Calories and fat take care of themselves usually.

    Realize that I'm on a doctor-supervised diet, so these are my goals based on my needs. Yours are going to be different. It's a good idea to pay attention to all of the macro numbers and use them as a guideline for tweaking your diet.
  • sgarrand
    sgarrand Posts: 9 Member
    I've found (tracking calories since January 2014) that if I make the right choices, the macros (fat, protein, carbs, etc) seem to follow. I come very close to or hit right on my macro goals simply by making healthier choices in foods I eat. The others are right but I wanted to say that if you make the right decisions on food, the rest may start to fall in line.
  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
    Asianbutterflies wrote: »
    I'm very new to this app/forum. I have been tracking my calories but not really paying attention/putting great emphasis on the other numbers. I guess it's a dumb question do I have to be so stringent on those numbers too in order to lose weight?

    To lose weight the macros don't matter so much. However you do need to have a well balanced diet in order to stay healthy. You can lose weight by eating nothing but peanut M&M's but your macros will be way off, you will feel like crap, and probably not be very healthy.

    If you do eat a normal, well balanced diet you should be fine.

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