1200 calories? Macros?

Options
I've changed my settings to lose 2lbs per week, and it's at 1200 calories which I'm fine with. Do I really need to follow the macros aswell? Or just 1200 calories?
It wants me to have like 70g of protein and 150g carbs.. I'm trying to lose 45lbs by October
«13456710

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    Options
    ashleyfxo wrote: »
    I've changed my settings to lose 2lbs per week, and it's at 1200 calories which I'm fine with. Do I really need to follow the macros aswell? Or just 1200 calories?
    It wants me to have like 70g of protein and 150g carbs.. I'm trying to lose 45lbs by October

    No it's calories for weight loss...

    However 2lbs a week with 45lbs is a bit aggressive...Ideally you would be losing 1lb a week...

    If there is a timeline on the weight loss starting earlier would have been better because as you lose weight at an aggressive pace you will lose muscle not just fat.
  • hassankarimi82
    hassankarimi82 Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
  • hassankarimi82
    hassankarimi82 Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!

    So much bad information here..........

    OP - calories count. Always. @SezxyStef is correct.

    So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus. It's sad that people track calories. There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake. Calories do not count. Quality food counts.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
    Options
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    ashleyfxo wrote: »
    I've changed my settings to lose 2lbs per week, and it's at 1200 calories which I'm fine with. Do I really need to follow the macros aswell? Or just 1200 calories?
    It wants me to have like 70g of protein and 150g carbs.. I'm trying to lose 45lbs by October

    No it's calories for weight loss...

    However 2lbs a week with 45lbs is a bit aggressive...Ideally you would be losing 1lb a week...

    If there is a timeline on the weight loss starting earlier would have been better because as you lose weight at an aggressive pace you will lose muscle not just fat.

    Agreed. 1 to 1.5 pounds per week max. When you have 40 pounds to lose I would drop it to 1 pound.

    Something you could follow...

    75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week
    40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week
    25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week
    15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week
    15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week
  • hassankarimi82
    hassankarimi82 Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    TeaBea wrote: »
    Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!

    So much bad information here..........

    OP - calories count. Always. @SezxyStef is correct.

    So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus. It's sad that people track calories. There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake. Calories do not count. Quality food counts.

    Buy a food scale.

    Haha! I didn't realise how volatile the community is. If we're being petty and childish, how about taking advice from people who look AWESOME and actually know what they're talking about. I've got a scale, but what the hell has that got to do with anything?! There's a lot of people here creating bad, unhealthy habits. Good quality food should not be tracked, weighed, whatever. A lifestyle change is key with consistency over time. I think everyone can distinguish good choices from bad.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Options
    Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!

    OP, please don't listen to this.
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    Options
    Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!

    No. Calories count...a lot.
    Carbs do not make you fat-- an excess of calories does. Especially if you arent counting them. Terrible advice.

    OP if you want to lose body fat eat the macros at your % preference but at a deficit of calories.
  • hassankarimi82
    hassankarimi82 Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    Totally lost in translation because everyone wants to be 'right'.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Totally lost in translation because everyone wants to be 'right'.

    What, exactly, was lost in translation?

    You say don't count calories. Everyone else says counting calories is the most accurate. As counting calories is the more popular opinion, who does that made "right"?
  • hassankarimi82
    hassankarimi82 Posts: 153 Member
    Options
    Whoa, I've been served good and proper in here!
  • MommyMeggo
    MommyMeggo Posts: 1,222 Member
    Options
    Totally lost in translation because everyone wants to be 'right'.


    Your message was clear. Albeit bad info for OP and her goals- it was clear. Nothing lost here.
  • MindPump1
    MindPump1 Posts: 77 Member
    Options
    Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!

    Just a note, @Ashleyfxo. When you get conflicting information from different posters, look and see how many posts they have made. @hassankarimi82 has made 42 posts. @teabea has made 9,085 posts and @SezxyStef has made 12,323 posts. You probably want to listen to the people who have been around awhile (and know what they are talking about).

    So now the amount of posts on a forum make you an expert in fitness and nutrition? Well, guess I better quit my day job and focus on making posts here all day.

    @hassankarimi82, I am in the same boat. I don't focus to hard on my daily calorie count. Some days I hit 1800, some I may do 1300. Eating the right foods is far more important then trying to fit a piece of cake into your macros. Don't be one of those people, IIFYM (if it fits your macros), you'll only find yourself making excuses to eat foods your shouldn't eat. I have also noticed on this page, there is a lot of conflicting information. @ashleyfxo, its going to be tough to weed through it for your purpose. The most basic advice I can say is, focus on eating a healthy variety of foods, veggies, meats, fruits, carbs, nuts, oils. For protein, I personally eat about .7-.9 grams per body pound and sometimes less depending the day. I think the carbs might be a bit high if your trying to lose weight, but that's my opinion. @ashleyfxo, I if your looking for good nutritional advice, and have some time to spare, I advice listening to Mind Pump. They are a fitness podcast on iTunes, and have taught me a lot about eating right, along with much more. Check them out. Best of luck shifting through all this clutter.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Options
    Whoa, I've been served good and proper in here!

    Welcome to MFP. You'll find most people are pro-count calories. Not all, but most.