How important is it to meet your macros?

kzakian
kzakian Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Lets say I have 1500 calories a day and I eat nothing but reeces peanut butter cups all day - will I still lose weight?

Silly example, but you get what I mean. Why do I have to focus on how much fat or protein I eat, etc? Does it make a difference to overall weight loss?

Replies

  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
    You will still lose weight, but your health will suffer. Macros are about ensuring you get everything you need to be healthy and energetic. As long as you eat at a deficit, you'll lose weight (the Twinkie diet is proof of that) but you may not feel great at the end, and you may have vitamin deficiencies. Hope that helps.
  • cmeiron
    cmeiron Posts: 1,599 Member
    Yep, you'll lose weight, but you'll probably feel like crap, have poor energy, be hungry, lose LBM, and not poop for 5 weeks.

    Hitting your macros will help prevent all those things. Protein helps retain lean body mass (muscle) even while in a deficit. It's also filling and improves satiety. Fat also contributes to satiety, and is essential for many biological functions and helps with the absorption of other nutrients. Carbs provide energy. You don't need to be spot-on all the time, but it helps. Plus, your fitness/physique goals will also dictate your macro goals to some extent.
  • sourmash1973
    sourmash1973 Posts: 149 Member
    I good rule of thumb I use is, I try to stay pretty close to my protein requirement so I retain my lean body mass and carbs and fat can fall where they may, within reason. I usually tend to hit this (35% protein/40% carbs/25% fat) without trying too hard and it works really well for me.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    As others have said, as far as weight loss, you'd lose.

    But ~1500 calories of Reese's would be about 18 "fun size" cups. That wouldn't be enough to keep me feeling full all day. :cry:

    It would be 42% carbs, 9% protein and 49% fat. Sad thing is... there's probably people here eating worse ratios than that.
  • sourmash1973
    sourmash1973 Posts: 149 Member
    As others have said, as far as weight loss, you'd lose.

    But ~1500 calories of Reese's would be about 18 "fun size" cups. That wouldn't be enough to keep me feeling full all day. :cry:

    It would be 42% carbs, 9% protein and 49% fat. Sad thing is... there's probably people here eating worse ratios than that.

    Nice gun show!

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