Macros and Caloric Intake Correlation

onedayatatime12

For example, I observed yesterday's and today's food diary and realized that yesterday while I was significantly under my caloric intake (1400) I had hit two of the macros I most closely observe (carbs and protein) spot on. Today, however, I went over my calories by about 350+ and I was still under each of my macros (c and p) by 5 and 4, respectively. I hear all the time that weight loss is just calories in vs. calories out, but I was wondering if it really is so, in relation to how you set your macros. Out of the two days, which one is better for the body? Or does it not really matter?

Thanks for taking the time to read this- I appreciate it!

robdel302

Calories in vs calories out is the be all and end all. But there are certain adjustments you can follow to improve results. Things like low carb diets are very effective since it keeps your insulin levels from spiking enabling your body to burn far for longer periods. The caveat is that if your carb intake is to low calisthenics and weight training suffers from the lack of stored muscle energy (glycogen). Conversely, certain body types can still lose weight while still on a diet with plenty of carbs. I'm going to guess you aren’t one of these types or you wouldn't need diet advice. Those people tend to be hard gainers in general; however this is just an educated guess.

If you want further clarifcation on the different body types read up on the ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph bodytypes.

http://www.superskinnyme.com/body-types.html

Once you have your bodytype, follow a diet that best fits and your results will be even better.

onedayatatime12

Well my body type is mesomorph- and I think that is pretty accurate as I can lose and gain really easily! I don't restrict my carbs, but I have tweaked them to a certain percentage (45%) that I intend to stick to for as long as I keep logging. I find it hard to consume that many daily, but I'm making it work. Thank you for your advice!

BlessedBe23

Thanks robdel for posting that link to body types! I'm not sure though what I really am.....I have never been a healthy weight my entire life so I can't rely on memories of adolescence to help determine. The only test that gives me a clear answer is that my thumb and middle finger overlap when encircling my wrist, so maybe under all this fat I'm a ectomoprh? I've always just thought I had freakishly small bones for a fat girl :laugh:

I'll need to try other other measuring tools once at home.

This was very iluminating for me....I kept seeing people post about macros, and other than a macrobiotic diet, had no idea what they were talking about. Now I know it's the protein, fat, sugar, etx that is listed on our daily goals.

Thanks!

onedayatatime12

I used that test as well. My fingers overlap when I encircle my wrist, but I'm certainly not an ectomorph, or so I don't think. Thanks for your insight BlessedBe23!

robdel302

Well my body type is mesomorph- and I think that is pretty accurate as I can lose and gain really easily! I don't restrict my carbs, but I have tweaked them to a certain percentage (45%) that I intend to stick to for as long as I keep logging. I find it hard to consume that many daily, but I'm making it work. Thank you for your advice!

I think that part of the test is innacurate since I'm an endo but when I'm really lean I can encircle my entire wrist. This has a lot to do with my body fat levels as opposed to joint size. Not to mention that many variations in the human hand.

The biggest identifier that seems to really identify an endomorph is the legs. The average endo tends to have large legs and calves. We (myself included) are also naturally strong in the lower body hence squats are relatively easy for us. Most non-endos really have to put in a lot of work to developer their calves. It's as hard for us to become really lean as it is for them to put size on their legs. Everyone's genetics has it's pros and cons. And these summaries are also for the average body type so there can be variation from one person to the next.

Ectomorph: Stays lean easily but hardest to put on any size and comes off REALLY easy.
Mesomorph: Naturally athletic, builds muscle and drops body fat easily but struggles with lower body.
Endomorph: Puts on size relatedly easily but hardest to take it off; naturally bigger and stronger legs than the other two.

It is possible to be a mix IE a meso-endormorph so finding your exact type can be difficult at times.

The website below has an actual test that may help find your type.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/becker3.htm

mssweeteypie

Once you've got your Macros and Caloric Intake figured out.. how on earth do you plan your meals? What's the easiest way to plan your meals for the day? pic certain foods and count the macro grams?

princesspea234

bump

Achrya

Calories in vs calories out is the be all and end all. But there are certain adjustments you can follow to improve results. Things like low carb diets are very effective since it keeps your insulin levels from spiking enabling your body to burn far for longer periods. The caveat is that if your carb intake is to low calisthenics and weight training suffers from the lack of stored muscle energy (glycogen). Conversely, certain body types can still lose weight while still on a diet with plenty of carbs. I'm going to guess you aren’t one of these types or you wouldn't need diet advice. Those people tend to be hard gainers in general; however this is just an educated guess.

If you want further clarifcation on the different body types read up on the ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph bodytypes.

http://www.superskinnyme.com/body-types.html

Once you have your bodytype, follow a diet that best fits and your results will be even better.

Oh.

CoderGal

Calories in vs calories out is the be all and end all. But there are certain adjustments you can follow to improve results. Things like low carb diets are very effective since it keeps your insulin levels from spiking enabling your body to burn far for longer periods. The caveat is that if your carb intake is to low calisthenics and weight training suffers from the lack of stored muscle energy (glycogen). Conversely, certain body types can still lose weight while still on a diet with plenty of carbs. I'm going to guess you aren’t one of these types or you wouldn't need diet advice. Those people tend to be hard gainers in general; however this is just an educated guess.

If you want further clarifcation on the different body types read up on the ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph bodytypes.

http://www.superskinnyme.com/body-types.html

Once you have your bodytype, follow a diet that best fits and your results will be even better.

Oh.

"Insulin…an Undeserved Bad Reputation

I feel sorry for insulin. Insulin has been bullied and beaten up. It has been cast as an evil hormone that should be shunned. However, insulin doesn’t deserve the treatment it has received.
...
MYTH:A High Carbohydrate Diet Leads to Chronically High Insulin Levels

FACT:Insulin Is Only Elevated During the Time After a Meal In Healthy Individuals
...
MYTH: Carbohydrate Drives Insulin, Which Drives Fat Storage

FACT: Your Body Can Synthesize and Store Fat Even When Insulin Is Low
...
MYTH: Insulin Makes You Hungry

FACT: Insulin Suppresses Appetite
...
MYTH: Carbohydrate Is Singularly Responsible for Driving Insulin

FACT: Protein Is a Potent Stimulator of Insulin Too
..."

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

robdel302

"Insulin…an Undeserved Bad Reputation

I feel sorry for insulin. Insulin has been bullied and beaten up. It has been cast as an evil hormone that should be shunned. However, insulin doesn’t deserve the treatment it has received.
...
MYTH:A High Carbohydrate Diet Leads to Chronically High Insulin Levels

FACT:Insulin Is Only Elevated During the Time After a Meal In Healthy Individuals
...
MYTH: Carbohydrate Drives Insulin, Which Drives Fat Storage

FACT: Your Body Can Synthesize and Store Fat Even When Insulin Is Low
...
MYTH: Insulin Makes You Hungry

FACT: Insulin Suppresses Appetite
...
MYTH: Carbohydrate Is Singularly Responsible for Driving Insulin

FACT: Protein Is a Potent Stimulator of Insulin Too
..."

http://weightology.net/weightologyweekly/?page_id=319

Nice info, the website paraphrases some studies that address the issue of foods in general causing the body to create insulin; this is true. It's the absence of bad carbohydrates during these insulin spikes that help with weight loss. The website paraphrases the same information widely touted in nutrition; eat good crabs and avoid the bad.

These details tend to be a bit in-depth for someone just learning the basics. To fully understand this, one would need to understand monosaccharaides, disaccharides, etc... And this is complex jargon that is best avoided for someone just starting to learn about proper nutrition. In hindsight "low carb diet” was a reference to the average western diet of high refined carbs. I follow a low carb diet and my intake is still around 100 grams a day. But this is only in certain fruits, oatmeal, and whatever naturally occurs in my food.

The website is an interesting read; the person who wrote that article references peer reviewed essays so the information mentioned is sound. Although the essays themselves are far more informative and best referred to directly to anyone that can understand them; skip the site altogether.

http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/content/85/1/69.full.pdf+html
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/66/5/1264.long

CoderGal

Nice info, the website paraphrases some studies that address the issue of foods in general causing the body to create insulin; this is true. It's the absence of bad carbohydrates during these insulin spikes that help with weight loss. The website paraphrases the same information widely touted in nutrition; eat good crabs and avoid the bad.

At least you seem to have an opinion that's based on something and not blindly followed. Where would I go about figuring out which carbs are good and which one is bad? I've never really had anyone answer that question sensibly before.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

robdel302

Nice info, the website paraphrases some studies that address the issue of foods in general causing the body to create insulin; this is true. It's the absence of bad carbohydrates during these insulin spikes that help with weight loss. The website paraphrases the same information widely touted in nutrition; eat good crabs and avoid the bad.

At least you seem to have an opinion that's based on something and not blindly followed. Where would I go about figuring out which carbs are good and which one is bad? I've never really had anyone answer that question sensibly before.

-Brown Rice
-Steel Cut Oats; avoid instant since it has added sugar.
-100% Whole Grain products like bread, pastas, cereals; read the label and avoid anything that says "refined whole wheat flour" this is wheat flour that has been processed and a lot of the nutrients have been removed; it's not much better than white flour. You will see this on A LOT of products labeled as "whole wheat"; it's a marketing gimmick.
-Fruit in moderation but try to cut back or avoid the ones higher in sugar.
-Vegetables; even though they are mostly carbs, they are primarily made up of fiber which can't be absorbed. "Most" don't spike blood glucose levels unless you eat a HUGE amount of ones that contain trace amounts of sugar like carrots. Another example is corn and potatoes. Many consider them vegetables but they're really considered a starch which means they are bad for blood glucose.

http://www.fitsugar.com/Sugar-Content-Fruit-20134844

That website is a good startup guide in fruit sugar content. Mind you this is in 3oz servings and if you need a unit of measure, a deck of cards is "approximately" 4 ounces.

robdel302

I hear all the time that weight loss is just calories in vs. calories out, but I was wondering if it really is so, in relation to how you set your macros. Out of the two days, which one is better for the body? Or does it not really matter?

Calories in vs. calories out is true, but very oversimplified. There are all sorts of factors which affect the number of said calories in/out ranging from genetics to muscle/fat composition to insulin resistance to .... You get the idea. To that end, your macros can certainly play a role, but just how precisely they need to be manipulated and in what direction depends, in my experience, on your personal goals and the stage of your diet. Personally, I prioritize protein, then fat, and the rest goes to carbs. Whetehr or not I would intentionally go over calories to hit protein/fat would depend on how far off I am for the day from my macro goals. If I'm 50g shy on protein, I'd go over calories and call that a better day than coming in 50g short.

Very true, there are SO MANY variables that can play a role in body composition that to go into minute detail would just blow someone's mind. Especially if they are just getting into the whole fitness and nutrition aspect. The best thing to do is understand calories in vs calories out is a general rule; keyword "general". Calorie deficits plus a low carb diet tend to work really well for most of us that store fat easily. But there is always something that can throw a monkey wrench into it like weightlifters, we need carbs to fuel our workouts. In the end, find what works and stick to it. The only time when you need to get into minute detail is when your body fat is already really low and you want to get REALLY ripped like models you see in magazines. Odds are you can hit your goal without having to learn the metabolic process in it's simplest form.

SOCOLOCO87

bump

pluckabee

Once you've got your Macros and Caloric Intake figured out.. how on earth do you plan your meals? What's the easiest way to plan your meals for the day? pic certain foods and count the macro grams?

Well most meals usually contain components of each macro so all you really have to do is decide what you want to eat, then tweak the amounts of each part of the meal until you hit your macros.

I usually put my meal in mfp then keep tweaking amounts and checking the pie chart until it looks right.

neanderthin

I hear all the time that weight loss is just calories in vs. calories out, but I was wondering if it really is so, in relation to how you set your macros. Out of the two days, which one is better for the body? Or does it not really matter?

Calories in vs. calories out is true, but very oversimplified. There are all sorts of factors which affect the number of said calories in/out ranging from genetics to muscle/fat composition to insulin resistance to .... You get the idea. To that end, your macros can certainly play a role, but just how precisely they need to be manipulated and in what direction depends, in my experience, on your personal goals and the stage of your diet. Personally, I prioritize protein, then fat, and the rest goes to carbs. Whetehr or not I would intentionally go over calories to hit protein/fat would depend on how far off I am for the day from my macro goals. If I'm 50g shy on protein, I'd go over calories and call that a better day than coming in 50g short.

No it's not. Calories in vs out is pretty simple. What people find confusing is that any type of dysfunction like you've mentioned is already accounted for by our bodies on the out side of the energy balance equation.