When SHOULD You Start Paying Attention to Your Macros?

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_Justinian_
_Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know that in general, weight loss is simply a matter of calories in < calories out, but at what point or when do the macros become really important? I've been doing 2 hours of cardio daily for the past month and a half, and starting a 4 day a week intense weightlifting program the day after tomorrow. I want to be sure I have enough energy before doing something like this. My trainer told me to eat approx. my weight in grams for protein since I'll need it for muscle recovery (I'm still going to watch my calorie intake), but was wondering what other's thoughts were on this matter.

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  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
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    I started tracking my macros when I had good handle on my calories and was sure I was in a deficit. It probably took me a good 3-4 months. Maybe more. If you're heavy (I'm not sure), you don't need a whole gram of protein per pound of body weight. You can go .8g, or 1g per pound of lean mass. You can start now if you feel like it.
  • jennjune2014
    jennjune2014 Posts: 23 Member
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    Macros are important for the amount of training you are doing. Hitting your protien goals are important for retaining and building muscle. Two hours daily of cardio is an above average fitness level. Is this your fitness plan that your trainer developed? Is your goal building muscle or distance running?

    This is my repeat post. Ignor the link if you already have this information. :D

    https://tdeecalculator.net/
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    I started watching my macros as soon as I started MFP because I found it more interesting than just watching calories. That really helped because I was better able to manage my hunger by following MFP's macro balance suggestion than with calories alone.
  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
    edited February 2017
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    My goal is to be ripped/shredded by the time most of my fat has burned off. As for the cardio, I just really enjoy walking while listening to music/watching videos/etc. It's therapeutic for me. My trainer told me that the amount of cardio I do will definitely change once I start lifting. lol
  • jennjune2014
    jennjune2014 Posts: 23 Member
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    Ahh got you. I understand now.
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
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    Ripped and shredded while losing fat? Lol what? Clearly you need a bit more research on how muscles work, and they don't get built by being in deficit and doing 2 hrs cardio
  • patslitzker
    patslitzker Posts: 127 Member
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    In my opinion the sooner the better. I know when I first started it would have been too much for me to start tracking macros right off the bat because it was all new. Tracking macros will definitely speed up results and you'll have a better body composition once you lose weight.
  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
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    lemonychild wrote: »
    Ripped and shredded while losing fat? Lol what? Clearly you need a bit more research on how muscles work, and they don't get built by being in deficit and doing 2 hrs cardio

    I think you should research this thread a little bit more. That's not even what I said.
  • _Justinian_
    _Justinian_ Posts: 232 Member
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    Thanks for the replies and advice everyone!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Keep in mind that MFP isn't just for people who want to lose weight. It is also for people who training or need to track their food for health reasons.

    In answer to your question, you should pay attention to macros when you understand what they mean to you and that meaning is significant. If you have to ask whether you should be paying attention to macros then you don't need to pay attention to macros.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,394 MFP Moderator
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    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I started tracking my macros when I had good handle on my calories and was sure I was in a deficit. It probably took me a good 3-4 months. Maybe more. If you're heavy (I'm not sure), you don't need a whole gram of protein per pound of body weight. You can go .8g, or 1g per pound of lean mass. You can start now if you feel like it.

    Pretty much this. There is an order of importance when it comes to dieting. Ensuring accurate calorie count is # 1, than you can start paying attention to macros (protein largely being the most important). And while you don't need 1g per lb of BW (or at least not until you are more lean), there isn't really anything wrong with it either.

    If your goal is to be shredded, than macros and training becomes a much more important factor down the road.


    The-Pyramid-Of-Nutritional-importance.png
  • crzycatlady1
    crzycatlady1 Posts: 1,930 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I'm a few years into maintenance now and I still haven't started paying attention to macros yet lol. But, I'm not doing a weight lifting program-macros become a lot more important when you get into that territory :)
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    psuLemon wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I started tracking my macros when I had good handle on my calories and was sure I was in a deficit. It probably took me a good 3-4 months. Maybe more. If you're heavy (I'm not sure), you don't need a whole gram of protein per pound of body weight. You can go .8g, or 1g per pound of lean mass. You can start now if you feel like it.

    Pretty much this. There is an order of importance when it comes to dieting. Ensuring accurate calorie count is # 1, than you can start paying attention to macros (protein largely being the most important). And while you don't need 1g per lb of BW (or at least not until you are more lean), there isn't really anything wrong with it either.

    If your goal is to be shredded, than macros and training becomes a much more important factor down the road.


    The-Pyramid-Of-Nutritional-importance.png

    I'm more interested in long distance cycling than what I am in how I look. Meal timing and frequency plays a much more important role than macros. Macros are easy because before and during the ride it is mostly carbs and electrolytes. After the ride it leans more toward proteins. But timing is important because you want the energy you need when you need it and you don't want too much sitting in your gut not doing anything.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,394 MFP Moderator
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    psuLemon wrote: »
    bbell1985 wrote: »
    I started tracking my macros when I had good handle on my calories and was sure I was in a deficit. It probably took me a good 3-4 months. Maybe more. If you're heavy (I'm not sure), you don't need a whole gram of protein per pound of body weight. You can go .8g, or 1g per pound of lean mass. You can start now if you feel like it.

    Pretty much this. There is an order of importance when it comes to dieting. Ensuring accurate calorie count is # 1, than you can start paying attention to macros (protein largely being the most important). And while you don't need 1g per lb of BW (or at least not until you are more lean), there isn't really anything wrong with it either.

    If your goal is to be shredded, than macros and training becomes a much more important factor down the road.


    The-Pyramid-Of-Nutritional-importance.png

    I'm more interested in long distance cycling than what I am in how I look. Meal timing and frequency plays a much more important role than macros. Macros are easy because before and during the ride it is mostly carbs and electrolytes. After the ride it leans more toward proteins. But timing is important because you want the energy you need when you need it and you don't want too much sitting in your gut not doing anything.

    I would argue that the timing of specific macros is what you just described. If macros where less important than timing, then would you eat all fat prior to a ride? Of course not. Similarly, I time CHO/PRO pre and post workout as it benefits me from an energy standpoint, recovery and potentially a MPS standpoint. So as an endurance rider, do you look at total CHO or PRO? Do you do loading phases before big rides?

    I actually think you do care about them, but don't realize the importance you put on it, because it may become secondary to your training needs.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
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    crzycatlady1 wrote: »
    I'm a few years into maintenance now and I still haven't started paying attention to macros yet lol. But, I'm not doing a weight lifting program-macros become a lot more important when you get into that territory :)

    I'd say macros are a lot more important when you care about your overall health.
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    Keep in mind that MFP isn't just for people who want to lose weight. It is also for people who training or need to track their food for health reasons.

    In answer to your question, you should pay attention to macros when you understand what they mean to you and that meaning is significant. If you have to ask whether you should be paying attention to macros then you don't need to pay attention to macros.

    I like that a lot.

    I had a rude awaking when I just had my bloodwork done. Yes macros matter!

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