What's most important? Hitting Macros or Calories

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JB035
JB035 Posts: 336 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Yesterday we ended up running the roads most of the day which left me eating various foods I normally don't eat.

By the end of the day my cal goal was over but my Protein and Carbs still were not met.

I ended up getting those two in before the day was over but it put me over my cals by like 500+.

My goal is to build muscle and be able to perform in a hybrid crossfit type atmosphere.

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,583 Member
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    Building muscle will invariably take a surplus. You can't add mass without adding weight. Adding weight means having a surplus.
    The surplus doesn't have to be big. Just enough over your TDEE to support muscle gain. Macros are important, but if you hit your goals and are still under in calories, you'd have to find a way to add in more.

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  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited April 2017
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    My answer on yesterday's thread with this same question:

    A calorie is a unit of energy. Your body uses so many of these units to run itself - for simplicity's sake, let's say 2000 units. You eat less than 2000 units of energy in a day, and your body has to go to the reserve energy (your stored fat). You eat more than 2000 units of energy in a day, and your body will store that energy for later (added/gained fat or muscle).

    Macros are nutrients. Your body needs carbs for energy, protein for muscle building, and fats for brain activity and other things (very, very simple explanation. Each macro does much more than that).

    Calories dictate weight loss, because they are the energy. Macros do not dictate weight loss.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    if you are not in a surplus you will not build muscle so getting into a surplus is going to be the most important part of building muscle...
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    Calories are king when it comes to adding muscle.
  • JB035
    JB035 Posts: 336 Member
    edited April 2017
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    So was I right the by topping off my protein goals? Since my goal is muscle gain.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Calories are #1... while macros are important when bulking, if you aren't in surplus, you won't gain. You could eat 300g of protein and spin your wheels. In your case you went above your surplus. This is fine but if you do this all the time you can gain too fast and fat will follow.

    I tend to look at my macros over the course of a few days, so let's say I am really low on protein one day, I am sure to get more than enough over next few days to make up for it.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
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    JB035 wrote: »
    So was I right the by topping off my protein goals? Since my goal is muscle gain.

    you were right in being in a surplus..

    honestly, carbs are more important than protein in bulking...
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Calories are the only thing that matter when it comes to putting on or losing weight. You can eat 300gr of protein in a day but you won't add any muscle unless you're in a surplus.
  • LowCarb4Me2016
    LowCarb4Me2016 Posts: 575 Member
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    For me, I find if I hit my macros the calories pretty much take care of themselves.

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