Is it best to keep it simple?

jnhmama

Hi, so I've been on mfp like forever and I need to get back on track. I have 50 pounds to lose should I be thinking about macros or just the calories? Thanks.

quiksylver296

SIMPLE!!!!!!!

The thing I found, when I started logging my food, is that over time I started tweaking things to get closer to my macros. But calories are king for weight loss.

Lietchi

I lost the first few dozen lbs by just minding my calories (down 55lbs now).

Macros are interesting:
- to see if different proportions help you feel more satiated (although personally, I haven't found any magic formula for myself)
- to reduce the chance of losing muscle mass - for me that means aiming for a certain fixed amount of protein per day (on average) instead of aiming for a percentage

But you don't need to pay attention to macros if you don't want to, or you can do like me and only pay attention to them further down the road.

By all means, keep it simple!

ReenieHJ

I'm a simple kinda gal. As long as you include different foods in each category, you should be fine I think.

SModa61

When i first started back to MFP, I did concentrate on lower carb for first week or so. Had been dealing with cravings prior to starting and I thought hunger would make them even worse. I felt like stabilizing blood sugar might mitigate the hunger component some. Who knows if it helped, but I got through the first couple week adjustment fine. At some point I switched to CICO. Currently hovering near goal. Depending, I might try macros again once I am in maintaining mode, but still TBD.

janejellyroll

I think of it this way: the minimum I need to do to manage my weight is to hit my calorie goal.

If you know from experience or observation that getting ENOUGH of a certain macro (say, protein or fat) makes it easier for you to hit your calorie goal, then tracking to also hit that may be a good strategy. Also, if you know from experience or observation that you tend to undereat something like protein or fat when you're counting calories, it may also be useful -- nutritionally -- to track it to make sure you're getting enough.

But otherwise, I'd spend my energy focusing on what matters for weight management -- calories. Once you've got that under control, there's always time to make things more complicated if you want.

kshama2001

jnhmama wrote: »

Hi, so I've been on mfp like forever and I need to get back on track. I have 50 pounds to lose should I be thinking about macros or just the calories? Thanks.

If just keeping an eye on calories and hitting the minimum of protein keeps you full, that's really all you need to do.

But if you are very hungry and so having difficulty maintaining a calorie deficit, it may be helpful to play with your macros.

For years I've been saying that I love fat but do not find it very filling. Now I am reducing fat and increasing fiber and have found that I get full much faster.

When I cook for myself it tends to be lower fat, but when I'm in a relationship it's higher fat. I moved in with my partner 4 years ago, cook all the dinners, gained weight, have struggled to lose it, and things are finally going in the right direction again.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

It's no so simple for me that I eat practically the same thing for breakfast and lunch every single day! Then, you can update your diary just by using the "Yesterday's Meal" thing. (Maybe that's too simple for some people.)

richardgavel

I would say start first with calories. Work on getting that right. Then you can start refining it by factoring in macros.

AnnPT77

I think healthy weight and nutrition are both important . . . but just getting to a healthy weight is the biggest single contributor to health.

I believe in the "gradually remodel eating" approach. If weight loss is a key goal, start with calories. Next, work on the things that make hitting calories easier, like feeling full/satisfied most of the time (might be macros, might be meal timing, might be food choices, but experimenting will sort that out). After that's all perking along nicely, that's a good time to start being more attentive to nutrition - any macro stuff that wasn't in the mix for satiation/satisfaction, plus things like fiber and micros.

Priorities. Work on the important goals first, bring in other factors if and as you need them.

sgt1372

It's always "best" IMO to keep whatever you do as simple as possible.

Just KISS - "keep it simple st*pid."

riffraff2112

Another vote for keep it simple and focus on calories. So long as something isn't completely out of whack, I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about it. I just try to hit my protein goal, things worked out pretty well.