Tracking macros?

MandyCMN

I see a lot of people track macros but what is the benefit of this? Has it made a difference?

Lietchi

Well, generally speaking you track calories for weight management and macros for health/satiation.

I watch my protein intake because my goal is to gain some muscle mass or at the very least maintain it.
I watch my fat intake for health reasons - you need a minimum for hormone health, brain function,... (I check occasionally, but I rarely have issues reaching this goal)
I don't watch my carbs because they're not an essential nutrient - they just take up the rest of my calories after protein and fat.

Other people might:
- watch their protein intake because protein helps them feel fuller
- watch their carb intake because they prefer eating low carb, because low carb helps them feel fuller
- watch their carb intake because they have blood sugar issues
- watch their carb intake because they need sufficient carbs to fuel their exercise
- watch their fat intake because fat helps them feel fuller

If you have issues with hunger, it's an interesting thing to watch. You might see patterns looking at days when you were very hungry versus days where you felt more satiated.

AnnPT77

Great post by @Lietchi. I'd just add one extra thought about why people pay attention to particular macros:

- watch their fat intake because if they don't eat enough, digestive throughput slows down to uncomfortable levels

missylectro

HUGE difference! I am on a vegan diet and now that I am aiming for higher protein and higher fat I am losing weight more easily.