How important are Macros?

Itskaleena

I'm trying to maintain my weight and have done so eating an average of 1500 total calories while burning 150-600 extra calories a day. I'm 5 foot 1 inch and weight about 104 pounds.

I don't own a food scale so I can't know 100% for sure how much I'm eating but I take an educated guess, Is it okay to track only total calories and not macros as long as I eat a healthy balances diet?

example:

Breakfast: 1/2 c oats, 1 T peanuts & sugar free jam, 1/2 banana, 1/4 c egg whites

Post work out: woman's protein shake

Lunch: spinach salad with turkey hummus and avocado and 1 light flat out wrap

snack: sugar free pudding with an apple and 1/4 c original fiber one cereal

dinner. 1 small chicken breast w/ light bbq sauce, 1 medium sweet potato with fat free cream cheese and mustard, 1 cup green beans in tomato sauce & 1 T reduced fat parm .

snack: 1/2 c plain fat free yogurt, 3/4 c berries, 1/4 c original fiber one , 1 T natural Peanut butter

Itskaleena

the pudding was just a treat. I usually eat 2% cottage cheese

cbachick17

Important for what? For weight loss? For weight maintenance? What are you trying to achieve?

Francl27

I only care about hitting my protein goal (30% of my calories)... or at least to get close enough.

Itskaleena

to maintain. I can't lose any weight for health reasons

tyrsnbdr

I only care about hitting my protein goal (30% of my calories)... or at least to get close enough.

In importance: Fats > Protiens >>>>>>>>> Carbs.

your body needs fats to process your food, however fats are over 2x more calories than protiens and carbs, so you want to make sure you get enough, but not too much. 20% is about the right number.

Protiens is 2nd if you want to maintain muslce mass, if you don't, then don't worry about it.

Use carbs to round out your diet.