Do you meet your macros?

emmiee921

Especially for women I notice many people (including myself) go under their macros eg calories, protein carbs,

I think people should be trying to hit their macros other wise you may as well call it a cheat day.

I always thought under 1000 cals was really bad but many people do it.

So I'm just wondering how many people actually try to hit their macros or are you happy when you go under?
Any male opinions would be good

Thanks em

kyylieeeeee

I always try to get as close as possible or over my protein goal (currently 105g), try to stay slightly under or just at my carb goal (140g), and I barely look at fat intake because that's usually in a pretty decent range and I never go hugely over or under on fat.

I'm set at 1400 cals per day, before exercise, but I never eat back all my exercise calories either (never hungry enough for that).

My calories and macros are set where they are for a reason-- so I definitely try to meet them or get as close as possible! :]

Misiaxcore

I find I hardly ever hit my fat goal, usually over carbs, and try my best with protein xD I'll usually get my lean body weight in grams of protein, but it's a challenge.

MissFit0101

I try to hit my goals, not stay under or go over... Carbs, I have to watch to make sure I don't go over, but fat and protein is pretty easy for me to hit right on. I never try to go under on calories. I always try to eat right at my goal.

emmiee921

Well done guys

psuLemon

You definitely want to push to get your calorie goal and eat back exercise calories, at least, 80% of them. Mfp has the deficit built in and not estjng them can adversely affect your results. Also your protein goal is the most important one. You can go under your carb goal and fats are also good to hit.

PrincessEliNa

Definitely always eat 1200+ calories, and am careful to get enough protein as I am a vegetarian.

emmiee921

You definitely want to push to get your calorie goal and eat back exercise calories, at least, 80% of them. Mfp has the deficit built in and not estjng them can adversely affect your results. Also your protein goal is the most important one. You can go under your carb goal and fats are also good to hit.

I really want someone to explain why you should eat your exercise calories back? I don't think MFP adds the calories properly as it won't he much of a deficit if you eat them back. I your eaten them back then isn't it the same as meeting your goals and not exercising? My brother is really into fitness and lifting, he tells me I shouldn't record my exercise I said I only do it so I can see what days I've done some activity.

psuLemon

You definitely want to push to get your calorie goal and eat back exercise calories, at least, 80% of them. Mfp has the deficit built in and not estjng them can adversely affect your results. Also your protein goal is the most important one. You can go under your carb goal and fats are also good to hit.

I really want someone to explain why you should eat your exercise calories back? I don't think MFP adds the calories properly as it won't he much of a deficit if you eat them back. I your eaten them back then isn't it the same as meeting your goals and not exercising? My brother is really into fitness and lifting, he tells me I shouldn't record my exercise I said I only do it so I can see what days I've done some activity.

Well there is a difference between being into fitness (like I am also) and understand how the bodyworks. There tons of myths that personal trainers still believe in but they don't know why. Below is a link where I hope I explained why you eat them back (practically a novel).


In a nut shell, exercise utilizes your food sources as fuel which pulls the calories away from proper body function and will utilize proteins in your body to get fuel (this is what happens when you dont provide enough fuel to your system to compensate for exercise) which in the long run will decrease lean body mass. Lower LBM means lower basal metabolic rates (BMR) which will decrease your metabolism.

Also, MFP uses estimates on the exercise which is why you are better off with a body pod or a HRM to more accurately predict your calories burned. There are other method that look at caloric needs based on your weekly energy expended through a lifestyle (what you do for a living) and exercise. This allows to form the deficits over a week and only have worry about daily calories.


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/376036-eat-exercise-calories?page=2

psuLemon

BTW, your deficit in MFP is based on what your goal weight loss is.

2 lbs per week (1000 calorie deficit)
1.5 (750 calorie deficit)
1 (500 calorie deficit)
.5 (250 calorie deficit)


if you really want to know, use the BMR tool that MFP offers and post your results. I can expand on what that really means.

it_be_asin

I do try and hit my protein:carb:fat that I have set up as far as I can, and try and keep around 200cal under my MFP calculated maintenance calories on average over a week, as this seems to be the actual maintenance calories of my body at the moment.

On individual days, I will sometimes go over or way under on my calories, cause I donate my exercise calories to my low activity days.

I try and keep my sugar and sodium under goal too, but that's a bit of a struggle!

Liquid741

usually...dont really go way over, i live by my numbers...and its annoying to my step-kids.

emmiee921

usually...dont really go way over, i live by my numbers...and its annoying to my step-kids.

same with my brother, he weighs everything so if i have a bite of his food he wil kill me haha