What's most important- Cals, Carbs, Fat, Protein?

sscad

I've recently been increasing the amount I eat. Before, it was around 1200, but currently my MFP goal is 1500 and I will eat back my workout calories (so it will end up being more like 1600-1800 depending on how much I work out). My BMR is 1350 and my TDEE-20% is1680, btw. I'm not sure if I did that correctly...eh I was going to have my MFP goal as my BMR, but I figured netting at your BMR was bad (because you burn off other calories besides the ones you burn working out, right?), so I added the few extra 150. Is there a better/easier/more correct way of doing this? My burned calories are pretty erratic, for instance, on T/Th I burn a lot more than MWF, and I want to keep track of that, so I kind of ignored the idea of having your MFP goal as your TDEE-x.

Anyway, that's not what I came here for, haha, sorry for the ramble. I guess I just realized how flustered I feel with having the correct numbers. But here's my real question: I have yet to reach my calorie goal without going over in fat. I tend to do pretty well with carbs and protein (I actually am usually a little under with carbs) but fat, man oh man. I'm talking about total fat, btw, not saturated. I believe that is because, in order to meet my higher calorie goal, I've been including more healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados because I'd rather add a handful of almonds to my salad than fruit or bread (is that just something I'm going to have to get over?) And on days when I really try to watch fat, I'm so under in calories. In EM2WL, is calories just the main thing and going over in fat, for instance, is alright as long as it's healthy?

Thanks for your time reading this.

wfte

I'd imagine its a question different people could give different answers too.

Personally I'd say calories are most important first. You need to keep your body feed and fuelled. If you aren't eating enough then regardless of whether its fats, carbs or protein, your body will hang on to it for dear life.

ladyace2078

I started out by just focusing on calories because that's the critical piece. Eat enough, but not too little and not too much. Once you learn how to eat calories then focus on each one of the macros separately. For me I started with protein because I really could never get close to my protein goal. Once I learned how to do that, I realized that I was heavy on carbs, so I focused on eating the right kind of fat. Because I knew how to eat the right number of calories, then protein, then fat, the carbs just fell into place. Take it one piece at a time.

heybales

I've recently been increasing the amount I eat. Before, it was around 1200, but currently my MFP goal is 1500 and I will eat back my workout calories (so it will end up being more like 1600-1800 depending on how much I work out). My BMR is 1350 and my TDEE-20% is1680, btw. I'm not sure if I did that correctly...eh I was going to have my MFP goal as my BMR, but I figured netting at your BMR was bad (because you burn off other calories besides the ones you burn working out, right?), so I added the few extra 150. Is there a better/easier/more correct way of doing this? My burned calories are pretty erratic, for instance, on T/Th I burn a lot more than MWF, and I want to keep track of that, so I kind of ignored the idea of having your MFP goal as your TDEE-x.

Anyway, that's not what I came here for, haha, sorry for the ramble. I guess I just realized how flustered I feel with having the correct numbers. But here's my real question: I have yet to reach my calorie goal without going over in fat. I tend to do pretty well with carbs and protein (I actually am usually a little under with carbs) but fat, man oh man. I'm talking about total fat, btw, not saturated. I believe that is because, in order to meet my higher calorie goal, I've been including more healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, avocados because I'd rather add a handful of almonds to my salad than fruit or bread (is that just something I'm going to have to get over?) And on days when I really try to watch fat, I'm so under in calories. In EM2WL, is calories just the main thing and going over in fat, for instance, is alright as long as it's healthy?

Thanks for your time reading this.

Calories, unless you notice that too many carbs causes insulin spike, getting tired and hungry well before the next meal, and then cheating or overdoing the next meal.
Then eating your protein and fats first at each meal might be better than concern on calories.

But if no problem, then calories. Fat is satisfying and increases flavor, if in the limits of the calories, just fine.

Might use the spreadsheet, the MFP tweak tab, to accomplish what you are doing, but perhaps with better BMR stat based on bodyfat than MFP is using.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/750920-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

Just have a decent way of knowing calorie burn to eat it back.
So there is a HRM tab too, to help with that.

And to confirm those macros, a Macros tab.

sscad

Calories, unless you notice that too many carbs causes insulin spike, getting tired and hungry well before the next meal, and then cheating or overdoing the next meal.
Then eating your protein and fats first at each meal might be better than concern on calories.

But if no problem, then calories. Fat is satisfying and increases flavor, if in the limits of the calories, just fine.

Might use the spreadsheet, the MFP tweak tab, to accomplish what you are doing, but perhaps with better BMR stat based on bodyfat than MFP is using.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/750920-spreadsheet-for-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

Just have a decent way of knowing calorie burn to eat it back.
So there is a HRM tab too, to help with that.

And to confirm those macros, a Macros tab.

Ha, yeah I actually came across this a few days ago- super helpful, I've been referring to it everyday since. Thanks for this!