Do macro's really matter (in women)

lambertj

Are macro's really that important? I always thought they were until I talked to a female body builder at my gym (she is ripped) and she had no idea what a macro was. Now I can't help but wonder, do they matter or is it strictly calories in and calories out? Opinions, thoughts?

tameko2

I bet she eats "clean" or something though? And she does a pre or post (or both) workout supplement like Whey?

Macros are for people who are willing to track at that level and want to know WHY stuff works. Other people were doing this stuff for years (remember that old thing with guys drinking glasses full of raw eggs?)

Your body needs sufficient protein to prevent muscle loss in a diet. It needs sufficient protein (AND carbs) for muscle synthesis and repair.

I'm sure she does care about her macros, she just doesn't think of them that way. She probably eats 'clean' (focused on lean protein, 'healthy' fats, whole grains, vegetables/fruits) and uses protein supplements and hits some basic macro guidelines without thinking about it.

lambertj

Thanks for replying. From what I learned yesterday she most likely had someone who tells her what to eat to prepare for shows. People suggested 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight and let the carbs and fats distribute around that. I think i'll set that as a goal for now and see how it works.

tameko2

Thanks for replying. From what I learned yesterday she most likely had someone who tells her what to eat to prepare for shows. People suggested 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight and let the carbs and fats distribute around that. I think i'll set that as a goal for now and see how it works.

I do that but i do a range -- 1.5g/kg of LBM as my very lowest required, and aiming for 1g per lb of LBM in general. So 85-125 for me, about. I can't hit 1g/lb except on a very high calorie day, it would be 165 for me and that's just miserable. The rest of it works out though, some days I'm a bit higher on fat and some days I'm a bit higher on carbs, *and* its pretty easy -- I really don't THINK about it much, I just think to myself before everything I eat "what's my best protein bang for my calorie buck here, that is also something I *want* to eat" and then the rest of it tends to fall out ok.