Do macro's really matter (in women)

lambertj
lambertj Posts: 675 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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?
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Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    did you ask her what her diet was like? i would imagine that even if she doesnt know what a macro is, i bet she follows a strict plan with all the nutrients that she needs.

    i think that it is basically calories in/calories out, but i think that the quality of your calories can effect the results you get.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    the fact that she does not know what word macros mean, doesn't mean she don't hit them every day.
    Bodybuilders often don't log or calculate, but they eat chicken (with rice/broccoli) all the freaking time.
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
    Yes, they matter. I don't think that eating a certain number of calories of crap is the same as eating a balanced diet. I want to know how much protein/fat/carbs I am eating in a day, especially because I am working on building muscle.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    I didn't want to bother her too much during her workout because she had a show coming up but she did say she eats healthy. But without calorie counting I'm not sure how she would know even what she is hitting in regards to macros (she did say she eats healthy). I don't eat junk, except for a "cheat window" once a week but am getting so frustrated as to what I am supposed to do. For instance, yesterday I wanted an apple. It would have fit into my calories but the carbs would have thrown off my macros. I do agree that I don't want to eat junk but if it's all healthy foods does it matter if I go high on fats and low on carbs? Or lower on protein one day and higher on carbs. It's getting to be too much and leaning towards an obsession, something I want to avoid.
  • Martucha123
    Martucha123 Posts: 1,089 Member
    try to average macros over the week.
    have an apple and go lower carbs the next day. also IMHO if you eat less then you burn, fats and carbs are totally up to you, you can eat high fat and as long as you are under cals you won't gain fat.
    But keeping protein high is important. If you are eating low protein you will lose muscle and fat, and you really want to lose fat only.
    Try to get 1g of protein per lbs of body weight per day.
    Also, you should eat at least 0,3 g of fat per lbs of your body weight. Other then that, you can be flexible
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
    One day doesn't matter. The question is what your average is over time. If you have the phone app, then MFP will show you for the week what your percentages were. Also, if one apple was enough to completely throw off your macros, it may be worth reconsidering what your macros are set to.
  • Cobweb200
    Cobweb200 Posts: 49
    TBH if you are not body building and not wanting to stress, so long as it is healthy foods I don't think an or over or under on some days is just fine. If I had to stress about hitting them exactly the I would give up altogether that is particularly unhelpful.

    Relax a bit and give yourself a break. Try and follow the 80/20 rule. Get it right 80 percent of the time and the other 20% won't make a difference to your overall health
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I didn't want to bother her too much during her workout because she had a show coming up but she did say she eats healthy. But without calorie counting I'm not sure how she would know even what she is hitting in regards to macros (she did say she eats healthy). I don't eat junk, except for a "cheat window" once a week but am getting so frustrated as to what I am supposed to do. For instance, yesterday I wanted an apple. It would have fit into my calories but the carbs would have thrown off my macros. I do agree that I don't want to eat junk but if it's all healthy foods does it matter if I go high on fats and low on carbs? Or lower on protein one day and higher on carbs. It's getting to be too much and leaning towards an obsession, something I want to avoid.

    i think it depends how far you want to go, and what results you want. the woman you were talking to will follow a strict plan to get everything her body needs, high protein etc etc

    i dont eat apples as much now i am watching my macros more, but that being said, i track the macros weekly, more than daily, so an extra apple probably wouldnt matter too much at the end of the week. only you can tell if its becoming an obsession. my husband calls me obsessed with MFP, but i love it, have made some great friends on here and am starting to get some really good results because of my 'obsession' - which i call dedication!!!!
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    I would imagine a female body builder wouldn't care much about them either. However for myself (not a bodybuilder) they do matter, the weeks that my macros are perfect, I don't go over on anything except fiber and I lose big. The weeks I go over on my macros, I always maintain or slightly gain.

    They matter in my eating that's for sure so I can only speak for myself.
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
    Bump
  • Meg_78
    Meg_78 Posts: 998 Member
    They count, but depending on what your goals are, they mean different things to different people...

    The only one I care about is protein, and keeping my calories up or over. The rest are just there.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Some matter more than others. As meg said, protein. If your protein is too low, you increase the chances of muscle loss. This is even more true if you don't do weight training. Less lbm and you will have a slower metabolism, less support for you body, etc.. Fats are important for a variety of reason, but skin/hair/nail health, and cognitive function are some. And carbs provide energy. Having a balanced approached is always good. I generally suggest 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fats. This generally works out pretty well. And if you are eating lean meats, fish, fruits and veggies (even whole grains) then you should also hit your micro nutrients.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
    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?

    its called a balanced diet for a reason.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    Would it be a safe assumption then that if I hit protein (130 a day, my current weight), I can let the rest fall into my calorie allowance? I am lifting 3 times a week with a goal to build muscle and lower body fat by 3-5%. I am currently at 19% body fat.

    Edited to add, i usually hit protein levels no lower than 90 a day currently and some days as high as 140.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Would it be a safe assumption then that if I hit protein (130 a day, my current weight), I can let the rest fall into my calorie allowance? I am lifting 3 times a week with a goal to build muscle and lower body fat by 3-5%. I am currently at 19% body fat.

    Edited to add, i usually hit protein levels no lower than 90 a day currently and some days as high as 140.

    14% bodyfat is low for a woman...
  • tobnrn
    tobnrn Posts: 477 Member
    If you just want to lose weight and don't care where that weight comes from than it's all about calories in vs. calories out. If you want to change your body & maintain lbm than macros are important especially protein. Make sure your getting 1g per lb of lbm.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    If you just want to lose weight and don't care where that weight comes from than it's all about calories in vs. calories out. If you want to change your body & maintain lbm than macros are important especially protein. Make sure your getting 1g per lb of lbm.

    I want to lower my body fat and build muscle. I definitely don't want to lose muscle
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    If you just want to lose weight and don't care where that weight comes from than it's all about calories in vs. calories out. If you want to change your body & maintain lbm than macros are important especially protein. Make sure your getting 1g per lb of lbm.

    I want to lower my body fat and build muscle. I definitely don't want to lose muscle

    You can either lower body fat or build muscle but you can't do both at the same time. You have a pretty good approach though. Heck, you can probably adjust your macro's to what I proposed and it should come out about right.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    If you just want to lose weight and don't care where that weight comes from than it's all about calories in vs. calories out. If you want to change your body & maintain lbm than macros are important especially protein. Make sure your getting 1g per lb of lbm.

    I want to lower my body fat and build muscle. I definitely don't want to lose muscle

    You can either lower body fat or build muscle but you can't do both at the same time. You have a pretty good approach though. Heck, you can probably adjust your macro's to what I proposed and it should come out about right.

    Thank you. I should also mention that I am in no rush to do this, I believe slower is better in terms of cutting fat. The macros' you mentioned would be a bit different for me at 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fats as I tend to go 35% fat and 25% carbs but definitely doable. Now if i could only figure out how many calories to eat a day i'd be good. Been experimenting a bit to find my sweet spot. Started at 1200 (big mistake), went to 1400 and did good, was at 1700 for a while (seemed to work) but when I bumped to 1900 I seemed to gain weight. Back around 1600-1700 now. I appreciate everyone's input
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    How long did you eat at those levels? It's almost impossible to lose at 1700 and gain at 1900.
  • Julesjhj
    Julesjhj Posts: 150 Member
    In the beginning, I had about 65 pounds to lose. Lowering my calories, exercising everyday and eating cleaner worked wonders for dropping the pounds. But really understanding and tracking my Macros was the GAME CHANGER in losing the fat! Once I was clued in to the amount of carbs and sugar I was consuming it was a big wake-up call. MFP has helped me track it all and I am constantly tweeking it. I still have problems eating enough protein. I used to follow the default macro that MFP gave me until I stopped losing. Then I upped my Fat and Protein and lowered Carbs, Sugar and Soduim. I have gone from a size 14-16 to a size 4. Everyone is different so you have to experiment and see what works for you. I used the scale as a trend but my body measurements are what really kept me motivated. I kept shrinking even though it seemed sometimes the scale was not moving.

    So for me, YES, the macros mattered as well as eating cleaner and lifting weights...the heavy kind :D
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    How long did you eat at those levels? It's almost impossible to lose at 1700 and gain at 1900.

    Was fluctuating like crazy on 1700, up .5, down .2, etc. I the past when I fluctuated and I increased calories I lost weight but the bump up to 1900 was just too much. Add to that, two bad weekends (birthday and family visiting) and it through off my weekly totals. I think 1700-1800 might just be maintenance for me. Not positive but it seems to be I have to be around 1500-1600 to lose, slowly
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    How long did you eat at those levels? It's almost impossible to lose at 1700 and gain at 1900.

    Was fluctuating like crazy on 1700, up .5, down .2, etc. I the past when I fluctuated and I increased calories I lost weight but the bump up to 1900 was just too much. Add to that, two bad weekends (birthday and family visiting) and it through off my weekly totals. I think 1700-1800 might just be maintenance for me. Not positive but it seems to be I have to be around 1500-1600 to lose, slowly

    That is very very minimal fluctuation. A normal human body can fluctuate 5 lbs + a day. A normal cycle alone can make you add several lbs. Additionally, when I say how long, I mean, did you eat 1700 calories for a week, two, month, several months?

    If a person increase calories suddenly, it is not uncommon to add "water". When most people increase calories, they also generally increase carbs. When you increase carbs your body stores extra glycogen/water as a result.
  • marfmellows
    marfmellows Posts: 18
    It depends. Some people who are diabetic, insulin resistant, who have thyroid issues, PCOS, etc will benefit greatly from a low-carb diet. People who are binge eaters, such as myself, may find that high fat, low carb diets are more satiating than high carb diets and thus tend to help us keep our binge eating disorders in check.

    There is a lot of research floating around that tries to disprove calories in, calories out or tries to reverse the negative rep that fat gets in our diet, but ultimately, the choice is up to you when you read the research.

    One thing is for sure, lower body weight is going to help with issues like cholesterol levels, risks of disease and cancer, etc and that is a good place to start. From there, you decide based on the research and what you think is best for your body.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    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?

    Well since she's ripped then no, physique is the most important indicator of knowledge, everyone knows that
  • theskinnylist
    theskinnylist Posts: 286 Member
    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?

    its called a balanced diet for a reason.
    This - in simplest terms.
  • lambertj
    lambertj Posts: 675 Member
    How long did you eat at those levels? It's almost impossible to lose at 1700 and gain at 1900.

    Was fluctuating like crazy on 1700, up .5, down .2, etc. I the past when I fluctuated and I increased calories I lost weight but the bump up to 1900 was just too much. Add to that, two bad weekends (birthday and family visiting) and it through off my weekly totals. I think 1700-1800 might just be maintenance for me. Not positive but it seems to be I have to be around 1500-1600 to lose, slowly

    That is very very minimal fluctuation. A normal human body can fluctuate 5 lbs + a day. A normal cycle alone can make you add several lbs. Additionally, when I say how long, I mean, did you eat 1700 calories for a week, two, month, several months?

    If a person increase calories suddenly, it is not uncommon to add "water". When most people increase calories, they also generally increase carbs. When you increase carbs your body stores extra glycogen/water as a result.

    I was on 1700 for about 4 months and just recently bumped up to 1900. I seemed to do well at 1700 in terms of strength and endurance, all over feeling really good but the weight did not move (other than small fluctuations). I did expect a jump in scale weight when i bumped up to 1900 but with two bad weekends it's raised my weekly average so my thinking is bringing it back down to 1600-1700 to cover my butt on those bad weekends. It is tough to find a good calorie goal, and I'm fine with experimenting. I'm in no rush to lose this last 8 or so pounds (goal weight of 125 was hit in May and now fluctuate around 130-135).
  • qtiekiki
    qtiekiki Posts: 1,490 Member
    The only macro I track is protein, and I just try to eat balanced meals.
  • WestCoastPhoenix
    WestCoastPhoenix Posts: 802 Member
    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?

    Well since she's ripped then no, physique is the most important indicator of knowledge, everyone knows that

    *nods emphatically*
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    The only macro I track is protein, and I just try to eat balanced meals.

    :drinker:

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