Total Calories or Macros: What's more important?

spikelike
spikelike Posts: 65
in Food and Nutrition
Hello everybody!

I want to know whats more Important. There are days where I am under my total calories but over my macros. I wanted to ask yall if its important to be perfect with the macros also..or are the total calories the most important determinant of the weight loss?

thanks

Replies

  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Calories are what determine weight loss or gain.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    The macros are of very little importance compared to the calories. A "balanced" diet doesn't need to be precise.
  • spikelike
    spikelike Posts: 65
    so say, for example, if I go 5-10 over carbs, 20 over fat and 50 over sugar-but stay way under my total calories- Im still good?
  • maa59115
    maa59115 Posts: 29 Member
    Both. Once you figure out what your calories need to be, you have to split that between your macros to help you lose weight or bulk up.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    so say, for example, if I go 5-10 over carbs, 20 over fat and 50 over sugar-but stay way under my total calories- Im still good?

    Depends on your goals. If you go over on carbs and fat, then you went way under on protein. Make sure you get enough.

    Calories are what matter for weight loss.
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
    Calories are the most important for fat loss. Macros help to determine what your body will look like after the weight loss. Macros also can change the amount of water weight in your body.
  • myfitnesspaller
    myfitnesspaller Posts: 74 Member
    How about if we kepe going over sodum but under our calorie daily limit?

    so from the consensus here, its ok to go over macros as long as we are under the total calorie limit..right?
  • spikelike
    spikelike Posts: 65
    How about if we kepe going over sodum but under our calorie daily limit?

    so from the consensus here, its ok to go over macros as long as we are under the total calorie limit..right?

    I guess.
  • spikelike
    spikelike Posts: 65
    bump
  • zechks
    zechks Posts: 224
    Both are important.. Hit your macros with your alloted calories. It's not as simple as calorie in vs calorie out.. Sure you will lose pounds by being on a caloric deficit, but the quality of your results will also depend on the quality of calories you're consuming.
  • quishajuice
    quishajuice Posts: 106 Member
    Calories are the most important for fat loss. Macros help to determine what your body will look like after the weight loss. Macros also can change the amount of water weight in your body.

    This is prob your best answer in the simplest form. if you are just trying to lose weight with no other specific goals you just need to focus on taking in less calories than you put out. At the end of the day a deficit is what matters. However, if you have other goals macros may be important, i.e. I work on heavy lifting and want to gain more muscle definition so I aim for a higher percentage of protein and lower percentage of carbs and fat than MFP suggests.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Both are important.. Hit your macros with your alloted calories. It's not as simple as calorie in vs calorie out.. Sure you will lose pounds by being on a caloric deficit, but the quality of your results will also depend on the quality of calories you're consuming.

    This.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    Both are important.. Hit your macros with your alloted calories. It's not as simple as calorie in vs calorie out.. Sure you will lose pounds by being on a caloric deficit, but the quality of your results will also depend on the quality of calories you're consuming.

    This.

    Agreed! Calories for weight loss, macros for health and body composition. It's not an either/ or. They are both important.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    As a high level:

    Calories = weight loss/gain
    Macros = energy (carbs), body composition (protein), healthy body functions and hormones (fats)
    Micros = health

    They are all important. It's fine to go over protein and fats baring any medical condition that would say otherwise.
  • jillybeanpuff
    jillybeanpuff Posts: 144 Member
    I asked this question before and got the same answers you have. make sure you get your calories and try to keep a macro balance. but if you have to choose one over the other eat your cals
  • pspetralia
    pspetralia Posts: 963 Member
    As a high level:

    Calories = weight loss/gain
    Macros = energy (carbs), body composition (protein), healthy body functions and hormones (fats)
    Micros = health

    They are all important. It's fine to go over protein and fats baring any medical condition that would say otherwise.

    Good info. Thanks, Sara!
  • kgoodman0108
    kgoodman0108 Posts: 158
    I believe calories and macros are equally important. If most of your calories consume of carbs and sugar, your body is creating more of the insulin hormone. High insulin levels can have a negative effect on weight loss.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    The macros they are talking about ^^^ are Carbs Fats and Protein.
    Get your cals right first
    then get the protein higher

    but sodium is another issue.
    Sodium will mess you up, keep it low
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I believe calories and macros are equally important. If most of your calories consume of carbs and sugar, your body is creating more of the insulin hormone. High insulin levels can have a negative effect on weight loss.

    Well it certainly wouldn't make sense for most of your calories to come from carbs and sugar but, if you are in a calorie deficit, it would not affect overall weight loss. Your understanding of insulin and it's role is not correct. Also, protein is also insulinogenic. The role of insulin is to shuttle energy (nutrients) to where it is needed. If there is too much energy, it will be shuttled to fat storage. If you are in calorie deficit, there will be no net storage over a period like a day.
  • spikelike
    spikelike Posts: 65
    I usually keep my carbs and sodium low but this past week the carbs have been over by 70 and sodium by almost 10002-3 times now..you think that is bad enough to hinder the progress?
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    I usually keep my carbs and sodium low but this past week the carbs have been over by 70 and sodium by almost 10002-3 times now..you think that is bad enough to hinder the progress?

    Not in fat loss. It may mask it though as you may retain fluid.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
    I don't see a problem with carbs over 70

    the sodium is a problem.
    It holds water.
    fortunately water weight is easiest to lose

    high sodium is also bad for your cardiovascular system
  • spikelike
    spikelike Posts: 65
    alright thanks guys. So for weight loss alone is all about the total calories.
  • ATT949
    ATT949 Posts: 1,245 Member
    Hello everybody!

    I want to know whats more Important. There are days where I am under my total calories but over my macros. I wanted to ask yall if its important to be perfect with the macros also..or are the total calories the most important determinant of the weight loss?

    thanks

    For weight loss, in the short term, your body does not care what the calories are packaged in (a carb, fat, or protein molecule). Over the long term, you should try to keep your macros in a reasonable range.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    I believe calories and macros are equally important. If most of your calories consume of carbs and sugar, your body is creating more of the insulin hormone. High insulin levels can have a negative effect on weight loss.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/817143-insulin-low-carbs-gary-taubes-and-james-krieger
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
    CARLORIES = WEIGHT LOSS OR GAIN
    MACROS = BODY COMPOSITION

    If you ask me, both are equally important.....but everybody has their own opinion of what looks and feels good to them!

    Nutrition is a diet.......Nutrition with exercise is a LIFESTYLE!
  • myfitnesspaller
    myfitnesspaller Posts: 74 Member
    bump

Categories