what's more important.. calories or macros?

JenCatwalk
JenCatwalk Posts: 285 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Sometimes I'll hit my macros and still have about 300 calories left to play with. So I'm asking if I should go ahead and go over my macros to hit my calorie goal or leave it alone. Btw I'm trying to lower the bodyfat/preserve muscle if this helps any. Perhaps I should just plan my meals better to meet both. Well I don't always have that kinda time lol. So if I go over my carbs or fat for the day while also nearing my fats/carbs and protien at 1500 calories should I just call it a day or is it not that big a deal going over 20g or even 40g of carbs/fat to meet my calorie goal? I'm not that flexable with my food choices sometimes what I have is what I have.. So what do you guys think?

Btw my daily calorie intake goal is 1800.

Replies

  • JenCatwalk
    JenCatwalk Posts: 285 Member
    bumpity? :3
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    macros > calories for me. I know when you split your macros its 1g of protein = 4 calories, 1g of carbs = 4 calories and 1g of fat = 9 calories but thats just a rounded estimate so thats why it doesnt always add up to your calories as its suppose to so i just try to hit my macros.
  • sunman00
    sunman00 Posts: 872 Member
    lots of folk take the IIFYM (If it fits your Macro's) approach on here, so if you've reached your Macro targets & have room on calories you might like a little treat such as ice cream, or in my case a glass of delicious wine :-)

    if you're not into such things then going over fats of proteins is fine; a fat intake target of .35g per lb of weight & a protein target of 0.8g per lb of weight are minimums,

    so, if you're keen to retain your muscle mass a little more protein might be a good idea?
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    if you have hit your macro targets then you have hit your calorie target.

    If you are under on cals then you are under on one or more of your macro targets.
  • nickyfm
    nickyfm Posts: 1,214 Member
    Personally for me, it is all about macros.

    If I have a lot of protein, minimal sugar and a reasonable amount of fat, I am more likely to stick to calorie goals and seem to look leaner and healthier (I have PCOS, so my body is a bit funny with processing sugar)
  • JenCatwalk
    JenCatwalk Posts: 285 Member
    if you have hit your macro targets then you have hit your calorie target.

    If you are under on cals then you are under on one or more of your macro targets.

    yeah i understand. but sometimes i go over my carbs/fats and eating anything else will throw them off, even tho i still have room for a little more protein or fats/carbs. sometimes i don't have the right kind of food in my kitchen to work with, so was wondering if it is ok to go over my carbs/fats so i can meet my other marcos. i guess my post is kinda confusing.. lol.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    Eat enough fat and protein (it's OK to go over in these categories) and stay under your calorie goal. The rest isn't important.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    Eat enough fat and protein (it's OK to go over in these categories) and stay under your calorie goal. The rest isn't important.

    I'd agree with this.

    And if you have gone over carbs and fat and haven't hit protein target then if your goal is to lose weight then I'd make sure you are under your cal target ie. you could have more carbs and fat. However, I'd just buy some protein powder to fill in the P gaps.
  • damnscenekids
    damnscenekids Posts: 2
    the way i approach it, if i hit my macro ratio targets while still being comfortably below maintenance calories, i've had a successful day. :)
  • kweni16
    kweni16 Posts: 30
    Pardon me for being a noob but what's a macro? Enlighten me please.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    total calories for weigh control, total cals + macros + workout intensity for body composition.
  • tonytoo
    tonytoo Posts: 307
    Pardon me for being a noob but what's a macro? Enlighten me please.

    The macronutrients. Protein, fat and carbs.
  • JenCatwalk
    JenCatwalk Posts: 285 Member
    Eat enough fat and protein (it's OK to go over in these categories) and stay under your calorie goal. The rest isn't important.

    I'd agree with this.

    And if you have gone over carbs and fat and haven't hit protein target then if your goal is to lose weight then I'd make sure you are under your cal target ie. you could have more carbs and fat. However, I'd just buy some protein powder to fill in the P gaps.

    nice thanks for clearing that up!
  • SarahSmilesCA
    SarahSmilesCA Posts: 261 Member
    Eat enough fat and protein (it's OK to go over in these categories) and stay under your calorie goal. The rest isn't important.

    I'd agree with this.

    And if you have gone over carbs and fat and haven't hit protein target then if your goal is to lose weight then I'd make sure you are under your cal target ie. you could have more carbs and fat. However, I'd just buy some protein powder to fill in the P gaps.

    As a rule I am a big believer in hitting macro targets, not just because of weight loss, but because of general physical and mental health and wellness. Macro balance has more to do with my ability to lose weight rather than contributing to the actual chemistry of weight loss. For example blood sugar spikes caused by excessive carb intake make me hungry and hunger makes me eat, even when I have had enough calories through out the day. (Trying to fight this is a losing battle)

    So I try really hard to hit my macro targets, especially protein and fat (and even carbs on my cardio days) because that is what helps build energy and strength, in mind and body. I don't want to fight my body chemistry and end up over eating in the end...

    BUT

    I do agree with Chris on this....watch your calories because additional calories not used as energy are stored as fat, and that is what we don't want. There are days when I miss my protein target (not many, it is my most important macro goal) but I don't over extend my calorie target just to met my protein goal.

    Example: Some days I chose to eat ice cream. I do drink protein before hand to balance the crazy aS$ sugar high I am going to get from this, but in the end my ice cream days are always low on protein because I had high calories early in the day and I don't want to dip too much into my reserve to often, else I will not have the loss I am looking for every month.
  • Silver14
    Silver14 Posts: 141
    Macros, every time. Calories are energy, but the nutrients effect how your body uses that energy. For me, I can be in range for calories, but too many carbs and I look bleh. Go over with protein and fat, my body thanks me, and uses the extra energy efficiently.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Macros, every time. Calories are energy, but the nutrients effect how your body uses that energy. For me, I can be in range for calories, but too many carbs and I look bleh. Go over with protein and fat, my body thanks me, and uses the extra energy efficiently.

    what happens if you go over in cals?
  • helpfit101
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
    Eat enough fat and protein (it's OK to go over in these categories) and stay under your calorie goal. The rest isn't important.

    I agree. I looked at your diary and your protein / fat goals look good. Try to be near them or over every day. Fill up the rest of your calories with carbs.

    To fill in protein you can do:
    egg whites
    protein powder
    chicken breast

    For fat I bought:
    almonds

    So if I'm under in protein or fat I just eat a bit of whatever I'm low on. Your body mostly needs carbs to burn as energy for workouts. So you need a good quantity there as well but there's not such of a problem if you're under by a few grams.
  • Silver14
    Silver14 Posts: 141
    Macros, every time. Calories are energy, but the nutrients effect how your body uses that energy. For me, I can be in range for calories, but too many carbs and I look bleh. Go over with protein and fat, my body thanks me, and uses the extra energy efficiently.

    what happens if you go over in cals?

    With fat and protein? If its from good sources (not like trans fat and fried chicken) it doesn't effect my weight tbh. I can still lose if its not over by a TON.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Macros, every time. Calories are energy, but the nutrients effect how your body uses that energy. For me, I can be in range for calories, but too many carbs and I look bleh. Go over with protein and fat, my body thanks me, and uses the extra energy efficiently.

    what happens if you go over in cals?

    With fat and protein? If its from good sources (not like trans fat and fried chicken) it doesn't effect my weight tbh. I can still lose if its not over by a TON.

    and you think that comes from the quality of food/macros rather than some error rate or variance in logging and/or calorie estimation?
  • luizamoskalenko
    luizamoskalenko Posts: 1 Member
    I see so many people say that it is not possible to go over your calories and still be below your macros... well it is possible! My goal is 1721calories per day 172g carbs/151g protein/48gfat and I have only exceeded my protein with 2 grams and i still have 1 g fat left (which is 9calories) and 5g carbs which is 20calories and I am over with 18 calories... I have no idea why is that but it occurs very often!

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