Do macros matter if you're in a cal deficit?

As long as your getting enough protein, your fine eating the remaining calories in carbs!

You will not be gaining any muscle whatsoever during a deficit. You will be losing it along with fat. However, this is where macros and lifting come in to play. When someone loses weight purely by decreasing calories, they will "shrink" to a smaller version of what they already are. They will lose fat- but also lots of lean muscle. This results in what many people call "skinny fat". When you are in a deficit and are feeding your body the proper amounts of fats, protein, and carbs while also following a compound and solid lifting routine, your body will lose fat while maintaining muscle mass. That's not to say you will not lose muscle while eating the proper macros and lifting, but you will definitely lose much less which results in a more lean and tight physique.

tomteboda wrote: »

Where is everyone getting this 1g/lb recommendation? I'm seeing it all over the place but can't source it. The only sources I could find suggested

A study by William M. Rand, Peter L. Pellett and Vernon R. Young, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that healthy adults require between 0.65 g and 0.83 g of protein for every 2.2 lb of body weight. Athletes and people involved in resistance training require between 1.2 g and 2.2 g of protein per 2.2 lb of body weight, as suggested in a study by Jacob Wilson and Gabriel J. Wilson in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
-- "How Many Calories are in One Gram of Protein"

The original articles give recommendations in g/kg bodyweight. As 1 lb = 2.2 kg, I see people recommending nearly (or more than) twice the amount for everyone!

This is a general purpose forum, and outside of competitive athletes and bodybuilders, the protein recommendations are much lower than this 1g/lb that people are quoting. There is a wide variance in what constitutes a "healthy" amount; as near as I can tell, if you eat a variety of foods you're going to meet those needs and have plenty of "extra" calories to put into whatever you want (protein, carbs, fat).

+1

Fair to say, over-relying on a single type of energy source in your diet is probably not a good idea.

stevenfullman wrote: »

tomteboda wrote: »

Where is everyone getting this 1g/lb recommendation? I'm seeing it all over the place but can't source it. The only sources I could find suggested

A study by William M. Rand, Peter L. Pellett and Vernon R. Young, reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggests that healthy adults require between 0.65 g and 0.83 g of protein for every 2.2 lb of body weight. Athletes and people involved in resistance training require between 1.2 g and 2.2 g of protein per 2.2 lb of body weight, as suggested in a study by Jacob Wilson and Gabriel J. Wilson in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
-- "How Many Calories are in One Gram of Protein"

The original articles give recommendations in g/kg bodyweight. As 1 lb = 2.2 kg, I see people recommending nearly (or more than) twice the amount for everyone!

This is a general purpose forum, and outside of competitive athletes and bodybuilders, the protein recommendations are much lower than this 1g/lb that people are quoting. There is a wide variance in what constitutes a "healthy" amount; as near as I can tell, if you eat a variety of foods you're going to meet those needs and have plenty of "extra" calories to put into whatever you want (protein, carbs, fat).

+1

Fair to say, over-relying on a single type of energy source in your diet is probably not a good idea.

1g per lb is hardly relying. 120-200 grams of protein equates to between 480-800 calories coming from protein. No wonder so many people have a "soft" look, no one eats enough protein.