Macros v.s. Calories?
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Minimize refined sugar.
Eat fruits, vegetables, etc. with naturally occurring sugar.
If you use additives, honey, maple syrup, in moderation. Hell no to artificial sweeteners. Just my opinion though.
Re: Alcohol
I love to drink. I generally would drink too much....if I drank, like I used to, and didn't see the results of removing it ifrom my diet.
I thought my body could just process alcohol like any other food, so if it fit within my calorie budget, I could spend a summer day outside, eat nothing and down two bottles of hard cider-wine, right? Boom, 1200 calories,no "added" sugar....... yeah not so much. Did that for a few embarrassing month...reluctantly at the time, I stopped alcohol entirely on August 7th, 2015. I didn't have a single drink for 2 months. I lost 10 pounds by October 7th and weighed the lowest I've ever weighed in my life. I went from a size 4 down to size 0 in two months and found it was almost entirely because my waist size was reduced so dramatically. Beer gut? Nahh I had Cider Gut.
I have a glass of wine or mixed drink here and there now, in social situations, but I've maintained my weight, at the least, 10 pounds lower than I had been averaging for 4+ years while consuming alcohol regularly. It's not the devil. It just can be for those of us who drink a whole freaking lot of it when we do!0 -
Calories for weight loss and macros for body composition. One lowers the number on the scale and the other makes you look good in the mirror0
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I more or less agree but, if I just sit on my couch, no macro combination in the world is going to make me look good in the mirror.muscleandbeard wrote: »Calories for weight loss and macros for body composition. One lowers the number on the scale and the other makes you look good in the mirror
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Meal timing matters, just not as important as calories, macros and micros. The point of the chart is to illustrate that unless you have the base three down, focusing on meal timing is futile. Meal timing is for people who have the foundation locked down...feisty_bucket wrote: »
Meal timing/frequency doesn't matter. Overall calories matter. Time your meals out however works for you.0 -
I make sure i hit my protein number and then my fats, good fats. I worry less about carbs but i do notice if they creep up my weight will creep up as well. Usually they creep up because i missed my protein goal.0
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Hi, found this thread as I was looking for the word "sugar". Why My Fitness Pal counts Sugar as a macronutrient after one has configured the Goals. You see it under Nutrients section.
Sugar, as all refined carbs should be ZERO! Sugar down not belong to the human body as all refined carbs. Sugar we brought to Europe from Asia few centuries ago(I think 510BC, just google it)....before they used plant derived sweeteners and honey. Stevia in South America.
For example, I used to drink my espressos (many of them during the day) with sugar. I switched to stevia (hard to find pure and organic) for a while (you get used to it) then I just stopped and drink it black. Now is fine. It is just a matter of reprogramming the brain from unconsciously induced bad diet due to modern lifestyle, since our childhood.
Regarding macro count and calories just "do not drink your calories". Try to take calories from the main macros and eat good carbs you will have much less cravings as well. Learn to drink still water only (no bubbles). I drink wine now and then and it goes into my macro count.
You do realize sugar cane is a plant, right?0 -
erincole39108 wrote: »Is counting calories effective enough? Or do all my macros take a toll?
Your overall calorie intake is the most foundational principle of your entire diet. Without a calorie surplus, you aren’t going to gain any significant muscle, and without a calorie deficit, you aren’t going to lose any significant fat.
Your total daily calorie intake will determine whether you gain weight or lose weight, and your macronutrient intake (the total daily grams of protein, carbohydrates and fats) will influence what type of body weight is gained or lost, whether it be muscle or fat.
Proteins contain 4 calories per gram, fats contain 9 calories per gram, and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram.
My general recommendation to optimize body composition is as follows:
Protein: 1 gram per pound of body weight daily
Fats: 25-30% of total calories for muscle gain, and 15-20% of total calories for fat loss
Carbohydrates: Whatever calories are left over after protein/fat is calculated.
You certainly don’t need to hit these numbers with exact precision every day, but just try to come reasonably close if you’re serious about achieving the very best results.0 -
Meal timing matters, just not as important as calories, macros and micros. The point of the chart is to illustrate that unless you have the base three down, focusing on meal timing is futile. Meal timing is for people who have the foundation locked down...feisty_bucket wrote: » Meal timing/frequency doesn't matter. Overall calories matter. Time your meals out however works for you.
Agreed.
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Meal timing matters, just not as important as calories, macros and micros. The point of the chart is to illustrate that unless you have the base three down, focusing on meal timing is futile. Meal timing is for people who have the foundation locked down...feisty_bucket wrote: » Meal timing/frequency doesn't matter. Overall calories matter. Time your meals out however works for you.
Maybe this goes in line with what you're saying, but I think meal timing starts to have relevance when you're very lean and looking to get leaner, where you need every possible edge. I'd submit that for the average Joe/Jane with average/above average bodyfat, any benefits from meal timing/frequency are so small as to be insignificant in the big picture.0 -
Absolutely...
Meal timing matters, just not as important as calories, macros and micros. The point of the chart is to illustrate that unless you have the base three down, focusing on meal timing is futile. Meal timing is for people who have the foundation locked down...feisty_bucket wrote: » Meal timing/frequency doesn't matter. Overall calories matter. Time your meals out however works for you.
Maybe this goes in line with what you're saying, but I think meal timing starts to have relevance when you're very lean and looking to get leaner, where you need every possible edge. I'd submit that for the average Joe/Jane with average/above average bodyfat, any benefits from meal timing/frequency are so small as to be insignificant in the big picture.
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STOP FEEDING PEOPLE *kitten* LIES! YOU NEED CARBS TO SURVIVE AND GIVE US ENERGY. EVERY SIGLE CELL IN OUR BODIES RUN OFF OF GLUCOSE. PUSING YOUR BODY WITHOUT CARBS MAKES IT GO INTO ILL STATE AND WILL ELIMINATE YOUR ENERGY AND MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE *kitten*. STOP FEEDING PEOPLE *kitten* LIES THAT CARBS ARE BAD AND THAT YOU CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM.[/quote]
No the human body can survive on Fats and Protein alone with zero carbs why because that "energy" your talking about is called Glucose which can come from Protein and Fat once ingested by our fantastic bodies.
I would Highly recommend you do a little research before Splating your Young Know it all self on the Boards without any research. A simple google search could seriously help you..
https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS670US670&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=can a human survive without carbs
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No we don't need carbs to survive, but we do need them to thrive...Michael190lbs wrote: »Technically we don't need carbs to survive either protein and fat will store as glycogen and be used as energy.
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No we don't need carbs to survive, but we do need them to thrive...Michael190lbs wrote: »Technically we don't need carbs to survive either protein and fat will store as glycogen and be used as energy.
I agree 100% I would not have a diet without carbs!!0 -
Michael190lbs wrote: »
No we don't need carbs to survive, but we do need them to thrive...Michael190lbs wrote: »Technically we don't need carbs to survive either protein and fat will store as glycogen and be used as energy.
I agree 100% I would not have a diet without carbs!!
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munstermash7 wrote: »I make sure i hit my protein number and then my fats, good fats. I worry less about carbs but i do notice if they creep up my weight will creep up as well. Usually they creep up because i missed my protein goal.
This, yes. That's why dont understand why Scooby says I need 35/45/20. What's with that extra 5%?0 -
munstermash7 wrote: »I make sure i hit my protein number and then my fats, good fats. I worry less about carbs but i do notice if they creep up my weight will creep up as well. Usually they creep up because i missed my protein goal.
This, yes. That's why dont understand why Scooby says I need 35/45/20. What's with that extra 5%?0 -
munstermash7 wrote: »I make sure i hit my protein number and then my fats, good fats. I worry less about carbs but i do notice if they creep up my weight will creep up as well. Usually they creep up because i missed my protein goal.
This, yes. That's why dont understand why Scooby says I need 35/45/20. What's with that extra 5%?
Sweating over a 5% difference in macros is 'majoring in the minors'. Your weight won't "creep up" on 5% more carbs as long as you're in a deficit. Set your macros, try to get somewhere close to them and don't get obsessive about hitting them right on the number.0 -
A return to the MFP forums?0
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