Nutrients or Macros?

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saw1969
saw1969 Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Rather than just focussing on calories I've started to pay more attention to my nutrients and macros but they don't seem to match ie my macros say I've hit my protein target but nutrients don't. Which should I pay more attention to?

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  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    When you say you 'hit your target' I assume you're talking about percentages?

    Assuming that's the case, pay attention to the 'nutrients' - that gives your goal in actual grams, not just a percentage of the whole.

    For example - your goal may be 100 g of protein per day, which is 30% of your overall calories (just as an example)

    But you check your 'target' after eating breakfast, which was 300 calories and contained 22.5 grams of protein.

    Your percentages will show you've eaten 30% of your calories in protein - but you still have a lot more calories to eat today. Your goal should be total grams, not just a percentage.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    Paying attention to get it all to match might be a one way ticket to crazy town. Also, the nutrient entries might not be complete on MFP. I'll try and illustrate.

    You've hit your calorie target for the day but you were under on your protein (macro). What can you do? Proteins all have calories. You can either go over on your calories and match your protein macro or call it a day. The sensible answer is to call it a day.

    To prevent such a scenario in the future, you can take care to include protein in every planned meal.

    Now let's add nutrient monitoring. You've hit your calorie target and you are in range for your macros. But you were deficient in potassium. What can you do? Take a teaspoon of potassium (NoSalt) in a glass of water I guess. Nominal calories. But you are taking a shot in the dark because perhaps an MFP entry was incomplete and that extra teaspoon of potassium actually puts you over your daily allowance. You'll never know.

    To limit this scenario in the future, eat a wide variety of foods from many sources. Eat dark green and bright orange vegetables more often. Eat more home-made meals. Follow the http://www.choosemyplate.gov.

    You'll get closer but you'll never match.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    I'm confused how your macros can say you hit your protein target but your nutrients say you didn't hit your protein target.
    Macros are nutrients (it's short for macronutrients).
    Which nutrients are telling you that you didn't reach your protein goal?
  • saw1969
    saw1969 Posts: 19 Member
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    Thanks for the advise it's helped me make more sense of it, and yes I was going a little crazy trying to match everything up.

    Carlos_421 I was referring to the Macros and Nutrients % - targets set by MFP.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Nutrients and macros are two different animals.

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