1200 calories? Macros?
Replies
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[/quote]
Well, I don't think it's bad info. It works for me and my clients. I try to encourage good, healthy habits and personally, calorie counting isn't great. Fair enough if your prepping for a show or whatever. But as a lifestyle, a calorie deficit will result in weight loss, regardless of what you eat. But what that food is made up from, is the fundamental aspect.[/quote]
Why are you on a calorie counting website if you are anti calorie counting?2 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »Um, this is what we are all saying...
You could say - macro and calorie track and eat junk food and reach your goals, but making good choices wouldn't require you to be strict and calories count. Are you saying a surplus of lettuce should be logged and tracked?! Do you weigh out....peas? Crazy if you ask me.
Example -
CAKE, track it yes.
VEGETABLES, don't bother. Fill your boots!
Understand? It depends on what the foods consist of.
[/quote]
If my TDEE is 2,000 calories and I've had 1,900 calories, it doesn't matter--for the purposes of maintaining my weight--if I eat 300 more calories of cake or of broccoli.
I don't know where you got the idea that the calories in vegetables don't count, but it simply isn't true. Your body can recognize and use the calories in vegetables and -- if they put you over the amount you're using -- your body can store them for later use, just like it can with cake.
A surplus of *anything* should be tracked. One cup of peas has 118 calories. Why is that less important than a tablespoon of olive oil?4 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »
You could say - macro and calorie track and eat junk food and reach your goals, but making good choices wouldn't require you to be strict and calories count. Are you saying a surplus of lettuce should be logged and tracked?! Do you weigh out....peas? Crazy if you ask me.
Example -
CAKE, track it yes.
VEGETABLES, don't bother. Fill your boots!
Understand? It depends on what the foods consist of.
Yes, I understand. Because I've been doing this quite awhile. But does the newbie understand, or know, how many calories are in peas? Do they realize that something can be considered "healthy", avocado, for example, and still be calorie dense? Probably not. They should probably start at the beginning and build understanding, and then begin to figure out what they can eyeball.
Knowledge and education first.2 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
So much bad information here..........
OP - calories count. Always. @SezxyStef is correct.
So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus. It's sad that people track calories. There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake. Calories do not count. Quality food counts.
No, there is not a difference in the calories - 100 calories of salad and 100 calories of cake give off the same amount of hear when burned. And burning it is how the calories are determined.
There is a world of difference in the nutritional value of 100 calories of salad and 100 calories of cake. And a world of difference in the taste. Since I like both, I make room for both.
OP - my experience is that 70g of protein is a bare minimum to keep me feeling satiated and feeling satiated is the key to eating within my calorie goals.
Edit: Hear should be heat...and I should proofread. Sorry...4 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Just a note, @Ashleyfxo. When you get conflicting information from different posters, look and see how many posts they have made. @hassankarimi82 has made 42 posts. @teabea has made 9,085 posts and @SezxyStef has made 12,323 posts. You probably want to listen to the people who have been around awhile (and know what they are talking about).
So now the amount of posts on a forum make you an expert in fitness and nutrition? Well, guess I better quit my day job and focus on making posts here all day.
@hassankarimi82, I am in the same boat. I don't focus to hard on my daily calorie count. Some days I hit 1800, some I may do 1300. Eating the right foods is far more important then trying to fit a piece of cake into your macros. Don't be one of those people, IIFYM (if it fits your macros), you'll only find yourself making excuses to eat foods your shouldn't eat. I have also noticed on this page, there is a lot of conflicting information. @ashleyfxo, its going to be tough to weed through it for your purpose. The most basic advice I can say is, focus on eating a healthy variety of foods, veggies, meats, fruits, carbs, nuts, oils. For protein, I personally eat about .7-.9 grams per body pound and sometimes less depending the day. I think the carbs might be a bit high if your trying to lose weight, but that's my opinion. @ashleyfxo, I if your looking for good nutritional advice, and have some time to spare, I advice listening to Mind Pump. They are a fitness podcast on iTunes, and have taught me a lot about eating right, along with much more. Check them out. Best of luck shifting through all this clutter.
But if you are keeping your calorie count under 1800 per day, you're going to lose weight. If you go over your TDEE (whatever that is for you. For me, it's approximately 2200 calories), you will gain weight, right?
Not necessarily. Its all about calories in versus calories out. On an off day from the gym I fast longer, and consume less then on a day where I will be in the gym lifting heavy. I Just know what I need to eat to feel full, and have enough energy to get to the next meal.
I 100% agree with this.
Most people, however, especially if they are not currently fit and active, do not know what 1800 calories truly looks like. That's where weighing and logging can help their skewed perception. You may be able to accurately determine how many calories are in this...but the majority of people cannot.
If your new to losing weight, YES! Please track everything. Get yourself into the habit of what your food needs to look like. Know what 1800 looks like versus 1300, or 3500! Understand what a piece of cake will do to your body versus a serving of green beans. The problem people run into is they do not want to put in the work, so they don't bother, and they continue their unhealthy lifestyle. For those who want to make the change, and want to dedicate themselves, I will always recommend knowing what servings size they need to consume and after a while, it'll become second nature and they won't have to track any more.0 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Just a note, @Ashleyfxo. When you get conflicting information from different posters, look and see how many posts they have made. @hassankarimi82 has made 42 posts. @teabea has made 9,085 posts and @SezxyStef has made 12,323 posts. You probably want to listen to the people who have been around awhile (and know what they are talking about).
So now the amount of posts on a forum make you an expert in fitness and nutrition? Well, guess I better quit my day job and focus on making posts here all day.
@hassankarimi82, I am in the same boat. I don't focus to hard on my daily calorie count. Some days I hit 1800, some I may do 1300. Eating the right foods is far more important then trying to fit a piece of cake into your macros. Don't be one of those people, IIFYM (if it fits your macros), you'll only find yourself making excuses to eat foods your shouldn't eat. I have also noticed on this page, there is a lot of conflicting information. @ashleyfxo, its going to be tough to weed through it for your purpose. The most basic advice I can say is, focus on eating a healthy variety of foods, veggies, meats, fruits, carbs, nuts, oils. For protein, I personally eat about .7-.9 grams per body pound and sometimes less depending the day. I think the carbs might be a bit high if your trying to lose weight, but that's my opinion. @ashleyfxo, I if your looking for good nutritional advice, and have some time to spare, I advice listening to Mind Pump. They are a fitness podcast on iTunes, and have taught me a lot about eating right, along with much more. Check them out. Best of luck shifting through all this clutter.
But if you are keeping your calorie count under 1800 per day, you're going to lose weight. If you go over your TDEE (whatever that is for you. For me, it's approximately 2200 calories), you will gain weight, right?
Not necessarily. Its all about calories in versus calories out. On an off day from the gym I fast longer, and consume less then on a day where I will be in the gym lifting heavy. I Just know what I need to eat to feel full, and have enough energy to get to the next meal.
I 100% agree with this.
Most people, however, especially if they are not currently fit and active, do not know what 1800 calories truly looks like. That's where weighing and logging can help their skewed perception. You may be able to accurately determine how many calories are in this...but the majority of people cannot.
If your new to losing weight, YES! Please track everything. Get yourself into the habit of what your food needs to look like. Know what 1800 looks like versus 1300, or 3500! Understand what a piece of cake will do to your body versus a serving of green beans. The problem people run into is they do not want to put in the work, so they don't bother, and they continue their unhealthy lifestyle. For those who want to make the change, and want to dedicate themselves, I will always recommend knowing what servings size they need to consume and after a while, it'll become second nature and they won't have to track any more.
Amen. That's all I'm saying. Most people asking questions here are newbies. We cannot give them advice as if they are fit and active and educated in nutrition.6 -
I can't believe it's come down to the calories in peas. Counting....peas. What if you ate too many? Purge?! This is getting a bit silly now, but I think we can all differentiate between good and bad choices. Food is there to be enjoyed. Have fun people.0
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hassankarimi82 wrote: »So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus.hassankarimi82 wrote: »It's sad that people track calories.hassankarimi82 wrote: »There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake.hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories do not count. Quality food counts.4
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hassankarimi82 wrote: »I can't believe it's come down to the calories in peas. Counting....peas. What if you ate too many? Purge?! This is getting a bit silly now, but I think we can all differentiate between good and bad choices. Food is there to be enjoyed. Have fun people.
What do you do when you eat too much of anything? Make adjustments the rest of the day or the next day or accept it and move on.
Where on earth do you get the idea that anyone is expected to purge?
Would you purge if you ate a surplus of cake? If not, why would you think anyone is recommending that for a surplus of peas?
Food is there to be enjoyed. That's why demonizing foods or suggesting that people purge is completely ridiculous.5 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus.hassankarimi82 wrote: »It's sad that people track calories.hassankarimi82 wrote: »There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake.hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories do not count. Quality food counts.
Sorry bro, I don't have a clue.0 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »I can't believe it's come down to the calories in peas. Counting....peas. What if you ate too many? Purge?! This is getting a bit silly now, but I think we can all differentiate between good and bad choices. Food is there to be enjoyed. Have fun people.
For the record...you brought up peas.
And lettuce.
And cake.
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MommyMeggo wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »I can't believe it's come down to the calories in peas. Counting....peas. What if you ate too many? Purge?! This is getting a bit silly now, but I think we can all differentiate between good and bad choices. Food is there to be enjoyed. Have fun people.
For the record...you brought up peas.
And lettuce.
And cake.
Haha, true that. Good combos.
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I lost 45 lbs in 2 months and still going strong. calories matter. macros also matter. calories is about half of it. then macros. then nutrient timing, food quality and supplements in order. just as an example, you eat 1200 calories of only carbs vs 1200 calories of protein vs 1200 calories of fat, you will have different body compositions with each. 2 will be more similar than the 3rd, but you get the idea. make sure you get your protein and lower your carbs while making the ones you eat higher quality. make your first meal high protein and fat. you can do it! feel free to hit me up for help. I haven't figured out how to keep up with forums yet, so I'm a bit of a seagull on these posts. good luck!3
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hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
LOL. Of course calories count and some salads, especially those you get at a restaurant, can have upwards of 1,000 calories! I know some of mine have 500-600 calories in them. To say "calories don't count" is utter rubbish. In this line of thinking you're saying that I can eat 10,000 calories a day but as long as I'm getting those calories form "good food sources" and have high protein and quality fats I'm not going to gain an ounce.
Misinformation much?2 -
You could say - macro and calorie track and eat junk food and reach your goals, but making good choices wouldn't require you to be strict and calories count. Are you saying a surplus of lettuce should be logged and tracked?! Do you weigh out....peas? Crazy if you ask me.
Example -
CAKE, track it yes.
VEGETABLES, don't bother. Fill your boots!
Understand? It depends on what the foods consist of.
You can get fat on vegetables if you're going over calorie goals. It does not depend on what the food consists of. Too many calories regardless of the food source = weight gain.
And yes, I weigh out EVERYTHING that I put on my plate.3 -
Calorie counting is important to properly lose weight. Macros are important so that you properly nourish your body while restricting your calories.
Why does this seem so simple to me?1 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus.hassankarimi82 wrote: »It's sad that people track calories.hassankarimi82 wrote: »There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake.hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories do not count. Quality food counts.
Sorry bro, I don't have a clue.
Clearly...3 -
What have I created?! Yeah, sorry. Don't listen to me.1
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hassankarimi82 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus.hassankarimi82 wrote: »It's sad that people track calories.hassankarimi82 wrote: »There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake.hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories do not count. Quality food counts.
Sorry bro, I don't have a clue.
At least you've finally admitted it.2 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »What have I created?! Yeah, sorry. Don't listen to me.
Lol...0 -
Did anyone see the game last night?2
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hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Calories do count... but I have a question.
Are you talking about the "If it fits your macros" way of eating? Assuming 1) you're in a macro deficit and 2) you're counting protein, fat, and carbs and meeting but not exceeding your daily allotment, when you calculate the calories consumed based on these variables, you would still be in a deficit calorically. Many people do use this method and have success since it helps to ensure satiety.
4 calories to 1 gram of either protein or carb and 9 calories for 1 gram of fat. You can literally do the math. But it wouldn't be necessary as long as you're not going over.
But in the end... the calories still count, whether you are actually counting them or not.
Anyway... OP, 1200 calories a day is really hard to maintain. I've tried. You can try, but don't be afraid to increase it if you find it's not working for you. If you're eating too much of one macro and not enough of others, you might find it harder to stick to 1200 calories just because you may feel hungrier than you need to feel on the same amount of calories using different foods.0 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Calories do count... but I have a question.
Are you talking about the "If it fits your macros" way of eating? Assuming 1) you're in a macro deficit and 2) you're counting protein, fat, and carbs and meeting but not exceeding your daily allotment, when you calculate the calories consumed based on these variables, you would still be in a deficit calorically. Many people do use this method and have success since it helps to ensure satiety.
But in the end... the calories still count, whether you are actually counting them or not.
I hate IIFYM. That is the worst approach a person can take to dieting. I am all for eating food, and having that variety. But People abuse this more then they should, and then blame others for their short comings. Hey, I love cake, but I know I can't eat it every day, or even once a week. Be mindful of what your consuming.0 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
So much bad information here..........
OP - calories count. Always. @SezxyStef is correct.
So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus. It's sad that people track calories. There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake. Calories do not count. Quality food counts.
Buy a food scale.
Haha! I didn't realise how volatile the community is. If we're being petty and childish, how about taking advice from people who look AWESOME and actually know what they're talking about. I've got a scale, but what the hell has that got to do with anything?! There's a lot of people here creating bad, unhealthy habits. Good quality food should not be tracked, weighed, whatever. A lifestyle change is key with consistency over time. I think everyone can distinguish good choices from bad.
Okay so if I eat 3000 calories of good quality food I will be fine and won't gain even though my maintenance is 2400....is that what you are saying?
Has @hassankarimi82 answered this yet?0 -
diannethegeek wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
So much bad information here..........
OP - calories count. Always. @SezxyStef is correct.
So if calories count, then why am I not 15 stone like fitness pal says I should be after a year of eating quality food in a surplus. It's sad that people track calories. There is a great difference in the calories on a plate full of vegetables than a plate with cake. Calories do not count. Quality food counts.
Buy a food scale.
Haha! I didn't realise how volatile the community is. If we're being petty and childish, how about taking advice from people who look AWESOME and actually know what they're talking about. I've got a scale, but what the hell has that got to do with anything?! There's a lot of people here creating bad, unhealthy habits. Good quality food should not be tracked, weighed, whatever. A lifestyle change is key with consistency over time. I think everyone can distinguish good choices from bad.
Okay so if I eat 3000 calories of good quality food I will be fine and won't gain even though my maintenance is 2400....is that what you are saying?
Has @hassankarimi82 answered this yet?
Let me Google it first.0 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Calories do count... but I have a question.
Are you talking about the "If it fits your macros" way of eating? Assuming 1) you're in a macro deficit and 2) you're counting protein, fat, and carbs and meeting but not exceeding your daily allotment, when you calculate the calories consumed based on these variables, you would still be in a deficit calorically. Many people do use this method and have success since it helps to ensure satiety.
But in the end... the calories still count, whether you are actually counting them or not.
I hate IIFYM. That is the worst approach a person can take to dieting. I am all for eating food, and having that variety. But People abuse this more then they should, and then blame others for their short comings. Hey, I love cake, but I know I can't eat it every day, or even once a week. Be mindful of what your consuming.
Then you clearly do not understand IIFYM...5 -
I've changed my settings to lose 2lbs per week, and it's at 1200 calories which I'm fine with. Do I really need to follow the macros aswell? Or just 1200 calories?
It wants me to have like 70g of protein and 150g carbs.. I'm trying to lose 45lbs by October
@ashleyfxo Looks like your original question has gotten lost in the debate. My two cents: the macros that MFP or other sites give you are a decent starting point if you choose to track them, but they're by no means the only set of macros that would work for you and they aren't necessary for weight loss. You should feel free to play around and find the way of eating that works best for you :drinker:1 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Calories do count... but I have a question.
Are you talking about the "If it fits your macros" way of eating? Assuming 1) you're in a macro deficit and 2) you're counting protein, fat, and carbs and meeting but not exceeding your daily allotment, when you calculate the calories consumed based on these variables, you would still be in a deficit calorically. Many people do use this method and have success since it helps to ensure satiety.
But in the end... the calories still count, whether you are actually counting them or not.
I hate IIFYM. That is the worst approach a person can take to dieting. I am all for eating food, and having that variety. But People abuse this more then they should, and then blame others for their short comings. Hey, I love cake, but I know I can't eat it every day, or even once a week. Be mindful of what your consuming.
Making sure I meet my nutritional and calorie goals is the worst approach a person can take to dieting?
4 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Calories do count... but I have a question.
Are you talking about the "If it fits your macros" way of eating? Assuming 1) you're in a macro deficit and 2) you're counting protein, fat, and carbs and meeting but not exceeding your daily allotment, when you calculate the calories consumed based on these variables, you would still be in a deficit calorically. Many people do use this method and have success since it helps to ensure satiety.
But in the end... the calories still count, whether you are actually counting them or not.
I hate IIFYM. That is the worst approach a person can take to dieting. I am all for eating food, and having that variety. But People abuse this more then they should, and then blame others for their short comings. Hey, I love cake, but I know I can't eat it every day, or even once a week. Be mindful of what your consuming.
I don't use it either, but it sounded like what that poster might have - maybe - been trying to say.0 -
hassankarimi82 wrote: »Calories don't count. The constitution of the food does! You could eat salad and veg all day everyday and not hit that calorie target. Just eat good food sources. Keep protein high with some good quality fats. If you want to lose body fat, reduce your carbohydrate intake. Track carbs, not calories!
Calories do count... but I have a question.
Are you talking about the "If it fits your macros" way of eating? Assuming 1) you're in a macro deficit and 2) you're counting protein, fat, and carbs and meeting but not exceeding your daily allotment, when you calculate the calories consumed based on these variables, you would still be in a deficit calorically. Many people do use this method and have success since it helps to ensure satiety.
But in the end... the calories still count, whether you are actually counting them or not.
I hate IIFYM. That is the worst approach a person can take to dieting. I am all for eating food, and having that variety. But People abuse this more then they should, and then blame others for their short comings. Hey, I love cake, but I know I can't eat it every day, or even once a week. Be mindful of what your consuming.
Then you clearly do not understand IIFYM...
Give me a break! I do understand it. I have been around long enough to see people go, oh I can eat this cookie, or this donut because it fits into my calories, and fat and carbs for the day. Hell I even used it for a period of time. If you give people an inch they will take a mile, and I'm not saying that everyone abusing it, so don't think that I am saying that. What I am saying is, I don't care for it because people use it as a poor excuse to cheat on their diets. If people focused on eating a balanced diet, instead of trying to squeeze food into they shouldn't been eating in the first place they would have better results in the long run. If someone planned every Friday they were going to eat a donut and built that into their plan, good for them. But IIFYM comes from people, adding food throughout the day to meet whatever their goals are, not taking time to plan their meals out out in advance.0
This discussion has been closed.
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