Calories vs Macros
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Nightmare_Queen88
Posts: 304 Member
Which is more important? I'm hearing several different answers and I need to know what I should focus more on. I usually focus on both or usually macros because I'm so worried about going over them. I'm afraid I'll eat too many carbs and gain weight. And the same with fat. Which is why I haven't been too adventurous with my food choices. I've been eating the same thing for awhile now. And its getting boring. So in order to add more options to my diet is it ok if I focus less on macros and more on calories?
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Replies
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Calories for weight loss.
Macro balance can determine energy levels, satiety, and muscle retention. Macros are what make up your calories. So when counting macros you are still counting calories. Just going about it in a slightly different way. That said, you don't have to keep track of them. I like to make sure I hit my protein macro (120g) and let the others fall were they may. High carbs on their own won't make you gain weight if you don't exceed your calories. I had I want to say 50% carbs yesterday (my protein goal was met at around 20% which left a lot of room for carbs/fat).11 -
Counting macros is counting calories. You base your macros intake off your calorie goal.
You will not gain weight if you eat too many carbs so long as you stay within your calorie goal. Fat does not make you fat.
If you find it easier to count calories, then do that.4 -
For weight loss, calories. You don't gain weight by eating "too many carbs" within calories, that's a stupid myth that happens to be popular right now, like the same re fat was in the '80s and '90s. Both make absolutely 0 sense.
Macro percentage is pretty much irrelevant.
Macro grams can be helpful for things like getting adequate protein and finding a balance that works for you and not being hungry if that's an issue, but that also will result in counting calories, since the macro grams add up to total calories. If you get a decent amount of protein and feel satisfied with your diet, you can basically ignore macros.
For nutrition, I'd suggest that food choice matters more than macros (beyond getting an adequate amount of protein, as you have to work hard not to get enough fat). Beyond that, there are more and less nutrient dense choices within all the macros, and I'd focus more on getting a variety of micronutrients (vegetables being an excellent source that many Americans don't eat enough of), fiber, and healthy fats (esp. a good balance, so for most more Omega-3s).5 -
I think it depends on the exercise you're doing, and what your goals are. Personally, I am trying to lose fat at the minute so I'm consuming 1300-1400 cals a day (I weigh 150lbs and I'm 5'6) and trying to keep my macros as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I'm weight training 4 times a week as well as running a couple of days a week. I've lost 13lb in 8 weeks, and gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I find it easy enough to keep my food interesting on those calories!1
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Calories for weight loss/maintenance.
Macros for nutrition, muscle retention, and satiety. Some people find that keeping their macros within a certain range help them to stick to their calorie goal (personally, I feel most satisfied and experience the best blood sugar control with a 33.3-33.3-33.3% split between net carbs, fat, and protein), which might then make it easier for them to lose/maintain.2 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »For weight loss, calories. You don't gain weight by eating "too many carbs" within calories, that's a stupid myth that happens to be popular right now, like the same re fat was in the '80s and '90s. Both make absolutely 0 sense.
Macro percentage is pretty much irrelevant.
Macro grams can be helpful for things like getting adequate protein and finding a balance that works for you and not being hungry if that's an issue, but that also will result in counting calories, since the macro grams add up to total calories. If you get a decent amount of protein and feel satisfied with your diet, you can basically ignore macros.
For nutrition, I'd suggest that food choice matters more than macros (beyond getting an adequate amount of protein, as you have to work hard not to get enough fat). Beyond that, there are more and less nutrient dense choices within all the macros, and I'd focus more on getting a variety of micronutrients (vegetables being an excellent source that many Americans don't eat enough of), fiber, and healthy fats (esp. a good balance, so for most more Omega-3s).
Thank you. That makes me feel a lot better. I'll definitely start focusing more on calories than macros.
And don't worry I eat plenty of vegetables. 1 -
I've always seen at is calories is for weight loss, macros are for making sure you get the right nutrition. It's perfectly possible to lose weight eating low-nutrient foods, but then you make yourself sick. The macros are there to help you get the nutrition your body needs within the limits of what your daily calories are.2
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I think it depends on the exercise you're doing, and what your goals are. Personally, I am trying to lose fat at the minute so I'm consuming 1300-1400 cals a day (I weigh 150lbs and I'm 5'6) and trying to keep my macros as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I'm weight training 4 times a week as well as running a couple of days a week. I've lost 13lb in 8 weeks, and gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I find it easy enough to keep my food interesting on those calories!
I eat 1500 calories a day. My macros are 113g Carbs 113g Protein and 67g Fat. I workout 5 days a week. I walk and jog most days and I do Jillian Michaels beginners shred DVD twice a week.0 -
I think it depends on the exercise you're doing, and what your goals are. Personally, I am trying to lose fat at the minute so I'm consuming 1300-1400 cals a day (I weigh 150lbs and I'm 5'6) and trying to keep my macros as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I'm weight training 4 times a week as well as running a couple of days a week. I've lost 13lb in 8 weeks, and gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I find it easy enough to keep my food interesting on those calories!
exercise maybe...as a lifter yes I concentrated on getting in proteins but for weight loss calorie is king.
And the other bolded...probably not unless you are new to lifting and doing a progressive load lifting program...as "weight training" can encompass a lot of different things.
OP it depends on your goals...if you are mostly into losing weight...calories. If you want to maintain muscle while losing fat and you are lifting calories and protein.0 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »Counting macros is counting calories. You base your macros intake off your calorie goal.
You will not gain weight if you eat too many carbs so long as you stay within your calorie goal. Fat does not make you fat.
If you find it easier to count calories, then do that.
Yeah I definitely think it'll be easier to count calories. So I'll try that again.0 -
Interesting...thanks for starting the thread. I still have a ways to go on weight loss (have lost nearly 50, but, have another 50ish to go!) and find I get tripped up on the same thing. Do I focus on calories or macros?? I tend to get tripped up when I start to overthink and over read all the health info out there. This thread already has some great advice on how to approach this confusion. Looking forward to reading the rest. Best of luck in reaching your goals!2
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shadow2soul wrote: »Calories for weight loss.
Macro balance can determine energy levels, satiety, and muscle retention. Macros are what make up your calories. So when counting macros you are still counting calories. Just going about it in a slightly different way. That said, you don't have to keep track of them. I like to make sure I hit my protein macro (120g) and let the others fall were they may. High carbs on their own won't make you gain weight if you don't exceed your calories. I had I want to say 50% carbs yesterday (my protein goal was met at around 20% which left a lot of room for carbs/fat).
That makes sense. I guess I was over thinking it and reading too many online articles that are complete nonsense. I'll stick to focusing on calories. Its easier. And protein. I don't usually go over that by much. 1 -
Interesting...thanks for starting the thread. I still have a ways to go on weight loss (have lost nearly 50, but, have another 50ish to go!) and find I get tripped up on the same thing. Do I focus on calories or macros?? I tend to get tripped up when I start to overthink and over read all the health info out there. This thread already has some great advice on how to approach this confusion. Looking forward to reading the rest. Best of luck in reaching your goals!
@NewMe9597
My advice is focus on calorie goal first. Once you gotten a handle on that, pick one macro to focus on. Usually protein is the one that people don't reach and has a lot of benefits (helping preserve muscle), so then try to make little changes to hit your protein goal. Once you are getting that, you can fine tune.
I look at protein and fat as minimum, as in try to get at least that number, and I let the carbs fall where they may. I don't usually have a problem hitting carbs.
I did switch things up for training for a long distance race and had to really focus on carbs.4 -
3dogsrunning wrote: »
@NewMe9597
My advice is focus on calorie goal first. Once you gotten a handle on that, pick one macro to focus on. Usually protein is the one that people don't reach and has a lot of benefits (helping preserve muscle), so then try to make little changes to hit your protein goal. Once you are getting that, you can fine tune.
I look at protein and fat as minimum, as in try to get at least that number, and I let the carbs fall where they may. I don't usually have a problem hitting carbs.
I did switch things up for training for a long distance race and had to really focus on carbs.
Now that makes total sense! Thanks!!0 -
Interesting...thanks for starting the thread. I still have a ways to go on weight loss (have lost nearly 50, but, have another 50ish to go!) and find I get tripped up on the same thing. Do I focus on calories or macros?? I tend to get tripped up when I start to overthink and over read all the health info out there. This thread already has some great advice on how to approach this confusion. Looking forward to reading the rest. Best of luck in reaching your goals!
Good luck to you as well. 0 -
I think it depends on the exercise you're doing, and what your goals are. Personally, I am trying to lose fat at the minute so I'm consuming 1300-1400 cals a day (I weigh 150lbs and I'm 5'6) and trying to keep my macros as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I'm weight training 4 times a week as well as running a couple of days a week. I've lost 13lb in 8 weeks, and gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I find it easy enough to keep my food interesting on those calories!
exercise maybe...as a lifter yes I concentrated on getting in proteins but for weight loss calorie is king.
And the other bolded...probably not unless you are new to lifting and doing a progressive load lifting program...as "weight training" can encompass a lot of different things.
OP it depends on your goals...if you are mostly into losing weight...calories. If you want to maintain muscle while losing fat and you are lifting calories and protein.
My PT has been monitoring my body fat, lean muscle and inches closely and I can assure you I have gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I have been ensuring I get enough protein, and tracking my calories. However, carbs are also needed for energy and need replenished after a workout - which was what I meant when I said it can depend on your exercise regime.
My weights routine incorporates intensive heavy weights and low reps 4 times a week for 30 minutes.
My point was, my calories are made up of my macros - you can cut calories all you want but excluding food groups is not going to lead to optimum energy levels and health. Calories and macros can be a process of trial and error. 40-40-20 can work for 1 person and not work for another.0 -
I think it depends on the exercise you're doing, and what your goals are. Personally, I am trying to lose fat at the minute so I'm consuming 1300-1400 cals a day (I weigh 150lbs and I'm 5'6) and trying to keep my macros as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I'm weight training 4 times a week as well as running a couple of days a week. I've lost 13lb in 8 weeks, and gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I find it easy enough to keep my food interesting on those calories!
exercise maybe...as a lifter yes I concentrated on getting in proteins but for weight loss calorie is king.
And the other bolded...probably not unless you are new to lifting and doing a progressive load lifting program...as "weight training" can encompass a lot of different things.
OP it depends on your goals...if you are mostly into losing weight...calories. If you want to maintain muscle while losing fat and you are lifting calories and protein.
My PT has been monitoring my body fat, lean muscle and inches closely and I can assure you I have gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I have been ensuring I get enough protein, and tracking my calories. However, carbs are also needed for energy and need replenished after a workout - which was what I meant when I said it can depend on your exercise regime.
My weights routine incorporates intensive heavy weights and low reps 4 times a week for 30 minutes.
My point was, my calories are made up of my macros - you can cut calories all you want but excluding food groups is not going to lead to optimum energy levels and health. Calories and macros can be a process of trial and error. 40-40-20 can work for 1 person and not work for another.
Unless you are getting regular dexa scans to show the lean mass gains I wouldn't trust those numbers. I suspect your PT is using calipers which eh...margin of error is large enough to negate those gains...and it's almost impossible to gain muscle while on a deficit and based on your numbers you are on a 1lb a week loss deficit as we are about the same size and I maintain on 2k-2500 depending on cardio. Not trying to discourage anyone but reality is what I have mentioned.
and most here are not interested in the health/energy aspect of this life...they want the scale to go down period.
The macro thing confuses a lot of people so I rarely even go into it and the reasons for watching them unless asked.-1 -
I think it depends on the exercise you're doing, and what your goals are. Personally, I am trying to lose fat at the minute so I'm consuming 1300-1400 cals a day (I weigh 150lbs and I'm 5'6) and trying to keep my macros as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I'm weight training 4 times a week as well as running a couple of days a week. I've lost 13lb in 8 weeks, and gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I find it easy enough to keep my food interesting on those calories!
exercise maybe...as a lifter yes I concentrated on getting in proteins but for weight loss calorie is king.
And the other bolded...probably not unless you are new to lifting and doing a progressive load lifting program...as "weight training" can encompass a lot of different things.
OP it depends on your goals...if you are mostly into losing weight...calories. If you want to maintain muscle while losing fat and you are lifting calories and protein.
My PT has been monitoring my body fat, lean muscle and inches closely and I can assure you I have gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I have been ensuring I get enough protein, and tracking my calories. However, carbs are also needed for energy and need replenished after a workout - which was what I meant when I said it can depend on your exercise regime.
My weights routine incorporates intensive heavy weights and low reps 4 times a week for 30 minutes.
My point was, my calories are made up of my macros - you can cut calories all you want but excluding food groups is not going to lead to optimum energy levels and health. Calories and macros can be a process of trial and error. 40-40-20 can work for 1 person and not work for another.
Unless you are getting regular dexa scans to show the lean mass gains I wouldn't trust those numbers. I suspect your PT is using calipers which eh...margin of error is large enough to negate those gains...and it's almost impossible to gain muscle while on a deficit and based on your numbers you are on a 1lb a week loss deficit as we are about the same size and I maintain on 2k-2500 depending on cardio. Not trying to discourage anyone but reality is what I have mentioned.
and most here are not interested in the health/energy aspect of this life...they want the scale to go down period.
The macro thing confuses a lot of people so I rarely even go into it and the reasons for watching them unless asked.
"Not trying to discourage anyone"....yet you are. I've said pretty much the exact same as anyone else on this thread yet you're picking on me for some reason. OP asked which was better, counting calories or macros. I gave my opinion and explained why it worked for me.
I know a lot of people who use MFP who are very interested in proper health and nutrition, as am I - which was why my opinion highlighted the importance of being healthy and happy.
Anyway, I'm off to training to let my PT know the Internet says he's full of BS.1 -
not worth it2
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I think it depends on the exercise you're doing, and what your goals are. Personally, I am trying to lose fat at the minute so I'm consuming 1300-1400 cals a day (I weigh 150lbs and I'm 5'6) and trying to keep my macros as 40% protein, 40% carbs and 20% fat. I'm weight training 4 times a week as well as running a couple of days a week. I've lost 13lb in 8 weeks, and gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I find it easy enough to keep my food interesting on those calories!
exercise maybe...as a lifter yes I concentrated on getting in proteins but for weight loss calorie is king.
And the other bolded...probably not unless you are new to lifting and doing a progressive load lifting program...as "weight training" can encompass a lot of different things.
OP it depends on your goals...if you are mostly into losing weight...calories. If you want to maintain muscle while losing fat and you are lifting calories and protein.
My PT has been monitoring my body fat, lean muscle and inches closely and I can assure you I have gained 0.5lb of lean muscle. I have been ensuring I get enough protein, and tracking my calories. However, carbs are also needed for energy and need replenished after a workout - which was what I meant when I said it can depend on your exercise regime.
My weights routine incorporates intensive heavy weights and low reps 4 times a week for 30 minutes.
My point was, my calories are made up of my macros - you can cut calories all you want but excluding food groups is not going to lead to optimum energy levels and health. Calories and macros can be a process of trial and error. 40-40-20 can work for 1 person and not work for another.
Unless you are getting regular dexa scans to show the lean mass gains I wouldn't trust those numbers. I suspect your PT is using calipers which eh...margin of error is large enough to negate those gains...and it's almost impossible to gain muscle while on a deficit and based on your numbers you are on a 1lb a week loss deficit as we are about the same size and I maintain on 2k-2500 depending on cardio. Not trying to discourage anyone but reality is what I have mentioned.
and most here are not interested in the health/energy aspect of this life...they want the scale to go down period.
The macro thing confuses a lot of people so I rarely even go into it and the reasons for watching them unless asked.
"Not trying to discourage anyone"....yet you are. I've said pretty much the exact same as anyone else on this thread yet you're picking on me for some reason. OP asked which was better, counting calories or macros. I gave my opinion and explained why it worked for me.
I know a lot of people who use MFP who are very interested in proper health and nutrition, as am I - which was why my opinion highlighted the importance of being healthy and happy.
Anyway, I'm off to training to let my PT know the Internet says he's full of BS.
who am I discouraging? You? because I have said you probably haven't gained 1/2lb of muscle in a deficit?
Sorry if you are discouraged by that but your PT shouldn't be telling you this and setting you up for being discouraged when you tell people this and they tell you the truth.
If the OP indicates they are interested in keeping fit and working with the best energy levels they can and be healthy I will give them the information to the best of my ability.
As for your PT have at but I didn't tell you he was full of BS I just know that calipers have a margin of error and in as steep of a deficit that you are in ...yah no muscle gain.1
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