Does anyone ignore the calorie counter?

KarlyHK
KarlyHK Posts: 114 Member
Does anyone ignore the calorie counter and mainly only pays attention to the carb and protein counter?

I'm new to this app.

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Replies

  • cinnag4225
    cinnag4225 Posts: 126 Member
    Calories first, sodium second (usually; I've been a bit lazy on this front the last week or so), sugar third. My protein and carbs are normally in a good range, so I don't worry about them.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Calories first for me too! Macros fall where they lay.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    calories.. try to reach my protein goal dgaf on fat and carbs
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
    I am gonna try just focusing on macro goals right now see how that goes
  • Drmfslx123
    Drmfslx123 Posts: 2 Member
    No way tho, I always keep tracking my calories
  • thatdesertgirl777
    thatdesertgirl777 Posts: 269 Member
    I've found that focusing on calories is what gives me results. Tweaking macros has never made a difference for me.
  • itsthehumidity
    itsthehumidity Posts: 351 Member
    Weight loss is about calories first. Most of us are here to lose weight, and so most of us are going to pay attention to calories.

    Most are also probably paying attention to protein, and then I assume filling in the rest of their calories with reasonable amounts of both fat and carbs. But, that's not your question.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Well, if you are within your macros you are automatically within your calories because macros is what makes the calories. Personally I go by calories first and foremost because hitting all macros perfectly is stressful for me. I have a quick glance at my protein, but that's about it.

    If ignoring the calories makes you feel better then go for it.
  • maplesyrup10
    maplesyrup10 Posts: 52 Member
    This has been great to read because I have been using this app for a while now and really only paid attention to the calories. I never really took the sodium/carb/sugar/protein "warnings" and goals into count.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Calories - if you want to lose weight.
  • littlechiaseed
    littlechiaseed Posts: 489 Member
    I am gonna try just focusing on macro goals right now see how that goes

    If you're counting macros then you are also counting calories by default. I find it much easier to hit one calorie goal than micro managing 3 different macros.


    Congrats dude
  • cgvet37
    cgvet37 Posts: 1,189 Member
    Protein and carbs are the most important to me.
  • JC77721
    JC77721 Posts: 65 Member
    edited July 2016
    Macros. Some food labels have innacurate calorie measurements and as more food is added to myfitnesspal, the more innacurate the calories can become.

    What I do is to wait until about 100 calories are remaining, then I grab a calculator, multiply the carbs and protein grams I have consumed so far by 4, and fat by 9, then sum the results and it gives me a more accurare calorie measurement. Sometimes the difference in calories as compared with those the app gives me is up to 100 calories! (at least in my case); that's an extra small greek yogurt I could happily eat.

    I would not recommend this technique to anyone if your only goal is to lose or weight gain. I only do it because I want to build muscle and I count my calories as accurate as I can
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
    Macros...don't pay attention to your calories...MFP does not calculate all the nutritional info, for example look at my diary, it says I have gone over my calories today by 100+ yet my macros are still behind for the daily total
  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Macros...don't pay attention to your calories...MFP does not calculate all the nutritional info, for example look at my diary, it says I have gone over my calories today by 100+ yet my macros are still behind for the daily total

    Macros are whack because user entered

    Calories can be whack too but easier to double check on other databases

    With that in mind, advising to focus on macros seems nonsensical to me as it just makes the double checking three times as hard

    I do calories and protein (should do fat but can't be bothered)

    Just times protein and carbs by 4 and your fats by 9, it takes 30 seconds. I was undercalculating what I was eating by 150-200 cals some days which rather than putting me at maintenance actually put me cutting!!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    rsclause wrote: »
    I quit logging because I have gotten educated on how to eat thanks to MFP and it pissed off everybody at the table. I just hang out here for the fun of it and in case I need intervention.

    I hope to be where you are... one day. I just can't seem to let go of weighing and logging everything! It's an addiction i tell you!! :tired_face:
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I actually plan the protein for the entire day first (pre-log) so I guess it is protein first, then calories for the rest.
  • vingogly
    vingogly Posts: 1,785 Member
    I started out a few years ago paying attention mostly to the macros, shifted over to focusing on calories and sugar, now I'm looking at sodium since I'm nearing my goal weight and am on multiple blood pressure meds.

    Regarding accuracy: I find it's better to pay attention to the label on the food or use the bar code scanner rather than the items in the database. And I've found it's better to never take the first match that turns up for a product. Many items have multiple entries created by MFP users, and a lot of those are wildly inaccurate (whether intentionally or out of ignorance, I couldn't tell you).
  • gwynethsomeday
    gwynethsomeday Posts: 31 Member
    Tend to pay more attention to macros.

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Macros...don't pay attention to your calories...MFP does not calculate all the nutritional info, for example look at my diary, it says I have gone over my calories today by 100+ yet my macros are still behind for the daily total

    Macros are whack because user entered

    Calories can be whack too but easier to double check on other databases

    With that in mind, advising to focus on macros seems nonsensical to me as it just makes the double checking three times as hard

    I do calories and protein (should do fat but can't be bothered)

    Just times protein and carbs by 4 and your fats by 9, it takes 30 seconds. I was undercalculating what I was eating by 150-200 cals some days which rather than putting me at maintenance actually put me cutting!!

    I know how to work out calories from macros I'm just questioning why you think, if using the MFP database that is any more accurate
  • AnnieintheN0rth
    AnnieintheN0rth Posts: 33 Member
    Calories, for me. I was on here about two years ago and I was obsessed with tracking EVERYTHING I possible could. I had lost 110+ lbs and was terrified of losing control again. I spend so long pouring over digits and ended up weighing myself twice a day. It's wasn't a healthy attitude.
    Take away message: Whatever works for you, stick with that. That's all you need.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Macros...don't pay attention to your calories...MFP does not calculate all the nutritional info, for example look at my diary, it says I have gone over my calories today by 100+ yet my macros are still behind for the daily total

    Macros are whack because user entered

    Calories can be whack too but easier to double check on other databases

    With that in mind, advising to focus on macros seems nonsensical to me as it just makes the double checking three times as hard

    I do calories and protein (should do fat but can't be bothered)

    This is what i was trying to say, why track three macros when you can just track one, calories?? Plus trying to hit Protein, fat, carbs and fibre day in day out would drive me nuts. My macros are all over the place, never the same two days in a row.

  • callumwalker1995
    callumwalker1995 Posts: 389 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Macros...don't pay attention to your calories...MFP does not calculate all the nutritional info, for example look at my diary, it says I have gone over my calories today by 100+ yet my macros are still behind for the daily total

    Macros are whack because user entered

    Calories can be whack too but easier to double check on other databases

    With that in mind, advising to focus on macros seems nonsensical to me as it just makes the double checking three times as hard

    I do calories and protein (should do fat but can't be bothered)

    Just times protein and carbs by 4 and your fats by 9, it takes 30 seconds. I was undercalculating what I was eating by 150-200 cals some days which rather than putting me at maintenance actually put me cutting!!

    I know how to work out calories from macros I'm just questioning why you think, if using the MFP database that is any more accurate

    i put in the info for the macros on all my foods from the packaging itself, so I know the macros are fairly accurate, but still the calories come out different to the sum of the macros
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Sued0nim wrote: »
    Macros...don't pay attention to your calories...MFP does not calculate all the nutritional info, for example look at my diary, it says I have gone over my calories today by 100+ yet my macros are still behind for the daily total

    Macros are whack because user entered

    Calories can be whack too but easier to double check on other databases

    With that in mind, advising to focus on macros seems nonsensical to me as it just makes the double checking three times as hard

    I do calories and protein (should do fat but can't be bothered)

    Just times protein and carbs by 4 and your fats by 9, it takes 30 seconds. I was undercalculating what I was eating by 150-200 cals some days which rather than putting me at maintenance actually put me cutting!!

    I know how to work out calories from macros I'm just questioning why you think, if using the MFP database that is any more accurate

    i put in the info for the macros on all my foods from the packaging itself, so I know the macros are fairly accurate, but still the calories come out different to the sum of the macros

    Mine do too, i just went back and added up my macros from yesterday, and they were a few hundred more than my calories..