If calorie deficit is the answer, then why does it matter how much carbs, protein, fat?

People who cut carbohydrates lose weight quicker. But over the course of a year, the low fat/protein groups catch up and there is no difference in the weight loss between groups.

Macro breakdown is totally up to the individual - whatever helps them feel fuller longer, or enough protein to maintain or build muscle (in a surplus) but to lose fat, all you need is a calorie deficit.

Some people may feel more satiated with high fat or high protein and therefore, eat less while others like to consume carbs to get the full/satisfied feeling.

The answer is basically lean body mass and hormones. It's rather convoluted, but if you're interested, read this series:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/diet-percentages-part-1.html/
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/diet-percentages-part-2.html/

I agree with the others, it's mostly to manage hunger and allow you to feel satisfied. It's true that you can lose weight eating only Twinkies, but you would be hungry, tired and miserable.

You would also be unhealthily - there are benefits which are more to do with health than weight loss. The big one is protein, which makes you less likely to lost muscle mass as you lose weight. Then the others are ones people usually know about - fibre keeps your guts in good order, and you need a good variety of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fats to keep everything running well.

I personally don't track macros, and I don't follow any particular food rules, but I do have an eye to my diet and try to keep it nutritious and varied (in between brownies)

I never have had a problem losing weight while eating what ever I wanted as long as it fit in my calorie range. However now that I am at a low weight for me I have upped my protien pretty significantly because im working more so I'm building muscle at this point now that I'm pretty much were I'm going to be. I plan to keep up my work out routine so I don't see a change in the future other then eating more calories after I reach my official goal and work on maintenance. my original goal was 150. I'm 141 now and hoping to see 135 sometime. So there's the difference for me.

macro combination can affect how 'full' you feel after eating a meal. Getting adequate protein helps you protect your lean muscle mass. Getting adequate fat can be beneficial for brain function, vitamin absorption.

tiatiamaria wrote: »

Hi, I am counting my macros now as opposed to just counting calories. I do notice that I am eating more nutritious foods such as vegis, ground turkey, chia seeds, greek yogurt, etc - all in an attempt to get my macros straight. My question is this: Am I going to lose weight quicker by eating much lower carbs, and higher protein than before? Other than nutrition, whats the benefit of this when it comes to fat loss? I have a perhaps lofty goal of losing 2.5 lbs a week. I am at a very high weight and also breastfeeding, so it seems possible. thanks!

WinoGelato wrote: »

Others have already covered the questions about the importance of macros vs calories.

OP I wanted to touch on your comment that you are aiming to lose 2.5 lbs/week AND breastfeeding. How old is your baby? Congrats by the way, and baby in the profile pic - adorable! You said you are at a very high weight, is this mostly weight you put on during pregnancy? Or some from before that you are trying to lose as well? How many calories are you eating - because it is important while nursing to maintain an adequate milk supply through eating nutritious foods and staying well hydrated. Did you account for nursing in your calorie target?

I know everyone wants to lose weight as quickly as possible, especially after giving birth - but keep in mind that you have a lot of changes going on in your body, as well as a little one to try to keep up with. Taking care of yourself is important too - so you may want to reconsider those aggressive goals.

i agree - if you're b-feeding, you will need extra calories, esp if your baby drinks ONLY breastmilk. maybe cut back to only losing 1 lb\week.

I'm at maintenance now, and keep track of macros - I also did so when losing. I find it interesting and useful to learn how the nutrition of an item is partitioned. Also, I do need to keep track of sodium and fiber. Since balance between sodium and potassium seem to matter, I like to keep track of potassium too.

And it's informative to log, say, a Panera salad into my diary and see what kind of nutrition I'm getting for my money.

Calories matter for weight loss. Macros matter if you care about your overall health. Look up the USDA guideline for the marcro ranges for health and experiment within those ranges to find where you feel the best.

If calorie deficit is the answer, then why does it matter how much carbs, protein, fat? It depends on what question you are asking. For me CICO is the answer, but I am focused on losing weight, for others asking different questions then the macros and their balance will matter.

I lost my last 20 lbs fairly quickly, in the three months from September through November and I did it eating a high carb diet of mostly vegetables, fruit and whole grains. I did it because I wanted to eat a high volume of food to get that feeling of a full tummy that I wanted and that's about the only way to do it. I could easily plow through 1-2 lbs of food at a sitting and it would take a while to get through which also helped. I was at 1600-1700 calories a day at that time and the weight just fell off. Now that I'm on maintenance at 2000-2100 I've since changed my macro balance to about 40/35/25 carbs/fat/protein and I eat less vegetables, fruits and grains and more nuts, seeds, fats etc.

The key is finding a way that works for you to lose the weight. I love all food and love vegetables, fruit and whole grains so eating a lot of them was satisfying for me. It may not be for you. I do think that, in the long run, everyone could benefit from a little research on maintaining a good nutrient balance and intake and maintaining the macros that will naturally flow from that, but in the short term, the weight loss can take a higher priority.