Hitting macros but not calories??

amanda_deanda01
amanda_deanda01 Posts: 43 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay so I just recently started eating more food because I feel like I'm not eating enough and not gaining the muscle that I'm working so hard to gain. I was eating around 1400-1500 and I've upped it to around 1700-1800. However, according to myfitness pal I'm hitting my macro percentages but I'm under on my calories. I know that macros and calories go hand in hand so I'm just a little confused.....should I just make sure I hit my macro percentages according to the app or make sure I hit calories? I honestly still feel hungry but I don't want to overeat or go over on my macros. Lastly, I'm 5'0, 125 lbs, I exercise 6 times a week....weightlifting every time I exercise/some days I do cardio as well and on Tuesday/Thursday I take a Pilates class on top of weightlifting 769ep6xfivh6.png
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Replies

  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    are you eating in a surplus,deficit or at maintenance? if you are hitting macros you should be hitting calories. also 6 days a week is too much you need a day or two of rest for muscle to grow and if eating in a deficit its not going to grow much(depends on many factors).are you following a progressive lifting program?
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    Macro percentages aren't really relevant - you can "hit" those regardless of how many calories you eat.

    If you are working out your macros in grams, which will correspond to the calories, and you are still having issues then your database entries are inaccurate.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    The macro percentages are from however many calories you've eaten so far during the day. If you'd just eaten 300 calories but 40% of them were carbs, the pie chart would show that you've eaten 40% of your calories from carbs.
  • amanda_deanda01
    amanda_deanda01 Posts: 43 Member
    seska422 wrote: »
    The macro percentages are from however many calories you've eaten so far during the day. If you'd just eaten 300 calories but 40% of them were carbs, the pie chart would show that you've eaten 40% of your calories from carbs.

    So should I make sure I'm hitting my calorie goal even if it shows my macros being off?
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    amanda_deanda01 wrote: »
    seska422 wrote: »
    The macro percentages are from however many calories you've eaten so far during the day. If you'd just eaten 300 calories but 40% of them were carbs, the pie chart would show that you've eaten 40% of your calories from carbs.

    So should I make sure I'm hitting my calorie goal even if it shows my macros being off?

    If your database entries are accurate, then yes...
  • klrenn
    klrenn Posts: 245 Member
    edited June 2017
    Yeah, looks like you're getting more protein than you need? I'm 5'4" 130lbs and I have a goal of 108g protein.

    I base my macros around this number and I think about 50-60g fat (I've never had a problem hitting my fats so I don't pay much attention to it). Then I fill the rest of my calories with carbs. Doing it this way the percentages may be different day to day, but I'm still getting what I need to build/preserve muscle. (And without spending more $ than I need to on expensive protein)

    Calories are more important because this is what's going to dictate whether you're losing, gaining, or maintaining.

    Oh! Edited to add...if you eat a snack that has the macro percentage you want for the amount of calories you have left it won't throw your percentage off...if you really want to keep your macro split
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    even if you are hitting your calorie goal if you arent eating at maintenance or in a surplus any gains will be very minimal. and if you are doing other activities on top of weight lifting and you are always hungry then you are not getting enough calories to fuel your body.
  • spdaphne
    spdaphne Posts: 262 Member
    I'd be curious as to what you're eating. Especially if you're hungry. It means you're lacking something and possibly not enough with how much you're working out.
  • Kalamatafl81
    Kalamatafl81 Posts: 15 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »
    amanda_deanda01 wrote: »
    seska422 wrote: »
    The macro percentages are from however many calories you've eaten so far during the day. If you'd just eaten 300 calories but 40% of them were carbs, the pie chart would show that you've eaten 40% of your calories from carbs.

    So should I make sure I'm hitting my calorie goal even if it shows my macros being off?

    If your database entries are accurate, then yes...


    I agree, sometimes entries are not correct in MFP as it's user entered. Remember 1g carb=4 calories, 1g fat = 9 calories and 1g protein = 4 calories. Do the math if not correct that's why things don't line up

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