What is most important...calories or macros?
justjenny
Posts: 529 Member
When trying to lose weight is it more important to keep your calories low, or your macros? I just logged what I ate so far for the day, and my orange juice already put me over my sugar limit for the day. If I stay under my calories for the day, even if my macros are above the limits I set, will I still lose weight?
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Replies
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Calories.
The sugar in fruit, vegetables and dairy are not a problem. The added sugars may be. I look at added sugars. I don't even track sugar, it all gets covered in carbs.
I find that fruit juice is not that great. It's high calorie and doesn't help me stay full. I just eat the whole fruit instead. The fiber helps with satiety and insulin spikes, so it doesn't cause the same reaction.
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Calories.1
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Ok. Thank you. I had a eggwhites with feta, banana and peanut butter and oj for breakfast. I am full, and nowhere near my calorie intake for the day. I plan on going to the gym this afternoon as well, so by end of day, I should be way under my calorie limit.1
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When trying to lose weight is it more important to keep your calories low, or your macros? I just logged what I ate so far for the day, and my orange juice already put me over my sugar limit for the day. If I stay under my calories for the day, even if my macros are above the limits I set, will I still lose weight?
tracking macros in and of itself is tracking calories.
a macronutrient is just the part of food that has energy in it. carbs have 4 calories per gram, protein has 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram. If you limit your macros you're also limiting your calories.
At the end of the day calories matter for weight loss (because your body must take that energy from somewhere). Your lifestyle factors and macronutrient ratio will impact your body composition (for example weight lifting and eating adequate protein will help maintain SOME lean muscle tissue).
p.s. if you're looking at MFP "sugar" is a seperate thing entirely, which IMO is just stupid. They count towards your carbs, so i wouldn't worry about the "sugar" section at all as it isn't a macronutrient.10 -
Technically, yes. You probably would lose weight if you're at a deficit. But the goal is to lose fat, not just weight. Eating adequate protein is muscle-protective (along with resistance training) which means you aren't going to be losing weight in the form of fat AND muscle. I would make adequate protein a priority. Fat shouldn't be slashed too low either because it can negatively affect your hormones, and when your hormones are jacked, CICO isn't even relevant anymore. And finally.. carbs. Not the devil, but there certainly are better ones than others. If you're straight up eating capn crunch for all your carbs, you're just more likely to feel like utter crap.
So.. the odd day of eating whatever and staying below your calorie threshold is fine. Maybe even encouraged to prevent binges. But your best bet for long term success is to dial in the macros with good whole food.3 -
rainbowbow wrote: »When trying to lose weight is it more important to keep your calories low, or your macros? I just logged what I ate so far for the day, and my orange juice already put me over my sugar limit for the day. If I stay under my calories for the day, even if my macros are above the limits I set, will I still lose weight?
tracking macros in and of itself is tracking calories.
a macronutrient is just the part of food that has energy in it. carbs have 4 calories per gram, protein has 4 calories per gram, and fat has 9 calories per gram. If you limit your macros you're also limiting your calories.
At the end of the day calories matter for weight loss (because your body must take that energy from somewhere). Your lifestyle factors and macronutrient ratio will impact your body composition (for example weight lifting and eating adequate protein will help maintain SOME lean muscle tissue).
p.s. if you're looking at MFP "sugar" is a seperate thing entirely, which IMO is just stupid. They count towards your carbs, so i wouldn't worry about the "sugar" section at all as it isn't a macronutrient.
Pure awesomeness right here^^1 -
Ok. Thank you. I had a eggwhites with feta, banana and peanut butter and oj for breakfast. I am full, and nowhere near my calorie intake for the day. I plan on going to the gym this afternoon as well, so by end of day, I should be way under my calorie limit.
Being under your calorie goal isn't the point. A deficit has already been calculated in to that number, before you exercise (which "earns" you more calories). Eating too little is not better, and consistent undereating can lead to health problems7 -
Weight loss is entirely about energy balance and calories are a measure of energy. Macros do matter for other reasons but not weight loss.3
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Ok. Thank you. I had a eggwhites with feta, banana and peanut butter and oj for breakfast. I am full, and nowhere near my calorie intake for the day. I plan on going to the gym this afternoon as well, so by end of day, I should be way under my calorie limit.
You do not need to be way under your limit. You should try to come close to your goal, not way under it. MFP is also designed so that you eat at least some of your exercise calories back. Of course, you need to make sure you are logging accurately. There are some great stickies for that (on my phone and can't link).4 -
My goals are as such....Your Daily Goal 1,500 calories 169 protein 42 fat 113 carbs 45 sugar
I am currently 130 pounds, looking to lose 15 pounds, lose fat and gain muscle. Will these daily goals best help me reach my goal?0 -
My goals are as such....Your Daily Goal 1,500 calories 169 protein 42 fat 113 carbs 45 sugar
I am currently 130 pounds, looking to lose 15 pounds, lose fat and gain muscle. Will these daily goals best help me reach my goal?
Protein only needs to be .75-1 g per lb of body weight.
Maybe make up the difference in fat. That seems low.
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So make it around 130 g of protein and 70 grams of fat?
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I just realized I had it backwards. It it set as 160 carbs, and 113 protein.0
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Ok. I readjusted my daily goals. It worked out to be 35% protein, 35% fat, and 35% carbs. Does that seem right?
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1,500 calories 131 carbs 58 fat 113 protein0
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I meant 35% carb, 35% fat and 30% protein. I misread it.
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So I need to eat MORE than 1500 calories when I work out? How much more? I am lucky if I am hitting the 1500 on a regular basis. Would that cause me not to lose weight?0
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So I need to eat MORE than 1500 calories when I work out? How much more? I am lucky if I am hitting the 1500 on a regular basis. Would that cause me not to lose weight?
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p10 -
I am a little confused by this. According to the calculator here, my total calories are over 2300. Can that be right?
1305
BMR (Calories)
1088
Activity (Calories)
2393
Total Calories
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I am a little confused by this. According to the calculator here, my total calories are over 2300. Can that be right?
1305
BMR (Calories)
1088
Activity (Calories)
2393
Total Calories
Absolutely possible. So, to lose one pound per week, you would eat 1900 calories a day (I'm assuming you figured your numbers above by using a TDEE calculator.) That would include exercise calories. Did you read that post I linked? Myfitnesspal does not calculate your recommended calorie goal using TDEE, it uses a calculation that instructs you to eat MORE for exercise. If you calculated your above numbers on that scooby calculator, that is TDEE - so that would include your activity and your exercise. Two different methods. Myfitnesspal doesn't include exercise.
Keeping it simple:
If you have less than 50 pounds to lose, set Myfitnesspal goals to "Lose one pound per week." If you have less than 25 pounds to lose, set it to "Lose 1/2 pound per week." Eat the amount it tells you to eat (your calorie deficit is already calculated) THEN if you exercise, enter that into the Exercise page. Eat those calories in addition to your base calories. Keep good records for six weeks and make small adjustments at the end of that time based on your results.
All these methods are best-guesses. I have to eat a full 600-800 calories more than any of the calculators tell me I *should* eat. I did the experiment and used my own data - that's the only thing that really works.2 -
Yes, I did ready the post. Thank you. I used this calculator
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
I just changed my Fitness Pal settings as per your info. I went down to .5 pound loss per week. (I had it set a 2 lbs a week). It took my calories from 1500 to about 1440.0 -
These are my new fitness pal goals...
1,440 calories 180 carbs 48 fat 72protein
I started this workout about a week ago.
https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/2-week-training-schedule-to-lose-fat-and-gain-muscle.html
If I log all food and follow this routine, how long will it take (roughly) to lose 15 pounds?0 -
There is some level of confusion here including the fact that mfp gave you more calories to eat when you reduced your deficit.
While adequate protein and adequate fat are important for lean mass preservation and hormonal production respectively, the mfp macro defaults are not exactly terrible as starting points.
Start with the defaults, aim to hit the protein macro as a minimum. Aim to not be under ~45g of fat @ 130lb bodyweight. Aim to get at least 25g of fiber a day and let the rest be determined by choice and satiety.
However all this is majoring in the minors as getting your overall calories to the correct number is probably the first thing you need to do.
If you're using your Fitbit I suggest you use it to record your weight and connect it to trendweight.com to observe your weight trend over time.
Especially as a woman you do not have a set weight throughout your cycle and with exercise thrown in the mix being able to see a successful slow half pound to 1 pound loss a week will be an exercise in futility without some help.
I have less water weight variation than most and while losing at a rate of half a pound a week for a year... I could have sworn that i was maintaining or regaining!1 -
Yes, I did ready the post. Thank you. I used this calculator
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
I just changed my Fitness Pal settings as per your info. I went down to .5 pound loss per week. (I had it set a 2 lbs a week). It took my calories from 1500 to about 1440.
well, you should have gotten less calories at, "lose 2 pounds," vs, "lose 1/2 pound," but that's not a big deal.
So, when you exercise, you will be given (I'm using random numbers for example only) an additional 300-500 calories. Eat that in addition to your 1440. So you'll be eating more like 1800-2000 on exercise days...which is exactly what that exrx calculator would tell you...1900 to lose weight.
Just keep good records. It is pretty difficult to lose once you are close to (or already AT) a healthy weight. Accurate food logging is the most important thing, full stop. It will take as long as it takes. Cutting more calories just isn't sustainable, will lead to non-compliance (or binges) and can lead to health problems. Slow and steady.0 -
yeah there is something funky with the setting if it was giving her 1500cal for 2lbs and only 1440 for .52
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