Focus on calories or macros?

kw2cute
kw2cute Posts: 2 Member
edited November 22 in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I'm new to tracking my food. Should I focus more on hitting my calorie daily goal or my macros? In the past I've only looked at calories. I'm new to macros and still trying to learn. Can you recommend any resources that explain calories vs. macros tracking? I just don't know what's best to focus on to lose weight.

Thanks!

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Calories first, then macros if you choose to. Tracking macros is just another way of tracking calories.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I started with just calories. Over time, I started to get a feel for what foods helped me feel fuller longer. This varies from person to person, btw. As I got more comfortable with eating fewer calories, I started focusing on hitting my protein target (I always hit the base, but when I log my exercise, MFP gives me extra calories and breaks them down along the macros. I don't always hit the adjusted target, but then I try to eat back 50% of my exercise calories, so I'm not really worried). I also got back some bloodwork that showed my hemoglobin was borderline low, so I started tracking my iron on my diary page*.

    It's not really a 'versus' situation. Macros are made up of calories. Every gram of protein has 4 calories. Carbs are also 4, though I'm not sure whether that includes fiber or not. Fat is 9. And you need a certain amount of fat in your diet.

    Mostly, I focus on hitting protein and iron and let the rest fall where it falls. In my case, that's mostly hitting or exceeding my carbs and getting about 60-70% of my fat target. For me, it works. I should mention that I'm vegetarian and a lot of my protein comes from legumes and grains, so I get carbs in my protein sources. Or is that protein in my carbs? (I'm flashing back to the old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups commercials of my youth, here...) There are people who post here who find that carbs aren't especially satiating and prefer more protein and/or more fat. As long as you're getting all your nutrients and don't have a medical condition that warrants a particular way of eating, there's no one right way to do it. Protein is important for muscle preservation; fat helps you absorb certain nutrients. But you need to find the macro split that's best for you, and that's generally experimentation, trial and error.




    *I know you're asking about macros and iron is a micro, but it's one I try to be aware of. And for the record, my most recent bloodwork shows my hemoglobin in the normal range.
  • JustRobby1
    JustRobby1 Posts: 674 Member
    If losing weight is your goal, calories, as macros are irrelevant to weight loss.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    Calories then protein. I seem to have no issue hitting my fat or carbs so I don't worry about them. I do keep an eye on fibre as well.
  • ryanthegreat314
    ryanthegreat314 Posts: 1,394 Member
    Calories for sure. At it's core for weightloss it's all about calories in vs calories out
  • sonyasclifford
    sonyasclifford Posts: 2 Member
    I always make sure my calories are at or under my goal of 1,200 for the day, but I always look at macros as well mostly just concerning my protein. I focus a lot of protein throughout the day.
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
    Here's a nice little chart, the "Pyramid of Nutritional Priorities", illustrating what people are saying. You've gotta dial in the base of the pyramid first (calories). Then you can sweat the other stuff if you want to.
    The-Pyramid-Of-Nutritional-importance.png
  • merca666
    merca666 Posts: 4 Member
    If maintaining your LBM while loosing fat is the goal, focus hitting your protein macro, adjust rest of the macros (fat, carbs) according to your taste while being in caloric deficit. If you don't care about that, just focus on calories. It does not matter what the composition of your macros are (calories in vs. calories out will do the trick), the difference on focusing on protein is: enough protein - you loose fat, not enough protein - you loose weight (muscle mass included).
  • maryannprt
    maryannprt Posts: 152 Member
    Calories, 1st. The default macros are just that, a default. After you've been counting calories and are comfortable with logging, you can look at your macros and decide whether you need to adjust for your health. I think the default fiber goal is too low, and I feel like I'm starving on the default fat setting. It's about what works for you.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    merca666 wrote: »
    If maintaining your LBM while loosing fat is the goal, focus hitting your protein macro, adjust rest of the macros (fat, carbs) according to your taste while being in caloric deficit. If you don't care about that, just focus on calories. It does not matter what the composition of your macros are (calories in vs. calories out will do the trick), the difference on focusing on protein is: enough protein - you lose fat, not enough protein - you lose weight (muscle mass included).

    3 things that help preserve lean muscle - adequate protien, moderate deficit, and progressive strength training.
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