Does anyone follow CICO

Smallville127
Smallville127 Posts: 51 Member
in Food and Nutrition
If so what is your calorie allowance a day and do you watch how many fats, carbs and protein you get? Or just eat what you want within calorie allowance?

Replies

  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,961 Member
    Macros don't matter for weight loss, at least not directly. I pay attention to getting enough protein and fiber for nutrition and satiety (if not getting enough fat were a thing that happened for me more than once in a blue moon, I would pay attention to that, too).
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
    CICO determines whether you lose, maintain or gain. Those losing weight will be consuming less calories than they expend whether they are tracking or not, regardless of food choices.

    I track macros.
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 653 Member
    edited April 2018
    Basically, CICO is an energy balance that affects everyone no matter what and how your eat and is not the same thing as calorie counting.
  • amfmmama
    amfmmama Posts: 1,420 Member
    Yes. 1350, and more if I exercise. I use my macros as a guideline, but they don't determine my every food choice. They are helpful when I am trying to determine what is working and what is not.
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
    edited April 2018
    CICO = calories in vs. calories out. The energy balance that determines every living creature's weight.

    Calorie Counting = making sure you're eating at a calorie deficit by tracking your food intake.

    IIFYM/Flexible Dieting = eating whatever you want as long as it fits into your preferred protein/carb/fat ratios.

    It helps to clear up those terms. Some people like to calorie count and eat whatever they want. Others like to find other solutions to intuitively control their calorie intake without counting, usually by following a plan that naturally reduces their hunger. Lean proteins, fiber and high-volume veggies tend to be filling for fewer calories, so many diet plans focus around that.

    But yes, I've had great success with calorie counting and eating the foods I enjoy eating.
  • endermako
    endermako Posts: 787 Member
    I vary my CI based on my exercise for the day. My sedentary is 1330 and I eat back some of my exercise most of the time. I really only try to get above 20 for fiber and I try to hit my Protein goal.
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
    Yes, I’m losing staying below 1300 calories/day. I wish I was taller ;)
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
    I eat around 1500 calories, plus my exercise calories if I workout that day. I don't pay attention to macros. I lose around 1lb per week.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    If you want to lose weight, you have to eat fewer calories than you burn. How you choose to get those calories is irrelevant to weight loss. Macros are irrelevant to weight loss, but may be important for other goals, like satiety or muscle development.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
    Smallville127 wrote: »
    If so what is your calorie allowance a day and do you watch how many fats, carbs and protein you get? Or just eat what you want within calorie allowance?

    i eat between 1200-1400 most days. dont sweat it if im over or near maintenance (for me around 1600). lost 100 pounds, eating what i want as long as it fits.

    i dont worry about macros. protein and fats are what keep me full, so thats naturally how i gravitate.
  • lightenup2016
    lightenup2016 Posts: 1,055 Member
    edited April 2018
    I agree, obviously OP is simply asking who logs and/or counts calories to be sure they're in a deficit for weight loss. This is the only way I've ever lost weight, even 20 years ago when I kept track on paper. I can lose weight on 1600 to 1800 cal per day, +50% of my exercise calories. Maintenance I haven't done so well at so far, but once I am at my goal weight this time (I'm losing slowly on purpose) I'm hoping to do better.

    ETA: I'm female, 5'6", current weight 144. My maintenance calories are around 2150. I do try to keep my protein at least at the recommended amount in MFP, but I don't really care much about the others.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,983 Member
    I would assume most people on a calorie counting site do count calories, either meticulously or in some sort of loose approximation.
    Or at least they did to reach their goal.

    My maitenance calories are 1710. When I was losing weight, I lost on 1460.
    This may or may not have any similarity to amount you should be eating, OP.

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