Question about caloric deficit

SStapelfeld
SStapelfeld Posts: 1 Member
edited December 21 in Food and Nutrition
Hi! I have a question over why it’s important to have macro nutrients like protein and fats. I understand why they are important but can you lose weight eating mostly carbs? What benefits are there to hitting those numbers instead of just getting your caloric deficit and hitting that number. Thank you

Replies

  • AwesomeOpossum74
    AwesomeOpossum74 Posts: 106 Member
    Though I get plenty of carbs and fat from my general diet (I don't worry too much about balancing the macros), I lean toward protein just so I'm not always hungry, and try to keep my calories in the zone.
  • HollyPFlax
    HollyPFlax Posts: 79 Member
    SStapelfeld wrote: »
    Hi! I have a question over why it’s important to have macro nutrients like protein and fats. I understand why they are important but can you lose weight eating mostly carbs? What benefits are there to hitting those numbers instead of just getting your caloric deficit and hitting that number. Thank you

    For weight loss, macros do not matter. Tracking them and making adjustments can make you feel more or less full for a longer period of time. If you're in a calorie deficit and hungry between your planned meals and snacks, you may be tempted to overeat. You may give in and undo the calorie deficit. If you feel full, you'll be a lot less tempted to eat extra food. People like different ratios. I prefer high carb, high protein, low fat. Eat what you like in a deficit and track everything. Look for a pattern on days where you feel full and satisfied. That will tell you what macro ratio works best for you.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    MFP's defaults have no special benefits other than helping with structure, since a balanced meal will normally have protein, fat, and carbs, unless you are following a special diet (I prefer to think of it as protein, starch, and veg, and the fat comes in naturally as part of the foods chosen or by cooking in olive oil or adding it to a dressing).

    You can lose with any macro breakdown, but you may find that you are more or less hungry on different ones (for me macros are less important to satiety than focusing more specifically on food choice).

    For maintaining muscle in a deficit or building muscle, getting a certain level of protein is important. Basically, at least 0.8-1 g per lb of lean body mass, which can be loosely estimated as about .65-.85 g per lb of a healthy goal weight.
  • lalalacroix
    lalalacroix Posts: 834 Member
    Commander_Keen wrote: »
    It boils down to what you want to look like, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson who is all protein, or the Comedian Fluffy

    This is not true.
  • placeboBL
    placeboBL Posts: 62 Member

    AJ_G wrote: »
    Commander_Keen wrote: »
    It boils down to what you want to look like, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson who is all protein, or the Comedian Fluffy

    Terrible analogy. First of all, the Rock, as amazing as he looks, is still stuck in the 1980s in terms of nutrition. He thinks he needs to eat 6 meals a day, and they all have to be clean meals, and then when he's done filming whatever movie he is working on, he has a massive cheat day where he famously eats like 6 pizzas or 30 pancakes etc. The rock's body is built mostly in the gym and he gets plenty of protein (most likely much more than he needs). The same results could be achieved without eating clean and by eating 2 or 3 meals a day instead of 6.

    ...and steroids.
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