Macros!

gratefulforliving · July 2019

Hey y’all!! I am in need of some help concerning macros. I have calculated mine but need advice. If I am under Fat, Protein, or Carbs for the day, is it okay to stay under or do I need to meet my goals? I have built a fearful relationship with food and sadly, eating more scares me. Looking for any and all advice from you wonderful people!

cmriverside · July 2019

I really focus on getting to my goal on protein. I tend to be over on fat every day and under on carbs.

After getting sufficient protein and fat, it really isn't that important.

https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/ask-the-dietitian-whats-the-best-carb-protein-and-fat-breakdown-for-weight-loss/

kimny72 · July 2019

gratefulforliving wrote: »

Hey y’all!! I am in need of some help concerning macros. I have calculated mine but need advice. If I am under Fat, Protein, or Carbs for the day, is it okay to stay under or do I need to meet my goals? I have built a fearful relationship with food and sadly, eating more scares me. Looking for any and all advice from you wonderful people!

If you are trying to lose weight, calories should be your primary goal. They will determine whether you lose or not over time.

Macros are for satiety and health. There are minimums required for good health, and different macros are filling for different people. But they are general guides, not something you have to hit on the nose all the time.

After calories, I do my best to hit my protein and fiber goals (though it doesn't always work!), fat seems to take care of itself so I let fat and total carbs fall where they may. You can learn from an accurate and consistent food log over time how to steer your choices towards making your numbers line up better. I find pre-logging and then playing around with the portion sizes in the app to make my numbers pretty often helps

lgfrie · July 2019

If your primary goal is weight loss, coming in at the calorie target for the day is the Prime Objective; everything else is secondary, though of course it is good to eat healthy, well-balanced foods when possible.

I doubt the nutritionists who came up with Macro theory ever intended it to be quite as dictatorial and rigid as people have made it nowadays. Unless you are a serious weightlifter or athlete, there is really no reason to fuss overmuch with whether you hitting a specific protein target, versus being "in the ballpark" on some days.

Just eat healthy stuff, enjoy your food, and stay within the calorie guidelines for the weight you're trying to lose. That'll get you where you want to be. If you need to add a little more meat, add a little more leat.

gratefulforliving · July 2019

Thank you guys so much for the advice!! I am definitely trying to lose weight and I think focusing on Calories is probably the best idea. Thank you!! 😄

AnnPT77 · July 2019

I'd add that on the macro front, close on protein & fats is plenty good enough, especially if you're over some days and under others.

If you find yourself persistently quite low on some specific macro (or micro) day after day, and you'd like to improve it, I recommend the "gradual remodeling" approach: Look at your diary, and find foods that contribute relatively many calories, but don't help much with your macro goal(s) (and aren't super important to you personally for satiation or tastiness/happiness). Those are foods that are candidates to reduce or eliminate. Then, find some foods you enjoy eating that make a better contribution to your nutritional goals, for their calorie "cost", and eat a bit more of those things.

If you keep repeating that process (review diary and remodel eating), you'll gradually move your overall way of eating in a direction that better achieves your nutritional goals, but is still satisfying to you.

Most nutritional issues are not an urgent thing (unless diagnosed as a big problem, like by your doctor). It's fine to make gradual, manageable shifts in an improved direction: So much more practical, and less drama.

BarbaraHelen2013 · July 2019

Not really intended to add info because what you’ve been given already is perfect, but this just made me smile and it’s indicative of how relatively arbitrary worrying about hitting macros spot on is.

I’ve logged 3 things so far today - 2 cups of black coffee with no sugar and one fruit infusion tea bag. Grand total of 10 cals so far, but I looked at my macros and I can honestly say it’s the closest I’ve ever come to hitting all three on the nose!

I can guarantee by the time I’m done logging for the day they’ll not have stayed that way!

Macros!

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