Calories or micronutrients?!
jacintacawley
Posts: 4 Member
Hi, I'm trying to lose weight and tone up. I'm getting confused on what I should focus on - calories or micros?!
I always seem over something in the micros, not sure how I can balance them out while staying in my calorie count.
Could anyone give me some advice please?
Thank you ☺️
I always seem over something in the micros, not sure how I can balance them out while staying in my calorie count.
Could anyone give me some advice please?
Thank you ☺️
0
Replies
-
For weight loss: calories first, and then macros (because they can impact satiation).
Micronutrients are more important for health than for weight loss.
I don't look at my micronutrients, simply because many entries in the databse are lacking micronutrient info or even contain wrong information.
For what micronutrients are you over? Generally speaking they are minimum values, not maximum values.5 -
Think you are also confusing macro and micro nutrients!
Calories are units of energy and it's your energy balance that determines weight loss - when you eat less than your daily needs your body uses energy from your fat stores to make up the difference to result in a net loss of bodyfat.
Macro and micro nutrients are important for an overall healthy diet, whether you actually need to focus on tracking them is individual and depends on your current diet (noun and verb).
Macro nutrients (fat/protein/carbs) can also have an impact on how easy you find it to adhere to your calorie goal but personally food choices have far more impact on my satiety rather than being macro based (e.g. for fatty foods I can't eat a lot of avocado without feeling full but give me a bag of peanuts and it's a very different story).
Macro tracking also doesn't have to be precise or same every day, that's just adding a level of complication and restriction for no good reason.
Put your main focus on what's important, calorie balance and an overall healthy diet.5 -
Yes! Thank you so much for clearing that up for me, I have read so many different things which is getting me confused as you could tell 😂.
If I have an avocado and some almonds in the same day, the macros say I've gone over my fat intake?! 🙄
Super so I'll make sure I'm on point with my calories and not be concerned with macros. Thanks so much.3 -
Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.1 -
springlering62 wrote: »
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
I think there are far fewer problems in the database for macros than micros.
But one of the more well known issues is that carbs are counted differently in different parts of the world, that in itself can skew the proportions.
As long as my protein is around 90-120gr, I'm happy. Too much hassle (and not enough pay-off) for me to pay much attention to the other macros.2 -
springlering62 wrote: »Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
The macros will equal the calories.... If you are hitting your calories but missing your macros its not because the macro's are unattainable its because you chose a different macro nutrient over another.... unless I am misunderstanding you.0 -
springlering62 wrote: »Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
The macros will equal the calories.... If you are hitting your calories but missing your macros its not because the macro's are unattainable its because you chose a different macro nutrient over another.... unless I am misunderstanding you.
Her issue was/is that the database is created by crowd-sourcing so a lot of the macros/calories and micros are just flat WRONG in the database.
Vet each item before using (just a general rule, not talking to anyone in particular.)0 -
springlering62 wrote: »Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
The macros will equal the calories.... If you are hitting your calories but missing your macros its not because the macro's are unattainable its because you chose a different macro nutrient over another.... unless I am misunderstanding you.
Well for example, starting my day, my suggested fat is about 77, protein about 121, and carbs about 287. (That’s all from my - admittedly- faulty memory).
I pre-log meals and snacks, and coincidentally today I was on it to the dot.
However by the time I complete my day, MFP will suggest that I need 99 fat, 130 protein, and about 350-375 carbs.
There’s no way I can do that and still meet my calorie goal.
The only reason I hit the original carbs number today (before adjustment) is because I’m having a leftover donut for a snack, sandwich bread, and two servings of potatoes (grilled cheese and air crisper fries), which is out of the norm for me, since I tend to more meat and vegetables. (Wow, did I really just say that?! NSV!!!)0 -
springlering62 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
The macros will equal the calories.... If you are hitting your calories but missing your macros its not because the macro's are unattainable its because you chose a different macro nutrient over another.... unless I am misunderstanding you.
Well for example, starting my day, my suggested fat is about 77, protein about 121, and carbs about 287. (That’s all from my - admittedly- faulty memory).
I pre-log meals and snacks, and coincidentally today I was on it to the dot.
However by the time I complete my day, MFP will suggest that I need 99 fat, 130 protein, and about 350-375 carbs.
There’s no way I can do that and still meet my calorie goal.
The only reason I hit the original carbs number today (before adjustment) is because I’m having a leftover donut for a snack, sandwich bread, and two servings of potatoes (grilled cheese and air crisper fries), which is out of the norm for me, since I tend to more meat and vegetables. (Wow, did I really just say that?! NSV!!!)
Oh how I could eat a donut! 🤤😂 Even though I'm in my calorie goal I always go over something in my macros0 -
cmriverside wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
The macros will equal the calories.... If you are hitting your calories but missing your macros its not because the macro's are unattainable its because you chose a different macro nutrient over another.... unless I am misunderstanding you.
Her issue was/is that the database is created by crowd-sourcing so a lot of the macros/calories and micros are just flat WRONG in the database.
Vet each item before using (just a general rule, not talking to anyone in particular.)
Yes I try to vet each item before, but fruits tend to sneek my cars up without me realising until after 😳 and say if I have tuna for lunch, a chicken breast for dinner and some Greek yogurt my protein goes over! Annoying.0 -
It sounds like some people might have their numbers off because carbs have a variable number of calories. The USA standard is the sugar and complex digestible carbs are 4 calories a gram, soluble fiber is 2 calories per gram, and insoluble fiber is 0 calories a gram.
So if MFP ups your calorie goal and carb goal, but not your fiber - and I don't think MFP lets you set goals for each fiber, if you can even do a fiber goal, nor do food labels necessarily always break out the fiber source - yeah, you'll end up looking like the numbers are in disagreement.2 -
jacintacawley wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
The macros will equal the calories.... If you are hitting your calories but missing your macros its not because the macro's are unattainable its because you chose a different macro nutrient over another.... unless I am misunderstanding you.
Her issue was/is that the database is created by crowd-sourcing so a lot of the macros/calories and micros are just flat WRONG in the database.
Vet each item before using (just a general rule, not talking to anyone in particular.)
Yes I try to vet each item before, but fruits tend to sneek my cars up without me realising until after 😳 and say if I have tuna for lunch, a chicken breast for dinner and some Greek yogurt my protein goes over! Annoying.
Unless you have medical reason to limit it or it is crowding out something else that you need, going over your protein isn't really a concern (going over your carbohydrates isn't really either).2 -
springlering62 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Macros are killer. Try as I will, I can never seem to meet them all, although I always try to meet protein, because that’s what keeps me filling full.
Problem for me is, the more I exercise, the more the macros shoot up. There is no way I could ever meet the suggested carb macro and stay within calorie goal, too.
It messes with my head all the time.
This morning, some way, some how, with what I’ve prelogged for the day, I am dead on all three suggested macros. That will go out the window with my morning walk. By the time I see my trainer, go to yoga, Pilates, and have a brisk walk between classes, macros will be totally unattainable.
So I focus on calories. That’s all I can do.
I never thought about the database maybe skewing macros, though. Duh. I think about it all the time with calories. Don’t know why that didn’t occur to me.
The macros will equal the calories.... If you are hitting your calories but missing your macros its not because the macro's are unattainable its because you chose a different macro nutrient over another.... unless I am misunderstanding you.
Well for example, starting my day, my suggested fat is about 77, protein about 121, and carbs about 287. (That’s all from my - admittedly- faulty memory).
I pre-log meals and snacks, and coincidentally today I was on it to the dot.
However by the time I complete my day, MFP will suggest that I need 99 fat, 130 protein, and about 350-375 carbs.
There’s no way I can do that and still meet my calorie goal.
Doesn't the calories number go up too? Normally macros go up when you add in exercise because they are a percentage of calories and the calories go up.
If you are doing a TDEE type system where you include average exercise upfront rather than adding it daily, then you can change the calorie burn to zero on the exercises you log, and your macro numbers will stay the same.
Or if being below the macros doesn't bug you, keep it as is.1
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392.8K Introduce Yourself
- 43.7K Getting Started
- 260.1K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.8K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 412 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.9K Motivation and Support
- 7.9K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.6K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.5K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions