Tracking macros

[mudrunner]

How do you determine if you should or should not be tracking macros?

[bamazav]

Originally Posted by mudrunner

How do you determine if you should or should not be tracking macros?

Depends on your goal. Tracking macros is far more important if you are bodybuilding, especially cutting, than if you are a recreational lifter who is just wanting to lift. You will get as many different answers to this as there are people on this site. That said, I go back to my initial statement, it depends on your goal.

[hercules455]

If I wasn't bodybuilding I probably wouldn't track my macros. If you have a specific goal I think paying close attention to your macros will increase your chances of reaching that goal. After you do it for a few weeks its no big deal. It becomes just part of your routine.

[BravenFenix]

Honestly, I think almost everyone should be tracking their calories and protein, unless they don't really care about fat gain. No reason not to be, it takes very little effort, it just has become a habit.

Carbs/Fats are energy sources, not a big deal if you go high or low as long as have both, but protein and total calories are good to know. If your trying to add mass or cut you want to make continuous progress and not to fast to risk fat gain/muscle lose (cut).

[Grambo]

I'd actually say tracking Macros > than Calories. If you're hitting your set up macros you're hitting your calories anyway.
Agree that first priority is protein then the other macro nutrients.

If you're interested in taking your physique to the next level be it by cutting or bulking (besides all out powerlifting/pure bulk) keeping track of what you eat is important. It's important for your health as well particularly as we age.

[BravenFenix]

Originally Posted by Grambo

I'd actually say tracking Macros > than Calories. If you're hitting your set up macros you're hitting your calories anyway.
Agree that first priority is protein then the other macro nutrients.

If you're interested in taking your physique to the next level be it by cutting or bulking (besides all out powerlifting/pure bulk) keeping track of what you eat is important. It's important for your health as well particularly as we age.

Macros are not more important as long as protein is kept constant since carbs and fats are energy sources. You can throw in more protein if you wish, with only 25% termogenic effect it wont make much of a difference in the grand scheme unless you habitually consume a lot, in which case you increase calories to make up for the lose.

Personally, I tell my clients/friends/anyone who asks me to think of macros on a weekly average instead of daily. It's ok if they miss 20g of protein one day and increase the next, or a 100 calories here and there. After a couple weeks start to get better at hitting each macro on a daily basis.

[leefarley]

all i track is my protein and sometimes my calorie intake, i know how much protein and calories there is in the food i eat.

[moeheep]

I lost over 100 lbs, and next month will be 1 year I have kept it off, except for about 10 lbs I gained back...mostly muscle...I track cals and macros everyday...does it matter? This is the first time in my life I have not gained my weight loss back within a few months...also the first time I incorperated weight training...probabaly a combo of the 2.

I will add I eat a ton now compared to when I was fat!!...3800 to 4000 cals a day!!
Gotta love this weight training!!

[Grambo]

Originally Posted by BravenFenix

Macros are not more important as long as protein is kept constant since carbs and fats are energy sources. You can throw in more protein if you wish, with only 25% termogenic effect it wont make much of a difference in the grand scheme unless you habitually consume a lot, in which case you increase calories to make up for the lose.

Personally, I tell my clients/friends/anyone who asks me to think of macros on a weekly average instead of daily. It's ok if they miss 20g of protein one day and increase the next, or a 100 calories here and there. After a couple weeks start to get better at hitting each macro on a daily basis.

We are pretty much saying the same thing just going about it a different way.
If your macros are in check then your calories are and if you're calories are in check your macros probably are.

What do you mean exactly when you say carbs and fats are energy sources? Protein can be an energy source as well. Obviously you can't just eat all you want of them. Just trying to see where you're coming from on that.

[Grambo]

Originally Posted by moeheep

I lost over 100 lbs, and next month will be 1 year I have kept it off, except for about 10 lbs I gained back...mostly muscle...I track cals and macros everyday...does it matter? This is the first time in my life I have not gained my weight loss back within a few months...also the first time I incorperated weight training...probabaly a combo of the 2.

I will add I eat a ton now compared to when I was fat!!...3800 to 4000 cals a day!!
Gotta love this weight training!!

Congratulations on the weight loss! That's awesome. Knowing what's going into your body definitely makes a difference.