Counting macros and calories

stock28

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Always try to eat as clean of a diet as possible but never really counted my calories and macros. Just started using MyFitnessPal and was shocked at the results. Trust me if you don't log your food you will be surprised. Thought I ate way more calories than I actually do. Highly recommend you log for a while if you don't already to see where you're actually at.
 

TomS93

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Totally agree with this, I track my macros during cutting and bulking as it can be surprising how much you are actually eating when trying to estimate it. Personally I just find it so easy to track food using myfitnesspal
 
John Smeton

John Smeton

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Yes its absolutely important for me to count calories. I've counted protein grams for fifteen years now about everyday and total calories over a decade. Ive stopped for a little while. I like going by the mirror and for example I like to stay keep my stomach tight, with a bicep vein, if I look into the mirror and see I want to reduce body fat I generally lower carbohydrates.

btw I do mine old school. Ive got notebooks and notebooks of my nutrition logs from years ago
 
john.patterson

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btw I do mine old school. Ive got notebooks and notebooks of my nutrition logs from years ago
Used to do the same thing before smart phones and apps haha. With technology now there's no excuse to not track!
 
celc5

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I enjoy dabbling with the numbers on swole.me

I'd assume that's a similar system to the app you guys mentioned?
 
Industrial

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i just started logging calories and macros too and was also shocked at results. i found that i was putting my body into starvation mode and thats why i wasn't losing any weight. last night i dropped 4 more lbs after i started logging calories. it pays to log them!
 
john.patterson

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i just started logging calories and macros too and was also shocked at results. i found that i was putting my body into starvation mode and thats why i wasn't losing any weight. last night i dropped 4 more lbs after i started logging calories. it pays to log them!
How low were your calories?
 
BigRed1974

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Agree with this as well. Really helpful especially if you tend to put on bodys easily like I do and helps keep me from splurging to much especially on the weekends
 
John Smeton

John Smeton

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i just started logging calories and macros too and was also shocked at results. i found that i was putting my body into starvation mode and thats why i wasn't losing any weight. last night i dropped 4 more lbs after i started logging calories. it pays to log them!
About 1000! Didnt even think it was possible
absolutely. You slowed your metabolism down and that's why so many people have trouble losing. In fact they lose muscle from dieting too low in calories. Usually, they get so exhausted of being in starvation mode and feeling miserable they say screw it and eat back to their maintenance, and put the weight back on, and they gain back fat in the place of what used to be muscle, and end up with less muscle and more body fat than beginning dieting.

Its very common, and this is why its important to lower calories more slowly than cut them down super aggressive. Theres a Tv show called my 600 lb life and they're eating 5,000 calories or more the doctor cuts every person down to 1,200 calories.
 
stlcards14

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If you want something to blow your mind even more usually the serving sizes don't mach up to the macros on the box. I saw a YouTube video were someone took a "1 cup" of oats and had it measured out perfectly and then poured it on a food scale and which the serving size said was going to be 60g but it came out to be like 67g which doesn't sound like much but it all adds up. That's why I use a food scale for everything
 

kisaj

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I used to count macros and calories the first 15 years or so of training believing it was necessary and then slowly just started becoming more aware of what I was eating and how much and any difference was negligible. Now I train my ass off and only have an idea of the calories I take in (approx 3000-4000) with no idea on macros and looking back on pictures, I am leaner and stronger than ever.

Unless you are competing and every % counts, I see it as a waste of time.
 
John Smeton

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I dont use a food scale for everything. For somethings. Its just a habit I like to do, counting my calories. Keeping my waist tighter I try different things to see what works. Ive tried more carbohydrates and less fat, always high protein, one gram minium, and usually around 1.5 . Right now lower carbs and more fat , im keeping my waist tighter than before. Some people burn carbohydrates better than others, and some people burn fat better than others. I still have carbs especially first meal pre and post training.
 

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