If one ensures enough protein, how important is counting macros?

[john10960]

Hi guys.

so yeah, been lifting 2 years. Made some pretty good gains, never counted macros at all, just got enough protein.

Im trying to cut now some. Working to stay at a deficit. Still ensuring enough protein, but counting macros (which I don’t have experience doing) feels overwhelming.

so yeah, how important is macro counting if getting enough protein?

thanks!!

 

[Darkhorse192]

It will be challenging to maintain a deficit and continue to make nuanced adjustments over the course of the cut without tracking your intake. Counting macros may seem overwhelming but it as actually pretty easy. Do have a good idea of what total daily caloric intake is? If you want this cut to be as successful as possible, and get to you to your goals, you are going to have to at least learn how to loosley track. You can use meal planning and the diabetic exchange to build a framework.

send me a message if you need help

 

[sns8778]

Hi guys.

so yeah, been lifting 2 years. Made some pretty good gains, never counted macros at all, just got enough protein.

Im trying to cut now some. Working to stay at a deficit. Still ensuring enough protein, but counting macros (which I don’t have experience doing) feels overwhelming.

so yeah, how important is macro counting if getting enough protein?

thanks!!

Where you ask this question is going to depend a lot on the type of answers you get to it.

Here on AM, as its a bodybuilding forum, you're going to find that most of the members here are going to recommend counting macro's because it's what they do themselves - and yes, it is better for best results but there are a few big "but's and if's" there.

Yes, you will get your best results by tracking and counting macro's - however, I bet I've talked to literally hundreds of people over the years that have gotten so overwhelmed by trying to do so that it took the joy out of training for them and they wound up stopping training, stopping trying to eat healthier altogether, etc. bc of how overwhelming and frustrating it can be.

That's why the honest answer to this question is - there is no right or wrong answer - its finding what works best for you.

I've struggled with anxiety and a bit of OCD my whole life, and if I don't track everything, working out and the related diet is an escape from that. If I do try to keep track of it all, then it is no longer an escape from that, it becomes an extension of that and just ruins it for me.

I don't dispute that tracking everything is the best way - but I fall into the category of people that gets completely overwhelmed and just hates life when doing that and it ruins it for me. It just becomes overwhelming and takes the joy out of it for me, and I get frustrated at every little misstep until I just say screw it and either wind up stopping training consistently bc it takes the joy out of it, or I wind up mad at myself for messing up my macro's a little bit and saying screw it and just eating like crap because my brain says screw it, you messed up anyway so go eat a pizza.

I've discussed my approach on here before - and its not the most popular way - but it works for me and ultimately I'll get better results like this because I'll actually stick with it, and that is:

• When cutting, I make sure I get in enough protein and watch what I eat but don't get obsessive over calories or macros.
• When trying to gain, making sure I get in enough protein and also making sure I get in enough complex carbs, but not getting obsessive over calories or macros.

It's not that I don't have any idea what my macros are if I really try to figure it out, I have a ballpark idea, I just don't obsess over them.

For some people, working out and their physique is their life, and they love counting their macros and tweaking every little thing to help them reach their goals - and that's great for them.

For others, working out and physique is important, but we may not be able to mentally enjoy or stick with counting macros, it may take the enjoyment out of training, or it may put too much pressure on us and just ruin it for us. And/or it may be important to us, but we also don't care to be as strict because we do want to look better, but we also want to enjoy our lives and not have it revolve around tracking everything about every meal.

I just want to encourage you - the best approach is the approach that you will stick with.

 

[john10960]

I’ve been meaning to calculate BMR and total caloric intake. Right now I know I’m in a deficit through a ballpark estimation and that I’ve been losing weight whilst maintaining my lean muscle gains for the most part.

my plan was to get that exact number for daily intake and be positive I’m in a deficit whilst ensuring adequate protein.

So if I’m ensuring caloric deficit and adequate protein then counting macros is still critical?

edit: this was a reply to initial response, just now seeing SNS response.

 

[akboom87]

I’d say if you haven’t tried it it’s worth a shot tracking and if you like it and it helps then great. If it’s not your thing then back to how you have been.

everyone is different, for me I got to count calories and weigh my food. It’s just become a habit for me and what I have to do to keep myself honest and on track.

 

[Smont]

You dont have to count macros but you need to at least know your calories or eat a set amount of food. There needs to be something in place so your not guessing.

I rarely get too detailed with my macros. But i eat 5x a day fairly similar meals so i can Just make the meal smaller or make the meal larger to create a defect or a surplus. But if you're not tracking the amount of food you're eating one way or another, you're guessing at the end of the day and guessing still might work. I'm just saying there's better ways to do things than guessing.

 

[Resolve10]

I think you got some good responses so far.

People online/AM tend to be a bit more "obsessive" by nature so you'll likely get more responses saying you have to track than experiences saying you don't.

I'd look at it more like weighing the tradeoffs and determining what is making you feel overwhelmed.

One of the reasons tracking can be helpful is it makes it easier to quantify a change when you need to make any as progress stalls, but this can be done in other ways without specifically "counting".

You also may need more or less rigid approaches the further you get or the leaner you get.

I'd look at it along a sliding scale and do what you need to that balances what is sustainable and what also gets you the results you want (and this is non-exhaustive there are other strategies you can look into as well).

Watching portions of all foods, decreasing as you need to continue losing weight
-
Track protein and try to watch portions, decreasing as you need to to continue losing weight
-
Track protein and track overall calories, but don't worry as much about specifically hitting target fats/carbs and decreasing calories (keeping protein the same) as needed to continue losing weight
-
Tracking all macros, decreasing as needed to continue losing weight


There can be more nuance and levels in between, but regardless of what you choose you can have success with all depending on your consistency, current level, and how you use each approach.