Macros (The Finale): Are You Suuuuure?
Laying some misconceptions to rest in the final instalment of my Macros Master Post.
And we’re back for the third and final chunk of this introduction to macros. By now, you know what macros are, as well as have a good idea of how much of what you should be eating. Now let’s get a couple of popular myths out of the way now, so I have a handy-dandy link I can easily send to people whenever they ask me the same old questions over and over again.
Full disclosure: my motivations behind starting this newsletter were roughly 2% altruistic, 91% to have links that I can easily send out, and 7% because I like the sound of my own voice. (All super scientific, peer-reviewed numbers.)
15. You’re making it sounds like it doesn’t matter how many calories comes from fat or carbs. What about those percentage splits or ratios I read about online? Elaine told me I should consume no less than 65% of my calories from fat if I want to go into fat burning mode.
This might have worked for Elaine, but you’re not Elaine. So you do you, and leave Elaine to do what works for her. Percentage splits and ratios are largely irrelevant. Your body does not care what percentage of its nutrients come from where; your body cares about sufficient quantity of each nutrient for your body’s mass. If you’re eating 450 calories a day but getting a perfect split of 1/3 each of your calories from protein, fat and carb, you’re probably going to feel pretty crappy pretty soon because that’s way too little for the average adult to eat. If you’re getting 70% of your calories from fat and in ketosis, but also eating 10,000 calories a day? It’s incredibly unlikely that you’ll be burning any excess stored fat, even if Elaine says it’s the perfect fat-burning ratio, because chances are you’re in a calorie surplus.
Multiple studies have been performed, and it has been reliably shown that (assuming calories and protein remain constant) whether you consume a high carb low fat OR high fat low carb diet has no effect on your ability to gain or lose weight. Figure out what works for you, and do that.
16. HELP! I followed all your advice but I’m not losing fat. I might even be getting fatter?! Have you broken me? Do macros not work for me?
Did you log your intake over time like I told you to? No? Go do that.
If you did, then, like I also told you earlier, this means you’re not in a calorie deficit. That calculator only gave you an estimate. Adjust, continue. Be patient, and trust the process. Consistency and adherence is key. Remember that these things take time — we’ve been conditioned through marketing media hype to expect that we can…unveil a six pack in six weeks! Or lose thirty pounds in thirty days! And, maybe you can, but it’s unlikely unless you’re an outlier with your starting point, and even then, probably won’t be a result you can easily maintain.
NB: If your calories sound shockingly low (for your size/age/gender/activity level), you’re accurately tracking a complete picture of your caloric intake, and you’re still not losing fat, do consider having your blood work done if you haven’t already, to rule out any other physiological factors that may affect your TDEE.
17. My medicines have made me gain weight, calories don’t matter for me.
Various drugs and hormones can 100% affect the Eout side of the equation. It’s horrible, and it’s horribly unfair, but the first law of thermodynamics still applies. There is a chance that playing with the fat and carb balance may change how your body responds to the same amount of calories (e.g. high carb will have different effects on an insulin-resistant, fat-adapted person vs someone who has well-functioning insulin and blood-glucose/muscle-glycogen pathways).
There is also a chance that if you’re on a bunch of different medications which have varied and strong physiological and psychological effects on your body, now may not be the best time for you to place added physiological stress on your body via a caloric deficit, and you should really be talking to a doctor about your diet, not taking advice from me.
18. So does this mean I shouldn’t follow a paleo/keto/vegan diet?
You should follow whatever diet/eating plan you find best suits your lifestyle, and which is one you can sustainably adhere to. All foods, whether they’re paleo, vegan, free range, organic, Snickers bars...they all contain macronutrients. So this is not something you’d be doing necessarily instead of whatever eating plan you were on before. My goal is not to contradict advice you’ve previously been given, just to give you an additional tool with which to assess your nutritional intake.
19. How do I know when I need to adjust my macros?
If you have had:
very close compliance of your intake,
zero changes in scale weight,
zero changes in waist measurements,
for at least 3-4 weeks,
you may have plateaued.
Our bodies will try to adapt metabolically to changes in our activity levels and body compositions. However, since you have been accurately tracking your food, you now have a better idea of what your TDEE is than any other calculator could hope to. Use that number, and adjust your equations based on it, i.e. if you want to break through the plateau, take calories down by 10-15% and/or increase activity (consider adding in 60-120 minutes of low-intensity cardio per week), or consider changing lanes for a while if you’ve been a deficit for a long time (anywhere from several weeks to a few months, depending on the individual and severity of deficit) and need a break. Hop up to maintenance for a couple of weeks, or reverse diet to increase your intake gradually, focus on strength gains for a little while, give your body a break from the (physiological and psychological) stress of having been in an extended hypocaloric state.
20. Do I need to track macros forever?
No. Within the first 1-4 weeks of tracking your macros, your knowledge about food, what constitutes an actually “good” source of protein (spoiler: not nuts, also not broccoli), and your body will skyrocket. Tracking macros will equip you with tools that may eventually help you to become a more intuitive eater. The longer you practice a skill, the better you’ll get at it — eyeballing portions when you’re out, guesstimating whether you’re close to your ideal amount of protein and/or calories for whatever your current goal may be. And it’s a fantastic skill to keep in your back pocket in case you ever decide you have a goal to pursue, further down the line.