Do Calories and Macros Matter?

When it comes to our health, many of us are clueless about the basics. We go to doctors for advice on how to eat and live a healthy life, but what we don’t realize is that most doctors only have a few hours of nutrition education. This is why we need to be knowledgeable about basic nutrition concepts ourselves. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of macros and calories.

A Growing Trend

There has been a growing trend among influencers and doctors stating that calories and macros do not matter. This especially seems to be true among two segments (1) obesity advocates and (2) ketogenic/carnivore diet proponents.

Obesity Advocates

The claims made by people in this group are more often based on anecdotes rather than any actual science. Many people say that they, their patients, clients, or others they know have drastically reduced their calorie consumption and yet kept gaining weight.

While this may be true for a small subset of individuals with genuine medical problems, the majority of those who follow these diets do so for other reasons. They’re not counting calories, they’re not restricting portions, and they’re not keeping track of their oils and dressings or random sweet treats. These individuals will often claim to “eat healthily” yet still overindulge.

The small studies that have supported these claims have been significantly flawed as well. Most have been small groups which have then been aggregated together to make the claim seem more valid. Yet, the individuals in these studies were self-reporting their calories rather than being fed measured quantities and observed. Individuals who are not used to measuring portions using a scale or estimating calories consumed in a restaurant meal are very likely to rely on what they think a portion is and overeat.

The bottom line is that if you consume more calories than your body burns, you will gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than your body burns, you will lose weight. It’s as simple as that.

The Keto and Carnivore Groups

The keto and carnivore diets are both popular options. Both diets are designed to limit your intake of carbohydrates, while keto focuses on increasing fats and carnivore both fats and proteins. Some prominent supporters of the ketogenic diet state that you don’t have to count calories since your body becomes much more efficient at burning them for energy when on a ketogenic diet. They claim that if you maintain ketosis for a specific amount of time each day or week, there’s no need to count calories.

Although this appeals to many individuals, it will not assist you in achieving your muscle-building or other performance goals. And just as the obesity advocates likely gained weight from continuing to eat too much, the keto dieter following this advice may very well lose too much weight by not getting enough calories due to the severe diet restrictions.

Without tracking your macros you cannot be sure you are getting enough high-quality carbs or high-quality fats unless you stick to a prewritten diet plan. I don’t know about you, but I enjoy variety, and I like to cook whatever suits my mood and fits into my macros.

Why Calories Matter

The most important reason to count calories is that it gives you control over your food intake. If you want to lose weight, you need to be in a calorie deficit. To gain weight, you need to be in a calorie surplus. And if you want to maintain your weight, you need to be eating at a maintenance level.

Another reason counting calories is important is that it allows you to more accurately establish what your maintenance level of calories is. By tracking calories and weighing ourselves regularly we can make adjustments to make sure we are staying on track with our goals. It takes the guesswork out of maintaining healthy eating habits.

Why Macronutrients Matter

In addition to calories, macros matter too. Macronutrients are the three main types of nutrients that our bodies need to function properly: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Each macronutrient has a different purpose and each one is essential for our health.

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are typically the body’s main source of energy. They are found in foods like bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. When we eat carbohydrates, our bodies break them down into glucose which is then used for energy. Typically higher quality carbohydrates digest more slowly and come from vegetables and fruits. My preference is to avoid grain-based carbohydrates during the week except for when I make my homemade pizza dough every Friday.

Fats

Fats are another type of macronutrient that our bodies need for energy. In a ketogenic diet, intermittent fasting, and low carb diet we are more likely to flexibly fuel our bodies through the breakdown of fats into ketones which have significant health benefits in moderation. Fats can be found in oils, butter, meats, dairy, eggs, fish, nuts, and seeds. My preference is avoiding lower quality oils such as soybean oil and vegetable oil, which are included in a lot of store-bought products including salad dressings, mayonnaise, bakery items, and chocolates.

Proteins

Proteins are essential for the growth and repair of our bodies. They can be found in meats, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and beans. Remember non-animal products do not contain complete proteins — meaning they contain all the essential amino acids. If you are relying non-animal sources to get your protein combine multiple sources to get all the essential amino acids.. I try to utilize a variety of all these foods and prefer my dairy products to be whole milk based.

What Does All This Mean

It is also important to note that when we are trying to lose weight, we need to make sure that we are eating fewer calories than we are burning. If we are only eating a small number of calories but they all come from carbohydrates or fats, we are going to be sacrificing muscle. Likewise, it is important to eat enough fat for our body to produce hormones and high-quality carbohydrates to keep our microbiome healthy.

So, there you have it. Counting calories and macros is important if you want to lose, gain, or maintain your weight. It is also important if you want to make sure that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs to function properly. If you are not sure where to start then I suggest you use a free tracking app such as MyFitnessPal or one of the number online calculators available.

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