Should You Count Macros or Calories?
A lot of my clients have previously counted calories, so why are we now tracking macros? What’s the difference? I find macros to be more precise than calories in terms of providing the body with the correct ratios of carbs, fats, and proteins to keep you fueled while achieving your goals. Let’s talk about a few differences and where being conscious of calories can come into play when counting macros.
My previous history with counting calories was very restrictive. Numbers that sounded too big intimidated me, and I wasn’t seeing the results I wanted in my body composition. So, I engaged in disordered eating behaviors, including heavy restriction of calories and foods.
My advice? Hit your macros, and you’ll hit your calories. Protein and carbs have 4 calories/gram and fat has 9 calories/gram. That being said, if you’re hitting your macros consistently, your caloric intake will also be consistent. For example, if you’re eating 150g of protein, 250g of carbs, and 80g of fats per day, your caloric total is 2,320 calories. So you don’t have to be worried about calories if you’re hitting your macros. You only need to be concerned about calories if you need to switch up your macros.
Some days, you’re going to go over on your carbs or fats. This is totally normal and happens to everyone. Sometimes, a little extra cheese on our burrito is more appealing than rice on the side, even if the rice is what technically “fits” our macros. Let’s say you’re going over by 10g on your fats, that’s 90 calories. Divide 90 by 4 and get 23g of carbs, so you’ll subtract 23g from your daily total if/when you go over your fats.
Over on carbs by 20g? That’s 80 calories, so subtract 9g of fats from your daily total! When you make these swaps, you may not be 100% on your macros per se, but you’ll still be in the same caloric total you normally would be. It takes a little bit of work at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll be able to do this with ease
Counting calories will only get you so far on your journey but macros will help dial you in a bit more to where you need to go. Interested in learning more? Click here to send me an email detailing your goals and we’ll set up a time for a FREE consultation!