Dante Carrillo
When it comes to weight loss, weight gain, or muscle maintenance, it's important to consider whether your diet priority should be hitting your macros or calories. Both are important, but which one should take precedence? Counting calories is essential for weight loss or weight gain, as consuming more calories than you burn will lead to weight gain, and vice versa. However, macro counting is also crucial for improved body composition and overall diet quality. Prioritising nutritious foods can make it easier to hit your targets, keep you feeling fuller, and improve your overall health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Priority | Calories are the priority when it comes to weight loss or weight gain |
| Weight loss | Consuming fewer calories than you burn leads to weight loss |
| Weight gain | Consuming more calories than you burn leads to weight gain |
| Importance of macros | Macro counting is important for improved body composition, improved overall diet quality, prevention of various health conditions, better mental health, and more restful sleep |
| Food quality | Prioritising whole food sources like lean proteins, fruit and vegetables, healthy fats, and carbs can make you feel more full and have fewer cravings |
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What You'll Learn
Counting calories vs macros
Counting calories and macros are both important for different reasons. If your goal is to lose weight, then you should prioritise counting calories. This is because, as diet coach Nick Shaw explains, "technically speaking, the amount of food you eat in terms of calories and then the macronutrient breakdown matters more than the quality of food when it comes to losing weight and body fat".
However, Shaw also notes that to get the best results, you should consider food quality as well as overall quantity. While you could eat desserts and bacon to hit your carb and fat targets, this would likely leave you feeling less full and more likely to experience cravings. This is unhelpful when trying to stick to a calorie deficit to lose weight. Therefore, Shaw recommends prioritising whole food sources like lean proteins (e.g. chicken), fruit and vegetables, healthy fats (e.g. avocado and olive oil), and carbs (e.g. sweet potato or whole grains). This will help you feel more full and have fewer cravings, while still hitting your calorie and macro targets.
Counting macros is also important for improving overall diet quality, preventing various health conditions, improving mental health, and promoting more restful sleep. For example, a 1800-calorie diet with a 40% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 30% fat ratio can be achieved by eating roast chicken, quinoa, and avocado. This meal hits each macro, keeps you satiated, and is delicious.
In summary, while counting calories may be the priority for weight loss, counting macros is also important for overall health and wellbeing. By focusing on food quality as well as quantity, you can achieve your weight loss goals while also improving your diet quality and overall health.
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Losing weight
When it comes to losing weight, calorie counting and tracking should be your top priority. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight, and if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. However, macro counting and tracking are also important and should not be neglected.
Macros, or macronutrients, are the breakdown of the food you eat into carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Counting your macros can help you lose weight and improve your overall diet quality, as well as prevent various health conditions, improve mental health, and promote better sleep.
To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories than you burn. This is often referred to as a calorie deficit. You can achieve this by tracking your calorie intake and making sure you are consuming fewer calories than you are expending.
While calorie counting is crucial, it is also important to consider the quality of the food you are eating. Prioritizing nutritious, whole foods like lean proteins (such as chicken), fruits and vegetables, healthy fats (such as avocado and olive oil), and complex carbohydrates (such as sweet potatoes or whole grains) will help you feel more satisfied and reduce cravings. This can make it easier to stick to your calorie deficit and lose weight.
In conclusion, when trying to lose weight, your priority should be a combination of calorie counting and macro tracking, with a focus on choosing nutritious, whole foods that will help you feel full and satisfied while staying within your calorie budget.
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Losing fat
When it comes to losing fat, the priority of your diet should be on hitting your calorie targets. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight, and if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight.
However, this does not mean that you should ignore your macros. Counting your macros can help with improved body composition, an improved overall diet quality, the prevention of various health conditions, better mental health, and more restful sleep.
When trying to lose fat, it is important to consider both the quantity and quality of the food you are eating. While it is possible to eat desserts and bacon to hit your carb and fat targets, this will likely leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied, which can lead to more intense cravings. This can make it harder to stick to a calorie deficit.
To make it easier to hit your calorie targets, it is recommended to prioritise whole food sources like lean proteins (e.g. chicken), fruit and vegetables, healthy fats (e.g. avocado and olive oil), and carbs (e.g. sweet potato or whole grains). This will help you feel more full and have fewer cravings.
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Maintaining muscle
When it comes to maintaining muscle, both macros and calories are important. Diet coach Nick Shaw says that the amount of food you eat in terms of calories and the macronutrient breakdown matters more than the quality of food when it comes to losing weight and body fat. However, to get the best results, Shaw recommends considering food quality as well as overall quantity. Prioritising whole food sources like lean proteins (chicken), fruit and vegetables, healthy fats (avocado and olive oil), and carbs (sweet potato or whole grains) will make you feel more full, reduce cravings, and help you hit your macros.
Counting macros can be an effective way to lose fat and keep it off. A simple way to hit your macros is to batch-cook a protein, carbohydrate, and fat source and box them up for the next few days. For example, roast chicken, quinoa, and avocado. You can also add a serving of protein and healthy fats to your morning oats with Greek yoghurt and peanut butter.
While calorie counting is important for weight loss or weight gain, macro counting should not be neglected. Improved body composition relies heavily on macro counting, and it also has additional benefits such as an improved overall diet quality, prevention of various health conditions, better mental health, and more restful sleep.
Overall, when it comes to maintaining muscle, prioritising both macros and calories is key. By focusing on food quality and quantity, you can effectively lose weight and body fat while feeling satiated and maintaining muscle.
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Improving overall diet quality
When it comes to improving overall diet quality, it's important to consider both calorie counting and macro tracking. While the number of calories you consume is crucial for weight loss or weight gain, macro counting can help improve your overall diet quality and prevent various health conditions.
To enhance your diet quality, focus on whole food sources such as lean proteins (e.g., chicken), fruits, vegetables, healthy fats (e.g., avocado, olive oil), and complex carbohydrates (e.g., sweet potatoes, whole grains). These foods will help you feel more satisfied and reduce cravings, making it easier to stick to a calorie deficit if needed.
By prioritising nutritious foods, you can make it simpler to hit your calorie and macro targets. For instance, a meal containing roast chicken, quinoa, and avocado checks the boxes for protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats, keeping you satiated and making your diet more enjoyable.
Additionally, don't be too restrictive with your diet. It's okay to include occasional treats, as long as you practice moderation and ensure they fit within your overall calorie and macro goals. This balanced approach can help you maintain a healthy relationship with food while still achieving your dietary objectives.
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Frequently asked questions
Calorie counting and tracking should be your priority if you want to lose or gain weight. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain weight, and if you consume fewer calories than you burn, you will lose weight. However, macro counting is also important, as it can improve your overall diet quality, prevent various health conditions, improve your mental health, and help you get a good night's sleep.
Hitting your macros can be as easy as batch-cooking a protein, carbohydrate, and fat source and boxing them up for the next few days. For example, roast chicken, quinoa, and avocado.
Macros are short for macronutrients, which are the nutrients that your body needs in large amounts to function properly. They include carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
Technically, the amount of food you eat in terms of calories and the macronutrient breakdown matters more than the quality of food when it comes to losing weight and body fat. However, to get the best results, you should consider food quality as well as overall quantity. By prioritising whole food sources like lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables, you will feel more full, have fewer cravings, and still hit your macros and calories.
