The Fat Loss TroubleshootThis is your place to troubleshoot your fat loss problems from nutrition to training. This section is led by Leigh Peele, author of "The Fat Loss Troubleshoot," the ultimate fat loss manual. If your results have slowed or stalled this is the place to come for advice for all your fat loss needs.
Which is most important to meet?
Marcos or caloric deficit?
This goes back to my post last night about force eating. Lately, I feel like Ive been shoving things in my mouth I really dont want for the sake of meeting my macros, like protein shakes and meat....when really what I craved was a piece of fruit. I also find I eat when I am not hungry to meet my caloric goal for the day.
So would it be better to just eat the things I crave (like the fruit) and just let my caloric intake fall for a bigger deficit rather than try to force feed?
I just feel like force feeding seems wrong. I remember years ago I lost tons of weight by just eating stuff I like, but alot less of it with alot more NEAT and activity.
Calories win. You can eat less and lose weight just fine.
If you're following a specific program that prescribes macros, then it might be important to follow them for long term success.
If your goal is to retain or add muscle mass, then passing on the protein for fruit might not be a good idea.
I'm confused on the force feeding. Do you mean eating more calories than you think you should, merely to get the macros right? If that's the case, it's not right. If you need to get your P ratio up, you eat less of the other macros.
thanks LD, sorry about that, I copied and posted another post from another site (Lyle McDonald's) to get his take on this.
I had written a post there asking about force feeding. Basically, I have a particular calorie and protein goal to meet, but there are just some days I am not hungry, and would prefer to skip a meal, but this would change my macros big time. So lets say I am supposed to have 1600 calories and 140g protein, I will end up with 1200 calories and 100g protein.....and my first instinct tells me that its OK as long as I am creating a deficit.
But then I get nervous about going below my protein requirement. Sometimes too much meat and protein just grosses me out and I find I am forcing myself to eat it.........does it make sense? Basically I would prefer to skip it or just eat a piece of fruit on those days.
Back in the day before I knew so much about nutrition and training, I lost weight just by eating less. Lately its been getting so complicated with macros and all that other fancy stuff.
thanks LD, sorry about that, I copied and posted another post from another site (Lyle McDonald's) to get his take on this.
I had written a post there asking about force feeding. Basically, I have a particular calorie and protein goal to meet, but there are just some days I am not hungry, and would prefer to skip a meal, but this would change my macros big time. So lets say I am supposed to have 1600 calories and 140g protein, I will end up with 1200 calories and 100g protein.....and my first instinct tells me that its OK as long as I am creating a deficit.
But then I get nervous about going below my protein requirement. Sometimes too much meat and protein just grosses me out and I find I am forcing myself to eat it.........does it make sense? Basically I would prefer to skip it or just eat a piece of fruit on those days.
Back in the day before I knew so much about nutrition and training, I lost weight just by eating less. Lately its been getting so complicated with macros and all that other fancy stuff.
What is your main goal? Are you trying to lose weight/fat or build muscle? Like LD said, if weight loss is goal than worry more about the calories. I totally agree on the macros complicating things. In the past I would just cut back on total intake. Once I learned about macros I found myself getting too caught up with hitting certain macros and eating foods that might not really satisfy (like your example with the meat vs fruit) which would then lead me to eat more oftentimes. I have found a happy medium where I am in the general macro ball park but keeping calories to a certain limit is the main focus.
What is your main goal? Are you trying to lose weight/fat or build muscle? Like LD said, if weight loss is goal than worry more about the calories. I totally agree on the macros complicating things. In the past I would just cut back on total intake. Once I learned about macros I found myself getting too caught up with hitting certain macros and eating foods that might not really satisfy (like your example with the meat vs fruit) which would then lead me to eat more oftentimes. I have found a happy medium where I am in the general macro ball park but keeping calories to a certain limit is the main focus.
At this point, would like to lose fat while retaining most of my muscle. I dont want to lose too much muscle, but a little bit is OK. I know many people who lost weight and looked lean and cut without ever counting a gram of protein or carbs....they just cut back on their total intake, ate clean and did more exercise. Isnt that how it should be?
But then I get nervous about going below my protein requirement. Sometimes too much meat and protein just grosses me out and I find I am forcing myself to eat it.........does it make sense? Basically I would prefer to skip it or just eat a piece of fruit on those days.
quote]
For some reason, I seem to struggle with this too.
However, I guess the main point is to get the protein reguirements in first, then add in the other things for the rest of your day?
At this point, would like to lose fat while retaining most of my muscle. I dont want to lose too much muscle, but a little bit is OK. I know many people who lost weight and looked lean and cut without ever counting a gram of protein or carbs....they just cut back on their total intake, ate clean and did more exercise. Isnt that how it should be?
You have to understand that this process isn't natural. Trying to gain muscle or lose fat aren't things that we "naturally" do. We are figuring out ways to tailor the look of our bodies.
Optimally, you want to eat enough P and workout hard enough to retain muscle. How much P are you eating before it's "too much?" Maybe it's enough. If you want to really get more P someday, drink protein powder to fill in the gaps. There's no need to force yourself to eat meat.
You have to understand that this process isn't natural. Trying to gain muscle or lose fat aren't things that we "naturally" do. We are figuring out ways to tailor the look of our bodies.
Optimally, you want to eat enough P and workout hard enough to retain muscle. How much P are you eating before it's "too much?" Maybe it's enough. If you want to really get more P someday, drink protein powder to fill in the gaps. There's no need to force yourself to eat meat.
Thanks, that sounds like a good solution. And you make a good point, we are trying to do something that isnt natural. I guess that is key and I need to remind myself.
I weigh 140lbs and I tend to stop around 100g protein, so I am shy about 40g, which a protein shake will easily take care of....
Last edited by getmovin78 : 12-02-2008 at 12:55 PM.
At 140lbs, 100g isn't too bad. I wouldn't sweat the extra 40g on days when you can't deal with it. I go with .91g per lbs as a reasonable target for people who aren't addicted to protein.
If you get to a point where things don't work, or you're unsatisfied with your progress, then sweat it again.
calories or macros?
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