Stop Counting Calories

I’ve been using MyFitnessPal for at least three years now, which means I can look back at what I ate three years ago. And each time I do, I’m somewhat appalled. 

Let’s take a look at what was a typical day in the autumn of 2012.

Looks like a lot of food, right? Long list. I actually only ate 941 calories this day, which is a lot more than some other days (I found a few with under 600 calories eaten).

Consider at this time that I was also running maybe 2-3 miles a day, so my TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) was around 1600 calories. So I was eating at least 600 calories beneath what I was burning on a daily basis, or 4,200 under my TWeeklyEE. So in theory, if calorie counting was all that mattered, I should have lost 1.2 lbs a week.

Insert typical weight loss picture here.

I ate this way for at least a year. (Looking back, I honestly don’t know how I dealt with it. My goals for food today are between 1700-2100 daily. My breakfast is bigger than what I ate in a day back then.)

Let’s do some math, shall we?

52 weeks in a year X an average of 1 lb loss a week = 52 pounds lost.

Which would be great if I started out at 250 lbs. But I didn’t. I began eating this way when I was only 125 pounds.

So at the end of the year, did I weigh 73 pounds? No, because I’d probably be dead. My lowest in this stage was 107 pounds, meaning I lost 18 pounds in total.

So What Gives?

Our bodies are not machines. There is no rudimentary “input/output” system. Instead, they are complicated living organisms with intricacies developed over years and years of evolution. Our bodies are much smarter than we are, and they require much more upkeep than a simple quantitative measurement of its fuel.

Quality matters, kids.

Food is not just a tasty mass of calories. Calories are units of energy, and that energy comes from different sources, called Macronutrients (“Macros”).

There are three: Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fats. Also important to your health are Micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, etc.), but that’s a topic for another day.

Macronutrients have calorie counts.

1g Protein = 4 calories

1g Carbohydrate = 4 calories

1g Fat = 9 calories

Macronutrients have different jobs within our bodies.

Protein is responsible for creating new tissues and repairing old ones, and it regulating body functions. Enzymes, which aid in digestion and immunity, are made of proteins, as well.

Carbohydrates are easy for the body to metabolize, making them a quick source of energy (which is why long-distance runners “carb up” before races). Fiber, an indigestible form of carbohydrate, is necessary for intestinal and digestive health.

Fats can be stored and used for energy when food is scarce or you’re just not eating. They are responsible for hormone production, including sex hormones. The brain is built with fats, and runs faster when fats are present in the diet. Fats also aid in the proper absorption of certain vitamins like vitamins A, D, E and K.

Different foods have different macro breakdowns.

A combination of these three nutrients creates a well-balanced diet able to both fuel your body and keep it running at maximum health. By counting macronutrients, you can thrive, not just survive.

Looking Back...

Look at my macro ratio in September 2012.

53% carb, 24% protein, 23% fat. I doubt my hormones were doing very well, and no wonder I didn’t have much muscle! And holy crap, take a look at that sugar intake. 52g, not even counting whatever was in those cookies (I’m guessing at least 15g).


Sure, I lost weight eating this way. But my body composition was terrible and I was not providing my brain and other organs the materials they required to run at optimum levels.

What’s the Right Macro Ratio?

The “proper” ratio of carbs/fats/proteins is a topic very much up for debate, and the “right” ratio for you is heavily dependent upon your personal goals.

For example, right now I’m bulking, which means I’m trying to put on muscle and weight. So not only am I eating more calories than usual, but I’m eating many more carbohydrates and fewer fats.

If I were trying to cut fat from my body, I would drop my carbohydrate intake greatly and ramp up the fats to nearly 45% of my daily intake.

Because I am always trying to either build or maintain muscle, my protein intake generally stays constant at 1g/lb lean bodyweight.

You can easily calculate the right macronutient ratio for you using online calculators like http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/.

Here’s a general guide. Ratios expressed as % daily calories from Carb/Protein/Fat.

Weight loss: Fewer carbohydrates, more fats. Ratio of 20/40/40

Weight maintenance: Moderate carbs/fats. Ratio of 35/35/30

Weight gain: More carbohydrates, lower fat. Ratio of 45/35/20

How Do You Count Macros?

This way is wrong.

It’s a bit more difficult than just counting calories. You have to look at the macro counts for everything you’re eating and add them up. MyFitnessPal has the ability to set your ratio goals, so be sure to take advantage of that.

You can either plan out your food intake at the start of each day, or eat naturally for the first meal and then fill in the gaps as the day goes on. I normally plan out about 80% of my day’s food and then fill in the rest to ensure I hit my macro goal.

Questions? Shoot me an email! I’d love to hear your experiences with macro counting.

Lift. Eat. Love. Repeat.