Counting calories and counting macros is a big topic in the health and fitness world, as it is very important for reaching your goals.

When it comes to reaching your goals, whether that’s weight loss or building lean muscle, keeping track of what you eat is very important.

But what's the best way to do that? Is counting calories still the go-to method, or should you focus on tracking your macros? That’s what we’ll cover in this blog post.

Counting Macros vs Calories

First, let's explain what calories and macros are.

Calories are a measure of the energy in the food we eat, while macros refer to the three macronutrients that make up our food: protein, fat, and carbohydrates.

Each macro plays a role in our bodies, and the amount and proportion of macros we eat affect our body weight, muscle mass, and overall health.

So, should you count calories or macros or both?

Some people prefer to track their calorie intake, so they can make sure they stay within a specific calorie range in order to lose weight, maintain their weight, or gain weight. Basically, counting calories is used to manage your weight.

On the other hand, some people focus on tracking their macros, because they want to hit certain ratios of protein, fat, and carbs so they can build muscle, lose fat, or make sure they’re eating the right proportion of macros that their body needs to function well.

Counting macros is mostly used to manage your overall health and fitness, your muscle mass, body fat, etc.

Research shows that both calorie counting and tracking macros can be effective for weight loss, building muscle, and improving your overall health and body. The process of both is very similar.

Counting calories focuses on creating a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight, eating as much as you burn if you want to maintain your weight, or eating more calories than you burn if you want to gain weight.

Tracking macros, on the other hand, focuses on calculating how much protein, fat, and carbs each food you eat has, so you can build lean muscle while minimizing fat gain, and get the food your body needs.

Both options can help you learn a long-term approach to achieving your health and fitness goals if used correctly.

Do Macros Matter More Than Counting Calories?

The question of whether macros matter more than counting calories is something a lot of people are asking, but the answer depends on your lifestyle and goals. Both approaches can be effective for weight loss and muscle gain, but there are pros and cons to each.

Counting calories is a tried and true method for weight loss (and weight gain, and weight management). It's simple: if you consume fewer calories than your body burns, you'll lose weight.

However, this approach doesn't take into account the macronutrient composition of your diet.

For example, if you cut down calorie intake but you are not getting enough protein, you may lose weight but also lose muscle mass, which isn’t something you want. That’s why only counting calories doesn’t give you a full picture.

On the other hand, tracking macros focuses on the balance of protein, fat, and carbs in your diet, which can help you build and maintain muscle while losing fat. It also helps you eat the food your body needs to function properly.

Research shows that a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet can be effective for fat loss and building lean muscle. So, making sure you're consuming enough protein can preserve muscle mass and promote fat loss, which tracking macros allows you to do.

However, tracking macros is more time-consuming and a bit more complicated than counting calories.

Whether macros matter more than counting calories depends on your personal goals and preferences, and what you can realistically do on a daily basis. Both of them take time, but tracking macros takes slightly more work, as you have to calculate all of them for every meal.

If you're looking to lose weight, and you don’t have enough time to track macros, counting calories may be the way to go.

However, if you want to build lean muscle while losing fat, and overall make sure you’re getting everything your body needs, plus you’re able to do it every day, tracking macros can be a more effective approach.

In the end, the most important thing is finding a sustainable approach to your diet that you can stick to long-term.

Also, don’t forget that calories per gram of macronutrients matter, but so does the quality and nutrient density of the food you consume.

Best Calorie and Macro Tracker Apps

Let’s cover some helpful apps for tracking calories and macros.

MyFitnessPal

MyFitnessPal is probably the most popular calorie and macro tracker app out there. It allows users to set weight loss goals, track food intake, scan the barcode of their foods to easily get food info, and monitor progress. It’s easy to use and effective.

Lose It!

Lose It! is another popular calorie and macro-tracking app that allows users to set goals, track food and exercise. It also has a barcode scanner feature that makes tracking packaged foods easy.

Fitbit

The Fitbit app tracks your daily activity and food intake, and provides you with a complete picture of your overall health and fitness. It can sync with a Fitbit device for automatic tracking.

Should You Monitor Food Intake?

Monitoring food intake can be beneficial for many people, especially those who are trying to maintain or improve their health and fitness.

As we covered above, by tracking what you eat and drink, you can gain a better understanding of your dietary habits, identify areas for improvement, and make changes that support your health and wellness goals.

Monitoring food intake can also help you with weight management. By tracking the number of calories you consume, you can create a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight, make sure you are meeting your calorie needs if you want to maintain your weight, or create a calorie surplus if you want to gain weight.

Also, tracking macros can help you make sure you are consuming the right balance of nutrients your body needs to function properly.

However, keep in mind that counting calories and macros can lead to obsession or eating disorders if taken to extremes. It's important to approach tracking with a balanced and healthy mindset, focusing on making sustainable changes to your diet rather than strict rules or limitations.

In conclusion, monitoring food intake can be helpful for improving health and managing weight, but it's important to approach it with a balanced and healthy mindset. It's also important to consult a healthcare professional before making any significant changes to your diet.