[This post has been a long time coming. It’s based on trends I’ve noticed on social media, in the blog world, and in real life. These are just my observations and opinions and I am sharing them with you all to get your thoughts and to open up a dialogue about this new issue in the world of food and fitness.]
I want to preface this post by saying that I am the first to agree with the notion that things online aren’t always what they appear to be and that you really can’t judge solely on what is being portrayed online. Someones intent or motivation may be very different than how it come across. However, this doesn’t make certain trends any less dangerous (consider thinspiration). It’s all about how things are received by the people viewing them and that’s where I think the uptick in ‘counting macros’ could potentially have a negative influence.
I’ve talked about my disdain for numbers numerous times on this blog. As much as I love to-do lists, keeping track of things, and being organized…there is something about numbers in general, but more specifically when it comes to food and fitness that I just LOATHE. Counting calories, keeping track of calories burned, being conscious of your weight on a daily basis, etc. just leads to anxiety, negativity, comparison, and an overall lessening of how much you could be enjoying life! Of course some people need numbers, professional athletes/figure competitors or people that have a medical need to lose or gain weight….but these are the extremes in our society. For the average person, numbers just add another thing into our already stressful lives to fret about.
It seems we’ve transitioned out of the crossfit/paleo stage and are now well into the ‘lifting’ and ‘counting macros’ phase. I know that in the world of competitive lifting/figure/fitness competitions these two sort of go hand in hand. But the way they’ve broken into the mainstream and into people’s lives who have very different goals than those of a professional has shown many signs of concern. I can’t tell you how often I see people on instagram, twitter, or facebook, posting things about getting the right amount of carbs, protein, fats, etc. in, commenting on others accounts as if they’re jealous of their ability to eat certain things within their macros, or using hashtags like #iifmm (if it fits my macros) to justify eating things that should be enjoyed regardless of if they ‘fit’ or not. Another worrisome thing is that most of what these people are eating as ‘indulgences’, are highly processed, faux-foods (as I like to call them!) all tricked out as low carb/high protein/magically calorie free and standing in as substitutes for the real thing. People, you know I’m a bar lover through and through…but no bar out there is what I’d consider an indulgence or something that can actually take the place of the real thing it’s named for (i.e. a chocolate brownie bar being like an actual brownie). Also, no amount of Quest bar microwave creations and Walden Farms chemically dips and sauces are going to make you miraculously thin/healthy/strong…whatever the goal may be.
If people were actually using the iifmm lifestyle as I think it was intended, then they would feel free to literally eat however they wanted. But from what I see, people that are indulging with a full piece of fruit as their carbs (seriously, I don’t even think about fruit and veggies when I think about getting some carbs in…those two are just a given in all of my meals and snacks!) or, as a Ashley so wonderfully put in her post, Arctic Zero as a ‘treat’, are simply using the macro counting name as another means to restrict. I think macro counting has transitioned to become more widely accepted as ‘okay’ and not disordered like calorie counting is sometimes considered, so people looking to still restrict but come off as healthy are using it as means to do so.
There is actually something to be said of the cliche phrases that are always tossed around…ya know “everyone is different”, “our bodies are all unique”…but these things ARE ACTUALLY TRUE. And in consideration of that, plugging in some numbers into a mathematic logarithm on some website is never going to give you an exact measurement of what you actually need in terms of calories and nutrients on a daily basis. First off, our needs change everyday based on what we’re doing. Secondly, our bodies our self regulating! They know what they need on their own! Think about the thousands of years we survived with out keeping track of calories and macros….without MyFitnessPal, MyMacros+, or CalorieCounter. We did just fine. By relying on some arbitrary calculations and thinking we need a precise measurement of everything that goes into our mouths, we are severely underestimating our bodies capabilities to do what it was meant to do. And of course displaying a severe lack of trust in ourselves! (<-a problem that I think has an immense amount to do with a slew of other physical and mental issues as well!)
I know personally, I would not want to be spending time during my day weighing food, entering nutritional information into various apps, or having to consider ‘my numbers’ and ‘what I have leftover’ before digging into a meal I feel like having! Can you even imagine rethinking a whole meal just it didn’t ‘fit your macros’? To me that is the epitome of disordered eating. I’d rather eat by ‘iifma’…IF IT FITS MY APPETITE! Cause who’s to say how hungry I’ll be on a certain day…maybe ‘my macros’ won’t be enough to satisfy me and then what? Am I going to make myself feel guilty and ignore my body just because of some numbers?!
Many people say macro counting doesn’t take a lot of effort and once all your foods are entered into your apps then you never have to do it again….but just think to yourself how that sounds. Entering ALL your foods in an app?! Basically a mechanized form of eating…something natural and that is meant to be enjoyable. Not to mention, you’re probably eating the same ‘safe’ foods everyday if ALL of your food can be accounted for in a tracking app. Talk about boring.
On another note, it is a known fact that nutritional labels are way off in terms of giving accurate values for their products. And on top of that, they can’t account for how the food will be absorbed and used by the body….which is different for everybody as well! Scientists don’t even know exactly how certain nutrients and food components are used by the body.
Even recipes seem to have been consumed by the the macro trend! When I bake or create, it’s for fun, experimenting, and invention….that’s why I rarely provide nutritional information for my recipes. I know the food is healthy and full of amazing nutrition so why does it have to be constrained to a specific serving or made less enjoyable by the hyper awareness of exactly how many fats, carbs, and proteins are in it? I can’t tell you how sad it makes me to see a delicious looking recipes completely overshadowed by glaring numbers, macro breakdowns, and nutritional information.
With all these things to consider, it just seems like keeping track of macros, numbers, ratios, and calories is a waste of time and energy. It may be an effective way of channeling obsessive thoughts or maintaining a level of control in your life…but if that’s the real purpose it’s serving (as opposed to the mask of it being a ‘lifestyle’) then there are clearly some underlying issues that should be addressed with a professional.
For me, focusing on whole, real foods is the way to go. It’s easy, satisfying, beneficial for my body, and let’s me enjoy food at the same time as being nourished by it! I can honestly say, I hardly think about fat, calories, protein, and carbs or how much I’m getting of each during the day. I just eat what I like and my tastes just happen to be for nutrient dense, delicious foods! If I have more carbs and less protein one day or more fat and less carbs another…it all balances out. Just like most things in life. 🙂
Here are a few other posts that I’ve read on this topic that really resonated with me:
Macros and Micromanagement via Running with Spoons
My Arguments Against Obsessively Counting Calories or Macros (for most people) via Low Carb Cory
Hashtag: Disordered and My Thoughts on Figure Competitions via Almost Veggie Girl
I would love to hear your thoughts on this trend.
Do you count macros?
Do you think counting macros is comparable to counting calories or other restrictive forms of eating?
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Kaila
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45 responses to “Masking Issues with Macros”
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for me it would be completely akin to counting calories.
we’re all different so I can only speak to me—but it wouldnt work around here 🙂
That’s how I see it too! Very similar…and in someways more dangerous like Tina mentioned in her comment!
I don’t count either; at times, I think counting can be a good thing, but only because I’m trying to lose weight, and it’s good to get at least a very generalized idea of how much I’m consuming. But if I focus, like you said, on clean real foods, I don’t worry about anything else.
That’s my mantra…clean real foods for the win! 🙂
The fitness nutrition specialization side of me says that macros ARE important because we do need to have a balance in our diets of adequate protein, carbohydrate, and fat. However, if we eat a balanced diet and focus on a variety of whole foods then I also believe that we will naturally meet our body’s needs.
The personal side of me says that macro counting has been around a LONG time. It’s not a new trend. I also believe it is more disordered (for lack of a better term) than counting calories. To count calories you tally up calories. To count macros you have to go even further to calculate percentages and the grams of each for each food versus just the calorie total. I know that my worst eating disordered years….I was counting MACROS. Not calories. Macros. Food and figuring out those daily totals ruled my life.
How I meld the two into my current opinion? For people really needing to relearn a balanced approach to eating in order to gain or lose weight (as you mentioned) it can be beneficial to see the breakdown and know what to aim for in a balanced diet. But then, I think it’s better to focus on general guidelines on a balanced nutrition plan from a nutritionist versus getting obsessed with specific numbers. Focusing so much on numbers every meal removes the goal of learning to eat in a healthy, balanced way so even then I don’t know if I would recommend it.
Macro manipulation is something that fitness competitors use to maximize the results needed for stage appearance and for some they can approach a competition diet in a non-disordered way so I have no problem with that. For me, when I competed, it was triggering and caused binge eating disorder so its definitely something to take with caution and NOT, in my opinion, for the general population.
Whew, that was a longer comment that I expected.
THANK YOU for sharing all this Tina! I agree, fats, carbs, and proteins are important….as far as knowledge about them goes. It’s important to have some basis for which to structure your diet around. But like you said, when it becomes obsessive, restrictive, and leads to anxiety over numbers…that’s when it’s definitely gone to far.
I look at macros not for a restrictive aspect, but for a balanced aspect, like Tina mentioned. For a long time I was on WW “following the plan” by making my points balance each night from eating crap. I didn’t ever get the healthy guidelines, and when I wasn’t losing weight, I couldn’t figure out why. So I started looking at macros when I registered with my fitness pal and was appalled when I saw, on the screen, what I was really doing to myself. I would get no where near an appropriate balance of anything, and exceeded my fat/carb intake at disgusting levels. So yes, I do look at macros, but not ever as a form of control, simply as a reminder to stay balanced.
The only macro I control, is processed carbs. I don’t eat a paleo or clean eating lifestyle, so I do limit and control my processed carbs because I know what numbers make me feel good and at my peak, not sluggish and gross. So while I do control/limit those, I’ve never centered on them in the sense that I see others doing on MFP and Twitter.
That’s really interesting about using it to control processed carbs…to me that makes a lot more sense then trying to control EVERY aspect of your diet! Why try to control the good parts?! I totally understand wanting make sure you’re not going overboard on some of the less healthy options out there.
I AM currently counting my macros. I am debating competing in either bikini or figure next year and so am working on building muscle right now.
Honestly, I’m tracking right now to make sure that I’m eating ENOUGH, not for restriction purposes. I overeat less now than I used to and when I’m not tracking my macros. I’m not too stringent with it right now. I don’t have to hit my macros EXACTLY and I don’t weigh everything out to the exact gram, I eyeball. I’m not getting ready to step on stage or step in front of a camera, so there really is no need.
I’m using IIFYM the way it is intended to be used: for FLEXIBLE dieting. I track as the day goes on, letting my meals change based on what I have available in my fridge or if I go out to eat with friends. I don’t eat solely Poptarts, most of what I eat is fairly normal: oatmeal, tuna, sweet potato, apples, cottage cheese, brown rice, guacamole, almonds, peanut butter. Things that I enjoy eating. But then I allow myself to eat those “sometimes” foods like Ben & Jerry’s, pizza, and beer. I just make them fit!
Thank you for sharing your perspective. I think you’re an example of someone who is using the method in a safe way to achieve a certain goal. Not just as a means to control your diet for some arbitrary reason. I am glad you posted this so people can see that it can be done in a proper way.
Oh geez. Another cool new diet fad. Except this one seems to have really complicated math attached to it, which makes me reallll sad.
Yes, math makes me sad too 😉
Yes! Yes! Yes!!! I have been seeing way to much about macros lately and it’s driving me crazy. For the average normal person there is really zero need to count macros to maintain a healthy weight. All we have to do is listen to our bodies. All the chemical “treats” make me cringe because it really scares me what people are willing to put into their bodies just to be “thin”. Thank you for bringing light to this topic! I applaud you for going against what everyone is doing and voicing your opinion 🙂
Thanks Danielle! It is astounding what people are willing to put their bodies through to achieve a certain ideal body….whether thin, or toned, or curvy! Whatever!
I really like the post and agree with most of it. I think that IIFYm can be more helpful than calorie counting because you are trying to eat quality foods that aren’t just sugar loaded for less calories or something. However, I think that tracking everything I eat is exhausting especially when it’s something like a salad with tons of veggies and an egg that I threw together because it’s healthy and each vegetable carb shouldn’t matter to me.
That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I would never have the energy to WEIGH out vegetables or lean proteins for a salad! Sure veggies are carbs, but NO WAY am I counting them up and trying to figure out how many I’m getting. They’re nutritious and delicious and that’s all that matters to me.
What a fascinating post!
I’ve (thankfully) been out of the loop on a lot of the macro counting trend, so I’m glad to read about it. But wow. That’s exhausting.
I’m also not a fan of calorie counting because I have a tendancy toward disordered eating and I know macro would do the same for me.
One thing I think many don’t realize, is that by counting macros, you ARE counting calories. Macronutrients have a specific number of calories per gram, so if you count grams, you count calories – and to me, this seems like it’s even more involved (and possibly more restricting) than counting calories. Which, like you said, can be okay depending on the individual’s situation. However, for a non-athlete, it takes time and doesn’t lead to a very fulfilling life (I’ve been there).
That said, I do think it’s important to be *mindful* of your nutrients. I know myself, and know that I could eat lots of bread and carbs all day long feel pretty good. But I also know that I feel *even* better if I eat a large serving of protein at every meal. I also know that I can let myself get carried away with desserts, so I have to be mindful and eat good-sized, balanced meals to keep cravings at bay. Also, fruits and veggies = colorful nutrients, a must at every meal (unless I *really* don’t feel like it). NOT carbs.
The biggest problem I have with managing macros is the obsessiveness that can result from it. Outside of fitness competitors, I can’t honestly think of any reason for people to need to be so precise with their food. I mean, sure, we need to make sure we’re eating a diet that covers all three macros, but that’s easy enough to do just by knowing the basics — there’s really no reason to have to get so precise.
EXACTLY! Food is one of the most enjoyable and flexible parts of our lives! Precision is not key!
I feel the the my fitness pal app works well for counting in terms of weight loss. I used it when I started working out again after the birth if my daughter. I was breastfeeding so it helped me make sure I was getting enough good food while getting back to working out. I still use it every now and again just to see where I fall within calories, but not all the time. I have my clients use it for a few weeks so I get a feel of what their eating habits are like and help them shift to healthier eating. I, like you, believe that we need to focus on whole real foods and feeding our bodies right. I also enjoy pizza, wine and chocolate and don’t ever feel guilty about eating these things, I just don’t eat them all the time. I did try IIFYM for less than a week and I can relate to much of what you are saying. I was putting foods in an app before I even put them in my mouth, if it didn’t fit my macros for that meal I had to start over. I was miserable and it was taking over my life. I stopped doing it after I was cramming food in even though I was full, just because I needed to hit those macros. I gained 4 lbs in 6 days and was bloated. I think I’m still suffering a little GI trouble. Not what should be happening. Incidentally I never heard if it before contacting a coach about help with meal planning to add more muscle. Well, I should have done more research…it was a bad move. Thanks for your post! I enjoyed reading it.
Like you said, it can be a great resource for those needing to gain or lose weight! But once those goals are met, I just don’t see the need for continued use! I think it’s awesome that you’re thinking of reaching out to someone to help you meal plan! That is such a great choice instead of just trying to follow a plan from some random calculator 🙂
I agree it is a great resource. I guess it really just depends on the person. Well the coach I reached out to what the one who started me doing the IIFYM. It didn’t work for me, so I am back to doing my own thing and really just listening to my body and mind and not worrying too much about every little thing I eat. I still track a few days a week, just to know where I am calorie wise. I guess at the end of the day everyone is different and what works for one, may not work for another.
Oh gotcha! Sorry I miss understood! Well either way…it’s awesome that you’re finding what works for you and learning to trust yourself again!
this post is REALLY awesome. whenever i find myself counting macros, it is unconscious and that’s how i know it comes from a disordered place. i still question myself whenever i eat an extra fruit serving or eat fruit at night because i see it in black and white as a carb. the thoughts pop up on their own and my true self has to fight them and push them back down. i kinda used managing macros as a step when i first entered recovery. i was a calorie counter and my nutritionist put together an eating plan for me based on macros. so i became obsessed with counting those, but it did help me to a point because i saw that her plan included X fats and Y carbs, things i never thought would be okay to eat at ALL. now i try not to count macros but i won’t lie, my mind is constantly throwing them at me. i still tend to label foods as a carb or a fat in particular. it’s funny because i rarely assign labels to veggies or proteins…my mind tends to point out the “fear macros”. i think it’s great that you’re addressing this because i find some people count macros like this and think it’s totally normal. there’s one person i see on twitter who will talk about having a carb when she eats fruit. it makes me frustrated!
People on twitter can be the worst about ‘labeling’ foods! That is one of the number one things I get ragey about…fruit is fruit! It’s natural whole and from the earth! That’s how I choose to look at it…not as a ‘carb’.
What a great conversation! And much needed. I think that as with many things, this is a matter of personal preferences and what is right for the individual. It is important to stay INFORMED about topics like this so that we can form an opinion for ourselves. For me personally, I think that it’s helpful to know what balance of protein/carbs/fat my body needs – however, I do not count macros regularly. My body lets me know, and I am conscious about including enough of each without over-managing it. If I were to enter a figure competition or the like, I would probably do it as it is applicable to achieving that type of goal – but I’m sure even then you get to know what your body needs without having to break out the calculator every single meal. I do like counting calories semi-regularly, but mostly because I think it’s fascinating and I kind of enjoy it? I do not obsess or do it every day by any means, but I do think that within reason it is a practice that can help keep an eye on your habits and how your system is functioning. If we see food as both fuel AND love, we can establish a relationship with it that doesn’t focus on numbers alone!
Thank you for stirring this all up!
I love everything you said here, and I think we’re really on the same page in terms of counting and tracking and how dangerous it can be. I have to admit that I USED to count calories and then I moved on to tracking macros because it seemed less disordered but I’ve been free of numbers for a few months now and I’ve never been more relaxed with my attitudes about food. Food is meant to be enjoyed, and of course moderation and real foods are great things to include, but once food becomes a math equation then I’m not happy! I know that counting can be beneficial to certain groups, and if it works for them, that’s great but I don’t think it should be widely promoted. It just becomes too all-consuming and makes people fear food.
And the fruit/starchy veggie thing as a carb ‘indulgence’–no, just no! Fruits and veggies are technically carbs but I’m the same and I eat them with every meal, no questions asked. How something that’s so good for us has become a treat makes me sad.
Congrats on being counting free! That’s an awesome accomplishment! Thanks for your posts on this similar subject! I agreed with what you said too!
100% agree with you! i stopped counting any sort of number related to food over about a year and a half ago and haven’t looked back. i enjoy eating so much more now, i eat whatever i want (which happens to be mostly healthier food because that’s what i crave and what makes me feel good), and i’m in the best shape of my life. everyone’s bodies are so much smarter than they think!
Thanks Julianna! And that is AWESOME that you’re happier without any sort of tracking or counting! Food is so much more enjoyable when there isn’t so much thinking behind it! 🙂
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You’re amazing. This post is amazing.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks Sloane!
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I just wanted to say that I really love this post. I was an obsessive counter (calories and macros) for a long time, and it really is no way to live. The “step away from the food journal” image above rings all too true; I really become “addicted” to this way of obsessive thinking, and I was afraid to put anything into my mouth that I hadn’t counted (or if I did, it had to be on a “cheat day,” and I had to get “back on track” right away. On track for what, I do not know. Sadness, I guess? I was on track for sadness.
I think this post is full of good points. SO many of these “new” diets are the same thing over again, the same obsession in slightly different form. In short, they are not helping me–or many other women–live and accept our bodies. They are instead keeping us in a never-ending cycle of tracking and waiting for the day when we magically love ourselves because we counted our numbers up just right. Obviously, that day will never come. Interestingly, though, many people will many MONEY off keeping women insecure and thinking someone else has their answer in a formula.
Anyhow, that got long. Just wanted to say I love this post. Good thoughts, good message. I was actually tempted by this IIFYM idea briefly, but then I realized exactly what you did here–you just said it way better. 🙂
Yes, yes, yes…a million times, YES.
I’ve talked about this [briefly] over on my blog too and I couldn’t agree more with everything that you’ve said here. The whole “macro-counting” craze just seems like another form of obsession. Sure, it may be better than starving or ONLY eating “clean” foods but it’s still allowing numbers and food to control your life. I’m sorry, I just don’t want to live that way!
Awesome post, Kaila. (:
My take on the whole macros subject is Mac what?
Not my cup of tea. I’m not really into tea either. 😉
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I love “iifma … it it fits my appetite!!” haha! You GO girl! I am sick of ALL the diet trends out there. Instagram and blogging and most forms of social media just worsen/normalize these behaviors. It’s insane.
Thanks for always tackling these fad/trends that seem to be so taboo to talk about. You said everything better than I could have. Great work!
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