Everybody talks about calories and macros, and we’re no exception. In fact, you can read all about macros in one of our latest posts. But how much do they actually matter? What do the pros think? According to Registered Nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert, you’re better to opt for nutrients over numbers. Fixating on numbers can hinder your progress and perhaps even develop into a bit of an obsession, leading you down a negative path. Getting that nutritional value into your meals is crucial, after all. On the other hand, countless PTs and Sports Performance Coaches promote calorie and macro counting – with many often likening the process to your finances: “you wouldn’t run a business without knowing your incomings and outgoings”. They have a point, but so does uber qualified Nutritionist, Rhiannon. Living your life to the numbers when you’re just looking to shift a bit of weight is quite an extreme method, and learning about good nutrition and more importantly how to implement it into your diet are excellent life lessons – but at the same time – understanding how many calories are in the foods you eat on a daily basis, along with their individual fat, carbohydrate and protein content, is important information. What’s the verdict? If you’re struggling with your diet and need something to encourage you to monitor your daily food consumption, then tracking your calories and/or macros via a free tool such as MyFitnessPal could be the way forward. This method is also extremely valuable to athletes and fitness competitors, as their diets need to be perfectly on point to achieve a place at the top. However, if you do decide to track for a while and find you’re not getting on with it, it really isn’t the end of the world. Food is to be enjoyed and if tracking every bite that passes your lips becomes a mundane task that you simply dread, then the fun is instantly removed and you will likely develop a negative mind set towards your diet. Plus, are you really wanting to worry about logging you food while on holiday or out for dinner with family? In summary, everybody is different, and we each have hugely different requirements. What works well for one person, won’t work at all for another. In addition to that, you also need to decide whether you’re happy to spend time each day logging what you eat – or whether you’d prefer to go with the flow, eat for your health and enjoy the ride. It’s a choice that nobody can make for you, unfortunately. Do you count calories and macros, or do you eat intuitively? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!