Macro's 101?

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dbkyser
dbkyser Posts: 612 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am logging my foods, weighing my meats and measuring my salad dressings etc.
I am now lifting regularly and keep hearing about macros.
So hoping someone can help me learn a little about them and how important they are to a person who is getting into weightlifting and wanting to get the most gains in muscle and keep loosing weight.
Do you need the premium version of MFP to count them?
I am really dedicated to this way of life, is it something I should learn more about?
Any info would be appreciated.

Replies

  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
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    This might be an interesting read for you:
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/a-primer-on-nutrition-part-1.html/
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/nutrition/a-primer-on-nutrition-part-2.html/
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    No, you do not need the premium version. Get enough protein to preserve muscle mass while you are losing weight. Fat is important too. Carbs are not as important -- go over or under -- does not matter.
  • thinorthin2
    thinorthin2 Posts: 3 Member
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    For optimal health do 80%carbs 10%fat and10% protien.our cells live off of the sugars produced from carbs.dont forget the best carbs come from fruit,gluten free pastas ,rice and potatos.all these items have very minimal fat
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
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    thinorthin2 wrote: »
    For optimal health do 80%carbs 10%fat and10% protien.our cells live off of the sugars produced from carbs.dont forget the best carbs come from fruit,gluten free pastas ,rice and potatos.all these items have very minimal fat

    That sounds horrible and would not work well for me.

    Many people view fat and protein goals as minimums and carbs fill up the rest of their diet. For a rough starting point - multiply your body weight in pounds by 0.4 = how many grams of fat you should eat.

    There will be a lot of varying opinions on how much protein to eat. As a rough starting point multiply your body weight in pounds x 0.6 = how many grams of protein you should eat. You may need to experiment a little with this number.

    This is just a rough guideline. If a medical professional is recommending something else for you please follow their advice!
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    thinorthin2 wrote: »
    For optimal health do 80%carbs 10%fat and10% protien.our cells live off of the sugars produced from carbs.dont forget the best carbs come from fruit,gluten free pastas ,rice and potatos.all these items have very minimal fat

    No.

  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
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    thinorthin2 wrote: »
    For optimal health do 80%carbs 10%fat and10% protien.our cells live off of the sugars produced from carbs.dont forget the best carbs come from fruit,gluten free pastas ,rice and potatos.all these items have very minimal fat

    BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! <gasp>. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

    OP - Ignore the comedian.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
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    thinorthin2 wrote: »
    For optimal health do 80%carbs 10%fat and10% protien.our cells live off of the sugars produced from carbs.dont forget the best carbs come from fruit,gluten free pastas ,rice and potatos.all these items have very minimal fat

    Totally untrue! You really need to do some research before posting junk like this. The body will die without adequate protein and fat. It has 0 need for carbs ( remember the Inuit?). I see you don't recommend any vegetables - they are carbs, too and the kind that are useful. As for fat, Science has now proven that low fat and fat free contribute to weight gain, not loss. Real fat, and it only takes a small amount, it what keeps us feeling full, gives good mouth feel to our meals, and satiates us. The American Heart Association has even changed it's view on fats.

    Or did you post this as a joke, for that it what your diet recommendation is.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    dbkyser wrote: »
    I am logging my foods, weighing my meats and measuring my salad dressings etc.
    I am now lifting regularly and keep hearing about macros.
    So hoping someone can help me learn a little about them and how important they are to a person who is getting into weightlifting and wanting to get the most gains in muscle and keep loosing weight.
    Do you need the premium version of MFP to count them?
    I am really dedicated to this way of life, is it something I should learn more about?
    Any info would be appreciated.

    You don't need premium....macros are just carbs/fat/protein. You're already tracking them if you're logging calories. As far as optimal ratios go, that's a pretty individual thing. The more intensive your overall training is and the more active you are, more protein would be optimal. I get anywhere between 0.7 - 0.8 grams per Lb of my body weight...0.8 at the high end gets me right around 1 gram per Lb of LBM. I get around 0.3 grams of dietary fat per Lb of body weight and the rest is rounded out with carbs, most of which come from things like oats, brown rice, quinoa, legumes, lentils, vegetables, and fruit.

    Macros are good to be generally aware of, but I really don't stress about them too much...it's not like if I'm a little low on my protein one day or a little over on fats one day, etc is really going to make any kind of substantive difference. Personally, I think a lot of people do way too much hand wringing over their macros and trying to hit on them exactly all of the time...seems like a lot of stress and whatnot for very little gain.
  • dbkyser
    dbkyser Posts: 612 Member
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    Thanks everyone, this really does fit well into my diet now days. I do love protein and get it mostly from lean cuts of meat. I do splurge on the occasional burger or chicken wings. I am getting my carbs from whole grains and veggies, need to add some fruits also.
    Thanks again, the info provided will help me make sure I am getting enough protein.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    thinorthin2 wrote: »
    For optimal health do 80%carbs 10%fat and10% protien.our cells live off of the sugars produced from carbs.dont forget the best carbs come from fruit,gluten free pastas ,rice and potatos.all these items have very minimal fat

    I would be a hungry unhealthy mess if i followed those macros :(
  • JoshuaMcAllister
    JoshuaMcAllister Posts: 500 Member
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    thinorthin2 wrote: »
    For optimal health do 80%carbs 10%fat and10% protien.our cells live off of the sugars produced from carbs.dont forget the best carbs come from fruit,gluten free pastas ,rice and potatos.all these items have very minimal fat

    I think you need to look in a dictionary for the definition of optimal.

    This is far from good advice.

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