Need help with macros

trish55011

Hey y'all, I need some serious help here. I cannot figure out how to determine what percent of each macro I am supposed to consume each day. I have tried various calculators, and none of them make any sense to me. So I chose to go with what seemed to be the 'default' or go to percentages. Carbs 5% Protein 25% Fat 70%. Today I nailed the carbs, 5%. Fat is at 67% Protein is 28%. I went over on my protein... Did I mess it up too badly? Feeling pretty overwhelmed with keto right now.

auntstephie321

Those numbers sound perfect. Try not to stress about things like going 3% over in protein, it will make 0 difference, you did great today. Your can goal will be what you aim to stay under, your protein is a goal to hit, and your fat is only to satiety. If you aren't hungry no need to force feed fat, somedays you'll be under some over

trish55011

auntstephie321 wrote: »

Those numbers sound perfect. Try not to stress about things like going 3% over in protein, it will make 0 difference, you did great today. Your can goal will be what you aim to stay under, your protein is a goal to hit, and your fat is only to satiety. If you aren't hungry no need to force feed fat, somedays you'll be under some over

Thanks auntstephie321. Can you tell me a little about what ketosis feels like? I don't have bad smelling urine, but my mouth tastes like a dog took a crap in it. Even after brushing my teeth and using mouthwash. And I am hardly hungry. I'm not thinking about food. Zero sugar cravings, all I really want to drink is water... I have drank five (5) 32 oz cups of water today and I'm still thirsty. I am not able to purchase a monitor right now, and everything I am reading says the sticks are not accurate. Could I be in ketosis. I know I have only been doing this since Friday, but I fasted from Thursday evening at 7:30 till Friday afternoon at 4:30. Then hit the gym for an hour. Have been well under 20g of carbs each day.

sammyliftsandeats

trish55011 wrote: »

auntstephie321 wrote: »

Those numbers sound perfect. Try not to stress about things like going 3% over in protein, it will make 0 difference, you did great today. Your can goal will be what you aim to stay under, your protein is a goal to hit, and your fat is only to satiety. If you aren't hungry no need to force feed fat, somedays you'll be under some over

Thanks auntstephie321. Can you tell me a little about what ketosis feels like? I don't have bad smelling urine, but my mouth tastes like a dog took a crap in it. Even after brushing my teeth and using mouthwash. And I am hardly hungry. I'm not thinking about food. Zero sugar cravings, all I really want to drink is water... I have drank five (5) 32 oz cups of water today and I'm still thirsty. I am not able to purchase a monitor right now, and everything I am reading says the sticks are not accurate. Could I be in ketosis. I know I have only been doing this since Friday, but I fasted from Thursday evening at 7:30 till Friday afternoon at 4:30. Then hit the gym for an hour. Have been well under 20g of carbs each day.

You could be in ketosis based on the symptoms you have described.

Now, it is time to keep it up and become fat-adapted. There is an article about being in ketosis vs being fat-adapted in the launch pad section called Open Threads.

Sunny_Bunny_

trish55011 wrote: »

auntstephie321 wrote: »

Those numbers sound perfect. Try not to stress about things like going 3% over in protein, it will make 0 difference, you did great today. Your can goal will be what you aim to stay under, your protein is a goal to hit, and your fat is only to satiety. If you aren't hungry no need to force feed fat, somedays you'll be under some over

Thanks auntstephie321. Can you tell me a little about what ketosis feels like? I don't have bad smelling urine, but my mouth tastes like a dog took a crap in it. Even after brushing my teeth and using mouthwash. And I am hardly hungry. I'm not thinking about food. Zero sugar cravings, all I really want to drink is water... I have drank five (5) 32 oz cups of water today and I'm still thirsty. I am not able to purchase a monitor right now, and everything I am reading says the sticks are not accurate. Could I be in ketosis. I know I have only been doing this since Friday, but I fasted from Thursday evening at 7:30 till Friday afternoon at 4:30. Then hit the gym for an hour. Have been well under 20g of carbs each day.

I don't doubt you're in ketosis. If carbs are that low for even one whole day, you should be in ketosis by then, add exercise and fasting to that and you're certainly there.
Everyone talks like getting there is so difficult but it's an automatic thing that absolutely will happen once your glycogen is used up, which will take like one day. Less with exercise.
I was in ketosis before my first day was over. I was all surprised since everything I read acted like it was so difficult to achieve. But it's not. It can be difficult to maintain but that's mostly due to adherence issues or hidden carbs anyway.
If you want to use the strips, they do work. You just have to know that if you're going to pee often due to drinking a lot of water or the diuretic effect of coffee that you will test lower at those times and it DOES NOT mean you're actually making fewer ketones. It just means your sample was dilute. Test in the evening or right before bed for your most likely highest test of the day. But it's completely optional.

Something VERY important for you this early on is sodium. Please read the electrolytes info in the launchpad. I'll attach the link.
Seriously, don't be afraid of sodium. You MUST replace what you're losing.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10358179/keto-flu-dizzy-weak-tired-headaches-cramping-muscles-electrolyte-imbalance-may-be-your-problem#latest

trish55011

Thank you @Sunny_Bunny_ yes, I have just experienced the first electrolyte muscle cramps in my left bicep. Oh man felt like it was going to explode! It has taken 2360mg of sodium and 380 mg of magnesium to get it to stop. Going to pick up some nusalt here in just a bit to replace potassium.(can't take the capsules). Thanks for the link too. I have been going through the launch pad this morning. It's helping a lot. Send me a friend request if you like.

auntstephie321

yes what sunny said. your there, its easy to get there, I ate a ton of carbs this weekend and am getting back to lc today, i'll be able to taste the ketones by the end of the day, I get a strong metallic taste in my mouth from it for the first few days. the tougher part is getting adapted without messing up your electrolytes too much. keep supplementing sodium potassium and magnesium even if you feel fine. what I've seen happen a lot is people start and especially the first week you feel incredible because of the ketones, you don't realize you are getting dehydrated and losing so much sodium until you really start feeling it, then its hard to get back in balance so stay on top of it from the beginning and you will do just fine.

KnitOrMiss

Has anyone tested out the theory that mostly the "dog took a crap in my mouth" feeling is related to eating more protein than your body needs in that state?

auntstephie321

I don't get that taste only the metallic taste, I'm usually a little low or right on with protein, so that's a possibility for those that do get it.

sammyliftsandeats

KnitOrMiss wrote: »

Has anyone tested out the theory that mostly the "dog took a crap in my mouth" feeling is related to eating more protein than your body needs in that state?

I think it depends on the individual because I don't get the 'dog crap' mouth feeling and I consume 100+ grams of protein daily. But then again, I believe my body uses it more because of the weight training I do.

KnitOrMiss

I was primarily kidding about the description used, as I just loved it too much not to reuse it, but something about ketosis I read recently said that even the metallic taste in one's mouth may indicate too much protein (any unusual mouth taste/feel) for that person. I think it has to do with activity levels, actual lean body mass to be maintained, and as @samanthaluangphixay said, using the protein up, so it doesn't have to do any conversion...

auntstephie321

KnitOrMiss wrote: »

I was primarily kidding about the description used, as I just loved it too much not to reuse it, but something about ketosis I read recently said that even the metallic taste in one's mouth may indicate too much protein (any unusual mouth taste/feel) for that person. I think it has to do with activity levels, actual lean body mass to be maintained, and as @samanthaluangphixay said, using the protein up, so it doesn't have to do any conversion...

I get the metallic taste more after exercise, as well as the ammonia nose. my assumption was that I was burning fat during that time thus producing more ketones that needed to be expelled

auntstephie321

also its kinda odd to me right now that I am having this, I couldn't have depleted glycogen stores yet, I won't even tell you what I ate this weekend but it was not low carb whatsoever and I haven't been low carb steadily for a bit now, but within 12 hours of not eating carbs I get that taste and once I go for my lunch walk its extreme

KnitOrMiss

Glycogen stores are actually limited - the rest stores as fat, so you have a very limited quantity of storage, like 80 grams of carbs or something, if I remember right... @wabmester might remember the glycogen storage numbers... It's a moderately low number, which is why some runners bonk. Then it stores to fat... Even though you ate OFF, your body still remembers enough that it can switch over to fat burning at some point...so I dunno!