Calories? Macros? Exercise?

OrangePandaGreenTurtle

Hello. I'm one of the many people in the world trying to lose weight. I am doing okay in my journey. Last fall I was cycling between the 180s and the 190s (occasionally being confronted by the dreaded 200 on the scale), but now I'm 175. I have been trying my best to focus the past couple months. Last week, I started a 30 day shred workout schedule I found online ( 2 days video, 1 day cardio, repeat, then a rest day. Continue until you have completed 30 days of video). But since I'm trying to be more serious, I found I have some questions.

1. Are macros important? I eat around my required calories each day, but I find my diary says my fat is too high and my protein is too low. How essential is it to meet the carb, protein, and fat requirements?

2. Should I eat back my exercise calories? I used the scooby calculator to find my intake requirements and I picked the sedentary lifestyle options.

3. Am I doing enough (or the right type) of exercise? On my cardio days, I go jogging. I do five minute warmup and cooldown, along with 15 three minutes intervals (1 minute jogging as fast as I can, 2 minute walking). I usually make between 50-55 minutes total.

I'm 31. I'm about 5"4. The highest I have weighed I believe is 237 (fall 2012). When I got married in '08, I was about 149, which is my current goal. My hubby got me those perfect portion containers and I told him I would try then out, which is what my current good plan is based on. I weigh out all the food so I can still use the mfp diary. I want to lose weight efficiently. I know it will take awhile to reach my goal and I'm okay with that, but I want to be sure I'm not wasting my time doing or not doing something.

Thanks in advance for the advice and tips.

malibu927

1. Macros are important for satiety (some people find they're less hungry when they eat lower carb/more fat and protein, etc.) and body composition (adequate protein consumption to help retain muscle as you lose). But when it comes to weight loss, it's all about calories.
2. When you calculated on Scoobys, you should be including exercise in that number and eat strictly that amount. MFP is set a different way...you're given a goal without exercise, then you log exercise and eat some-to-all of the calories back. Pick the way that works best for you.
3. Enough/the right type varies from person to person. Do you enjoy what you do? Is it challenging you to improve? I will say that adding some form of strength/resistance training will help with muscle retention too.

crzycatlady1

malibu927 wrote: »

1. Macros are important for satiety (some people find they're less hungry when they eat lower carb/more fat and protein, etc.) and body composition (adequate protein consumption to help retain muscle as you lose). But when it comes to weight loss, it's all about calories.
2. When you calculated on Scoobys, you should be including exercise in that number and eat strictly that amount. MFP is set a different way...you're given a goal without exercise, then you log exercise and eat some-to-all of the calories back. Pick the way that works best for you.
3. Enough/the right type varies from person to person. Do you enjoy what you do? Is it challenging you to improve? I will say that adding some form of strength/resistance training will help with muscle retention too.

Great input here. And I'll reiterate that for weight loss calories is what matters. In order to lose weight you must be at the correct calorie deficit for your weight loss goals. Everything else is secondary/background noise.

leahcollett1

i too go by scooby workshop, i input that i workout 3 times a week for 45 minutes each i set 25% fat loss, and it gives me that many calories to eat each day, therefore i do not eat any calories from exercise as my total already incorporates it, i find this best for me, as its consistent and even across the board and im not so limited and struggling on non work out days