Setting your macros... is there a science or is it what makes you happy?

AlyssaPetsDogs

I've been at this for a year and 40 pounds down. 24 year old female. Mainly counting calories along with daily exercise, but I delved into watching my carbs (avoiding breads and pastas) and then into keto. I found that keto just wasn't sustainable for me because sometimes I want to eat fruit or have some rice and I didn't like the jumping in and out of ketosis.

I'm now on 1200 calories and currently very inactive due to spinal issues so I'm trying very hard to keep in my window of 1200 calories or so since there isn't a ton of wiggle room to be had with exercise calories.

I plugged in my stats to the IIFYM calculator and it recommended 19 grams of carbs per day.... that was frustrating cause that's pretty much the amount of carbs I was consuming on keto and it just isn't sustainable for me every day.

I currently have my macros set at 20% carbs (60g), 35% protein, and 45% fat, but I'm finding myself consistently going over the carbs still because I'm eating lots of rice cakes and tostadas with beans because they are so easy to prepare and cheap.

Should I even be worrying about macros at this point? I have a good 40-50 pounds left to lose and hoping to be more active again eventually. I'm thrilled I'm staying on track at least with my deficit, but I also don't know if having more carbs and less protein will affect losing muscle rather than fat.

I'm not sure if there really is a science to picking macro amounts or if people just kind of set them based on what they like to eat. Would love to hear any feedback possible!

rollerjog

the way i like to figure my maros is simple, first figure out your maintenance calories, then figure out what your lean body mass is, when you have that number, first will be protein for me its 1 gram of protein for every pound of lean body mass, then fat i go between 20% to 30 % of what ever your calories are , then the carbs whatever the remaining calories you have come from carbs thats how i do it, everybody has there own way of doing it good luck

CattOfTheGarage

Yes, there's science behind the amount of protein you need. The rest of it is just what keeps you satisfied and wards off hunger. I eat ~50% carbs (I'm very lax about macros but that one is oddly consistent without even trying). I find whole grains are more helpful in preventing hunger for me than protein alone. It's very individual.

kommodevaran

Adjust macros to fit your needs, don't try to fit into some arbitrary macro split. Your goal is to stick to you a calorie deficit. Is your calorie goal and your macro split helping you reach that goal, or making your goal harder to reach? That's the science you need.

I have personally had success by rearranging my macros/food intake while losing, to somewhere around 25P/25C/50F; when I hit mainenance I rearragend again, now I'm around 20P/50C/30F - yes, that's MFP's default setup

TavistockToad

CattOfTheGarage wrote: »

Yes, there's science behind the amount of protein you need. The rest of it is just what keeps you satisfied and wards off hunger. I eat ~50% carbs (I'm very lax about macros but that one is oddly consistent without even trying). I find whole grains are more helpful in preventing hunger for me than protein alone. It's very individual.

You also need a certain amount of fat for mineral absorption

AlyssaPetsDogs

I also have no clue what my lean body muscle mass is or whatever. I know there's a way to figure that out with like, a body pod or paying someone to do that. I wish I knew how to estimate that better.

TavistockToad

alyssadanielle2493 wrote: »

I also have no clue what my lean body muscle mass is or whatever. I know there's a way to figure that out with like, a body pod or paying someone to do that. I wish I knew how to estimate that better.

0.6 - 0.8g per pound of actual weight can also be used if you don't know lean mass