Macros got me like ???

Lizzinc

Starting a new diet/fitness regimen. I have a lot of weight to loose. My new gym uses a site called gym builder. Anyhow, their calculator based on my height/weight/body fat percentage gave me 1690 calories and a ton of those are carbs and I'm having a hard time trying to figure out how to get the carbs all in but stay under the calories but eat every 2-3hrs small meals. It's a lot to adjust to. Any helpful tips or recipes would be appreciated.

AnvilHead

1) Get your calories in line first because they're the most important thing for weight loss.

2) Set your macros up according to this thread, and gradually start dialing them in as you go. Don't sweat hitting macro targets down to the last gram, you'll go crazy. Try to be somewhere in the ballpark and you can always keep refining as you go along.

3) Don't worry about eating small meals every 2-3 hours unless that's the eating pattern that works best for you. Meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss. Some people have great success eating one meal per day, others do better eating 6-8 small meals per day. Whatever eating pattern is easiest for you to adhere to and creates the best satiety is the best for you. The biggest battle in weight loss/fitness is adherence - if you don't stick to it, nothing's gonna work.

Lizzinc

Thank you. That's a ton of useful information!

rfrenkel77

Carbs? You don't need them. Find keto talk podcast. Good luck.

AnvilHead

^ Keto is great - as long as increasing athletic performance and/or gaining/retaining muscle aren't among your goals. Because keto, as the macros are most commonly promoted, is sub-optimal for both of those goals.

I guess the increased water/glycogen weight in the initial stages could be considered an advantage by some, although over time it has been scientifically proven to be no more effective than any other macro combination for weight loss.

RodaRose

You do not have to have so many small meals. Some people lose weight eating one or two meals a day.
Count calories for the overall day -- that matters more that "timing."