I keep going over my macros... when I'm barely hitting my calorie intake goal.

SMOD2016

Hi,

I've decided to re-do my diet after a previous failure. I was consuming too few calories (1000- a day), so I ultimately relapsed. I've amped my goal up to 1,200. But now I face a new problem.
I sometimes have trouble reaching my calorie goal, but my macros are overloaded. Of particular note is fiber, as I went 18 grams over my maximum today. I've previously had an issue with protein and fats (and I still do).

I'm 5'4" and 180 lbs, trying to reach 140-130 lbs. I'm worried that this macro overdose will hamper my weight loss. Any advice?

janejellyroll

Fiber isn't a macro. Fat, protein, and carbohydrates are macros.

The rest are considered micronutrients. Fiber is just a type of carbohydrate. The goal MFP gives you is a minimum recommendation, not a maximum. Too much fiber will not keep you from losing weight. Too much of any macro- or micronutrient won't impact your weight loss. Weight loss is created by a calorie deficit.

You want to hit your calorie goal for weight loss. You want to get sufficient protein and fat to meet your nutritional needs. Same with other recommendations (like fiber, vitamin C, iron, etc). These goals aren't suggested for weight loss, they're there to help you ensure you're getting enough to meet your nutritional needs.

AliceDark

For weight loss, total calories is what matters. It's okay to change your macro targets to more closely match the way you prefer to eat; if you feel best eating more protein and fat, go ahead and up those and pull down your carb target. Different foods are satiating to different people, so no macro split is "better" than another; whatever works for you is just fine.

Also, FWIW, fiber isn't a macro, so don't worry about that at all!

toxikon

Macros, for the most part, are personal preference.

The important one to reach is protein. You have more wiggle room with carbs and fat. Aim for .8 - 1 x your body weight in protein. So if you weigh 150lbs, you'd wanna aim for 120-150g of protein. If you're fairly sedentary, you could aim a bit lower. 60g protein a day is my absolute minimum.

And PS - calories are all that matter for weight loss. You could eat 1500 calories of 80% fat / 15% protein / 5% carbs or 1500 calories of 60% carbs / 20% protein / 20% fat and still lose the same amount of weight. Macros are more for general health and a balanced diet.

Unknown

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mitch16

Are you doing low carb? Because if you are high on protein/fat, then you have to be really low on carbs if you're barely hitting your calorie target.

sdolan91

I'm 5'4, 26 years old, 150lbs and eat 1,500 calories and am losing weight.. I don't pay attention to anything but calories and protein really. I just try to eat foods that are gonna make me full.
I'd suggest just focusing on calories and seeing what makes you full.

SMOD2016

Thanks you guys. I kinda got fiber and carbs confused a bit lmao (I have zero issue with general carbs, sans sugar which is usually natural sugars). Reaching protein is also a non-issue, as a lot of my favorite foods (yogurt, tuna, eggs, etc), are protein rich.

I guess at worst I'll have a lot of excrement/flatulence, but at least my digestive system will be working.

lorrpb

It is not possible to be under on calories and over on all 3 macros. Maybe by a rounding difference of 1-2 but not a meaningful amount.
Please list your calories and macros for a specific day where you feel this happened.

AnnPT77

toxikon wrote: »

Macros, for the most part, are personal preference.

The important one to reach is protein. You have more wiggle room with carbs and fat. Aim for .8 - 1 x your body weight in protein. So if you weigh 150lbs, you'd wanna aim for 120-150g of protein. If you're fairly sedentary, you could aim a bit lower. 60g protein a day is my absolute minimum.

And PS - calories are all that matter for weight loss. You could eat 1500 calories of 80% fat / 15% protein / 5% carbs or 1500 calories of 60% carbs / 20% protein / 20% fat and still lose the same amount of weight. Macros are more for general health and a balanced diet.

If one is still overweight or obese, calculating protein based on current body weigh may be overkill: We don't need extra protein to maintain our fat stores. .8 x .1 x ideal/healthy/goal weight (without obsessing about exactly what weight that is) is close enough.

Well, personally I think .6-.8g/lb is close enough, but the big point us "don't use obese weight". Not necessary.

mitch16

SMOD2016 wrote: »

Thanks you guys. I kinda got fiber and carbs confused a bit lmao (I have zero issue with general carbs, sans sugar which is usually natural sugars). Reaching protein is also a non-issue, as a lot of my favorite foods (yogurt, tuna, eggs, etc), are protein rich.

I guess at worst I'll have a lot of excrement/flatulence, but at least my digestive system will be working.

Fiber is technically a carbohydrate--but one that your body can't digest. That's why it's separate from the 'other' carbs, and since your body can't digest it, it doesn't usually have calories assigned to it.

And while you can have too much fiber--the gastro distress is the extent of it. (Edited to add: unless you have Crohn's, IBS, or something similar...)

ahoy_m8

Think of fiber, fat and protein goals as MINIMUMS.
Think of calorie goal as a MAXIMUM.
Sounds like you are doing great.