Can the wise help the novice please
huggiesbear78
Posts: 14 Member
Hello all
I am now at the stage off counting macros and it’s a steep learning curve I have to say. I have worked out my macro’s for either 3 meals or 4 meals as not 100% sure which is best? I am also wondering, is the first meal of the day better being the biggest and then going down through the day or doesn’t it matter?
The next area is the food as I don’t really want to go down the chicken, rice and broccoli route. What recipe sites do you guys use? Would you share your plan for a rough look at it? I am looking at 2300 calories with protein 45% carbs 35% and fats 20%
Food I like to eat are mainly Mexican and Indian but do like the traditional dishes like cottage pie, chicken with Veg, etc
Just wondering if anyone can share and help a beginner out?
Cheers
I am now at the stage off counting macros and it’s a steep learning curve I have to say. I have worked out my macro’s for either 3 meals or 4 meals as not 100% sure which is best? I am also wondering, is the first meal of the day better being the biggest and then going down through the day or doesn’t it matter?
The next area is the food as I don’t really want to go down the chicken, rice and broccoli route. What recipe sites do you guys use? Would you share your plan for a rough look at it? I am looking at 2300 calories with protein 45% carbs 35% and fats 20%
Food I like to eat are mainly Mexican and Indian but do like the traditional dishes like cottage pie, chicken with Veg, etc
Just wondering if anyone can share and help a beginner out?
Cheers
0
Replies
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Number of meals is irrelevant - you could eat 1,you could eat 12...macro split per meal is also irrelevant. How much you eat at a meal is also irrelevant....do whatever works for you.
What you eat is also irrelevant. Pick foods you enjoy, in portion sizes to meet whatever macros you're trying to meet. (yes, nutrient dense most of the time, but lots of variety within that)
I dont use recipes, I just input ingredients to make my own meals up.
Personally I work my macros out in grams. Many people recommend just determining protein and fat grams, use these as minimums, then fill the rest of your calories however you like.7 -
Absolutely all of it comes down to personal preference. And I do the above of making sure to hit my protein goal which is in grams for me. Make sure I get the majority of my fat goal and then everything else lands where it lands. I do like to have a starch with most meals as it's the most satiating for me to have all three macros together.
I absolutely make room for treats. What I eat has barely changed, I have always eaten pretty nutrient dense overall I am just eating less now with a primary focus on protein.
The chicken, broccoli and rice diet is the bro diet and entirely unnecessary.6 -
Why have you set your protein at 45%? Just curious, that would be impossible for me to hit with the fat so low and seems like that's an awful lot of protein - which you likely don't need. I would say maybe raise the fats a bit and lower the protein, but that's just me. I could not stick to those macros.
And, oops, that wasn't your question. I agree with just pick what you like. It's gonna have to be a lot of egg whites, chicken, turkey, and fish and plain vegetables with those macros.
How much weight are you trying to lose?4 -
livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Number of meals is irrelevant - you could eat 1,you could eat 12...macro split per meal is also irrelevant. How much you eat at a meal is also irrelevant....do whatever works for you.
What you eat is also irrelevant. Pick foods you enjoy, in portion sizes to meet whatever macros you're trying to meet. (yes, nutrient dense most of the time, but lots of variety within that)
I dont use recipes, I just input ingredients to make my own meals up.
Personally I work my macros out in grams. Many people recommend just determining protein and fat grams, use these as minimums, then fill the rest of your calories however you like.livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Number of meals is irrelevant - you could eat 1,you could eat 12...macro split per meal is also irrelevant. How much you eat at a meal is also irrelevant....do whatever works for you.
What you eat is also irrelevant. Pick foods you enjoy, in portion sizes to meet whatever macros you're trying to meet. (yes, nutrient dense most of the time, but lots of variety within that)
I dont use recipes, I just input ingredients to make my own meals up.
Personally I work my macros out in grams. Many people recommend just determining protein and fat grams, use these as minimums, then fill the rest of your calories however you like.
This! 45% protein isn’t needed. Get .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight and .4 grams of fat per pound of body weight. Fill in the rest with carbs if you choose, or you could have more fat/protein if you’d like.
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huggiesbear78 wrote: »Hello all
I am now at the stage off counting macros and it’s a steep learning curve I have to say. I have worked out my macro’s for either 3 meals or 4 meals as not 100% sure which is best? I am also wondering, is the first meal of the day better being the biggest and then going down through the day or doesn’t it matter?
The next area is the food as I don’t really want to go down the chicken, rice and broccoli route. What recipe sites do you guys use? Would you share your plan for a rough look at it? I am looking at 2300 calories with protein 45% carbs 35% and fats 20%
Food I like to eat are mainly Mexican and Indian but do like the traditional dishes like cottage pie, chicken with Veg, etc
Just wondering if anyone can share and help a beginner out?
Cheers
What is your goal on MFP? Gain, lose, or maintain weight?
Sounds like you're making things pretty complicated. Meal timing is irrelevant for energy balance, but it can help control your appetite.
Eat 3 times, 4 times, or once day before bed - it doesn't matter so long as you stick to your calorie limit.
And nobody needs 45% protein.4 -
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I have worked out my macro’s for either 3 meals or 4 meals as not 100% sure which is best?
Number of meals is best for your personally.
I am also wondering, is the first meal of the day better being the biggest and then going down through the day or doesn’t it matter?
Doesn't matter.
The next area is the food as I don’t really want to go down the chicken, rice and broccoli route. What recipe sites do you guys use?
You don't have to eat diet foods to diet. I don't use recipe sites - I make it up as I go along.
Would you share your plan for a rough look at it? I am looking at 2300 calories with protein 45% carbs 35% and fats 20%
I don't have a plan apart from eating an enjoyable, nutritious, balanced overall diet in the appropriate quantities over an extended period of time.
Set percentages are needlessly restrictive - protein and fat as minimum goals allows you to hit your needs while still having flexibility.
I keep a casual tally of protein but why on earth are you aiming for 45%?
Protein needs are better based on your estimated lean mass rather than body weight (your fat doesn't need extra protein!).
Food I like to eat are mainly Mexican and Indian but do like the traditional dishes like cottage pie, chicken with Veg, etc
So eat the foods you enjoy? You can make lower calorie versions of all those.
Just wondering if anyone can share and help a beginner out?
You are making this far too complicated and restrictive - two factors that don't help with adherence.
This link may help you with macros...
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p13 -
You're getting great advice - eat the foods you enjoy in a way which works for you, within your calorie goal. It may take some trial and error until you learn what makes you most satisfied, but logging everything will help you tailor meals to your goals. Personally I eat a huge breakfast, medium lunch, and small dinner, with a snack before and after working out, but everyone is different and it's silly to expect people with different lives and tastes to eat the same way!
If you like Indian food, the site vahrehvah.com has some great recipe videos. He has a healthy section too. The main trick to making Indian food nutrition dense and low calorie is to watch the oil, butter and ghee and eat modest portions of rice and bread - it's very easy to make delicious and low calorie Indian food. Mexican food can also easily be low calorie if you keep an eye on the amount of oil and carbs and use beans, lean meat and seafood for your protein.
There are lots of low calorie protein options besides chicken. Grilled fish is one, pork tenderloin is another. Lean cuts of steak are also good - instead of eating a little dinky steak, use marinated steak in a salad or stir fry, and you'll find a few ounces is plenty.1 -
JellyRollJimi wrote: »livingleanlivingclean wrote: »Number of meals is irrelevant - you could eat 1,you could eat 12...macro split per meal is also irrelevant. How much you eat at a meal is also irrelevant....do whatever works for you.
What you eat is also irrelevant. Pick foods you enjoy, in portion sizes to meet whatever macros you're trying to meet. (yes, nutrient dense most of the time, but lots of variety within that)
I dont use recipes, I just input ingredients to make my own meals up.
Personally I work my macros out in grams. Many people recommend just determining protein and fat grams, use these as minimums, then fill the rest of your calories however you like.
This! 45% protein isn’t needed. Get .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight and .4 grams of fat per pound of body weight. Fill in the rest with carbs if you choose, or you could have more fat/protein if you’d like.
Endorsed, as long as it's "per pound of healthy goal weight" - protein is needed to maintain lean mass, we don't need extra when fat.
(Yes, calculating per pound of LBM would be more precise. Most people have no idea of LBM. 0.8-ish g per pound of goal weight is close enough to 1-ish g per pound of LBM to be a useful approximation. Some people argue for less protein than that, a few argue for more.)2 -
huggiesbear78 wrote: »Hello all
I am now at the stage off counting macros and it’s a steep learning curve I have to say. I have worked out my macro’s for either 3 meals or 4 meals as not 100% sure which is best? I am also wondering, is the first meal of the day better being the biggest and then going down through the day or doesn’t it matter?
The next area is the food as I don’t really want to go down the chicken, rice and broccoli route. What recipe sites do you guys use? Would you share your plan for a rough look at it? I am looking at 2300 calories with protein 45% carbs 35% and fats 20%
Food I like to eat are mainly Mexican and Indian but do like the traditional dishes like cottage pie, chicken with Veg, etc
Just wondering if anyone can share and help a beginner out?
Cheers
It all comes down to calories. Personally, 2300 calories would have me steadily gaining, but each of us is different.
Anyway, if you like Mexican and Indian food, have a look at the Slender Kitchen website for some lower calorie choices ...
Like these, perhaps:
https://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/sunday-slow-cooker-saag-paneer
https://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/sunday-slow-cooker-thai-curry-ground-beef
https://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/slow-cooker-tuscan-lentil-sloppy-joes
https://www.slenderkitchen.com/recipe/slow-cooker-chicken-tikka-masala-with-cauliflower
And there might be others on that site as well.
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Wow, thank you so much for the responses. I really didn’t expect so much support on this. I am trying to learn as much as I can but the web tells you so many ways to do it, some contradict what I read before so it’s very confusing.
One thing is you all say the same stuff so it experimenting with food but try look for healthier ways to cook the food you love.
I got my Macro’s from an online calculator and with the fact I am trying to lose weight but not my muscle gains, it had the option the have a higher protein intake. I am aiming to lose 25kg in weight.
I was very active and played a lot of rugby league, unfortunately my age got the better of me so have had to retire. My plan now is weight training with a mixture of HIIT and swimming. I love the exercise side but get lost on the eating side.
So if I hit a plateau on 2300 calories, would you bring the calories down and if so how much? I am also happy to adjust my macro values, so 5% less in the protein and plus 5% on the fat side.
When I use the calculator I enter my current weight details, is that right? Should I be entering the weight I want. If so, do I then go off the calories for that weight or select the options to lose weight? So I’m currently 130kg and want to get down to 105kg
Thank you all again
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I went from 131kg to 103kg in 154days eating 2000 cals per day, 40% carbs, 30% each of fat and protein.
I eat Indian and Mexican most days. Use the recipe calculator on the app to design your food. Learn to add in, or remove, as necessary to get the portion weight and calorie count you want.
I basically have say 4 X 400 to 500 calorie meals and make the rest up with snacks.
I have been exercising and I don't eat back my workout calories. You can do that if you want. I am planning to start eating more exercise calories when I get fitter and can do more intense workouts more frequently.
Keep it simple.0 -
huggiesbear78 wrote: »Wow, thank you so much for the responses. I really didn’t expect so much support on this. I am trying to learn as much as I can but the web tells you so many ways to do it, some contradict what I read before so it’s very confusing.
One thing is you all say the same stuff so it experimenting with food but try look for healthier ways to cook the food you love.
I got my Macro’s from an online calculator and with the fact I am trying to lose weight but not my muscle gains, it had the option the have a higher protein intake. I am aiming to lose 25kg in weight.
I was very active and played a lot of rugby league, unfortunately my age got the better of me so have had to retire. My plan now is weight training with a mixture of HIIT and swimming. I love the exercise side but get lost on the eating side.
So if I hit a plateau on 2300 calories, would you bring the calories down and if so how much? I am also happy to adjust my macro values, so 5% less in the protein and plus 5% on the fat side.
When I use the calculator I enter my current weight details, is that right? Should I be entering the weight I want. If so, do I then go off the calories for that weight or select the options to lose weight? So I’m currently 130kg and want to get down to 105kg
Thank you all again
2300 calories could be too much, just right, or not enough - depends on your age, height, weight, gender, and activity level.
In MFP you enter both your current weight and your goal weight.
40% protein still seems like a lot - what does that come to in grams for you? Maybe someone will come along and do the math based on your 105 kg goal weight.0 -
Age38
Weight 130 goal weight 105kg
Height183cm
Male
Work in an office but gym 4-5 days a week
Want to lose weight0 -
huggiesbear78 wrote: »When I use the calculator I enter my current weight details, is that right? Should I be entering the weight I want. If so, do I then go off the calories for that weight or select the options to lose weight? So I’m currently 130kg and want to get down to 105kg
Enter your current weight into the MFP goals calculator.
Every 5 kg you lose, go back to the calculator and readjust that figure. You need less energy the less you weigh.
Try not to be too strict with "the food side", or you might find yourself crashing and burning long before you reach your goal.
Just log the foods you eat and stay at your daily or weekly calorie limit. You seem to have a good grasps of the food basics, so I doubt you'll stray too far from the healthy eating food pyramid we all learned in school.
Merry Chrimbo!
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huggiesbear78 wrote: »Age38
Weight 130 goal weight 105kg
Height183cm
Male
Work in an office but gym 4-5 days a week
Want to lose weight
Converting 105kg to lbs and the multiplying by .8 - gives about 184g protein a day which on a 2300cal diet is abt 32%
For your height/weight - I’d estimate 2300 could be too low but if you are using MFP calorie guidelines remember to eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories0 -
deannalfisher wrote: »huggiesbear78 wrote: »Age38
Weight 130 goal weight 105kg
Height183cm
Male
Work in an office but gym 4-5 days a week
Want to lose weight
Converting 105kg to lbs and the multiplying by .8 - gives about 184g protein a day which on a 2300cal diet is abt 32%
For your height/weight - I’d estimate 2300 could be too low but if you are using MFP calorie guidelines remember to eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories
This is the confusing bit. Do I base this in my current weight or my goal weight to set my start calories.
So do I use my current but set it to lose weight?
Or
Do I set the weight to my goal weight0 -
You use your current weight. Set your loss to .5 - 1 kilo. a week. When you get closer to your goal, set it to lose more slowly.
If you have an office job you are probably mostly sedentary. Enter your exercise as you do it. MFP will give you back calories. You can eat all or a part of those calories. i.e. If your current weight needs 2500 calories to maintain that weight (this is pure guesswork, not a real number), then you would eat 2000 to lose .5 kilo a week. If you go for a 5 mile run, you would get back about 500 calories. You can eat all or some of those calories back. Since you are already set to lose .5 the exercise calories are extra. Not eating any of the calories would leave you really hungry, making it harder to continue working to lose weight. Eating all the calories gives you no wiggle room for errors in your logging or the database. A lot of people eat half.0 -
huggiesbear78 wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »huggiesbear78 wrote: »Age38
Weight 130 goal weight 105kg
Height183cm
Male
Work in an office but gym 4-5 days a week
Want to lose weight
Converting 105kg to lbs and the multiplying by .8 - gives about 184g protein a day which on a 2300cal diet is abt 32%
For your height/weight - I’d estimate 2300 could be too low but if you are using MFP calorie guidelines remember to eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories
This is the confusing bit. Do I base this in my current weight or my goal weight to set my start calories.
So do I use my current but set it to lose weight?
Or
Do I set the weight to my goal weight
Use your current weight, and set it to lose weight.
0 -
huggiesbear78 wrote: »deannalfisher wrote: »huggiesbear78 wrote: »Age38
Weight 130 goal weight 105kg
Height183cm
Male
Work in an office but gym 4-5 days a week
Want to lose weight
Converting 105kg to lbs and the multiplying by .8 - gives about 184g protein a day which on a 2300cal diet is abt 32%
For your height/weight - I’d estimate 2300 could be too low but if you are using MFP calorie guidelines remember to eat back at least a portion of your exercise calories
This is the confusing bit. Do I base this in my current weight or my goal weight to set my start calories.
So do I use my current but set it to lose weight?
Or
Do I set the weight to my goal weight
Use your current weight, and set it to lose weight.
THIS^^ But don't figure out your own custom macros based on current weight, let MFP do the calculating. You're mixing methods and that isn't going to work.
Did you read that link in Eat Train Progress or just post in the thread?
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
Those calculations for protein are based on LBM - Lean Body Mass - not your total weight.
You grabbed part of the calculation, but you didn't understand it.
The cool thing is that you don't have to do all this. Just use MyfitnessPal's numbers that are generated for you. They calculate out almost the same.2 -
These people in this thread are talking about three different things, and you're missing the nuances.
Read that thread several times.
There are lots of ways to arrive at things. Pick one. I recommend using MyfitnessPal's numbers. Just start. Tweak later.2 -
OP, since you have chosen MFP as your tool for weight loss, and since you are a beginner, I would suggest punching in your stats and doing exactly what it says. Follow the calorie goal as your main objective. Once you get a sense of meal timing and what foods/macros procide the best satiety, adjust accordingly. No need to overcomplicate it.0
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Yeah, OP there are a lot of different ways to arrive at all these numbers and with all your different threads you have different posters suggesting different methods and I think you are mixing them up!
1. The most important thing is calories, this will determine whether you lose weight or not. Put your current weight into MFP, tell it you want to lose weight and get your calorie goal. No matter what you eat, or what macro % you choose, hitting that calorie goal is your #1 priority. For a lot of people, that is literally all they do.
2. Macros can help with satiety, making it easier to hit your calorie goal. They also affect health and some fitness goals. Many people use MFP default setting, looking at the protein and fat goals as minimums. A popular custom ratio is 40C-30P-30F. Or you've gotten some other suggestions. It's all personal preference and finding what works for you. Don't get too hung up on this, calories are most important.
Good luck!2
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