Macros

ee2368

Hi! What macro percentages have been helpful for you for weight loss?

apullum

Macro percentages are not directly relevant for weight loss. Weight loss happens when you eat fewer calories than you burn, and it doesn’t matter what macronutrients those calories come from.

Some people find that macros are indirectly relevant to weight loss because protein, fat, and/or fiber help some people feel full. Which one(s) work for you is a matter of personal preference. If you often feel hungry, try eating more of these things to see if it helps.

Macros are also important for health and other fitness goals. Everyone needs enough protein and fat. If you have specific goals or needs in addition to weight loss, you might need different amounts of these things. Otherwise, the default MFP macros are a good place to start.

ee2368

I think you misunderstood my question. I’m not talking about adjusting macros instead of creating a calorie deficit. I’m talking about adjusting them alongside a calorie deficit. I’ve read many articles that have differing information on macro distribution, so I’m just wanting more clarification.

kimny72

Macros are personal preference. Different people are better satiated by different macros. People who do well on LCHF or keto are most likely best satiated by fat. I can easily over eat fat, and stay fuller on a lower amount of calories with a bit higher protein and fiber. Paying attention to your food log and how you feel is probably the best way to figure it out.

Lots of us started out using the mfp defaults, looking at protein and fat as minimums and letting carbs fall where they may.

TavistockToad

ee2368 wrote: »

I think you misunderstood my question. I’m not talking about adjusting macros instead of creating a calorie deficit. I’m talking about adjusting them alongside a calorie deficit. I’ve read many articles that have differing information on macro distribution, so I’m just wanting more clarification.

Mine are set as 45% carbs, 30% fat, 25% protein.

That covers 0.8g per lb of bodyweight for protein, and a good amount of fat for satiety.

lemurcat2

kimny72 wrote: »

Macros are personal preference. Different people are better satiated by different macros. People who do well on LCHF or keto are most likely best satiated by fat. I can easily over eat fat, and stay fuller on a lower amount of calories with a bit higher protein and fiber. Paying attention to your food log and how you feel is probably the best way to figure it out.

Lots of us started out using the mfp defaults, looking at protein and fat as minimums and letting carbs fall where they may.

This. I lost most of my weight doing 40% carbs, 30% each fat and protein, but have experimented with different things and now don't pay attention to anything besides calories and protein (and other things related to nutrition, of course).

I don't find fat especially satiating (a meal that's very high fat and lower protein and fiber won't satisfy me for long, I find lowfat dairy as satiating as full fat for the same volume), but I do find that being able to include higher fat foods like chicken with skin, cheese, whole eggs, olive oil, olives, nuts and seeds, etc., tends to make me feel more overall satisfied with my meals -- probably just because it feels more luxurious. (For me this doesn't require super high fat at all, though.)

AnnPT77

+1 to macros are about nutrition/satiation/health, not weight loss per se, and the satiation part is uber-individual.

That said, a lot of folks around here who want to be more structured about it think in terms of amounts of each macro per pound or kilogram of healthy goal weight or lean body mass (different g/lb or g/kg depending whether GW or LBM, probably), then set their percents to get close to that.

This is a commonly-referenced MFP-sourced recommendation:

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Personally (at 5'5", mid-130s pounds, age 63, active, in maintenance), I aim daily for 100g protein minimum, 50g-ish of fats (prioritizing higher MUFA/PUFA sources like nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, etc.), 5+ (ideally 10+) servings of veggies/fruit for fiber and micronutrients, hitting my calorie target most of the time, and I just let carbs where they fall. (I find protein and volume (veggies, mostly) satiating, personally. I'm also ovo-lacto vegetarian, if that matters - I don't think it does.)

I'm set at 50%C, 30%F, 20%P, which translates to 231gC, 62gF, 93gP at my pre-exercise calorie target, but I ignore that in practice and eat to the 100gP/50gF minimums.