Need help with meeting my calories/macros
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prowell57
Posts: 140 Member
I'm fairly new to the low carb/keto diet and am struggling with meeting my calories/macros. I started keto 3 weeks ago, most my info came from dietdr.com. According to the keto calculator I'm suppose to have 1,650 calories daily, carbs 5%, fat 75%, protein 20%.
I'm 5'2", weigh 214, and can't exercise much due to medical problems at this time.
I haven't been able to eat 1,650 cal daily and always seem to go over on my carbs but can't reach my protein/fat goals. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I measure and weigh everything I eat and drink. Yesterday I changed my macros to carbs 10%, protein 20%, fat 70%. For first time I stayed below my carbs but I was thinking 10% was a little high for keto.
A friend recommended I try the low carb till I get used to how this all works. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance.
PS..my diary is always open. Because I have trouble reaching my calories for the day mfp won't post my diary after I click on "complete diary" at the end of the day but like I said it's always open 🙂.
I'm 5'2", weigh 214, and can't exercise much due to medical problems at this time.
I haven't been able to eat 1,650 cal daily and always seem to go over on my carbs but can't reach my protein/fat goals. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I measure and weigh everything I eat and drink. Yesterday I changed my macros to carbs 10%, protein 20%, fat 70%. For first time I stayed below my carbs but I was thinking 10% was a little high for keto.
A friend recommended I try the low carb till I get used to how this all works. Any advice is greatly appreciated!
Thank you in advance.
PS..my diary is always open. Because I have trouble reaching my calories for the day mfp won't post my diary after I click on "complete diary" at the end of the day but like I said it's always open 🙂.
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Replies
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Don't stress too much about the numbers.
If I'm coming in way too low on protein for the day, I add a couple of eggs, tuna salad, a hamburger patty, sliced deli meat, etc...a couple of meat snacks through the day or at night.
5%-10% carbs is fine. My total carbs range daily from 3% to 11%, I don't fret if I go over my 5% goal...still losing weight. More importantly feeling great, less pain, less bloat.
I found the Keto calculator off on calorie intake. MFP gave me 1410 limit, where keto calculator gave me 1650. I try and get 1300-1400 calories a day and not fret if I go over a little.
I do get stressed out if I can't get at least 1300 calories in a day. I have a history of heart failure due to anorexia. Been taking another member's advice and adding fat bombs to up my calories.
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Thank you for your input. Maybe I need to lower my calories a little.1
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Seems like a lot of calories for a weight loss goal.
Also, you do NOT need to meet the fat macro. It’s not a goal. It’s a maximum.
You do need to meet the protein goal and I doubt at 20% that it’s even high enough set on a calorie deficit.
Aim for 100g protein. The protein goal is a minimum and should be based on maintenance calories. You don’t want to eat only 20% of calorie deficit for protein. That will be inadequate.
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While on Keto, if one has to go "over" is it better to go over on protein or fats?0
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BlancheandSmooshyface wrote: »While on Keto, if one has to go "over" is it better to go over on protein or fats?
I go over on both sometimes, and I don't stress about it, especially the grams.
Keto is defined as low carb, moderate protein, and high fat.
I just try and keep my percentages as close as I can to 5-10% net carbs, 15-25% proteins, and 70-80% fats. And watch my calories, at least 1300 but, no more than 1650.
As long as I fall between these pretty wide ranges, I don't stress!
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BlancheandSmooshyface wrote: »While on Keto, if one has to go "over" is it better to go over on protein or fats?
I try not to go over on anything but for some reason I get in touble with the carbs. Looks like increasing my carbs to 10% may do the trick about going over.
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BlancheandSmooshyface wrote: »While on Keto, if one has to go "over" is it better to go over on protein or fats?
Going over on protein is arguably the best one to go over on. It take a lot to convert protein to energy and there are fewer calories per gram, and the body's most likely to just use it to build/repair lean mass, making it the most forgiving.6 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »BlancheandSmooshyface wrote: »While on Keto, if one has to go "over" is it better to go over on protein or fats?
Going over on protein is arguably the best one to go over on. It take a lot to convert protein to energy and there are fewer calories per gram, and the body's most likely to just use it to build/repair lean mass, making it the most forgiving.
This is true and excellent point!!
Plus proteins metabolize quicker than fats, which can lead to feeling more energetic.1 -
One thing that helps many people is prioritizing protein in each meal. If you want 100 grams a day, maybe aim for 35 grams per meal. Start there. First get those protein grams in place. Then, build the rest of the meal around that and staying reasonably close to the other macros. But protein first. Get that right.4
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Newbie here:
Will going over in protein hinder getting into ketosis?0 -
crossfitterwahine wrote: »Newbie here:
Will going over in protein hinder getting into ketosis?
I have eaten as much as 200 grams of protein in a single day and have remained in ketosis, so (for me at least) no.
A lot of the 'experts' and 'gurus' will tell you that any extra protein gets converted to glucose and it will hinder your ability to maintain ketosis, but they are wrong. Conversion of protein to glucose is a demand driven process - that mean the body will only do it when glucose is required to keep functioning. Biologically speaking, the process to convert protein to glucose is expensive and your body avoids doing it unless it really has to do it.3 -
Thank you all for your input. I too was under the impression that too much protein would hinder ketosis. That's what I've read when researching keto diet. Hopefully this newbie will get it all figured out!0
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Find Ben Bickmans videos on YouTube called insulin vs glucagon and you’ll understand why it doesn’t.2
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I don't like stress. Stress is horrible for the body and can work against trying to drop weight, build muscle, or get healthy (especially for females).
I have a really bad history of stressing over weight, so I'm trying not to stress if my numbers are not perfect.
@Sunny_Bunny_ thanks for recommending video, very informative!!Sunny_Bunny_ wrote: »Find Ben Bickmans videos on YouTube called insulin vs glucagon and you’ll understand why it doesn’t.
@prowell57 @crossfitterwahine
I was taught in physiology and biochemistry that the liver converts protein to both glucose and ketones. But neither course taught why it's sometimes ketones and other times glucose.
After watching his video, he does explain his findings and research, and that the difference is standard carb filled diets + proteins=proteins converted to sugars, versus low-carb diets + proteins =proteins converted to ketones.
Which also explains why @ccrdragon doesn't get kicked out of ketosis for getting in really high protein grams some days.
Very interesting, according to his calculations, I should be good eating around 90-180 grams of proteins a day. Which, I try to get most of my fats from proteins, then fill in calories with olive oil and coconut oil.
I end up around 65-120 protein grams a day. I'm good with that.
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The idea of getting fat from protein and filling in with olive oil, etc. sounds good to me. Some of my carbs contain fat grams as well.1
