Macros for optimal fat loss?

mommyweighless

I recently went to a site call IIFYM.com and it gave me the following macros for optimal fat loss:

BMR-1692
TDEE- 2030 (I set it at sedentary and add any extra burned per FitBit)

26g Carbs
200g Protein
80g Fat
40-50 Fiber

That makes my macros 50%(p)/45%(f)/5%(c)...

Is this a good macro setting...with limited exercise?
The carbs seems awful low. I know I can get extra energy from fiber rich foods.

Thanks in advance!

Also my stats are 24 F/ 5ft7in/ 200 Pounds

changing4life

I don't think so. Way to few carbs and too much fat, in my opinion. I would try 40%carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein.

smc864

Those macros are cray.

I do 40% protein, 30% carbs, 30% fat... works like a charm :bigsmile:


Another popular one is:

35% carbs
35% protein
30% fat

Good luck to you!

samrockrocks

I don't think so. Way to few carbs and too much fat, in my opinion. I would try 40%carbs, 30% fat, and 30% protein.

I'm not an expert... far from it, but I second this.

Wayyyy too few carbs. I just got a new "case manager" and he knows my biggest goal is to lower my body fat. He has me at a goal of under 240g carbs a day... trying to balance them throughout the day. I aim for 100 grams of protein a day. (I'm not there yet, still working on it.)

Sabine_Stroehm

I'll let the IIFYM crowd reply with correct details, but that seems low. Hell that's a low carb diet!

cwolfman13

Like any other online calculator, it's giving you results based upon you inputs. There is no optimal macro ratio for fat loss...it is extremely dependent on the individual and that particular individual's activity, etc. When I'm dong a lot of endurance training I eat far more carbs...because I need them to ride 50 miles + on my bike. Conversely, this time of year my primary exercise is lifting and I'm really hitting the weight room and only get in maybe a couple cardio days per week...my carb intake is far less and my protein/fat intake is higher.

Macros are for performance more than anything...they're also a way to balance your diet out. Right now I'm basically 40/30/30 but soon as I start riding and swimming again, it'll be more like 50c/25c/25c...carbs are rocket fuel.

AdAstra47

The truth is, sites like that are baloney. ANYONE who claims to tell you what macro combination will or will not work for you without doing a metabolic test doesn't know what they're talking about. Because everyone's body is different. Everyone's metabolism works differently. Your hormone levels and the efficiency of your insulin production/use can be affected by your genetics, your history of disease, your percentage of muscle, your stress level, your time of the month, the amount of sleep you get, and even the altitude where you live.

For example, my doctor did a three-hour glucose test on me and determined that apparently my body really sucks at processing carbs and using insulin properly. He initially told me I need to limit my carbs to no more than 25g per day, no more than 10g in a single meal. After two years, my metabolism had changed a bit and he upped my limit to 30g carbs per day. But there is no "one-size-fits-all" prescription. We are all too different.

So you have to figure out what levels will work for your own individual body. But here's some basic chemical background info:

Your body can get energy by burning carbs. Those are good for short bursts of energy. So, for example, right before a workout is usually a good time to eat carbs. Right before bed is usually a bad time to eat carbs.
Your body can also get energy by burning a combination of protein and fat. This chemical reaction takes longer, so it provides a longer-term, more steady source of energy. And of course if you're trying to lose weight by burning fat, that's what you want, right? But this chemical reaction that burns fat also requires protein. It's like a fire: you have to have fuel *and* oxygen. Not enough of one or the other, and the fire will go out. So the key here is to remember to eat enough protein to keep the fat-burning reaction going. If you don't eat enough protein, then your body will turn to another source to find it, and harvest it from your muscles. You don't want that. You want to lose the fat but keep the muscle, right? So if you're eating low-carb, you *must* eat high-protein to make up for it. Does that make sense?

Again, per my doctor's orders, I eat a ton of protein: my body weight in pounds. So I started out weighing 310 lb and ate 310g of protein per day. Now I'm down to 225 lb and I eat 225g protein per day. I spread it out among 6 small meals a day, since I'm also hypoglycemic and eating every three hours helps to keep my blood sugar levels stable. But, again, what works for *you* may be completely different.

If I were you, if you have access to a good doctor, I'd start there. Ask for a metabolic test to determine your optimum levels. That gives you a place to start. If that's not possible, just experiment to see what works for you. If you're feeling energetic and can do all the things you want to do, and are losing a little bit each month, then you're doing it right. If you don't have enough energy, try eating more frequently or upping your carb level. If you up your carbs and stop losing weight, then obviously that's too many for your body to handle so you need to bring it back down again. You're the one who lives in your body and knows what it feels like. So only *you* can decide what works for you and what doesn't. And that's just a matter of trial and error.

Best of luck to you!

fruttibiscotti

You need to find what works for you. I tried the 40% carb, 30% protein and 30 % fat thing and it didn't work. I was always starving and any weight lost was easily regained. I switched to LCHF diet, which for me works out to approx 5% carb, 20% protein and 75% fat, without tracking fibre at all. And this new combination works for me, no longer starving and weight consistently coming off.

You need to find out what works for you. Good luck.

PikaKnight

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

cwolfman13

weight loss isn't about your macros...it's about your calorie intake....