Macros? What is this? Help for a newbie, please?

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UndoneTwo
UndoneTwo Posts: 41
in Getting Started
Hi! I'm new and still figuring out how all this works. I keep seeing people talking about macros (and occasionally micros I think?)

I haven't got a clue what this means. Any help for a newbie?
Thanks so much! :)

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  • UndoneTwo
    UndoneTwo Posts: 41
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    Macronutrients. Carbs, fat, protein.

    Gottcha. Thanks!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    ^This. I view the protein goal as a minimum (fiber, too). Then I meet my calorie goal & ignore fat & carbs. But if you ask 100 MFPers, you'll get a hundred different opinions. Play w/ your macros 'til you find a balance that gives you energy & allows you to lose weight.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • shirleygirl910
    shirleygirl910 Posts: 503 Member
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    I never got into macros until I was close to goal weight. I was worried about calories in, calories out and exercise. Learning about macros takes it one step more. To me macros is the portion of protein, carbs and fat in my diet. A common proportion is 50% carb, 30% protein, and 20% fat. Have you figured out your TDEE? This is another way to dial things in a bit more.
  • UndoneTwo
    UndoneTwo Posts: 41
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    Sweet! Thanks so much everyone. Does MFP have a way to view these percentages or do I need to bust out a calculator...? :/
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    ^This. I view the protein goal as a minimum (fiber, too). Then I meet my calorie goal & ignore fat & carbs. But if you ask 100 MFPers, you'll get a hundred different opinions. Play w/ your macros 'til you find a balance that gives you energy & allows you to lose weight.
    ^^This^^ Find what works for you. You can use a site like iifym.com and tell it a bit about yourself, your goals, your activity level etc and let it tell you and then tweak from there. If you're older, or sedentary, you may find it gives you a pretty low carb number (a hell of a lot lower than MFP), so tweak as needed.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,979 Member
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    Sweet! Thanks so much everyone. Does MFP have a way to view these percentages or do I need to bust out a calculator...? :/

    The daily goals for protein, fat, and carbs at the bottom of your food diary page are based on the percentages in your goals, which if you haven't changed them yourself should be the MFP default percentages (I think that's 50% of calories from carbs, 30% from fats, and 20% from proteins, but I've played with mine, so I can't be sure what the defaults are). If you want to change them, click on "My Home," then "Goals," then click the "change goals" button. Don't forget to save the changes.
  • lrmall01
    lrmall01 Posts: 377 Member
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    Sweet! Thanks so much everyone. Does MFP have a way to view these percentages or do I need to bust out a calculator...? :/

    The MFP website and apps show the macros in several places. Sometimes it is in a percentage of your total calories and sometimes it is in grams, depending upon where you are viewing it.

    You can also set custom targets on your goals tab of the website. IMHO the default for MFP is a little heavy on the carbs and low on the protein but it will set a reasonable target for you if you just use the guided goal setting feature.

    Good luck!

    Update: Dang, I was too slow!
  • UndoneTwo
    UndoneTwo Posts: 41
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    You guys are awesome! Thanks!

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