Need clarification or a better understanding of

Sreneesa

My macros to lose weight have a high carb suggestion.

Mind you I never watched marcos in the past, never even looked at calories that way until discovering myfitnesspal. Always lost weight.

Now that I'm trying to eat better and be more consistent I now try and be mindful of macros, somewhat.

Well, I noticed a lot of people will keep carbs low, like under 100.

So is it different strokes for different folks to lose the weight?

Why is it these calculators say to have such high carbs to lose weight but people lower their carbs to so little to lose? Is it to lose weight faster?

And, I also just did my own research for daily recommendation based on my daily calories without countering losing weight, just as if its my maintenance and it say 45-60% recommended carb intake, meaning you can adjust little or more and still be ok.

I'm just a little confused as what I should be following....should I try and meet my carb macro or lower it?

Yes, I have been losing weight doing what I have been doing but I always ate fewer calories and never came close to meeting macros. Now that I am trying to meet macros just needed some advice or knowledge.

Thank you guys and gals!

5'10
175 ish
Diary open

_TastySnoBalls_

set your protein and fat macros first, whatever is left will be your carbs. Diabetics and those who follow ketogenic diets, eat low carb. For keto diets, though they will swear by it, i don't see any logical scientific justification for its use. If you do lower carbs drastically, you will initially may see a "swoosh" of weight loss, but it will be water. Whenever you resume a "regular" intake of carbs, it'll come back on, but again, it's only water.

I've seen plenty of successful people here losing large amounts of weight eating a "normal" amount of carbs (30-60%). From your profile pic, doesn't look like you have a lot to lose.

eta: looked at your diary, macros look fine. I use the following to set mine:

protein: 1g per lb of LBM
fat: 0.35g per lb of BW
whatever is left is carbs

Sreneesa

Ok, that makes since.

Just I got a little nervous because I'm trying to come close to meeting macros for the first time and do not want to put weight back on.

lol

Thank you for that! Makes me feel better.

_TastySnoBalls_

Ok, that makes since.

Just I got a little nervous because I'm trying to come close to meeting macros for the first time and do not want to put weight back on.

lol

you won't gain unless you're 1) increasing calorie intake or 2) increasing carb intake from a previous low one

Sreneesa

Hmmmm...... that kind of scary to me because I do not know what my carb intake was before the calculator..... and I haven't been trying to meet those carbs until yesterday...

Sreneesa

If you were to look at my logging for two weeks it would reflect lower macros....

Mind you before coming on here I already lost a majority of my weight without watching macros. Eckkkkk this is kind of stressing me out now. lol

airdale8263

Carbs are need to be watched for those who are diabetic....... I was told to have between 45 -60 carbs per meal or what they say 1-3 carb choices (15 carb per choice).

When I did that I lost 65 lbs in 9 months but the routine was A B C day after day after day ...I got tired of that and stopped following it and just ate......wellI put that65 lbs back on plus some.

This time I am more concerned with protein and fat. The carb ratio follows after I set my protein and fat.
Been doing okay on my weight loss.

Sreneesa

Thanks bowler.


I got confused a little when it was said that if you raise your carbs from a lower intake that may cause you to not lose weight or gain.

livingleanlivingclean

I would personally lower your carbs a little and increase the fat....but make sure you meet the goals!! Fat is so important for good health, and eating fat isn't something to be scared of!

livingleanlivingclean

Thanks bowler.


I got confused a little when it was said that if you raise your carbs from a lower intake that may cause you to not lose weight or gain.

Raising your carbs from a lower intake may make you "gain weight", but it's likely to be water weight as your muscles will hold more water. It's not fat though!

Sreneesa

I would personally lower your carbs a little and increase the fat....but make sure you meet the goals!! Fat is so important for good health, and eating fat isn't something to be scared of!

You know what..I'm thinking about doing that.

I have been going back and forth with adjusting macros the last few days. Man,,,, IDK. Maybe I need to go run for an hour to clear my head. lol

JesterMFP

Thanks bowler.


I got confused a little when it was said that if you raise your carbs from a lower intake that may cause you to not lose weight or gain.

Carbs retain water. It's not bad, it's just what they do. So, you will see water fluctuations as you raise or lower carbs, regardless of any fay loss/gain that is going on at the same time.

Sreneesa

Funny thing is that is the most I ate yesterday and the closest I ever reached to my macros and lost 1lb when I weighed myself this am, from yesterday's weigh-in.

But, I will admit I have been thinking of lowering the carbs to a little under 200. Decisions,,, decisions...lol

I also have to counter in my height and weights as I would require more carbs then someone shorter, lower weight I assume....

Sreneesa

Thanks bowler.


I got confused a little when it was said that if you raise your carbs from a lower intake that may cause you to not lose weight or gain.

Carbs retain water. It's not bad, it's just what they do. So, you will see water fluctuations as you raise or lower carbs, regardless of any fay loss/gain that is going on at the same time.

Okay. Now I can understand it a little more.

I can deal with water gains, just not fat gains. lol


Guess I should have put my macros:

45c/30p/25f

acpgee

I've got carb/fat/protein set at 40/30/30.

The only reason I deviate from MFP defaults is satiety issues. I notice that if I don't get enough protein, I struggle to stay within calorie limits.

Kaelitr0n

I'm one of those low-carbers. I strive to keep under 30g net carbs per day, but don't consider the day a failure if I can keep it at least under 50g. That means that I've set my macros 10% carbs, 60% fat, 30% protein. I also eat Paleo/Primal, so I don't have any grains in my diet, which helps keep carb intake down.

The science is there as to why low-carb diets work. It's just how biology works. There's a mounting body of evidence that America's over-indulgence of carbs, particularly in the form of wheat, has led to major health epidemics, including obesity, alzheimers, and other, more frightening illnesses.

Definitely don't be afraid of healthy fats! They're perfect fuel and help keep you satiated so you don't binge

Sreneesa

I've got carb/fat/protein set at 40/30/30.

The only reason I deviate from MFP defaults is satiety issues. I notice that if I don't get enough protein, I struggle to stay within calorie limits.

Yeah, I do not use their settings. I do a combo of US nutritional guidelines and other macro calculators.

Sreneesa

I'm one of those low-carbers. I strive to keep under 30g net carbs per day, but don't consider the day a failure if I can keep it at least under 50g. That means that I've set my macros 10% carbs, 60% fat, 30% protein. I also eat Paleo/Primal, so I don't have any grains in my diet, which helps keep carb intake down.

The science is there as to why low-carb diets work. It's just how biology works. There's a mounting body of evidence that America's over-indulgence of carbs, particularly in the form of wheat, has led to major health epidemics, including obesity, alzheimers, and other, more frightening illnesses.

Definitely don't be afraid of healthy fats! They're perfect fuel and help keep you satiated so you don't binge

You know, Kae, in all actuality on at least one macro calculator and some other sites I researched on it said I could do 70 grams of fat based on my stats. I just choose to lower it. It was a 40 or lower 40's based on some macro calculators but I thought that was too unrealistic and then went and looked on nutritional guidelines, and other sites, of someone who was maintaining at 1800 what would their macros be.

Jinxy10236

Where would I find this macro calculator?

Sreneesa

Where would I find this macro calculator?

I used this one:

http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

and this one:

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

and compared what they said to other ones online and my own personal research on macros.

Both calculators gave different results. I suggest using those as a base and researching literature and other websites, then comparing them to come to your own macro conclusion.

lisalsd1

Something I noticed about MFP...I'm not sure if anyone stated this previously...is that my carb/fat/protein requirements change based on exercise. I log in the morning, then exercise and log that and more food later. The requirements fluctuate depending on the amount I have exercised. This fact might influence how many carbs you want to eat during the day. More exercise=more carbs.

Sreneesa

Something I noticed about MFP...I'm not sure if anyone stated this previously...is that my carb/fat/protein requirements change based on exercise. I log in the morning, then exercise and log that and more food later. The requirements fluctuate depending on the amount I have exercised. This fact might influence how many carbs you want to eat during the day. More exercise=more carbs.

Good point.

I already have my exercise(moderately active)countered in from another tool. And since I do not have accurate HRM, I do not log exercise calories anyway and never eat back my calories.

But that is a very good point. Thank you.