Macro Setting Help Needed!

mumblemagic

Hi All,
I've been doing a *lot* of reading to make sure I understand what I am doing, and how to get a balanced diet. However, Now I am confused about macro setting, particularly protein.

I am female, 80 ish kg, bio-impedance analysis on my home scales says I am 30 ish % BF. (I know, I know, BIA is not very accurate but it's the only BF % measurement I have atm)

MFP Recommends this for me on a 1600 cal diet:
Protein 80.0 g (20 % total calories)
Fat 53.0 g (30 % total calories)
Carbs 200.0 g (remaining 50% total calories)

However, I have conflicting advice from a number of other sources:

The main MFP macro setting thread says 1g of protein per lb of LBM as a minimum target, i.e. 123 g for me.
(http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets)

The UK GDA label guidelines say this (based on a 2000 cal diet):
Protein 45 g
Carbohydrate 230 g
Fat 70 g
(No % given)
http://www.gdalabel.org.uk/gda/gda_values.aspx

The WebMD site also recommends 10 % – 35 % of daily calories should be from protein, or 46g for women. This is in agreement with the CDC recommendations and very similar to the UK GDA information.
http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/how-much-protein
http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/protein.html

Mark’s Daily Apple recommends 0.8 g per kg of body weight for a sedentary person, which for me (80 kg) equates to about 60g.
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-much-protein-should-you-be-eating/#axzz2r1dGKXjs

Acaloriecounter.com recommends 0.5-0.7 grams of protein per pound of body weight for a sedentary person, i.e. 88 g for me.
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/diet/how-much-protein-per-day/


Um.... Help!!!!!

Thanks!

parkscs

For one, going a bit over on your protein macro won't hurt you, so don't stress too much over it. If you follow the broscience recommendation of 1g/lb of LBM, you'll be perfectly fine. As for what you need, I would aim for around 0.65g/lb of LBM, which is around the 80g you have set currently and try to hit at least that much every day. If you're slightly under one day, don't stress, and if you're over another day, don't stress.

editorgrrl

I use MFP's protein & fiber goals as minimums, and ignore the rest. But if you ask 100 MFPers, you'll get 100 different opinions. Everybody's different, and weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you.

Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

3laine75

Depends on your goals.

I like the 1-1.5 G protein and 0.35g fat method as I' weight training. This equates (near enough as damn it) to 40/30/30 for me. I also prefer a higher protein diet and found MFPs 15% way too low for me.

IMO it's pretty personalised and depends on your genetics, preferences and goals.

mumblemagic

Thanks everyone!

What I'm hearing is
1. don't stress
2. the UK GDA is probably a bit low for protein, so aim for higher than that
3. the MFP recommendation is probably ok, but again, aim for that as a minimum
4. don't stress

editorgrrl

Exactly!

PS. Don't stress.

QuietBloom

For one, going a bit over on your protein macro won't hurt you, so don't stress too much over it. If you follow the broscience recommendation of 1g/lb of LBM, you'll be perfectly fine. As for what you need, I would aim for around 0.65g/lb of LBM, which is around the 80g you have set currently and try to hit at least that much every day. If you're slightly under one day, don't stress, and if you're over another day, don't stress.

It's not broscience bro.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24092765

Although OP may not be a 'trained athlete', it is safe to consume up to 1.5g/lb lean body mass for anyone barring kidney dysfunction. Why take the chance of losing your lbm if you don't have to? Plus protein is very sating.

mumblemagic

For one, going a bit over on your protein macro won't hurt you, so don't stress too much over it. If you follow the broscience recommendation of 1g/lb of LBM, you'll be perfectly fine. As for what you need, I would aim for around 0.65g/lb of LBM, which is around the 80g you have set currently and try to hit at least that much every day. If you're slightly under one day, don't stress, and if you're over another day, don't stress.

It's not broscience bro.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24092765

Although OP may not be a 'trained athlete', it is safe to consume up to 1.5g/lb lean body mass for anyone barring kidney dysfunction. Why take the chance of losing your lbm if you don't have to? Plus protein is very sating.

OP is indeed not currently a "trained athlete" but I used to be ranked 173 in the UK for women's epee fencing. It was "only a hobby", but I was quite serious about it for a while. However, a desk-related knee injury put paid to that :sad:

That aside, it's good to know the max amount I should be aiming for - totally forgot there would be a maximum!

Obviously I want to preserve LBM as much as possible (plus as you say protein is sating), but I want to know what the minimum level I need to be eating below which I have to sort my *kitten* out. , and the ideal target amount.

So, are we talking aim for 80 -120 g, max of about 250 g, add more meat if I'm regularly hitting below 50g?

parkscs

For one, going a bit over on your protein macro won't hurt you, so don't stress too much over it. If you follow the broscience recommendation of 1g/lb of LBM, you'll be perfectly fine. As for what you need, I would aim for around 0.65g/lb of LBM, which is around the 80g you have set currently and try to hit at least that much every day. If you're slightly under one day, don't stress, and if you're over another day, don't stress.

It's not broscience bro.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24092765

Although OP may not be a 'trained athlete', it is safe to consume up to 1.5g/lb lean body mass for anyone barring kidney dysfunction. Why take the chance of losing your lbm if you don't have to? Plus protein is very sating.

From the article:

The aim of this review was to establish protein recommendations for resistance-trained, lean participants who are restricting calories.

It's broscience to misapply a study involving lean athletes making a weight cut to a non-athlete who's overweight and wanting to drop some body fat. As with all good broscience, there's some legit science behind it, at least indirectly.

Feel free to take a look at J Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2011.619204. or the discussion and references cited at http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/, which suggest your protein needs aren't as high as most people think they are. Again, there's nothing wrong with going higher on your protein intake, assuming you don't have kidney problems or go crazy with your protein intake. But as a general matter, most people don't *need* 1.5g/lb of LBM to prevent the loss of FFM.

mumblemagic

For one, going a bit over on your protein macro won't hurt you, so don't stress too much over it. If you follow the broscience recommendation of 1g/lb of LBM, you'll be perfectly fine. As for what you need, I would aim for around 0.65g/lb of LBM, which is around the 80g you have set currently and try to hit at least that much every day. If you're slightly under one day, don't stress, and if you're over another day, don't stress.

It's not broscience bro.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24092765

Although OP may not be a 'trained athlete', it is safe to consume up to 1.5g/lb lean body mass for anyone barring kidney dysfunction. Why take the chance of losing your lbm if you don't have to? Plus protein is very sating.

From the article:

The aim of this review was to establish protein recommendations for resistance-trained, lean participants who are restricting calories.

It's broscience to misapply a study involving lean athletes making a weight cut to a non-athlete who's overweight and wanting to drop some body fat. As with all good broscience, there's some legit science behind it, at least indirectly.

Feel free to take a look at J Sports Sci. 2011;29 Suppl 1:S29-38. doi: 10.1080/02640414.2011.619204. or the discussion and references cited at http://bayesianbodybuilding.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/, which suggest your protein needs aren't as high as most people think they are. Again, there's nothing wrong with going higher on your protein intake, assuming you don't have kidney problems or go crazy with your protein intake. But as a general matter, most people don't *need* 1.5g/lb of LBM to prevent the loss of FFM.

Thanky

Yep, I'm definitely not resistance trained and while I hate to say it, I am overweight. (Although I prefer "a bit porky" as it sounds a bit cuter )