How much carbohydrates is a healthy amount?

lilika_49
lilika_49 Posts: 53
in Food and Nutrition
I am 5'3", female, 55kg and trying to lose 2kg. I'm eating 200 less than my daily suggested calorie intake and exercising about 40 mins a day. I never go past my calorie limit, but I have been eating a lot of fruit and looked at my macros and I have had 177g of total carbohydrates, 118g sugars..this is mainly
From fruit, since I have mainly had fruits today, apart from yogurt for breakfast with some nuts so far! I've had a matzo and a Special K cereal bar! Will this effect my weight loss? I've eaten 18g of fat, of which only 5 have been saturated, and I've had 20g of Protein!

The macros really confuse me...I still have nearly 400 calories left to eat, but I don't want to eat more carbs! Is the sugar from fruit really harmful?

Replies

  • cwoyto123
    cwoyto123 Posts: 308
    As much as you want. I personally try for 600g+ a day.
  • tectactoe
    tectactoe Posts: 73 Member
    If your only goal is to simply lose weight, all that matters is caloric deficit, regardless of whether those calories come from fat, carbs, or protein.
  • CitizenXVIII
    CitizenXVIII Posts: 117 Member
    While weight loss will come simply from your 200 cal deficit, your macro percentages are wonky. You've had 6 x your protein intake in sugar. The deficit will lead to weight loss, but that is incredibly unhealthy. Your macro percentages should be much closer together than 82/9/9. Your body needs protein and it needs fat. I shoot for 40/30/30.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    At your weight you should be getting close to 100g of protein a day and 50g of fat today. You can get the rest of your calories after that from carbs and you're fine.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    To answer the question in the title: as many as get you to your goal calories.

    However, I would say that at 20 g of protein, you are too low there. A female should be getting at least 46 g per day of protein, probably (at 55 kg) you could aim for 80 g. Protein has the advantage of being more satiating than many carbs too, so you feel fuller longer. 80 g of protein (at 4 cals per gram) = 320 calories.

    Fat is also required for hormone function, for helping absorb vitamins etc. Don't be scared of fat. Aim for 0.3 to 0.4 g per lb. So shoot for 30-40 g. At 9 cal/g that's 270 - 360 cals per day from fat.

    Make up the rest with carbs, or more protein/fat.

    Also - you only have 2 kg to lose, so make sure your deficit isn't too big. MFP gives you a calorie goal based on how much you told it you want to lose. You should be shooting for 0.5 lb/week or less loss. Aim to get close to that calorie amount, not too far below it as your deficit is already built in. Adjust up/down if you lose too fast/slowly.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    There is no cut and dry answer here...it just depends. Someone who regularly performs endurance training is going to need more carbohydrates than someone who isn't. Someone who just generally works out is going to need more than someone who is sedentary. Someone with certain medical conditions and insulin sensitivities will have to reduce carbohydrate intake while for someone without those issues, it simply doesn't matter.

    I would say you need to balance out your diet a little better though...there is more to proper nutrition than fruit and veg. Protein and fat are highly essential to proper nutrition...carbohydrates are not. Your protein number is startlingly low and you dietary fat is even worse. If you keep your fat that low, you're going to start having issues with hormonal imbalances and nutrient absorption. You need fat and protein...just eating fruit isn't gonna cut it nutritionally speaking.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    There is no cut and dry answer here...it just depends. Someone who regularly performs endurance training is going to need more carbohydrates than someone who isn't. Someone who just generally works out is going to need more than someone who is sedentary. Someone with certain medical conditions and insulin sensitivities will have to reduce carbohydrate intake while for someone without those issues, it simply doesn't matter.

    I would say you need to balance out your diet a little better though...there is more to proper nutrition than fruit and veg. Protein and fat are highly essential to proper nutrition...carbohydrates are not. Your protein number is startlingly low and you dietary fat is even worse. If you keep your fat that low, you're going to start having issues with hormonal imbalances and nutrient absorption. You need fat and protein...just eating fruit isn't gonna cut it nutritionally speaking.

    This

    When I was on Weight Watchers, I would try to get the most volume bang for my buck and cut down significantly on fats and protein. A couple of months in, and my hair started falling out which is frequently the first sign of nutrient deficiency. I have to limit my carbs to no more than 180 a day because of T2 diabetes so my macros are currently set to 40/30/30. No sign of shedding, in fact my hair is growing like mad.
  • _Josee_
    _Josee_ Posts: 625 Member
    There is no cut and dry answer here...it just depends. Someone who regularly performs endurance training is going to need more carbohydrates than someone who isn't. Someone who just generally works out is going to need more than someone who is sedentary. Someone with certain medical conditions and insulin sensitivities will have to reduce carbohydrate intake while for someone without those issues, it simply doesn't matter.

    I would say you need to balance out your diet a little better though...there is more to proper nutrition than fruit and veg. Protein and fat are highly essential to proper nutrition...carbohydrates are not. Your protein number is startlingly low and you dietary fat is even worse. If you keep your fat that low, you're going to start having issues with hormonal imbalances and nutrient absorption. You need fat and protein...just eating fruit isn't gonna cut it nutritionally speaking.

    ^^^^ I approve of everything in that post.
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    Thank you everyone! I am really new to this macro nutrient world, so yes, I really did need a guidance on how much of each I needed daily...I tried upping my proteins yesterday by having some eggs and lentils at night...I'm still apprehensive about the fat intake....the food that are high in fat are quite dense in calories, and I think I prefer to be on a diet, where I can eat regular meals through out the day, rather than 2,3 main meals that are high in fat content...Also, I'm not sure how nuts come into this...specifically almonds and hazelnuts....they are high in calories and a couple of handfuls of them sends my total fat to its limit, but it's all mono and poly unsaturated..so I have no idea if that's a good or bad thing!

    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?

    Yes there is. It is called My Fitness Pal.
  • lilika_49
    lilika_49 Posts: 53
    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?

    Yes there is. It is called My Fitness Pal.


    ok...I think sarcasm is a bit unnecessary, when I'm clearly trying to find a way to eat right...It's a bit childish to make me feel stupid...

    I know MFP has the tools to make you keep track of macros...but I simply asked for a website to know if those infos can be tailored to the person's weight and goals.
  • richardheath
    richardheath Posts: 1,276 Member
    Thank you everyone! I am really new to this macro nutrient world, so yes, I really did need a guidance on how much of each I needed daily...I tried upping my proteins yesterday by having some eggs and lentils at night...I'm still apprehensive about the fat intake....the food that are high in fat are quite dense in calories, and I think I prefer to be on a diet, where I can eat regular meals through out the day, rather than 2,3 main meals that are high in fat content...Also, I'm not sure how nuts come into this...specifically almonds and hazelnuts....they are high in calories and a couple of handfuls of them sends my total fat to its limit, but it's all mono and poly unsaturated..so I have no idea if that's a good or bad thing!

    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?

    Current science says that the only fats to really watch out for are the partially hydrogenated ones, due to the trans fats. Low fat "diet" foods are generally not the way to go, as they replace fat with sugar to keep it tasting good. Nuts are a good source of fats (and some protein). Going over on fat isn't bad, as long as you still meet your calorie goal.

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/ may help you understand macro goals a bit better?

    Oh, and read this and the links in it...

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • sheltol
    sheltol Posts: 120 Member
    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?

    Yes there is. It is called My Fitness Pal.


    ok...I think sarcasm is a bit unnecessary, when I'm clearly trying to find a way to eat right...It's a bit childish to make me feel stupid...

    I know MFP has the tools to make you keep track of macros...but I simply asked for a website to know if those infos can be tailored to the person's weight and goals.

    In general macro goals are secondary to calories. if your goal is weight loss then 50% protein/ 30%carbs/ 20%fats. As you get close to your body fat% goal bump up to 40/40/20. If you are involved in endurance training workouts carb intake can jump to 50-70%.
  • littlekitty3
    littlekitty3 Posts: 265 Member
    Skipping all of the comments because I think I saw a 50% protein ratio *barf*
    It doesn't matter because as long as you get them from good sources (fruit, veg, grains) your ok. Some days I'll get 600g in and some days 400g. But I always wake up feeling like I could run 5 miles or more before work.
    The whole macro thing is silly and overrated. We are the ONLY species on this planet that needs a manual on how to eat.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?

    Yes there is. It is called My Fitness Pal.


    ok...I think sarcasm is a bit unnecessary, when I'm clearly trying to find a way to eat right...It's a bit childish to make me feel stupid...

    I know MFP has the tools to make you keep track of macros...but I simply asked for a website to know if those infos can be tailored to the person's weight and goals.

    I really wasn't trying to be sarcastic or make you feel stupid. The macros on MFP can be tailored to whatever you need them to be. Go to your home page, click "goals", then click "change goals". You have the option of going with MFP's default by clicking "guided" or you can click "custom and set your own. You enter by percentages and it gives you actual grams automatically calculated for your current weight and calorie target.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?

    Yes there is. It is called My Fitness Pal.


    ok...I think sarcasm is a bit unnecessary, when I'm clearly trying to find a way to eat right...It's a bit childish to make me feel stupid...

    I know MFP has the tools to make you keep track of macros...but I simply asked for a website to know if those infos can be tailored to the person's weight and goals.

    In general macro goals are secondary to calories. if your goal is weight loss then 50% protein/ 30%carbs/ 20%fats. As you get close to your body fat% goal bump up to 40/40/20. If you are involved in endurance training workouts carb intake can jump to 50-70%.

    50% protein? lol.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    Is there a website that can accurately calculate how much macro you need depending on your body weight?

    Yes there is. It is called My Fitness Pal.


    ok...I think sarcasm is a bit unnecessary, when I'm clearly trying to find a way to eat right...It's a bit childish to make me feel stupid...

    I know MFP has the tools to make you keep track of macros...but I simply asked for a website to know if those infos can be tailored to the person's weight and goals.

    In general macro goals are secondary to calories. if your goal is weight loss then 50% protein/ 30%carbs/ 20%fats. As you get close to your body fat% goal bump up to 40/40/20. If you are involved in endurance training workouts carb intake can jump to 50-70%.

    50% protein? lol.

    Lol... WTF? 50%?!?!?
  • tennisdude2004
    tennisdude2004 Posts: 5,609 Member
    I am 5'3", female, 55kg and trying to lose 2kg. I'm eating 200 less than my daily suggested calorie intake and exercising about 40 mins a day. I never go past my calorie limit, but I have been eating a lot of fruit and looked at my macros and I have had 177g of total carbohydrates, 118g sugars..this is mainly
    From fruit, since I have mainly had fruits today, apart from yogurt for breakfast with some nuts so far! I've had a matzo and a Special K cereal bar! Will this effect my weight loss? I've eaten 18g of fat, of which only 5 have been saturated, and I've had 20g of Protein!

    The macros really confuse me...I still have nearly 400 calories left to eat, but I don't want to eat more carbs! Is the sugar from fruit really harmful?

    A healthy amount is as little as possible, whilst still getting your micro nutrients and fuelling any anaerobic activity. Outside if that additional carbs are not required.

    However if you like your carbs and do not want to cut them, then as long as you hit your micros and eat enough protein, then you can enjoy as many carbs as you like.
  • 1FearlessFighter
    1FearlessFighter Posts: 114 Member
    i was trying to go low on carbs today and when i logged my foods at the end of the day it said 311g protein .....eeek!
    stupid greek yoghurt, nuts, fish, chicken, protein bar

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