How important is it not to exceed..........

kazdav

The various allowances.

I thought all I had to do was not exceed the calories but I keep seeing post saying they have exceeded carbs or protein etc

I lost 3.5 in the first week, into my second I went up two days running, down on third and up again today. I am weighing myself everyday and logging it on an app but only logging on here once a week.

Can I get some friends on here who could look at my diaries and tell me where I am going wrong. Any meals are homemade and I have input into the recipe calculator.

Many thanks

Karen

A_Shannigans

It is not a bad idea to try to keep your levels close to whats suggested but I wouldn't break my neck to do it. Try to keep your processed and hidden sugars to a minimum (table sugar, the extra sugar they slipped into your yogurt). I also try to keep my carbs at or just below the level. I really don't worry too much about anything else.

You can also change what gets listed if you didn't already know.

psuLemon

Dont weigh yourself everyday. Your body fluctuates upto 5 lbs daily and food and cycle affect that.

bathsheba_c

So, basically, all the calories in your diet come from carbohydrates, fat, or protein. In order to lose weight, you need to not go over on the total calories. However, looking at the sources of your calories helps to ensure that you are eating a balanced diet. Even if you are eating more or less correctly, you are likely to be over for one or two of the macros, and under for the other. In general, it is better to be over for protein and under for the others because it keeps you feeling fuller and helps preserve muscle mass at a calorie deficit.

Also, don't worry about daily fluctuations in weight. All sorts of things can cause them, and increases are usually due to things like eating a lot of salt, menstrual cycle, starting a new exercise program, getting close to needing to poop, etc. If you are recording everything accurately, they are not caused by additional body fat.

I'd be glad to look at your diary, but first you need to make it public. Feel free to friend me.

psuLemon

Btw back to the original question, the closer to your goal the more likely the macros matter. For some, its even as important in the beginning. There are also studies that suggest a higher protein diet and moderate carb/fat will provide higher greater weight loss.

kazdav

Thanks for your replies. I have changed my profile to diary available to friends but do you most of you have your diaries public. Not that I am too worried who sees it.

AZKristi

Eating a balanced diet (i.e. making sure you are getting enough protein, healthy fats, fiber and carbs) is essential to good health. The percentages you aim for may be different for each person. I feel best when I'm eating pretty close to zone percentages (although I've never worried about exactly balancing each meal/snack - just the day overall). Some people prefer plans recommended by the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association. Find the one that is right for your body.

While it is possible to lose weight eating lots of high fat meats and very few carbs, this probably doesn't encourage healthy blood pressure or cholesterol levels and you are probably missing out on lots of necessary vitamins and minerals.

You can also lose fat eating vegan as long as you eat a wide variety of protein sources to ensure you are consuming all of the essential amino acids and sufficient total protein to maintain lean body mass.

You could theoretically lose weight eating 500 calories a day all from cheetos but, I don't think anyone would recommend that if your goal is fitness or wellness.