Setting Your Calorie and Macro Targets
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I feel even more dumb now.
I just don't get it... My head hurts! TOOOOO many options and numbers!
What is your calorie target? That is the first place to start.
Someone else figured it out for me... 2000 is what they've told me so that's what I've been aiming for.0 -
I feel even more dumb now. I just don't get it... My head hurts! TOOOOO many options and numbers!
What is your calorie target? That is the first place to start.
Someone else figured it out for me... 2000 is what they've told me so that's what I've been aiming for.
So assuming that is correct, and based on your stats in the other thread -
Fat: 44g - 20% on 2,000 calories (minimum)
Protein: 108g - 20% on 2,000 (minimum)
I rounded the % to the nearest 5%
balance in carbs0 -
Isn't the ideal macros ratio for building muscle with least amount of fat 40/30/30?1
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Isn't the ideal macros ratio for building muscle with least amount of fat 40/30/30?
No - as it explains in the OP, protein and fat macros should be based on factors such as size and activity level, not on percentages.
However, to be clear. The first thing that needs to be looked at how large a caloric surplus you have - the smaller the surplus, combined with appropriate protein and appropriate carbs to fuel intense enough workouts (which need to have progressive loading built into the programming) will lead to the least amount of fat gain v muscle gain. However, too small of a surplus leads to very very slow progress and leaves no room for estimation errors.
Where are you seeing that the 40/30/30 is?2 -
Isn't the ideal macros ratio for building muscle with least amount of fat 40/30/30?
No - as it explains in the OP, protein and fat macros should be based on factors such as size and activity level, not on percentages.
However, to be clear. The first thing that needs to be looked at how large a caloric surplus you have - the smaller the surplus, combined with appropriate protein and appropriate carbs to fuel intense enough workouts (which need to have progressive loading built into the programming) will lead to the least amount of fat gain v muscle gain. However, too small of a surplus leads to very very slow progress and leaves no room for estimation errors.
Where are you seeing that the 40/30/30 is?
2 different sources I got the 40/30/30 from. One was bodybuilding.com and the other from the person who figured out my calorie goal.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-macro-manager-muscle-building-ratio.html0 -
Isn't the ideal macros ratio for building muscle with least amount of fat 40/30/30?
No - as it explains in the OP, protein and fat macros should be based on factors such as size and activity level, not on percentages.
However, to be clear. The first thing that needs to be looked at how large a caloric surplus you have - the smaller the surplus, combined with appropriate protein and appropriate carbs to fuel intense enough workouts (which need to have progressive loading built into the programming) will lead to the least amount of fat gain v muscle gain. However, too small of a surplus leads to very very slow progress and leaves no room for estimation errors.
Where are you seeing that the 40/30/30 is?
2 different sources I got the 40/30/30 from. One was bodybuilding.com and the other from the person who figured out my calorie goal.
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ask-the-macro-manager-muscle-building-ratio.html
In my opinion, as well as people's far more learned than me in this area, protein should be based on things like size, activity levels, whether in a caloric deficit or not, and not on a percentage. Fat percentages are the same principle. Setting percentages without regard to the calorie level is not ideal. For example, the lower the calories, the lower the grams if you use percentages - whereas your actual needs go up.
We recommend using the calculations laid out above.0 -
I am fairly new, again to this. I joined years ago and lost doing mostly South Beach. Back again. I do not have much to go on to see really where I should be. The pounds lost catch my eye the most. I go over in protein. I am set at 1200, not sure if I should be.
I am 38, Workout 4-5 times a week with Dance & Circuit among other various add ons. I am also easing back into jogging with a bad knee. Not too great yet with the cold. Other than that I homeschool my two special need kids so any activity is due in part with them.
I see different calorie defaults for MFP, I see all the math and setting ppl use. Honestly, it gives me a headache lol. I need/want to lose around 35-40.
Would I still be ok at 1200, most days I am not hungry. Partly due to protein. But I only drop a couple of ounces or so at a time. I really have no idea where I should be, nor eat - low carb/no carb! Blah!1 -
I am fairly new, again to this. I joined years ago and lost doing mostly South Beach. Back again. I do not have much to go on to see really where I should be. The pounds lost catch my eye the most. I go over in protein. I am set at 1200, not sure if I should be.
I am 38, Workout 4-5 times a week with Dance & Circuit among other various add ons. I am also easing back into jogging with a bad knee. Not too great yet with the cold. Other than that I homeschool my two special need kids so any activity is due in part with them.
I see different calorie defaults for MFP, I see all the math and setting ppl use. Honestly, it gives me a headache lol. I need/want to lose around 35-40.
Would I still be ok at 1200, most days I am not hungry. Partly due to protein. But I only drop a couple of ounces or so at a time. I really have no idea where I should be, nor eat - low carb/no carb! Blah!
I would recommend using the guidelines above.
If you want to use MFPs settings - pick the option for a 1lb a week loss and the lightly active activity setting (you could be more however). Eat at 50 - 75% of your exercise calories back.
Set your macros as explained above.
Hunger is not a good indicator of whether you should eat or not as out appetite signals can get messed up by our hormones.
Make sure you record everything that you eat/drink. Weigh and measure everything.0 -
Hi there! I'm new to this group and a friend of mine recommended it in order to get my targets in order and learn more about overall fitness, macros, etc! I've been skimming the threads so much and the information is fascinating - there's so much to learn!! First thing for me I've very curious about is "am I doing this right?" Seems silly right? MFP says I should net at 1200 cals a day to lose 1 lb a week. This worked when I first started MFP almost a year ago, but I've stalled a bit since June 2012. I'm 5'5'' and 123 pounds (down from 178 a few yrs ago) and approximately 22% bodyfat. I've been eating at 1400-1500 calories the past 6 months and I've lost no pounds over that time frame. For a month though I was down 2 lbs. I log and record everything, and truth be told I sometimes eat 1800-2000 cals on the weekends. I get in about 65g protein, 55g fat, and 200g carbohydrate daily. I work a desk job that occasionally puts me on my feet, I do about 45-50 mins of cardio every day at the gym and strength train about three times a week.
I've always been of the understanding that if you weigh less, you should eat less. I can't imagine eating much less with the amount of exercise I do in the morning! But eating more seems foreign to me, too - that's how I ballooned in the first place! Thoughts- do I need to reduce calories or increase them to lose these last 5 lbs of mine? Thank you!0 -
Hi there! I'm new to this group and a friend of mine recommended it in order to get my targets in order and learn more about overall fitness, macros, etc! I've been skimming the threads so much and the information is fascinating - there's so much to learn!! First thing for me I've very curious about is "am I doing this right?" Seems silly right? MFP says I should net at 1200 cals a day to lose 1 lb a week. This worked when I first started MFP almost a year ago, but I've stalled a bit since June 2012. I'm 5'5'' and 123 pounds (down from 178 a few yrs ago) and approximately 22% bodyfat. I've been eating at 1400-1500 calories the past 6 months and I've lost no pounds over that time frame. For a month though I was down 2 lbs. I log and record everything, and truth be told I sometimes eat 1800-2000 cals on the weekends. I get in about 65g protein, 55g fat, and 200g carbohydrate daily. I work a desk job that occasionally puts me on my feet, I do about 45-50 mins of cardio every day at the gym and strength train about three times a week.
I've always been of the understanding that if you weigh less, you should eat less. I can't imagine eating much less with the amount of exercise I do in the morning! But eating more seems foreign to me, too - that's how I ballooned in the first place! Thoughts- do I need to reduce calories or increase them to lose these last 5 lbs of mine? Thank you!
How long have you been on a continual deficit for? (ignoring the odd 'cheat' day) The 6 months or longer? If longer, what was your calorie intake then?
What type of strength training do you do?0 -
Hello thanks for the reply!
I've been doing the calories deficit now for almost a year! I lost more than 10 lbs at first but I've stalled the last 6 months! I started resistance training almost 5 months ago and I do some machine weights at the gym for my legs and back, along with pushups with a fitness ball and situps, leg lift and torso twist for my abs. I'd like to incorporate some yoga a few times a week as well. Strength training I do about 3-4 times a week. I actually love exercising but I'm not sure I can dedicate more time to it!
Thanks!Hi there! I'm new to this group and a friend of mine recommended it in order to get my targets in order and learn more about overall fitness, macros, etc! I've been skimming the threads so much and the information is fascinating - there's so much to learn!! First thing for me I've very curious about is "am I doing this right?" Seems silly right? MFP says I should net at 1200 cals a day to lose 1 lb a week. This worked when I first started MFP almost a year ago, but I've stalled a bit since June 2012. I'm 5'5'' and 123 pounds (down from 178 a few yrs ago) and approximately 22% bodyfat. I've been eating at 1400-1500 calories the past 6 months and I've lost no pounds over that time frame. For a month though I was down 2 lbs. I log and record everything, and truth be told I sometimes eat 1800-2000 cals on the weekends. I get in about 65g protein, 55g fat, and 200g carbohydrate daily. I work a desk job that occasionally puts me on my feet, I do about 45-50 mins of cardio every day at the gym and strength train about three times a week.
I've always been of the understanding that if you weigh less, you should eat less. I can't imagine eating much less with the amount of exercise I do in the morning! But eating more seems foreign to me, too - that's how I ballooned in the first place! Thoughts- do I need to reduce calories or increase them to lose these last 5 lbs of mine? Thank you!
How long have you been on a continual deficit for? (ignoring the odd 'cheat' day) The 6 months or longer? If longer, what was your calorie intake then?
What type of strength training do you do?0 -
Sorry regarding my calorie intake, other than the cheat days once or so a week I maintained around 13-1500 a day in the past year or so. Before that I'm not really sure. I've been trying and slowly losing weight for 4 yrs. Counting cals and exercising has been most successful for me. Even Bootcamp and weight watchers before didn't help much!0
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Sorry regarding my calorie intake, other than the cheat days once or so a week I maintained around 13-1500 a day in the past year or so. Before that I'm not really sure. I've been trying and slowly losing weight for 4 yrs. Counting cals and exercising has been most successful for me. Even Bootcamp and weight watchers before didn't help much!
Is that gross or net of 'eating back' your exercise calories?0 -
That is just food intake! MFP says to say at 1200 net so net cals I hover between 1000-1200 usually! More if I don't do cardio for the day!Sorry regarding my calorie intake, other than the cheat days once or so a week I maintained around 13-1500 a day in the past year or so. Before that I'm not really sure. I've been trying and slowly losing weight for 4 yrs. Counting cals and exercising has been most successful for me. Even Bootcamp and weight watchers before didn't help much!
Is that gross or net of 'eating back' your exercise calories?0 -
Great info0
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I keep referring people to this post, hope you don't mind!
And thanks for laying it all out nice and easy to understand.0 -
Bump0
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Thanks for this post - this is something I really need to get my head around, I come from a background of not "dieting" but due to various stomach/digestive problems I ate very low for many years without realising.
I started stalling my weight loss in the summer and have tried everything, eating more, eating less, upping protein, calculating TDEE, nothing seems to be helping.
January is my new start, I have a month of super clean eating, just because I know I am more likely to stick to a stricter plan, and then from Feb I am going to try to stick to trying to hit macros, once I get what mine should be!0 -
BUMP0
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This is very helpful, thank you!0
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THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU... so much GREAT INFO..........0
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simple question (I hope):
When you measure your waist, I read that you measure at the narrowest part, which for me is probably about 3" above my belly button and it just seems wrong. So could you verify that it is correct (or not)?
Thanks.1 -
simple question (I hope):
When you measure your waist, I read that you measure at the narrowest part, which for me is probably about 3" above my belly button and it just seems wrong. So could you verify that it is correct (or not)?
Thanks.
Indeed - waist for women, narrowest part. Abdomen for men at belly button, max girth.
For general tracking - do both. Can't spot lose, can't spot measure either. May have fat drop more in one area than another, hate to miss it's leaving.1 -
simple question (I hope):
When you measure your waist, I read that you measure at the narrowest part, which for me is probably about 3" above my belly button and it just seems wrong. So could you verify that it is correct (or not)?
Thanks.
As heybales says - yes, that is correct.1 -
Thanks!0
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Wow - having gone off the rails of late I have taken the last half hour to sit down and truly look at my TDEE and my subsequent macro targets from that.
I've been eating far too few calories resulting in a binge cycle that I've found very hard to break. Using what I've read here I hope to get myself back in the game.
Thank you for taking the time to write these no nonsense easy to understand posts. This group is a breath of fresh air in terms of common sense. :drinker:0 -
Thank you for posting ! This is what I've been looking for !0
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I calculated my TDEE on one of the suggested links....it says I should be eating 2775 calories per day (now I'm avg 1200). That sounds awfully high to me - and scary !!
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated
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Great info, thanks.0
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I calculated my TDEE on one of the suggested links....it says I should be eating 2775 calories per day (now I'm avg 1200). That sounds awfully high to me - and scary !!
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated
You've provided no info to guide with.
Not scary to me, because I have no idea in the scheme of things if that sounds high or not.
BMR method and number, TDEE activity level used?0
This discussion has been closed.