How do you hit your macros?

Calliope610
Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I do pretty good staying at my calorie goals (+/-100 cals any given day), but my macros are all over the place. I have them set at 40carb/30pro/30fat, but tend to be closer to 35c/20p/45f.

I'm sure there are those who will say a high fat diet is ok, but I know I need more protein, especially since I have started SL5x5 3x/wk. I would really like to get closer to the 40c/30p/30f, but don't know how to go about it (other than the obvious - eat more protein and less fat - duh!)

So my question is...

Do you have a routine/standard meal plan that hits your macros, then you just tweak it for variety? Do you have a formula, maybe something similar to a diabetic "exchange" system with allow you "x" carbs, "y" proteins and "z" fats? I do add protein shakes (whole milk, protein powder, berries & a banana - approx 400 cals - 36c/40p/25f) to boost my protein and that seems to work well, but what do I do for the rest of my daily calories (I use TDEE-25% for daily cals of 1880)

Just how do you hit those macros?

Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
    I just decide what I want to eat for the day and tweak things around to make it work. Less of this, more of that, change that snack/drink/dessert, etc.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    I just decide what I want to eat for the day and tweak things around to make it work. Less of this, more of that, change that snack/drink/dessert, etc.

    this.

    i tend to eat the same things everyday, so it usually works out well.
    my favorite part is finding out late in the day (after my last meal) that i need more fat and carbs. ice cream helps cure me of that.

    ETA: ^that doesnt happen often enough. *sigh*
  • Iron_Lotus
    Iron_Lotus Posts: 2,295 Member
    I don't have any set meals, I have a general idea of what I am going to eat for the day, then I choose foods that will fulfill my macros.
  • InForBacon
    InForBacon Posts: 1,508 Member
    I just decide what I want to eat for the day and tweak things around to make it work. Less of this, more of that, change that snack/drink/dessert, etc.

    this.

    my favorite part is finding out late in the day (after my last meal) that i need more fat and carbs. ice cream helps cure me of that.
    Ice cream and bacon.
  • Viva_Karina
    Viva_Karina Posts: 398 Member
    I just decide what I want to eat for the day and tweak things around to make it work. Less of this, more of that, change that snack/drink/dessert, etc.

    this.

    my favorite part is finding out late in the day (after my last meal) that i need more fat and carbs. ice cream helps cure me of that.
    Ice cream and bacon.


    Bacon_ice.jpg
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    I just decide what I want to eat for the day and tweak things around to make it work. Less of this, more of that, change that snack/drink/dessert, etc.

    Is that what I'm doing wrong? Because I enter Ice cream and fried chicken in the diary first and then tweak things around that...
  • erikkmcvay
    erikkmcvay Posts: 238 Member
    I am a routine eater and use my daily food routine to hit my macro's more often then not.

    Breakfast: oatmeal, bran or cracked wheat, chia, granola, honey or agave (not always), milk (not always), coffee with cream and agave or honey.
    Example: 1/4cup cracked wheat, 1/2 cup oatmeal, 1/3rd cup granola, 1 scoop chia, 1/3cup milk (whole), coffee with 1 3/4tbs cream and 3/4tbs honey: cals: 606 macros: 100g/18g/19g

    Snack: premium protein bar cals: 280 macros: 26g/30g/6g

    Lunch: Mixed Rice 1 1/4 cups (I eat some form of whole grain rice and/or quinoa every lunch) cals: 271 Macros: 56/6/2

    Snack: premium protein bar and 2 scoops Cryosport protein shake (I walked 7 miles today and I eat back those cals) cals: 570 Macros: 31g/84g/13g
    [Note: this is really two snacks the first being the protein shake taken after my second walk of the day -- 3 miles at 3.9mph -- and the second taken after my lunch of rice. This is something I do a lot on days I burn a lot of extra calories. I try to eat the extras in protein as much as I can and this helps me hit my macro's much easier then if I was trying to do it by constantly tweaking meal. I have a base meal plan as listed throughout this post of whole grains, veggies and meat]

    Dinner (not yet eaten: Big veggie green leafy salad and local dressing plus meat and sometimes whole grains. Today: salad & dressing and 6 oz of Top Round Roast Beef. Cals: 460 Macros: 16g/40g/21g

    Total Calories: 2187 Total Macros: 229g/178g/61g or 42% carbs / 33% protein 25% fat

    Not perfect but I'm happy with that :)

    So, in short lots of whole grains, protein for snacks between whole grain meals and top it off with meat and salad with dressing. If I need more dietary fiber I add whole grain rice at dinner also. If I don't work out I don't eat as much protein and shift my macro's to more like 50/25/25 or 55/25/20 .
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You just have to play with it. I can't hit my protein goals without supplementing with whey. Even then, I don't hit my 30% usually...but I do hit my 1 gram per Lb of LBM. So long as I do that and get 20-30% minimum of my diet in fat, I'm all good. Then I just round out the rest with carbs as necessary.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    If you find toward the end of the day that you hit your carbs macro, but are short on fat and protein, eat some cheddar cheese. If you're short on carbs and protein, but already hit fat, drink some skim milk. If you're short on protein but already hit fat and carbs, eat some chicken breast or whey protein. If you're short on all 3 but need mostly fat, eat some peanut butter. If you need fat without carbs or protein, have some coconut oil, olive oil, or butter. etc etc
  • erikkmcvay
    erikkmcvay Posts: 238 Member
    I might add that I stay away from the usual high fat monsters and high simple carb foods. eating ice cream is not what I'd call 'healthy eating' (specially since it's 'bulked' up with wood fiber -- I know, i used to work in a pulp mill that made the stuff) and sugar.

    I stay away from refined/processed foods as much as possible and get most of my fats from meat protein bars and shakes and my dressing (which is less then the protein bars actually).
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    I just decide what I want to eat for the day and tweak things around to make it work. Less of this, more of that, change that snack/drink/dessert, etc.

    this.

    my favorite part is finding out late in the day (after my last meal) that i need more fat and carbs. ice cream helps cure me of that.
    Ice cream and bacon.


    Bacon_ice.jpg

    OH...MY...GOD!
  • InForBacon
    InForBacon Posts: 1,508 Member
    I might add that I stay away from the usual high fat monsters and high simple carb foods. eating ice cream is not what I'd call 'healthy eating' (specially since it's 'bulked' up with wood fiber -- I know, i used to work in a pulp mill that made the stuff) and sugar.

    I stay away from refined/processed foods as much as possible and get most of my fats from meat protein bars and shakes and my dressing (which is less then the protein bars actually).
    How DARE you talk about ice cream like that! Ice cream was sent from the heavens for our consuming pleasure!
  • erikkmcvay
    erikkmcvay Posts: 238 Member
    I might add that I stay away from the usual high fat monsters and high simple carb foods. eating ice cream is not what I'd call 'healthy eating' (specially since it's 'bulked' up with wood fiber -- I know, i used to work in a pulp mill that made the stuff) and sugar.

    I stay away from refined/processed foods as much as possible and get most of my fats from meat protein bars and shakes and my dressing (which is less then the protein bars actually).
    How DARE you talk about ice cream like that! Ice cream was sent from the heavens for our consuming pleasure!

    Oh how I've eaten my share!
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    i eat.. and focus on protein..

    I find that when i focus on protein and calories the rest just sorta works out failry well.

    It's when I eat stuff that isnt' a good protein source that the other macros get all out of wack. It's really east to reach your goals if you focus on protein and calories.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    I just decide what I want to eat for the day and tweak things around to make it work. Less of this, more of that, change that snack/drink/dessert, etc.

    this.

    my favorite part is finding out late in the day (after my last meal) that i need more fat and carbs. ice cream helps cure me of that.
    Ice cream and bacon.


    Bacon_ice.jpg

    yes please
  • shirleygirl910
    shirleygirl910 Posts: 503 Member
    One of the girls at the gym was trying to tell me about an ice cream that was high in protein. She said she got it at Ralphs. Anyone else seen this?
  • elkahallick
    elkahallick Posts: 1,138 Member
    I hit my macros by planning my meals out days ahead of time, and pre making the ones I can so they are readily available... Then it's just discipline in following my meal plans
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