Eating enough keeping carbs down

bedhead
bedhead Posts: 44 Member
edited November 2023 in Getting Started
Hey all. I had a look through some posts to get a feel of where I may be going wrong, but I see everyone is an individual when it comes to this stuff. Plus I thought by posting I may get a few buddies.

I have been using If It Fit's Your Macros to calculate my needs. I started quite aggressive but it's almost impossible to eat so little on the carbs and so much fat. I have since decided on a steady weight loss over a few months. I feel I will get less disheartened if I have a longer time to go at it.

Currently 182cm and 188lbs. I was quite muscular up to about 2 yrs ago when I got a soccer injury. I also gave up smoking...Yay!!! But put on weight....Booo!

I'm looking to get down to about 175. I was up over 200 with 10% BF when I was fit and strong but not really looking for that sort of dedication now and don't get that time for gym.

My new targets from IIFYM are 1964 cals, made up of 130 carbs, 190 protein and 76g fat. The protein I can use a good lo-carb shake and I eat meat and fish so all good. I love fruit and realise an apple and an orange and I've hit 50 carbs, that just seems punishing. Also the fat I'm struggling with.

It's tricky getting that balance of low calories from low carbs, protein calories and then seeing I still need 30 grams of fat that day with only 150 calories to do it in.

Any advice would be greatly welcomed including supplements etc if needed and particularly a way of keeping my carbs down and taking more fat. I take a multi-vit and extra B complex. I also take some glucosamine??? or something for joints as I was a tree surgeon for years and creak in the mornings now.

Thanks,

Simon

Replies

  • bedhead
    bedhead Posts: 44 Member
    HAve I posted this in the right place anybody? New to this :flowerforyou:
  • dtimedwards
    dtimedwards Posts: 319 Member
    Peanut butter.

    It's the answer to everything.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
    Why so low carb?

    If your target is 1964 calories, why not go with:

    30% fat = 65g fat = 585 calories
    175g protein = 700 calories

    Which leaves 679 calories for carbs... or around 170g

    If you're at a deficit, you can eat 1g protein per pound of Lean Body Mass... or aim for 1g/lb of goal weight at the higher end.

    That will leave you more room.
  • Flowers4Julia
    Flowers4Julia Posts: 521 Member
    Hi bedhead,

    I'm not sure if my advice will be helpful! I do follow a low carb and high fat diet, but I don't do the IIFYM plan. My macros are 60%fat, 20% protein and 20% carb. (So you know where I'm coming from.). I don't eat fruit for the reason you mentioned, too many carbs and honestly it just leaves me wanting more sweets and pretty unsatisfied. When you look at the nutritional value of frt, you can get a lot more bang for your buck with vegetables, greens in particular are great for both vitamins and minerals which fruit won't have. .... I add more fat by drizzling on olive oil, cooking in bacon fat, and eating nuts like almonds and brazil, butter on vegetables, etc. perhaps you already do that?
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    I get Carb Crazy, when I know I shouldn't be. When I get in one of my Carb Crazy Obsessive Phases it keeps me from eating good healthy fruits...so I trick myself by logging fruits as Quick Adds, to not count their carbs.

    Maybe it is not the right way, or even cheating, but it helps me and hasn,t hindered my weight/body fat loss. ( I am just losing a few 'vanity pounds', though)
  • bedhead
    bedhead Posts: 44 Member
    Mrs B, I got the numbers from IIFYM based on BMR etc. I'd like to try follow it.

    Peanut butter, never been keen. If it's for a good cause though.

    The fruit thing is a killer. Spring here now and all my favourites on sale. It almost makes no sense that what is supposed to be good can stop you reaching a goal.

    Thanks for advice guys. I had it sussed when I bulked up and hit gym, but trying to go the other way is a whole new ball game.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Try sunbutter or just whole nuts instead of peanut butter, avocados (guacamole if you can't eat it any other way, but I like it cubed in a salad), lactose free milk and CarbMaster yogurt. :-)

    I have celiac disease so my bugaboo is the amount of refined sugars put into processed foods to make them taste better. I have finally found a low sugar bread and a low sugar pasta that I can eat and the GF pizza at Johnny Brusco's is something I treated myself to for this weekend. I still have half a pizza to eat tomorrow.
  • Flowers4Julia
    Flowers4Julia Posts: 521 Member
    Hi again, just another thought about fruit.......(and there will be disagreement on this for sure)......now a days, fruit is bred to be sweeter than it was when it first appeared on the planet......THAT is why we like is so much........ But, just think about what it originally tasted like, what perhaps its original purpose was.....probably feeding birds and if we could get to it first, then us.


    Just thoughts...
  • bedhead
    bedhead Posts: 44 Member
    Love that thought Julia. I'm a good tree climber :)
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