Macros please help!

leahloves2run
leahloves2run Posts: 43 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What's the best ratio for success? I'm afraid to do too many or too little carbs and I find it difficult to get a lot of protein. This makes me consume a lot of fat and I think that's what is hindering my weight loss.

Replies

  • LunaGreen
    LunaGreen Posts: 118 Member
    40f-30p-30c might be a good place to start?
    I'm usually around 50f-25c-25p and I've been losing, but I'm not an expert, you can take a look at my diary if you want
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    Fats are definitely not hindering your weight loss.

    Without going into too much detail...

    #1 - Fats keep you "full." A big mistake that dieters make is that they cut their fats too low, and are hungry all the time. That is a huge reason why many dieters fail.

    #2 - Carbohydrates spike your insulin and put your body into "storing" mode if the carbohydrates are not utilized for energy. The exception is that good quality carbohydrates (not sugars, not grain) won't usually cause huge spikes your insulin. Poor quality, or high glycemic carbohydrates, will spike your insulin and make it difficult to lose body fat.

    Eat real food... stuff you can pick, grow, or hunt. These will help keep your insulin in check.

    If it were me, I would focus on a moderate fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate diet. I would try 40% protein, 40% fats, 20% carbohydrates (these are of your total macronutrients). Be sure to get your carbohydrates from good sources.

    Hope this helps.
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
    Fats are definitely not hindering your weight loss.

    Without going into too much detail...

    #1 - Fats keep you "full." A big mistake that dieters make is that they cut their fats too low, and are hungry all the time. That is a huge reason why many dieters fail.

    #2 - Carbohydrates spike your insulin and put your body into "storing" mode if the carbohydrates are not utilized for energy. The exception is that good quality carbohydrates (not sugars, not grain) won't usually cause huge spikes your insulin. Poor quality, or high glycemic carbohydrates, will spike your insulin and make it difficult to lose body fat.

    Eat real food... stuff you can pick, grow, or hunt. These will help keep your insulin in check.

    If it were me, I would focus on a moderate fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate diet. I would try 40% protein, 40% fats, 20% carbohydrates (these are of your total macronutrients). Be sure to get your carbohydrates from good sources.

    Hope this helps.

    Protein also spikes your insulin. And overall it does not matter if what you ate a few minutes ago was stored as fat, provided that you're in a calorie deficit, because it will be metabolized into ATP later. Also, insulin spikes are not a bad things because insulin also shuttles protein to your muscles and has other functions.

    Also, regarding fats, they assist in healthy cellular function, hormone production, and a myriad of other bodily functions.
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
    Mines are 40c/30p/30f

    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    Fats are definitely not hindering your weight loss.

    Without going into too much detail...

    #1 - Fats keep you "full." A big mistake that dieters make is that they cut their fats too low, and are hungry all the time. That is a huge reason why many dieters fail.

    #2 - Carbohydrates spike your insulin and put your body into "storing" mode if the carbohydrates are not utilized for energy. The exception is that good quality carbohydrates (not sugars, not grain) won't usually cause huge spikes your insulin. Poor quality, or high glycemic carbohydrates, will spike your insulin and make it difficult to lose body fat.

    Eat real food... stuff you can pick, grow, or hunt. These will help keep your insulin in check.

    If it were me, I would focus on a moderate fat, moderate protein, low carbohydrate diet. I would try 40% protein, 40% fats, 20% carbohydrates (these are of your total macronutrients). Be sure to get your carbohydrates from good sources.

    Hope this helps.

    Protein also spikes your insulin. And overall it does not matter if what you ate a few minutes ago was stored as fat, provided that you're in a calorie deficit, because it will be metabolized into ATP later. Also, insulin spikes are not a bad things because insulin also shuttles protein to your muscles and has other functions.

    Also, regarding fats, they assist in healthy cellular function, hormone production, and a myriad of other bodily functions.

    Totally agree with everything you said.

    I didn't want to make it too complicated by going into gluconeogenisis. As far as insulin spikes - there are "necessary" and "unnecessary" insulin spikes. Timed correctly (post-workout) they are very beneficial into turning the body into an anabolic state and facilitating quick protein absorption, but late night insulin spikes are what considered "unnecessary."
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.

    True, just sharing what has worked for myself (and many other endomorphs, for that matter).
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.

    True, just sharing what has worked for myself (and many other endomorphs, for that matter).

    I know. lol.. Just wanted her to know that either way she will lose weight whether she wants to go on a low carb diet or not.
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.

    True, just sharing what has worked for myself (and many other endomorphs, for that matter).

    I know. lol.. Just wanted her to know that either way she will lose weight whether she wants to go on a low carb diet or not.

    lol! I'm just a huge fan of not being hungry while dieting!
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.

    True, just sharing what has worked for myself (and many other endomorphs, for that matter).

    I know. lol.. Just wanted her to know that either way she will lose weight whether she wants to go on a low carb diet or not.

    lol! I'm just a huge fan of not being hungry while dieting!

    Your funny dude! I'm not hungry so do not know what you are implying? That people with normal macro ranges are hungry!? lol That's laughable. lol

    And to the OP I did have my macros at 45c/30p/25f , but changed it to up my fats that is why its 40c/30p/30f. So you basically can play around with it to get it to whats right for you.
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.

    True, just sharing what has worked for myself (and many other endomorphs, for that matter).

    I know. lol.. Just wanted her to know that either way she will lose weight whether she wants to go on a low carb diet or not.

    lol! I'm just a huge fan of not being hungry while dieting!

    Your funny dude! I'm not hungry so do not know what you are implying? That people with normal macro ranges are hungry!? lol That's laughable. lol

    And to the OP I did have my macros at 45c/30p/25f , but changed it to up my fats that is why its 40c/30p/30f. So you basically can play around with it to get it to whats right for you.

    Sorry if I offended you. Sometimes my odd sense of humor gets lost through the text.

    And yes, the most important thing is to do what is maintainable in the long run.
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I like this calculator to set your macros http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    Focus firstly on the amount of protien your need based on yoru lean body mass and then set your % protien on here to align with that goal (roughly as MFP doesn't allow you to set a target in grams)
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets


    Fat isn't hindering your progress as long as you're logging accurately (since it's more calories per gram than carbs or protein).

    No one macro is going to hold you up assuming you're able to maintain a calorie deficit.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I've seen research that suggests that 35% of calories from carbs is pretty maintainable long term, not hard to do, and doesn't trigger strong insulin responses that gives you too much fat deposition and temporarily slows fat metabolism. This is consistent with NIH recommendations.

    I know for me, sticking under 40% is important or, even if I hit my calories, my weight loss slowed or my maintenance reverses.
  • joan23_us
    joan23_us Posts: 263 Member
    IF YOU HAVE TIME READ THIS... it is better to be inform than asking people, their macros could be different to your needs and goals, learning to figure out yourself is the better option, its a moving target so you might have to record your progress

    FYI this diet plan will work even if you are not competing.

    http://www.simplyshredded.com/layne-norton-the-most-effective-cutting-diet.html
  • Sreneesa
    Sreneesa Posts: 1,170 Member
    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.

    True, just sharing what has worked for myself (and many other endomorphs, for that matter).

    I know. lol.. Just wanted her to know that either way she will lose weight whether she wants to go on a low carb diet or not.

    lol! I'm just a huge fan of not being hungry while dieting!

    Your funny dude! I'm not hungry so do not know what you are implying? That people with normal macro ranges are hungry!? lol That's laughable. lol

    And to the OP I did have my macros at 45c/30p/25f , but changed it to up my fats that is why its 40c/30p/30f. So you basically can play around with it to get it to whats right for you.

    Sorry if I offended you. Sometimes my odd sense of humor gets lost through the text.

    And yes, the most important thing is to do what is maintainable in the long run.

    I'm sorry if I overreacted. The thing about text is you do not see the emotion or face behind it. :flowerforyou:
  • JordanInMT
    JordanInMT Posts: 29 Member
    FYI, unless you want to be on a low carb diet it isn't necessary to go as low as 20 percent. You still will lose weight.

    True, just sharing what has worked for myself (and many other endomorphs, for that matter).

    I know. lol.. Just wanted her to know that either way she will lose weight whether she wants to go on a low carb diet or not.

    lol! I'm just a huge fan of not being hungry while dieting!

    Your funny dude! I'm not hungry so do not know what you are implying? That people with normal macro ranges are hungry!? lol That's laughable. lol

    And to the OP I did have my macros at 45c/30p/25f , but changed it to up my fats that is why its 40c/30p/30f. So you basically can play around with it to get it to whats right for you.

    Sorry if I offended you. Sometimes my odd sense of humor gets lost through the text.

    And yes, the most important thing is to do what is maintainable in the long run.

    I'm sorry if I overreacted. The thing about text is you do not see the emotion or face behind it. :flowerforyou:

    We're all good! :bigsmile:
  • Joanne_Moniz
    Joanne_Moniz Posts: 347 Member
    What's the best ratio for success? I'm afraid to do too many or too little carbs and I find it difficult to get a lot of protein. This makes me consume a lot of fat and I think that's what is hindering my weight loss.

    Unfortunately, we cannot just go by a number that someone recommends. There is a formula that we must go by.
    The amount of food from the Protein Foods Group you need to eat depends on age, sex, and level of physical activity. Recommended daily amounts can be found on the USDA website.

    You are working with 100 percent, so set the protein first according to the formula, which is easy. Then set the carbs. They should be no more than 100 grams for weight loss (that is healthy carbs not simple carbs). Then, the fat will set itself.
  • leahloves2run
    leahloves2run Posts: 43 Member
    Thanks for sharing everyone! Good advice and I'll try harder at getting more protein.

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