Best calorie breakdown?

jwaldner250129
jwaldner250129 Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
Hello everyone, names Joe and I am trying to lose some weight. Started out 3 weeks ago at 196 lbs and currently at 188lbs. My fitness pal had me at 55% Carbs, 30% Fat and 15% Protien for my Calorie breakdown. I feel like this is WAY too much carbs and not enough protein! Am I wrong? I am tottaly new to dieting and wouldn't mind some friendly advice. I have researched somethings and I feel like 15% for protien is was little. Please help! Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    Don't calculate your macronutrient needs based on percentages, calculate sufficient quantity per mass, and then convert to a percentage to enter it into MFP.

    For protein, you want 0.82g per pound of body weight
    For fat, you want 0.4g per pound of body weight
    For carbs, you can just fill with remaining calories

    The MFP default macronutrient breakdown is flawed, protein is too low, carbs are too high. Do the calculations and adjust.
  • goldensmartie
    goldensmartie Posts: 3
    Hey Joe,

    First of all, congrats on losing the weight.

    I really wouldn't worry too much about macro breakdowns. It can get laborious working it out, and sitting their calculating how much % protein or fat your dinner has will get old, fast. If you want to lose weight and make it sustainable, making a few small tweaks here and there will mean you stick to your plan better and be more likely to lose weight.

    Usually, 1g of protein per kg of body mass (unless you're working out a lot) is sufficient, most people get this every day even without eating meat. About half your intake should come from carbohydrate based foods - so as longs as you're getting bread, rice, noodles, quinoa, muesli, oats or other grain with every meal that will be enough. Finally, fats count for about 30% of our diet. However, we don't need to specifially look to add these as they will come in seeds, nuts, oils and so on.

    A better indicator of what to eat? Make sure your plate is hald full of veges or salad, a quarter or protein (meat, egg, fish, tofu) and a quarter of carbs.

    Let me know if you want more info.
  • Go4it1985
    Go4it1985 Posts: 169 Member
    You may be aware but you can adjust the breakdown in the settings - more easier to do on the computer site.
  • Sandigesha
    Sandigesha Posts: 226 Member
    Don't calculate your macronutrient needs based on percentages, calculate sufficient quantity per mass, and then convert to a percentage to enter it into MFP.

    For protein, you want 0.82g per pound of body weight
    For fat, you want 0.4g per pound of body weight
    For carbs, you can just fill with remaining calories

    The MFP default macronutrient breakdown is flawed, protein is too low, carbs are too high. Do the calculations and adjust.

    Yeah. Pretty much this.
  • jackielou867
    jackielou867 Posts: 422 Member
    I started lifting weights to lean and tone, so I upped protein to 1g per llb body weight. I break it into 6 meals a day. One fantastic side effect is I feel full all the time. I wish I had tried this when I was losing the weight!
    Good luck :-)
  • andrewabernstein
    andrewabernstein Posts: 2 Member
    I don't understand. Can you give an example of the calculation? Thanks

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