macros?
nataliemarie387
Posts: 61 Member
what macros do you aim for? my "goal" is set at 40 protein/30 fat/30 carbs... but every day i am WAY short on protein and high on fat & carbs. i just can't get that much protein, and i eat lots of fat (nut butters, nuts, etc) and lots of good carbs (fruits, veg, and rice/quinoa/oatmeal)... i feel bad about missing my macro goal each day so i am thinking of manually changing it to some other combo, but i'm not sure what is best to aim for. or is this just too much in the weeds and i should just focus on calories?
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Replies
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40% protein is a huge amount. I have mine set to 30P/30F/40C, I think, but on an average day I end up with about 15P/35F/50C. It doesn't really matter, truthfully. I eat whole foods and focus on the calories more than anything (that said, now that I've started strength training, and because I'm a vegetarian, I do try to incorporate protein into everything I eat).0
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Question, why did you choose those percentages?0
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Macronutrients are key to body composition. Calories for weight loss. You can have great nutrient intake and either be in maintenance or surplus, so yes, calories still matter.
It's typically recommended 1g per pound of lean body mass in protein. About .35% fats. I keep my fiber around 30g and then fill in the rest with carbs. I tend to eat high carb, I like the energy. It'll come down to what your preference is. Just pick a sustainable deficit and stay close to your macros.
Weightlifting or some form of resistance training is great to help maintain your current muscle and look leaner at goal.
ETA:why can't you hit protein? Are you being too restrictive? Dietary preference? Allergy?
No foods are good or bad. It's ideal you meet your bodies nutrient requirement but after that's met, it's up to you how you fill the calorie gap.
Edamame, broccoli, asparagus, tofu, fish, lean meats, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, protein powders, bars, cheese are a few off of the top of my head. Protein is important for muscle retention, especially in a deficit.0 -
BombshellPhoenix wrote: »It's typically recommended 1g per pound of lean body mass in protein.
If figuring out body fat becomes an issue do this...
0.8 grams per pound of total body weight in kilograms (weight in pounds divided by 2.2) and then double it. For me that is .08 x 82kg x 2 = 131.2
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My percentages change depending on size of deficit/surplus. I work with a minimum fat and protein amount and my carbs change with my goals.
Like someone else said, 40% protein seems very high.0 -
I also aim for 40c/30f/30p, though I tend to not be able to fit in the carbs because I love meat so much. I tend not to worry about it as long as things don't get too far off from 40/30/30, I'd say I stay within 30-45c/30-40f/30-40p. No adverse affects from this level of variance as far as I can tell, I feel great.0
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I do 5c/15p/80f because it's what I do and I am not saying you should do it.
But do not bother about your protein too much. Too much protein can have negative health effects. 50 to 60g is enough for most people and up to 300g a day has been considered as safe for most people. The other macros are up to you.0 -
leicesteralex wrote: »I do 5c/15p/80f because it's what I do and I am not saying you should do it.
But do not bother about your protein too much. Too much protein can have negative health effects. 50 to 60g is enough for most people and up to 300g a day has been considered as safe for most people. The other macros are up to you.
Which is why no one is recommending getting over a person's body weight in protein. Generally, that's excessive. Anything in excess can hold negative impact to health. Doesn't mean don't bother with it. Protein also has positive health benefits....it is key for blood, also it aids in repair of muscles, all muscles in your body not just the ones that make you lift or run fast...0 -
BombshellPhoenix wrote: »Macronutrients are key to body composition. Calories for weight loss. You can have great nutrient intake and either be in maintenance or surplus, so yes, calories still matter.
It's typically recommended 1g per pound of lean body mass in protein. About .35% fats. I keep my fiber around 30g and then fill in the rest with carbs. I tend to eat high carb, I like the energy. It'll come down to what your preference is. Just pick a sustainable deficit and stay close to your macros.
Weightlifting or some form of resistance training is great to help maintain your current muscle and look leaner at goal.
ETA:why can't you hit protein? Are you being too restrictive? Dietary preference? Allergy?
No foods are good or bad. It's ideal you meet your bodies nutrient requirement but after that's met, it's up to you how you fill the calorie gap.
Edamame, broccoli, asparagus, tofu, fish, lean meats, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, protein powders, bars, cheese are a few off of the top of my head. Protein is important for muscle retention, especially in a deficit.
The reason I'm not hitting protein is because I can't imagine fitting any more into my day and enjoying it. I typically eat 2 eggs at breakfast, 1 protein shake at some point during the day, and 4 oz of meat (chicken, pork, or steak) for dinner. I really do not like meat, so I can't see myself adding more in. I don't want to do protein shakes because I prefer eating my cals to drinking them (my protein shakes are calorie dense but don't make me feel full since I'm not chewing). I suppose I could add another egg or 2 as a snack (I love eggs). Also I avoid dairy so I can't do Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.... Maybe adding in more beans.
So 1 G protein per LEAN pound body mass. I was trying to do 1 g per body weight (128 g) but if I use body fat of 24% then it's 97 G protein which is still a lot!0 -
nataliemarie387 wrote: »BombshellPhoenix wrote: »Macronutrients are key to body composition. Calories for weight loss. You can have great nutrient intake and either be in maintenance or surplus, so yes, calories still matter.
It's typically recommended 1g per pound of lean body mass in protein. About .35% fats. I keep my fiber around 30g and then fill in the rest with carbs. I tend to eat high carb, I like the energy. It'll come down to what your preference is. Just pick a sustainable deficit and stay close to your macros.
Weightlifting or some form of resistance training is great to help maintain your current muscle and look leaner at goal.
ETA:why can't you hit protein? Are you being too restrictive? Dietary preference? Allergy?
No foods are good or bad. It's ideal you meet your bodies nutrient requirement but after that's met, it's up to you how you fill the calorie gap.
Edamame, broccoli, asparagus, tofu, fish, lean meats, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, protein powders, bars, cheese are a few off of the top of my head. Protein is important for muscle retention, especially in a deficit.
The reason I'm not hitting protein is because I can't imagine fitting any more into my day and enjoying it. I typically eat 2 eggs at breakfast, 1 protein shake at some point during the day, and 4 oz of meat (chicken, pork, or steak) for dinner. I really do not like meat, so I can't see myself adding more in. I don't want to do protein shakes because I prefer eating my cals to drinking them (my protein shakes are calorie dense but don't make me feel full since I'm not chewing). I suppose I could add another egg or 2 as a snack (I love eggs). Also I avoid dairy so I can't do Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.... Maybe adding in more beans.
So 1 G protein per LEAN pound body mass. I was trying to do 1 g per body weight (128 g) but if I use body fat of 24% then it's 97 G protein which is still a lot!
Ya, I'm eating around 100g myself. Protein powders can be incorporated IN food, too. If you find a tasty brand, Optimum nutrition, trutein, etc that have nice flavors you could put them in oatmeal, I put it in ice cream sometimes, pancakes, etc. Quest bars are a great source but they get pricey. Beans, lentils, quinoa are also some good ones.
and I hear ya on not wanting to drink calories. I do, on occasion, but I do enjoy eating more than drinking :P. This is random but if you enjoy indulging in Starbucks on the occasion, a skinny venti mocha is 190 calories for 18g of protein
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One of my favorite rules I use to keep the carbs down is to have 1 grain a day, 2 fruits and 1 potato/other carb source. Naturally, the rest of your food you eat for the day will fill in the rest of the gaps. And if you have extra carbs, I solute you, because you get to eat more carbs
As for fat, if you use a lot of nuts a day, another good strategy to cut down would be eliminate 1/2 a serving of one of the servings of fat you eat. For example, if you eat a 1/4 cup of almonds for a snack, eat 1/8 cup of almonds and add hummus with carrots or other protein source, preferably.
As for protein, if you eat 2 eggs, a protein shake AND meat, and a lot of nuts and grains, there's no way you can't hit 40 grams. You might be counting wrong. I honestly have no idea what to say if you're not, other than to eat 5 oz of meat instead of 4 maybe ? Don't worry too much over protein though, unless you're hoping to get leaner. And if you are, definitely try your hardest to reach 40 g every day.
Macros aren't extremely important, but just make sure you give equal attention to all and just check them once in a while. Carbs are mostly what I try to cut down, as well as keeping protein high.0 -
I hit 200 grams of protein a day no problem..I was doing 40p/30f/30c but I recently changed up to 35p/35c/30f because I am trying to add some weight right now…
my diary is open if you want to browse it for ideas...0 -
One of my favorite rules I use to keep the carbs down is to have 1 grain a day, 2 fruits and 1 potato/other carb source. Naturally, the rest of your food you eat for the day will fill in the rest of the gaps. And if you have extra carbs, I solute you, because you get to eat more carbs
As for fat, if you use a lot of nuts a day, another good strategy to cut down would be eliminate 1/2 a serving of one of the servings of fat you eat. For example, if you eat a 1/4 cup of almonds for a snack, eat 1/8 cup of almonds and add hummus with carrots or other protein source, preferably.
As for protein, if you eat 2 eggs, a protein shake AND meat, and a lot of nuts and grains, there's no way you can't hit 40 grams. You might be counting wrong. I honestly have no idea what to say if you're not, other than to eat 5 oz of meat instead of 4 maybe ? Don't worry too much over protein though, unless you're hoping to get leaner. And if you are, definitely try your hardest to reach 40 g every day.
Macros aren't extremely important, but just make sure you give equal attention to all and just check them once in a while. Carbs are mostly what I try to cut down, as well as keeping protein high.
sigh…so much wrong…
what does 40 grams of protein and getting leaner have to do with each other?
if you want to get lean just eat in a deficit, up the cardio, and keep lifting to preserve muscle mass….
macros are important for body composition ….0 -
BombshellPhoenix wrote: »nataliemarie387 wrote: »BombshellPhoenix wrote: »Macronutrients are key to body composition. Calories for weight loss. You can have great nutrient intake and either be in maintenance or surplus, so yes, calories still matter.
It's typically recommended 1g per pound of lean body mass in protein. About .35% fats. I keep my fiber around 30g and then fill in the rest with carbs. I tend to eat high carb, I like the energy. It'll come down to what your preference is. Just pick a sustainable deficit and stay close to your macros.
Weightlifting or some form of resistance training is great to help maintain your current muscle and look leaner at goal.
ETA:why can't you hit protein? Are you being too restrictive? Dietary preference? Allergy?
No foods are good or bad. It's ideal you meet your bodies nutrient requirement but after that's met, it's up to you how you fill the calorie gap.
Edamame, broccoli, asparagus, tofu, fish, lean meats, eggs, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, protein powders, bars, cheese are a few off of the top of my head. Protein is important for muscle retention, especially in a deficit.
The reason I'm not hitting protein is because I can't imagine fitting any more into my day and enjoying it. I typically eat 2 eggs at breakfast, 1 protein shake at some point during the day, and 4 oz of meat (chicken, pork, or steak) for dinner. I really do not like meat, so I can't see myself adding more in. I don't want to do protein shakes because I prefer eating my cals to drinking them (my protein shakes are calorie dense but don't make me feel full since I'm not chewing). I suppose I could add another egg or 2 as a snack (I love eggs). Also I avoid dairy so I can't do Greek yogurt or cottage cheese.... Maybe adding in more beans.
So 1 G protein per LEAN pound body mass. I was trying to do 1 g per body weight (128 g) but if I use body fat of 24% then it's 97 G protein which is still a lot!
Ya, I'm eating around 100g myself. Protein powders can be incorporated IN food, too. If you find a tasty brand, Optimum nutrition, trutein, etc that have nice flavors you could put them in oatmeal, I put it in ice cream sometimes, pancakes, etc. Quest bars are a great source but they get pricey. Beans, lentils, quinoa are also some good ones.
and I hear ya on not wanting to drink calories. I do, on occasion, but I do enjoy eating more than drinking :P. This is random but if you enjoy indulging in Starbucks on the occasion, a skinny venti mocha is 190 calories for 18g of protein
THank you so much - I didn't think to add it TO food but that is a good idea And I do love me some Starbucks treats 0 -
Thank you everyone - this was helpful0
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I hit 200 grams of protein a day no problem..I was doing 40p/30f/30c but I recently changed up to 35p/35c/30f because I am trying to add some weight right now…
my diary is open if you want to browse it for ideas...
I found really good success adding some size by lowering protein to about 15% total calories (around 120gms per day) and upping carbs to 60% total calories (little over 400 grams per day). No significant fat gain as of yet.
Obviously eating at a surplus as well...
My dairy is open as well.
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