Setting Your Calorie and Macro Targets

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  • Icandoit66
    Icandoit66 Posts: 74 Member

    Bump
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
    Thanks for the post.
  • Hello all
    I really struggle to get my head around this.
    I wondered if someone could help work it out for me.
    I am 28 year old female, I am 160cm tall and weigh 64kgs. I exercise 6+ times a week, with two intense gym workouts, circuits *1, kettles *1, Les Mills Body Pump *1-2, Les Mills Grit *2. I have lost 12kgs and struggling to loose the last 4-6kgs. I am completely off track at the moment and want to get my eating right.

    Thank you in advance everyone xx
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Hello all
    I really struggle to get my head around this.
    I wondered if someone could help work it out for me.
    I am 28 year old female, I am 160cm tall and weigh 64kgs. I exercise 6+ times a week, with two intense gym workouts, circuits *1, kettles *1, Les Mills Body Pump *1-2, Les Mills Grit *2. I have lost 12kgs and struggling to loose the last 4-6kgs. I am completely off track at the moment and want to get my eating right.

    Thank you in advance everyone xx

    How much time on those various workouts?

    As you could imagine, someone doing it for 1.5 hrs x 6 days is very different than 30 min x 6 days weekly.

    And it's just an estimate, but at least using the sites that talk about hours a week is better than days a week.

    Also be aware those rough 5 level TDEE tables are based on exercise on top of otherwise sedentary work/lifestyle.
    If your job is on your feet constantly or home with kids running around all day, that bumps you up a level.
  • thoyamma
    thoyamma Posts: 22 Member
    Bump
  • I woke up this morning beating myself up for gaining weight instead of losing it. Now, after reading this post, I am realizing that I have not been eating enough calories! It was always drilled into my head that diet = not eating/low calories. So, it now makes sense why I continue to binge eat. Thanks so much for posting this!
  • cclark788
    cclark788 Posts: 2 Member
    Can someone help me? I've been reading up on IIFYM etc for the past week, really wanting to try it, but every time I try and calculate what my calories or macro gram intake should be, I get different results!

    I'm 5'2 female, weight is approx 133lbs, age 27.
    I have a desk job, the only exercise I get is standing up at my desk for an average of 2 hours a day and walking to the printer! I do want to incorporate exercise, such as weights, but only once I'm confident with my food intake.

    When I've used online calculators it's varied so much on calorie and carb/protein intake that I just don't know what to do anymore!
  • Surfingbodi
    Surfingbodi Posts: 161 Member
    hey MimiLaw - i am right there with you. i was doing great and then all of a sudden the scales read high again and I have been very discouraged :( i have been lifting so that is probably part of it and then there seems to be this thing about sugar and how it impacts my cravings so i just need to stay away from it for now. be sure to have some other goals than the number of the scale that support your goals which ultimately is to be healthy. one thing for me is that i can see my body is much firmer and the weight i can lift has increased significantly and overall both increase me self-esteem!

    cclark788 - i strongly suggest trying to get a heart rate monitor as i had the same problem with the online calculators as well as the cardio machines. maybe put it on your wish list. you can probably get them used online as well. made a huge difference for me as i was overestimating my calories burned and kept gaining weight! my HRM seems to be MUCH more accurate and I was finally able to be loosing and getting in better shape.
  • turtlez23
    turtlez23 Posts: 156 Member
    Okay- So if my TDEE is 2190 and I would like to cut down to 30% of that then I would need to be eating 1533 calories a day and not go below that number?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    edited November 2014
    *
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Hello all
    I really struggle to get my head around this.
    I wondered if someone could help work it out for me.
    I am 28 year old female, I am 160cm tall and weigh 64kgs. I exercise 6+ times a week, with two intense gym workouts, circuits *1, kettles *1, Les Mills Body Pump *1-2, Les Mills Grit *2. I have lost 12kgs and struggling to loose the last 4-6kgs. I am completely off track at the moment and want to get my eating right.

    Thank you in advance everyone xx

    Hi and sorry for the delay in responding.

    Have you been accurately logging for a length of time?

    Also, what intake were you on when you were losing and were you tracking accurately then?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    turtlez23 wrote: »
    Okay- So if my TDEE is 2190 and I would like to cut down to 30% of that then I would need to be eating 1533 calories a day and not go below that number?

    How much do you weigh and how much do you have to lose?
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    MimiLaw126 wrote: »
    I woke up this morning beating myself up for gaining weight instead of losing it. Now, after reading this post, I am realizing that I have not been eating enough calories! It was always drilled into my head that diet = not eating/low calories. So, it now makes sense why I continue to binge eat. Thanks so much for posting this!


    How did you conclude that you are gaining weight as you are not eating enough? It would appear in the face of it that the likely reason is that you are trying to be overly restrictive but then binging, which leads to you eating above maintenance. Try to be less restrictive to see if that helps with binges - in the long run you will probably be at a lower calorie level on average.

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    cclark788 wrote: »
    Can someone help me? I've been reading up on IIFYM etc for the past week, really wanting to try it, but every time I try and calculate what my calories or macro gram intake should be, I get different results!

    I'm 5'2 female, weight is approx 133lbs, age 27.
    I have a desk job, the only exercise I get is standing up at my desk for an average of 2 hours a day and walking to the printer! I do want to incorporate exercise, such as weights, but only once I'm confident with my food intake.

    When I've used online calculators it's varied so much on calorie and carb/protein intake that I just don't know what to do anymore!

    How much weight are you looking to lose?

    Have you been tracking accurately for any length of time to date?
  • cclark788
    cclark788 Posts: 2 Member
    Sarauk2sf wrote: »
    cclark788 wrote: »
    Can someone help me? I've been reading up on IIFYM etc for the past week, really wanting to try it, but every time I try and calculate what my calories or macro gram intake should be, I get different results!

    I'm 5'2 female, weight is approx 133lbs, age 27.
    I have a desk job, the only exercise I get is standing up at my desk for an average of 2 hours a day and walking to the printer! I do want to incorporate exercise, such as weights, but only once I'm confident with my food intake.

    When I've used online calculators it's varied so much on calorie and carb/protein intake that I just don't know what to do anymore!

    How much weight are you looking to lose?

    Have you been tracking accurately for any length of time to date?

    Hey,

    Looking to lose around 20lbs but it's more about losing the flab on my tummy and bum/thighs.
    I haven't been tracking due to not knowing where to start, if someone could give me somewhere to start I'd be able to follow it and then in time adjust it if necessary.
  • zipa78
    zipa78 Posts: 354 Member
    cclark788 wrote: »
    I haven't been tracking due to not knowing where to start, if someone could give me somewhere to start I'd be able to follow it and then in time adjust it if necessary.

    The first post in this thread is a marvelous place to start. Either go with one of the calculators mentioned in that post (I prefer the one on exrx.net) or use the one built into MFP. Aim for a daily deficit of 500 kcal. Make sure you eat at least 100 grams of protein and 60 grams of fat daily, adjust your carbs according to your target.

    Just take time reading the first post here, it's all spelled out there.
  • slimandsmiling
    slimandsmiling Posts: 85 Member
    Hi .. I have managed to lose weight so far but don't completely know what I am doing right or wrong. I know when I eat about 900-1000 cals.per day I lose weight and if I eat some back after doing running for 5km the loss is less. I don't understand how to calculate my TDEE .. how do I figure out what my LBM is and is that 'lean body mass'? what is that? for some info re me. I am 162cms tall, currently weight 135 down from 146 lbs. want to get down to 127lbs. I have started jogging 5km twice a week and doing Jillian Michaels dvds once a week. my macros are currently carbs 40%, protein 30% and fat 30%. I eat with my kids around 5pm and am going to bed on a empty stomach at around 11pm. I would love to figure out what I should be doing for macro goals and also then how to hit then. for instance, I don't hit the salt target often at all .. is that a problem? can sugar suppress your weight loss? should I keep sugar down to increase weight loss? I want to start doing some light lifting as I would love some well sculptured shoulders :).. you look amazing by the way!
  • SToast
    SToast Posts: 255 Member
    My calculated fat % came up higher than my protein %. Is that normal? It feels so wrong... Fat 24% and Protein 26%. Hubby's was Fat 35% Protein 25%. He's got quite a bit more weight to lose...
  • cmmcis
    cmmcis Posts: 1 Member
    Save
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    SToast wrote: »
    My calculated fat % came up higher than my protein %. Is that normal? It feels so wrong... Fat 24% and Protein 26%. Hubby's was Fat 35% Protein 25%. He's got quite a bit more weight to lose...

    What are your stats, the total calories your are working with and how much do you have to lose?

  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Hi .. I have managed to lose weight so far but don't completely know what I am doing right or wrong. I know when I eat about 900-1000 cals.per day I lose weight and if I eat some back after doing running for 5km the loss is less. I don't understand how to calculate my TDEE .. how do I figure out what my LBM is and is that 'lean body mass'? what is that? for some info re me. I am 162cms tall, currently weight 135 down from 146 lbs. want to get down to 127lbs. I have started jogging 5km twice a week and doing Jillian Michaels dvds once a week. my macros are currently carbs 40%, protein 30% and fat 30%. I eat with my kids around 5pm and am going to bed on a empty stomach at around 11pm. I would love to figure out what I should be doing for macro goals and also then how to hit then. for instance, I don't hit the salt target often at all .. is that a problem? can sugar suppress your weight loss? should I keep sugar down to increase weight loss? I want to start doing some light lifting as I would love some well sculptured shoulders :).. you look amazing by the way!

    Sorry for overlooking this - will address the rest of the comments tomorrow, however, some questions in the mean time. How long have you been accurately tracking (as in weighing and logging all your food)? What has your weight done over the last 8 weeks, in weekly increments if you have that data?

    Sugar only suppresses weight loss if 1) you are eating it, along with any other food in excess (as in, you are going over your calorie allowance 2) as with carbs in general (or which sugar is just a subset), it can impact your maintenance number (how many calories you burn) if you are insulin resistant.

    And thank you :flowerforyou:
  • SToast
    SToast Posts: 255 Member
    Sarauk2sf wrote: »
    SToast wrote: »
    My calculated fat % came up higher than my protein %. Is that normal? It feels so wrong... Fat 24% and Protein 26%. Hubby's was Fat 35% Protein 25%. He's got quite a bit more weight to lose...

    What are your stats, the total calories your are working with and how much do you have to lose?

    1900 TDEE not trying to lose so much as increase muscle and lower body fat

    Hubby TDEE 3400, trying to lose 70 lbs.

  • joanfrye
    joanfrye Posts: 5 Member
    I also find this confusing. I weight160pounds with about 30% body fat. Based on your calculation, I should consume 112g protein/day (448calories) and 53g fat/day (480calories) or 928 calories from fat and protein. I am trying to lose weight and estimate 1,200 calories per day - this leaves 272 calories for carbs, or about 70 g. This would yield 48% protein, 23% fat and 30% carbs. Seems rather protein heavy to me. Or does your formula assume that someone is NOT trying to lose weight? In other words, should I reduce the grams of protein and fat. I always have this question when folks recommend how much of this or that someone should eat. I don't know if they're basing their answer on maintaining your weight or losing weight... Thanks.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    edited January 2015
    joanfrye wrote: »
    I also find this confusing. I weight160pounds with about 30% body fat. Based on your calculation, I should consume 112g protein/day (448calories) and 53g fat/day (480calories) or 928 calories from fat and protein. I am trying to lose weight and estimate 1,200 calories per day - this leaves 272 calories for carbs, or about 70 g. This would yield 48% protein, 23% fat and 30% carbs. Seems rather protein heavy to me. Or does your formula assume that someone is NOT trying to lose weight? In other words, should I reduce the grams of protein and fat. I always have this question when folks recommend how much of this or that someone should eat. I don't know if they're basing their answer on maintaining your weight or losing weight... Thanks.

    Where are you getting 1,200 calories from?
    SToast wrote: »
    Sarauk2sf wrote: »
    SToast wrote: »
    My calculated fat % came up higher than my protein %. Is that normal? It feels so wrong... Fat 24% and Protein 26%. Hubby's was Fat 35% Protein 25%. He's got quite a bit more weight to lose...

    What are your stats, the total calories your are working with and how much do you have to lose?

    1900 TDEE not trying to lose so much as increase muscle and lower body fat

    Hubby TDEE 3400, trying to lose 70 lbs.

    What are your stats? Also, what bf% are you assuming?

    Cheers
  • pebbleslaura1
    pebbleslaura1 Posts: 146 Member
    what would you sugest for someone trying to gain recover from anorexia? im veggie cant eat wheat dairy i do eat eggs and am trying fish for protein i suffer with digestive disorder due to illness
  • jamar05
    jamar05 Posts: 3 Member
    Stupid question is eating out bad I usually eat at Panera bread don't really have time to cook with two jobs and school full time
  • jamar05
    jamar05 Posts: 3 Member
    Nice post BTW
  • Sumiblue
    Sumiblue Posts: 1,597 Member
    I am so confused about what to set my macros at. I get very different daily calorie goals from MFP and Scooby, Exrx.nt. The last two are fairly close to each other giving me a TDEE of over 2000 and telling me to eat around 1600 calories. MFP tells me to eat 1450. I've tried to eat at 1450 but always fail as it seems too restrictive. For background I am female, 45, 133 lbs and around 25%bf. I am a SAHM to a 3 yr old. I lift heavy (StrongLifts 5x5) 3x a week and manage to do some cardio maybe once a week,20 minute kettlebell routine. I did stay under calories this day but I seem to only be able to do this for a few days before I just start eating what I want without logging. I cook from scratch nearly every meal, not much eating out at all. I used to have a very physical job that had me on my feet for 6-7 hrs a day and had a muscular build. With Stronglifts I am seeing my muscles emerge in my upper body but carry fat around lower body. I'd love some advice as you guys seem to know what you are talking about. I am bad about logging food consistently but this is a fairly typical day for me, logged or not.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/Sumiblue?date=2015-01-06
  • jazzine1
    jazzine1 Posts: 280 Member
    bump
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    Sumiblue wrote: »
    I am so confused about what to set my macros at. I get very different daily calorie goals from MFP and Scooby, Exrx.nt. The last two are fairly close to each other giving me a TDEE of over 2000 and telling me to eat around 1600 calories. MFP tells me to eat 1450. I've tried to eat at 1450 but always fail as it seems too restrictive. For background I am female, 45, 133 lbs and around 25%bf. I am a SAHM to a 3 yr old. I lift heavy (StrongLifts 5x5) 3x a week and manage to do some cardio maybe once a week,20 minute kettlebell routine. I did stay under calories this day but I seem to only be able to do this for a few days before I just start eating what I want without logging. I cook from scratch nearly every meal, not much eating out at all. I used to have a very physical job that had me on my feet for 6-7 hrs a day and had a muscular build. With Stronglifts I am seeing my muscles emerge in my upper body but carry fat around lower body. I'd love some advice as you guys seem to know what you are talking about. I am bad about logging food consistently but this is a fairly typical day for me, logged or not.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/Sumiblue?date=2015-01-06

    Just so you know the reason for the differences.

    MFP includes NO exercise in the math for TDEE and eating goal.
    When you actually do the workout, your TDEE goes up, and eating goal goes up - for that day.

    The other sites are doing weekly TDEE averaged back out to daily. ExRx formula being more specific, if you can really produce an average day in there.

    They usually end up the same if you perhaps looked at weekly totals, including that exercise being done on MFP that you said you'd do on other sites.

    You might try the spreadsheet on my profile page, it uses the same basis for more specific calorie burn as ExRx does, but even newer research, and tad simpler because it still looks at the weekly total and averages it back out.
    Has entry for high cardio for that kettle ball, and weight lifting, in the activity calc, and your increased standing walking around time with kiddo.
    Because the rough 5 level chart is exercise added on top of assumed otherwise sedentary desk job. You almost have to add levels together.