Fat and carb intake help!

sarabclaypole
sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
edited November 14 in Health and Weight Loss
Morning! Just been thinking about how much carbs and fat I should be eating? I'm getting my protein in pretty well x

Replies

  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
    I've just checked and MFP recommends I have 50% carbs, 20% protein and 30% fat. That's what it tells me if I ask for a custom goal. It doesn't know my personnal goals except for the 1lb a week goal so I'm not sure how it comes up with those figures.

    I have amended it to 40% carbs 40% protein and 20% fat. Seem logical to me to go low fat. I did try going lower carb but found it almost impossible to stick to. I'm loosing weight faster than my desired 1lb a week (famous last words!!) and life's too short to loose bread from your life eh?

    Will be interested to see others answers to this one.

    Of course, I don't really focus on macros as much as I should. I'm just happy to stay in my calorie deficit most days!!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited March 2015
    Calorie deficit is more important than your macros, at least in the beginning. Don't be afraid of fat, eating fat does not make you fat. Eating too much does :wink:
    FYI my macros are set at;

    Protein- 35% 148g
    carbs- 35% 148g
    Fat- 30% 56g
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    edited March 2015
    christinev297 wrote: »
    Calorie deficit is more important than your macros, at least in the beginning. Don't be afraid of fat, eating fat does not make you fat. Eating too much does :wink:

    that

    i dont even know what my macros are. at this point, its not a concern to me and they arent usually in the red, so whatever they are, they are within what i *normally* eat.
  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
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  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
    These are my current goals x
  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
    Any comments/opinions welcome x
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    Your goal weight loss per week is too high - reduce it to 0.5lb a week

    macros are personal

    I set my protein at 0.8g per lb of LBM and it's basically the only thing I watch ... I eat about 50- 60% in carbs .. because that works for me
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited March 2015
    Very Active is a difficult activity level to acheive - this should be your activity in life without purposeful exercise - are you actually a full-time sportsperson / manual labourer?
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    With so little weight to lose 2lbs a week loss is a bad idea IMO but have you actually been losing at that rate?
    I don't like ratios for macros as my calorie needs and therefore calorie targets vary enormously from day to day.

    I regard protein and fat as minimums and carbs fall wherever they fall within that day's calorie goal.
    This works for me:
    1g protein / lb of LBM
    0.4g fat / lb of bodyweight
  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
    I am pretty active I work 5 days a week quite a physical job and I work out 6 days a week (between 1-3 hours each time) x
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    sarabclaypole wrote: »
    I am pretty active I work 5 days a week quite a physical job and I work out 6 days a week (between 1-3 hours each time) x

    Workouts aren't part of your activity setting.
  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
    Ah that I didn't know lol x thanks
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    edited March 2015
    sijomial wrote: »
    sarabclaypole wrote: »
    I am pretty active I work 5 days a week quite a physical job and I work out 6 days a week (between 1-3 hours each time) x

    Workouts aren't part of your activity setting.

    if you go by TDEE, it is, isnt it? (i dont know, i go by standard mfp guidelines, but i *think* thats what ive heard)
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    sarabclaypole wrote: »
    I am pretty active I work 5 days a week quite a physical job and I work out 6 days a week (between 1-3 hours each time) x

    Workouts aren't included in activity level

    And you would have to be doing heavy labour all day at work to achieve highly active - go back and revisit the settings - unless you have been losing weight at this level because your body knows better than calculators
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    sarabclaypole wrote: »
    I am pretty active I work 5 days a week quite a physical job and I work out 6 days a week (between 1-3 hours each time) x

    Workouts aren't part of your activity setting.

    why is it every tdee calculator states:

    Sedentary- little to no exercise
    Active- exercise 3-4 days a week
    etc etc


  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    t5k1xlex29hq.png

    Fat could be increased. It is right at the edge.
  • Blueseraphchaos
    Blueseraphchaos Posts: 843 Member
    If you use highly active as your activity level, just make sure you don't log your exercise because that would be counting it twice, resulting in inadvertent overconsumption of calories.

    I forget my exact macros, but i do know i raised my fat and lowered my carbs because I've noticed the more carbs i eat, the more i want, whereas with more protein and more fat, I'm less hungry.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    sarabclaypole wrote: »
    I am pretty active I work 5 days a week quite a physical job and I work out 6 days a week (between 1-3 hours each time) x

    Workouts aren't part of your activity setting.

    why is it every tdee calculator states:

    Sedentary- little to no exercise
    Active- exercise 3-4 days a week
    etc etc


    On MFP which is NEAT calculation and exercise on top, so people (naming no names ;)) can still lose at sedentary
  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
    RodaRose wrote: »
    t5k1xlex29hq.png

    Fat could be increased. It is right at the edge.

    Thank you xx
  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
    Blueseraphchaos wrote: »
    If you use highly active as your activity level, just make sure you don't log your exercise because that would be counting it twice, resulting in inadvertent overconsumption of calories.

    I forget my exact macros, but i do know i raised my fat and lowered my carbs because I've noticed the more carbs i eat, the more i want, whereas with more protein and more fat, I'm less hungry.

    Thanks x
  • sarabclaypole
    sarabclaypole Posts: 74 Member
    Thank you everyone for your input xx
    Have a great day! Xx
  • pzarnosky
    pzarnosky Posts: 256 Member
    christinev297 wrote: »
    Calorie deficit is more important than your macros, at least in the beginning. Don't be afraid of fat, eating fat does not make you fat. Eating too much does :wink:
    FYI my macros are set at;

    Protein- 35% 148g
    carbs- 35% 148g
    Fat- 30% 56g

    Not entirely true.. yes calorie deficit is important for weight loss but your macros are also extremely important depending on your exercise goals/routines. Example, if you run a decent amount, say 5-10 miles a week or more, carbs should be a higher percentage of your intake. If you are big into weightlifting, you'll want a higher percentage of protein to help maintain your muscle gains while on a deficit.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Yes, that's why I said, in the beginning. Too many people tie themselves up in knots trying to get their calories and macros perfect.
    Hitting your macros by going over your calories isn't going to work either. Get the hang of one, before you start stressing out about the other.
    I definitely keep an eye on my macros, but didn't in the very beginning.
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