Macros advice please

CoconuttyMummy
CoconuttyMummy Posts: 685 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
Hi guys, hope you're all doing great with your goals.

Can you please help me with my Macros? The regular MFP macro settings dont seem in the right proportions to me.

I'm on a Primal diet (Paleo plus dairy) and id like to aim for low to low-medium carbs and higher fats and proteins. But i have no idea how to plan exact figures.

My goals are the usual oxymoron of losing fat and gaining muscle/tone. If i have to choose 1 solid goal it would definitely be to lose fat. I have about 20lbs fat to lose to get me down to 112 pounds (im only 5ft 1" tall - im guessing this is about the healthiest weight for my height - when you're so short it doesnt take many pounds before you're looking grossly out of proportion width-ways!).

Soo... what Macros would you recommend to encourage speedy fat loss (i dont want super low carbs as i dont think thats sustainable, but definitely not as high as MFP suggests).

Replies

  • SamberryC
    SamberryC Posts: 25 Member
    What's your daily exercise like?

    If you're exercising a lot (i would recommend heavy weights for weight loss and building muscle) I would suggest getting lots of whole wheat pasta in your diet. You get about a 40g carbs in a 150g serving. I hope this helps.

    If you're working out a lot, you want to make sure you get lots of carbs in your diet.

    Good luck with achieving your goal :smile:
  • CoconuttyMummy
    CoconuttyMummy Posts: 685 Member
    No im not exercising at all atm due to ill-health - im basically sedentary.

    Like i mentioned above i eat Primal foods so no wheat/grains, and im aiming for low to low-medium carbs so definitely pasta is out.

    I am gluten intolerant and dont feel healthy on higher carbs, hence my post for Macros advice. x
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    You could try 20 % carbs 30% protein 50% fat for example. or 25 protein 55 fat. Or similar.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    edited May 2015
    http://www.macrofit.com/macro-calculator/
  • CoconuttyMummy
    CoconuttyMummy Posts: 685 Member
    edited May 2015
    The macro calculator suggests 27% carbs 27% fat and 46% protein, but that puts my carbs at 79 grams a day and i was hoping to aim for closer to 50 grams (i'll probably go over on the carbs some days but im striving to cut them as much as possible as ive hit a plateau and low-carb seems like the only way to kickstart my weightloss again. MFP will not allow me to lower my overall cals anymore due to me already being set to the minimum required daily cals allowed here (1200). I really believe that ideally i should be eating 1,000 cals or LESS to lose just 1lb a week successfully, as my BMR is only 1420 (im only 5ft1", 135pounds, sedentary due to illness).

    So as MFP will not allow me to drop my cals any lower than 1200 and i've hit a plateau already, im going to have to lower my carbs significantly - would you agree?

    Would 20% carbs, 40% fat, 40% protein be reasonable macros for me? (I need to lose around 20lbs).

    And does anyone think it would be OK for me to lower my overall daily cals to below 1200 - somewhere around the 900cals-1,000cals mark, to achieve the 500cal deficit required to lose 1lb a week? Or would this be counter-productive? I understand this is crazy-low cals for a daily basis, but with a BMR of 1420 & a sedentary lifestyle atm, isnt this the only way im going to create the 500 calorie deficit required to lose just 1 pound a week? (Really id love to lose more than 1 pound a week but losing any less than that adds insult to injury when you're tired & hungry all day from such a low calorie diet!)

    Any thoughts would be hugely appreciated.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    I'm not sure what your illness is, and I'm not going to guess, or give advice when such is present.

    Talk to a doctor before you go into 3 digit calories.
  • jddnw
    jddnw Posts: 319 Member
    Would 20% carbs, 40% fat, 40% protein be reasonable macros for me? (I need to lose around 20lbs).

    Yes. That works.
    And does anyone think it would be OK for me to lower my overall daily cals to below 1200 - somewhere around the 900cals-1,000cals mark, to achieve the 500cal deficit required to lose 1lb a week?

    I think you'll be okay short term. Give it try. See how you feel after a week. Adjust if need be.
    BTW, there is no requirement that you lose a pound a week. There is something to be said for taking a long, slow, gradual approach. Your BMI is only 25.
  • CoconuttyMummy
    CoconuttyMummy Posts: 685 Member
    martyqueen52 wrote: »
    I'm not sure what your illness is, and I'm not going to guess, or give advice when such is present.

    Talk to a doctor before you go into 3 digit calories.

    LOL, my illness is a broken leg! Almost healed. :)

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    CoconuttyMummy wrote: »
    martyqueen52 wrote: »
    I'm not sure what your illness is, and I'm not going to guess, or give advice when such is present.

    Talk to a doctor before you go into 3 digit calories.

    LOL, my illness is a broken leg! Almost healed. :)

    Maybe you should not eat 900 calories, especially when you are healing.
  • CoconuttyMummy
    CoconuttyMummy Posts: 685 Member
    jddnw wrote: »
    Would 20% carbs, 40% fat, 40% protein be reasonable macros for me? (I need to lose around 20lbs).

    Yes. That works.
    And does anyone think it would be OK for me to lower my overall daily cals to below 1200 - somewhere around the 900cals-1,000cals mark, to achieve the 500cal deficit required to lose 1lb a week?

    I think you'll be okay short term. Give it try. See how you feel after a week. Adjust if need be.
    BTW, there is no requirement that you lose a pound a week. There is something to be said for taking a long, slow, gradual approach. Your BMI is only 25.

    Great, i'll give those macros a whirl then. Thanks for your input.

    Regards going below the 1000 cals, i think i'll try lowering my carbs and upping my protein/fat 1st and see if that kickstarts my weightloss again. Im hoping that will work, as i really wouldnt look forward to an extended time on less than 1,000 calories tbh.

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