Macros?

You're a fantastic weight for your height already

I'd definitely suggest looking into strength training to change your body shape and achieve that 'toned' look you're after! Eat at maintenance (MFP will set your macro's for you! - though it isn't vital to be 100% on point with these) and look into a progressive lifting plan! If you are a member of a gym, a trainer will help you!

Losing more weight isn't going to achieve a 'toned' look.

Speaking very generally, think about it this way...

Calories should be used to control weight - an excess will cause you to gain, a deficit will cause you to lose.
Macros should be used for body composition, energy needs, and general preference/satisfaction with your diet.

More to your question, macros should be looked at as ranges, not as hard and fast specific numbers. Where you're specific macro goals fall within those ranges depends on a variety of things (preferences and goals being the biggest ones).

Fats: .25-.5g per lb of total body weight (that would be 30-60g @ 120lbs)
Carbs: 1.5-3g per lb of total body weight (180-360g @ 120lbs)
Protein: .75-1.5g per lb of lean body mass (67-135g @ 120lbs and 25% body fat, just as an example)

karlav1394 wrote: »

Wow thank you so much everyone, I get it now. So....what's carb cycling? I keep hearing this term, does it have anything to do with bulking and cutting? Not even sure if I'm using the right terminology, I just want to understand it all. Thanks again everyone !

Carb cycling is when you eat high carb on some days and low carb on others. I eat 50% carbs, 20% fat, 30% protein on days that I lift weights and 20% carbs, 50% fat, 30% protein on cardio and rest days. I also eat close to my maintenance on lifting days and I eat at a deficit on cardio and rest days. Part of why I carb cycle is because I do Intermittent Fasting. Intermittent Fasting is when you only eat during a certain time period during the day. I follow the Leangains Method, which recommends 16 hours of fasting/8 hour eating window per day for men and 14 hours of fasting/10 hour feeding window per day for women. I started with 14/10, but I found I can handle 16/8 without an issue. All of this stuff is not necessary for standard weight loss, so don't think you have to do all of this or even a portion of it to achieve results. I do it because I have specific fitness goals that I've set out to achieve now that I've lost the weight I wanted to.

Again, for weight loss, CICO: Calories In < Calories Out is the most important factor; you will not see results without it. Macros only help in figuring out what combination of fats, proteins, and carbs helps you feel the most satiated. Some people do great following low carb, some do better high carb, some work best with a 33/33/33 split of carbs, fats, and protein. It's all about figuring out what works best for you.

synacious wrote: »

karlav1394 wrote: »

Wow thank you so much everyone, I get it now. So....what's carb cycling? I keep hearing this term, does it have anything to do with bulking and cutting? Not even sure if I'm using the right terminology, I just want to understand it all. Thanks again everyone !

Carb cycling is when you eat high carb on some days and low carb on others. I eat 50% carbs, 20% fat, 30% protein on days that I lift weights and 20% carbs, 50% fat, 30% protein on cardio and rest days. I also eat close to my maintenance on lifting days and I eat at a deficit on cardio and rest days. Part of why I carb cycle is because I do Intermittent Fasting. Intermittent Fasting is when you only eat during a certain time period during the day. I follow the Leangains Method, which recommends 16 hours of fasting/8 hour eating window per day for men and 14 hours of fasting/10 hour feeding window per day for women. I started with 14/10, but I found I can handle 16/8 without an issue. All of this stuff is not necessary for standard weight loss, so don't think you have to do all of this or even a portion of it to achieve results. I do it because I have specific fitness goals that I've set out to achieve now that I've lost the weight I wanted to.

Again, for weight loss, CICO: Calories In < Calories Out is the most important factor; you will not see results without it. Macros only help in figuring out what combination of fats, proteins, and carbs helps you feel the most satiated. Some people do great following low carb, some do better high carb, some work best with a 33/33/33 split of carbs, fats, and protein. It's all about figuring out what works best for you.

Im sorry, I thought I had come to the MFP message board. It surely cant be because this may be the best answer to a fitness/diet question I have ever seen. I must be dreaming. Seriously.......all of this!