Don't understand macros help please

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cmjohnson919
cmjohnson919 Posts: 4 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Trying to lose 5 to 10 pounds in 3 months please help. Dont understand macros and how to read nutrition labels. Need friends on here

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  • borrego6193
    borrego6193 Posts: 26 Member
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    In order to loose weight, you must be in a caloric (calorie) deficit. This means you need to be below your daily caloric maintaince. For example, if a person weighs 150 lbs and the amount of calories they need to maintain that weight is 2500, they would need to be below that in order to loose weight. Your macros is the amounts of carbs, fats, and proteins you get in food. To read a nutrition label, check the label and look at the amount calories and macros is in each item or product, this is where this app comes in handy, if you can scan it, scan the food item and put it in your diary. Then, go back to the main menu and open up the nutrition part of the app and check nutrition and it will say the nutrition facts you need left for the day.
  • vaegajackman
    vaegajackman Posts: 2 Member
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    Macros are percentage for the 3 micronutrients all people use to monitor caloric intake. Most people do a 50/30/20 split. So 50% of your calories come from carbs 30% come from protiens and 20% from fat sources. Macros are only for people that are anal about nutrition just count your calories and do a caloric deficit.
  • cmjohnson919
    cmjohnson919 Posts: 4 Member
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    So could you help me figure out where I need to be? I weigh 123 female 26 years old light activity and looking to lose 5 pounds basically tone up and bulk up lol
  • rontafoya
    rontafoya Posts: 365 Member
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    In my experience women tend to eat a lot of carbs. Protein is the most satisfying macronutrient. And counting calories is more important than tracking macros. As a general rule you need to eat 10-20% below maintenance. Figuring out what "maintenance" is can be tricky, but myfitnesspal has calculators for that which can be a helpful starting point. Count your calories ACCURATELY--that may mean buy a cheap food scale from Amazon--I got one for about 7 bucks. Sounds like, by losing 5 lbs and toning up, you should pump iron primarily and NO you won't get big and buff that is a myth. Cut overall calories, increase protein (which means cut fat and carbs a bit) and pump iron to preserve and build muscle. You will lose fat by default without cardio if your calories are low enough, and you are lifting weights. You can do cardio if you want, I'm just saying based on your stated goals you won't need to if you watch calories and lift weights.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Focus on your calories first...get that in line because it's the most important thing...then work on the rest. A very common macro ratio during weight loss is 40c/30p/30f...so maybe try that...but focus on calories first and foremost.
  • fraserkr
    fraserkr Posts: 110 Member
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    cmjohnson919 wrote: »
    So could you help me figure out where I need to be? I weigh 123 female 26 years old light activity and looking to lose 5 pounds basically tone up and bulk up lol

    have you used MFP's goal setting feature? if so, I am confused why you wouldn't just go with the MFP suggestions until you feel comfortable setting your own macro percentages. Here's a site with a MacroNutrient calculator when you are ready to experiment: http://macronutrientcalculator.com/

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