Fat & unsure I'm eating right macros

I'm reasonably new to MFP and macro counting. I've done bodycoach sss plan and had no success. Now I've calculated my macros using online guidance but I'm not sure it's right for me...

I'm 5'1, 31 year old female and 68.5kg!!!
I calculated my TDEE & reduced by 20% for fat loss, which gave me 1478kcals per day on light activity.
My macros calculated at 125g protein (34%), 152 carbs (41%), 41g fat (25%). I put my macros into MFP manually so they differ slightly as you can't adjust it as you wish.

For the last 2 weeks I've been going to the gym 5 days p/w. A general gym session consists of 16 30sec HIIT rounds on the rowing machine (30 sec rests). Weights I do German volume training on chest and back, BI's and TRI's, legs & glutes and then shoulders (different days throughout the week). And sometimes I throw in more HIIT, or things like battle ropes etc.

There's no weight loss at all, no measurement difference, and I'm often struggling to stay within my fat allowance...calories, protein and carbs I'm usually under (not deliberately).

Just wondered if anyone things my macros or calories could be wrong or the sort of training I'm doing?? Just want to see even the SMALLEST change
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Replies

  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    Your Calorie goal and macro breakdown seems reasonable, although I haven't actually run any numbers.

    Macro breakdown is secondary to Calories, as far as weight loss goes, anyway. I take it you've just started - in the last two weeks - your gym routine? If so, you're likely retaining water to repair muscles, as that's common when starting/changing an exercise routine.

    If I may ask, why GVT while trying to lose weight? That's typically used for people trying to bulk.
  • clairem1122
    clairem1122 Posts: 17 Member
    Prior to joining the gym 2 weeks ago, I have been HIIT at home which generally consisted of 4 rounds of 4 exercises @ 30 sec on & 30 sec rests (just high knees, burpees, power squats & mountain climbers). So would it still be likely that I'm retaining water because I've changed the type/amount of exercise I'm doing?

    Honestly, I'm clueless with exercise. But part of the bodycoaches sss plan I did incorporated GVT, also DTP later on in the plan. Prior to doing his plan I had never used weights at all, so it was just something I decided to do at the gym.

    Should I maybe be just doing 3 sets of 10 on each muscle group then? I just hoped that GVT may contribute to fat burn (clueless I know).

    I'm desperate to lose weight, fat and shrink my huge legs and growing tummy!!!
  • tillerstouch
    tillerstouch Posts: 608 Member
    When it comes to losing weight it's not macros that are important but calories. It's okay to not stick to your macros as long as your calorie counting is on point you'll lose weight.

    How accurate are you with your counting? Do you measure everything or even better weigh everything?
  • jandsstevenson887
    jandsstevenson887 Posts: 296 Member
    I haven't worried about macros. I love when I come in under everything but I usually go over on fats and sugars but well under on calories. Still losing.
  • rachelmarie1
    rachelmarie1 Posts: 201 Member
    i have my protein and carbs both at 35% and my fats at 30%. Make sure you eating healthier foods, lean meats, don't deep fry them. Try to eat some type of protein with every meal and snack if you can. It keeps me fuller longer. Are you drinking all of your water? I try to drink between 64oz and 128oz a day. And keep doing what you are doing, sounds like you are working out. I know I didn't notice anything with my first 20 pounds, but I saw a difference in my measurements. I usually take my measurements every other week (neck, arm, leg, chest, waist, hips). Good Luck!!
  • Afura
    Afura Posts: 2,054 Member
    edited April 2016
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    This is the tried and true chart for when you're not losing or see a stall/plateau in weight loss.

    Your calories seem about right, be sure that you are measuring carefully (weighing is the best option), log appropriately, and keep at it - Remember if you're just trying to lose weight it's more about the calories than the macros. I'm forever over in protein/fat and yet I've continued to lose. That being said, there have been weeks when I've seen no loss. It happens. Weight loss is not linear, and with just also starting a lot of physical activity, that can do it to.

    Hang in there, and don't give up - that's the hardest yet most important part.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited April 2016
    I see some over thinking here in your post.

    If your primary goal is loosing weight, do not worry about macros except the protein. I would focus on a number around .8 to 1 gram per body weight, You will need this to maintain your muscle mass during weight loss.

    If you are trying to build muscle and loose fat simultaneously, which can be done, but you have to be 100% perfect in all that you do with your nutrition, calories and exercise regime. I will stress this, your calories have to be the first thing in line to get perfect. If this is your goal, research the heck out of this, so you dont spend alot of time in the gym without getting the results you are looking for. edited to add, this is a very very slow process.

    Because you are trying to loos weight or fat, talking about building mass is not needed here.

    You should look for a program designed for beginners that will entail you building strength over time. Stronglifts 5x5 for example or even this one: http://www.thenewrulesoflifting.com/nrol-for-women.

    Read up on this site for some info too, https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/01/14/strength-training-101-where-do-i-start/.

    Edited to add: you should give anything you do for body changes such a diet and exercise from 3 - 4 weeks to see changes. You should adhere to a weight range as normal fluctuations occur especially when adding exercise to the mix.

    Last thing, the best thing you can do to loose weight is buy and use a food scale...if you are not using one...get one. This will save you a lot of heart ache on why you may not be losing weight or need assurance your calories are in line with the MFP deficit.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    Calories for weight loss.
    Macros for satiety and health (and some fitness goals).
    Exercise for fitness.

    Your macros sound reasonable to me. If you are struggling with fat, don't worry about going a little over - macro goals are more a guide than something you need to be exact about.

    Two weeks isn't really enough time to judge whether what you are doing will work or not, especially since it sounds like your exercise routine is new. Sometimes new exercise can cause your muscles to hold onto water for a little while. Give it at least another 2-3 weeks, and make sure your logging is accurate and you are using correct database entries in that time. Good luck and be patient! :)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    You are not fat, BMI 28.5 is overweight, but not fat. Weight will come off slowly at this stage. 1 pound per week is realistic. What have you set your desired loss rate to?

    Your calorie goal seems sensible, though on the low side. Are you logging correctly - weighing and checking?

    Macros can be set to whatever you like. If you tend to go over on fat, that means you need a bigger proportion of fat in your diet; just eat more fat and reduce protein and carbs accordingly. I have settled on a moderate split, which makes planning meals a breeze, and keeps me full and energized. 0.8 gram protein and fat per pound of lean body mass, and the rest carbs, is a reasonable place to start.

    If you want to set macros in grams (recommended), you can download the foodfastfit addon for chrome (maybe other browsers too).
  • bogwoppt1
    bogwoppt1 Posts: 159 Member
    BMI 28.5 is overweight, but not fat.

    Really? Overweight is not fat? Do you mean overweight is not obese by the government BMI guidelines?



  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    bogwoppt1 wrote: »
    BMI 28.5 is overweight, but not fat.

    Really? Overweight is not fat? Do you mean overweight is not obese by the government BMI guidelines?

    Yes, that was what I meant. In my head obese=fat, but "fat" is not a precise term to describe body shape. And maybe the OP just referred to dietary fat.
  • bogwoppt1
    bogwoppt1 Posts: 159 Member
    I have a friend who was massively overweight, obese, fat. Whatever you want to label it. She said it is better to own the labels that fit you, than to allow others to label you. So she said she was fat and it was fine. Though one day it stopped being fine, and she lost over 50% of her bodyweight, became and Ironman and runs marathons. At the age of 54. She can kick the snot off me in a race, has a smile on her face everyday, but she owned her label and it drove her to fitness.

  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    Prior to joining the gym 2 weeks ago, I have been HIIT at home which generally consisted of 4 rounds of 4 exercises @ 30 sec on & 30 sec rests (just high knees, burpees, power squats & mountain climbers). So would it still be likely that I'm retaining water because I've changed the type/amount of exercise I'm doing?

    Honestly, I'm clueless with exercise. But part of the bodycoaches sss plan I did incorporated GVT, also DTP later on in the plan. Prior to doing his plan I had never used weights at all, so it was just something I decided to do at the gym.

    Should I maybe be just doing 3 sets of 10 on each muscle group then? I just hoped that GVT may contribute to fat burn (clueless I know).

    I'm desperate to lose weight, fat and shrink my huge legs and growing tummy!!!

    Yes to the bolded. My scale went up seven pounds when I started lifting weights again last fall, and it did take a few weeks for that water weight to come back off.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    bogwoppt1 wrote: »
    I have a friend who was massively overweight, obese, fat. Whatever you want to label it. She said it is better to own the labels that fit you, than to allow others to label you. So she said she was fat and it was fine. Though one day it stopped being fine, and she lost over 50% of her bodyweight, became and Ironman and runs marathons. At the age of 54. She can kick the snot off me in a race, has a smile on her face everyday, but she owned her label and it drove her to fitness.

    That is truly an inspirational tale :) Thank you.
  • clairem1122
    clairem1122 Posts: 17 Member
    edited April 2016
    Thank you so much for all your replies. This is exactly the kind of support and guidance I need so thank you all.

    It seems the general consensus is that I should just be concentrating on not going over my daily calories. So I will concentrate on that for now and stop obsessing over macros.

    Next stop is to try and find a different lifting plan because I'm not sure GVT is the right plan for what I want to achieve, judging by a posters comment above (desired outcome is weight loss and toning/lifting). Maybe I'll start another post and see what plans others are doing.

    Thanks again for all your help, it really is appreciated
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Thank you so much for all your replies. This is exactly the kind of support and guidance I need so thank you all.

    It seems the general consensus is that I should just be concentrating on not going over my daily calories. So I will concentrate on that for now and stop obsessing over macros.

    Next stop is to try and find a different lifting plan because I'm not sure GVT is the right plan for what I want to achieve, judging by a posters comment above (desired outcome is weight loss and toning/lifting). Maybe I'll start another post and see what plans others are doing.

    Thanks again for all your help, it really is appreciated

    Weight loss will happen by changing how you eat. If your logging is accurate (not estimations) and you are sticking to your goals, be patient and it will happen soon. If you see no results in a couple more weeks, then something in your calorie counting is wrong.
    As for exercise, fine tuning details will really make no difference other than stress you, since you do not have very specific goals (i.e. related to a particular sport, performance etc). Do you enjoy what you are doing? If yes, continue. If not, look for something else. For the average person with general health and fitness goals pretty much any exercise routine will work the same. If you like whatyou are doing, awesome. If you would rather walk, run, swim, play basketball, find a Zumba class, a different lifting routine, bodyweight exercises or whatever else, do that. Whatever you enjoy and think you will be looking forward to do.
  • JessUK98
    JessUK98 Posts: 15 Member
    Muscle weighs more than fat. Muscle also burns more calories when resting than fat does so ideally you want more muscle and less fat. If you are doing weights, then this may account for some of your weight gain. Also you need to ensure that after a workout (within about 45 mins) you have a small snack that contains protein/carbs, as this helps repair and replenish your muscles, and assist in boosting your metabolism. This may seem counter intuitive, but is important.
    It is best to take your measurements and rely on how you feel in your clothes (e.g. they aren't so tight) and ignore the scales for a month or so when you start a new regime before taking your weight again. Otherwise with things like muscle gain, daily variables in your weight due to things like water retention and menstrual cycle can cause you to become disheartened.
  • pipmcgrath
    pipmcgrath Posts: 26 Member
    Currently doing the body coach plan as well and gained 6 lbs in Cycle one, gained one so far on Cycle 2, two weeks in. Not happy either.
  • pipmcgrath
    pipmcgrath Posts: 26 Member
    I've given up with the food and just sticking with the exercise from it. The food is way way too much for me. Hence my 7 lbs gain since I started
  • clairem1122
    clairem1122 Posts: 17 Member
    I feel your pain pipmcgrath! I think I lost 1-2 ibs over the whole plan! I did have some measurement difference (very very slight!) but completely unnoticeable to the eye or to how my clothes fit. I was so disappointed after sticking to it religiously and the amount of money paid out, both through the plan itself and then the grocery shop every week! Not to mention the supplements etc.

    I recently starting plateauing with his HIIT sessions at home but I had been doing them for a long time now and not really incorporating weights etc to make it harder. That's why I joined the gym, for a bit of difference and more challenges.

    I hope you have more success than I did, more like the hall of famers! Keep in touch and let me know :)