MACRO Question

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Mike02209
Mike02209 Posts: 301 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So I have been using the default MFP macros for some time now, and have had success for the most part. (Just under a pound a week loss for over a year now). I saw a post on this site recently which had a link to a macro calculator called IIFYM. I input my data and the results showed similar calorie intake, but the IIFYM macros were protein heavy and low carb. Should I consider switching? If so, what are the trade offs?
Note: though I have a sedentary job, I do weight train (StrongLifts 5x5 3days a week) and do light cardio on three of the remaining days. My goal is to lose another 63 pounds while retaining muscle.
Any thoughts or insight would be most appreciated.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    It may or may not be harder to follow a protein heavy diet, that's all. As long as you really are eating those 20 suggested percents of protein, it won't make you lose weight faster or anything. It's bodybuilder gone mainstream, basically.
  • Mike02209
    Mike02209 Posts: 301 Member
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    kommodevaran wrote: »
    It may or may not be harder to follow a protein heavy diet, that's all. As long as you really are eating those 20 suggested percents of protein, it won't make you lose weight faster or anything. It's bodybuilder gone mainstream, basically.

    Thank you for the reply, so the default MFP macros are just fine, good to know.
  • SonicKrunch
    SonicKrunch Posts: 192 Member
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    I'd suggest upping the protein % if you are looking to build muscle. Now retaining it still might make you want to up the percent too. It's really hard to say though. There are quite a few vegan bodybuilders or strength trainers and they probably only get around 80g of protein in their diets without supplements max.

    The normal perception is you need about 0.6-0.8g/lb of bodyweight. Now I say this is lean bw, not actual so lets say you want to be about 165 pounds, or about 145 of lean bodyweight. Then you really only need to eat between 87 and 116g of protein to maintain that level. Eating more protein will give you a better chance to maintain the muscle you have, but it's not an exact science.

    In the last 20 pounds, I've lost 14lbs of fat and 6lbs of muscle(going from 162-156 of lean bw). In those 20 pounds I averaged about 125g of protein a day. I have another 16lbs to hit my first goal, and I'm hoping that the 125g that I have been eating will ensure the loss of muscle is now pretty much stalled so I lose the last 16 as fat, with I'm sure some muscle loss too(but hopefully to stick around 155 lean). My macros right now are set to 55/20/25(carb/fat/protein). If I used a 20% I'd be ingesting less protein and would expect in the last 20lbs to have lost more than 6lbs of muscle(not sure how much though).

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