Adjusting my Macros
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Panda_Poptarts
Posts: 971 Member
Hi folks!
I've decided to swing out of keto, at least for awhile, and see if weight loss continues along at a steady pace. It's been about 10 days now since I upped my carb intake, and I'm seeing the positive effects. Dizziness is gone, despite constant downing of sodium and great electrolyte values on my lab work. That in itself is a massive bonus. I also feel more in control of my eating and less likely to want to binge, now that less food is "off limits".
That being said, I'd love a little help with my macros. I don't want to go backwards! Prior to keto I didn't give a hoot about macros and only ate at a deficit. What's a good breakdown for low carb but not keto?
I'm set to 35%c/35%p/30%f right now, which breaks down to:
1600 calories
140g carbs
140g protein
53g fat
Thanks in advance for the guidance!
I've decided to swing out of keto, at least for awhile, and see if weight loss continues along at a steady pace. It's been about 10 days now since I upped my carb intake, and I'm seeing the positive effects. Dizziness is gone, despite constant downing of sodium and great electrolyte values on my lab work. That in itself is a massive bonus. I also feel more in control of my eating and less likely to want to binge, now that less food is "off limits".
That being said, I'd love a little help with my macros. I don't want to go backwards! Prior to keto I didn't give a hoot about macros and only ate at a deficit. What's a good breakdown for low carb but not keto?
I'm set to 35%c/35%p/30%f right now, which breaks down to:
1600 calories
140g carbs
140g protein
53g fat
Thanks in advance for the guidance!
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Replies
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I honestly am at a loss as to why anyone would do this, but I also am no expert. I have to keep my fat high, carbs way low and my protein to a minimum because I'm type 2 diabetic and scared of excess protein converting to glucose, so I actually upped my fat ratio from 75 to 80% in order to reduce my protein from 20 to 15%. And I don't even know if that's the best idea for myself.2
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I've had better luck keeping the fat high, protein moderate and carbs low. I don't really watch calories. Everybody responds differently though. It shouldn't take you too long to figure out if it will work for you or not. There are a lot of people on here that can probably give you some really good advice on setting your macros more precisely.
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I think you should listen to your body and do what feels good.
When I first started, the goal was to add more fat, not do lchf. But that's what it turned into.
I automatically started eating more and more fat to keep hunger at bay. And my body sort of adjusted the macros on it's own. I'm currently set at 10%carb, 20% protein, and 70% fat. And I think my body is pretty happy with that now.2 -
I can't commit to full Keto, my body (and moreso my brain) just plain hate it - but I still keep it low carb. My hard stop carb upper limit is 100g but I aim for 60-75g per day now. Protein my minimum is 100g although I don't sweat it if I come in a little over or under. I still try to get in a minimum 120g fat (easy peasy for me lol). I would feel so awful if I went back to macros like you listed above :-/
ETA: our doctor's weight loss guideline for women is 100g Carbs MAX per day, 100g protein MINIMUM per day and the rest fats as you please, which is how I came to setting my goal (that and a lot of playing around for the last 18mos)3 -
@Panda_Poptarts - I'm inclined to agree with @Phrick, mainly because my thyroid function doesn't seem to like hard core keto, either. My TSH went through the roof within a few months at it...and it didn't all unravel again until recently. Still working on getting back to losing weight again. That being said, I'm fairly close to keto in the morning and at lunch, mainly because too many carbs of any kind is generally enough to have me narcing out after eating...
But I've been working on upping my carbs in the evenings by adding more veggies back in and getting more creative... I don't know yet how it's affecting my insulin levels... Because of this, I'm kind of in the "no more than 100 grams of carbs" mindset, too, even though I'll probably aim to stay lower than that... I'm working to quell cravings but still stay low carb. 150 grams of carbs is considered low carb only if fats are high too, to my understanding. Having your protein higher and your fats lower wouldn't really be a "safe" way FOR ME to low carb at all, because without fats, my body hates me...but if you can hang in there at 140 instead of 100, I'd do that.
But personally, I think I'd be more like 100 grams of carbs, 80-100 grams protein, and balance in fats... and if the carbs go lower, for that day, my fats would go higher and vice versa, and on lifting days, I might add 10% extra protein or something, but if that number is based on your lean body mass calculation, it's probably be okay.
Again, just my opinion, but honestly, I worry about carb creep and cravings if I go up anywhere close to 100 grams of carbs a day!!!0 -
I personally love keto, but obviously it is not for everyone. Do whatever works for you. I would probably up my carbs by 10g per week and see how that works before jumping from keto (10-20g) straight to 140g. That way you can accurately access what your body is telling you. But that is just my opinion based on the fact that keto is working so well for me.
Good luck! Hope you find your happy place!
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I've been having a bit of trouble hitting the protein goal. I was concerned if both fat and carbs are "higher" then I may experience weight gain. 140 is my upper limit on carbs, but I seem to be coming in closer to 100g most days.
A calculator told me to eat 170g of protein, which seems... extreme. If I can back off the protein a touch and up the fat a touch and still lose, that's fine by me. I really like bacon and cheese.2 -
Keto is my FAVORITE. But there are many who just don't do well on it. @Phrick, @auntstephie321, and myself, just can't do it for varying reasons. Their biology, and mine, won't tolerate it.
I did keto for almost 2 years, but an autoimmune condition (rare, but genetic in my case) manifested on me. Sjogren's. It sucks to have it, period, but Sjogren's on keto, for me, is apocalyptic hell. So I shoot for 100g. Most of the time it's 80-100g. The higher the concentration of ketones, the more severe the symptoms. I miss keto. And I'm keto until about 5pm everyday, but I can't stay there. I have to eat heavier carbs (usually fruit, beans, and nuts) to keep the symptoms at bay overnight.
@Panda_Poptarts, if you start having trouble, then just drop it back by 10g, see how that works for a few weeks then. Keep doing that until you find your sweet spot.4 -
baconslave wrote: »Keto is my FAVORITE. But there are many who just don't do well on it. @Phrick, @auntstephie321, and myself, just can't do it for varying reasons. Their biology, and mine, won't tolerate it.
I did keto for almost 2 years, but an autoimmune condition (rare, but genetic in my case) manifested on me. Sjogren's. It sucks to have it, period, but Sjogren's on keto, for me, is apocalyptic hell. So I shoot for 100g. Most of the time it's 80-100g. The higher the concentration of ketones, the more severe the symptoms. I miss keto. And I'm keto until about 5pm everyday, but I can't stay there. I have to eat heavier carbs (usually fruit, beans, and nuts) to keep the symptoms at bay overnight.
@Panda_Poptarts, if you start having trouble, then just drop it back by 10g, see how that works for a few weeks then. Keep doing that until you find your sweet spot.
Thank you! I'm sorry to hear that you're unable to do keto! I think this is really where I'm getting to. Despite a solid 8 months of straight keto, keto is becoming unmanageable. But I'd still like to remain low carb. It's been challenging, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not so much. The dizziness has been very concerning, though. It's been hitting me while I'm driving, which terrifies my husband. I'll just keep adjusting as I go and see where I end up.
As long as the fat/carb ratio is acceptable, I'm not terribly worried.2 -
[quote=" The dizziness has been very concerning, though. It's been hitting me while I'm driving, which terrifies my husband. I'll just keep adjusting as I go and see where I end up.
As long as the fat/carb ratio is acceptable, I'm not terribly worried. [/quote]
Can the dizziness be due to hypoglycemic drop? When I was pre-diabetic and with PCOS, I frequently had dizziness and confusion when i went too long without eating. Later I realized it was low blood sugar episodes once I had T2D. Its a horrible feeling.
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[quote=" The dizziness has been very concerning, though. It's been hitting me while I'm driving, which terrifies my husband. I'll just keep adjusting as I go and see where I end up.
As long as the fat/carb ratio is acceptable, I'm not terribly worried.
Can the dizziness be due to hypoglycemic drop? When I was pre-diabetic and with PCOS, I frequently had dizziness and confusion when i went too long without eating. Later I realized it was low blood sugar episodes once I had T2D. Its a horrible feeling.
[/quote]
It's very possible. My A1C has checked out normal and my blood sugar seems good - I stay around 80-85 fasting and bump to 105-110 after eating, then drop back to 80 within 60-90 minutes of eating. I know that when I feel dizzy, eating often helps. It's frustrating, since my blood shows good electrolytes and I was pre-diabetic... I don't want to get back there again!
What's terrifying is when it happens while driving. It's like my belly sinks to my feet and down is suddenly up. I'm in a fog and have very little balance or coordination til I suck down some food. I'm terrified that I'm going to hurt myself or my kids, and it's incredibly unpredictible when it happens. It's commonly accompanied by headaches. My doctor did the table-test and said my blood pressure seems fine, so blood sugar is the only other thing I can think of. This has improved considerably during the last 10 days with a bump in carbs.0 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »
[quote=" The dizziness has been very concerning, though. It's been hitting me while I'm driving, which terrifies my husband. I'll just keep adjusting as I go and see where I end up.
As long as the fat/carb ratio is acceptable, I'm not terribly worried.
Can the dizziness be due to hypoglycemic drop? When I was pre-diabetic and with PCOS, I frequently had dizziness and confusion when i went too long without eating. Later I realized it was low blood sugar episodes once I had T2D. Its a horrible feeling.
It's very possible. My A1C has checked out normal and my blood sugar seems good - I stay around 80-85 fasting and bump to 105-110 after eating, then drop back to 80 within 60-90 minutes of eating. I know that when I feel dizzy, eating often helps. It's frustrating, since my blood shows good electrolytes and I was pre-diabetic... I don't want to get back there again!
What's terrifying is when it happens while driving. It's like my belly sinks to my feet and down is suddenly up. I'm in a fog and have very little balance or coordination til I suck down some food. I'm terrified that I'm going to hurt myself or my kids, and it's incredibly unpredictible when it happens. It's commonly accompanied by headaches. My doctor did the table-test and said my blood pressure seems fine, so blood sugar is the only other thing I can think of. This has improved considerably during the last 10 days with a bump in carbs.[/quote]
@Panda_Poptarts I forget, but have you ever had your fasting insulin tested??? I have postprandial somnolence, but only with certain things - or rather certain sequences/combinations of things. I literally narc out for anywhere from a few seconds to 1/2 hour (usually the latter only at home and in the evenings)... It is terrifying, and so far hasn't happened in the car, but my blood sugar does not drop with this. It's more like my body starts shutting off non-essential systems (what it thinks is non-essential, I'd beg to differ - consciousness is a do or die thing for me) to handle whatever temporary overload it has.
And I'm starting to end up with @baconslave @Phrick and @auntstephie321 . As I mentioned above, I'm much like @baconslave - keto in am and early pm, higher at night... Still trying to find a balance over here, tbh. I sincerely with you some luck in getting some answers (maybe have whatever they test for seizures tested, too, because that sounds *somewhat* loosely similar to how I've been told low level ones start...).
Oddly enough, could be severe vitamin deficiency too... How are your B12 and D3 levels? Magnesium (not the standard blood test - because the body always forces that into a balance, but the test that shows bone/cellular saturation and such)?? I'm going to send out some good thoughts and energies for you and your medical team!!!0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »
@Panda_Poptarts I forget, but have you ever had your fasting insulin tested??? I have postprandial somnolence, but only with certain things - or rather certain sequences/combinations of things. I literally narc out for anywhere from a few seconds to 1/2 hour (usually the latter only at home and in the evenings)... It is terrifying, and so far hasn't happened in the car, but my blood sugar does not drop with this. It's more like my body starts shutting off non-essential systems (what it thinks is non-essential, I'd beg to differ - consciousness is a do or die thing for me) to handle whatever temporary overload it has.
And I'm starting to end up with @baconslave @Phrick and @auntstephie321 . As I mentioned above, I'm much like @baconslave - keto in am and early pm, higher at night... Still trying to find a balance over here, tbh. I sincerely with you some luck in getting some answers (maybe have whatever they test for seizures tested, too, because that sounds *somewhat* loosely similar to how I've been told low level ones start...).
Oddly enough, could be severe vitamin deficiency too... How are your B12 and D3 levels? Magnesium (not the standard blood test - because the body always forces that into a balance, but the test that shows bone/cellular saturation and such)?? I'm going to send out some good thoughts and energies for you and your medical team!!!
I haven't had that checked, actually. I've done CBCs and a glucose panel while fasting, but that pulls random glucose which is a bit different. I do take a daily multivitamin so I tend to think it's not that, but I know consuming vitamins and actually processing them are two very different animals.
For now, the higher carb level seems helpful, which is a good start. What's unfortunate is that the physician I've been seeing is rather anti-keto, so he's likely to simply blame it on the carbs unless I want to go to war with him - which I'm considering
I realize that keto has been largely about control for me. I used to qualify for Binge Eating Disorder and, while that's been largely managed, I think the amount of restrictions I'm putting upon myself is beginning to dip back into unhealthy territory for me, both medically and mentally. I do still want to stay low carb, though, and I'm being conscious of added sugars to a point, where I was never conscious of that before. I'll call that a win for now.
I appreciate the good vibes! I need to figure out what's going on so I can take proactive steps to avoid these feelings. I don't want them to lead to something worse!1 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Hi folks!
I've decided to swing out of keto, at least for awhile, and see if weight loss continues along at a steady pace. It's been about 10 days now since I upped my carb intake, and I'm seeing the positive effects. Dizziness is gone, despite constant downing of sodium and great electrolyte values on my lab work. That in itself is a massive bonus. I also feel more in control of my eating and less likely to want to binge, now that less food is "off limits".
That being said, I'd love a little help with my macros. I don't want to go backwards! Prior to keto I didn't give a hoot about macros and only ate at a deficit. What's a good breakdown for low carb but not keto?
I'm set to 35%c/35%p/30%f right now, which breaks down to:
1600 calories
140g carbs
140g protein
53g fat
Thanks in advance for the guidance!
Panda, I think your protein intake should be reconsidered, as 140grams for a female is quite a bit high.
Some mention has been made before that excessive protein is suspected of being converted to fat storage's, I'm not 100% sure this is truly how it works, but feel certain that most woman do not carry a high level of muscle mass that 140 would be needed to support....1 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Hi folks!
I've decided to swing out of keto, at least for awhile, and see if weight loss continues along at a steady pace. It's been about 10 days now since I upped my carb intake, and I'm seeing the positive effects. Dizziness is gone, despite constant downing of sodium and great electrolyte values on my lab work. That in itself is a massive bonus. I also feel more in control of my eating and less likely to want to binge, now that less food is "off limits".
That being said, I'd love a little help with my macros. I don't want to go backwards! Prior to keto I didn't give a hoot about macros and only ate at a deficit. What's a good breakdown for low carb but not keto?
I'm set to 35%c/35%p/30%f right now, which breaks down to:
1600 calories
140g carbs
140g protein
53g fat
Thanks in advance for the guidance!
Panda, I think your protein intake should be reconsidered, as 140grams for a female is quite a bit high.
Some mention has been made before that excessive protein is suspected of being converted to fat storage's, I'm not 100% sure this is truly how it works, but feel certain that most woman do not carry a high level of muscle mass that 140 would be needed to support....
I've heard it should be .8g - 1g of LBM. My LBM is around 160lb. The 120g of protein I came up with is .75g/lb of LBM. If this isn't the best way to calculate, please do let me know. I'm happy to adjust - that's a ton of protein 0 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Hi folks!
I've decided to swing out of keto, at least for awhile, and see if weight loss continues along at a steady pace. It's been about 10 days now since I upped my carb intake, and I'm seeing the positive effects. Dizziness is gone, despite constant downing of sodium and great electrolyte values on my lab work. That in itself is a massive bonus. I also feel more in control of my eating and less likely to want to binge, now that less food is "off limits".
That being said, I'd love a little help with my macros. I don't want to go backwards! Prior to keto I didn't give a hoot about macros and only ate at a deficit. What's a good breakdown for low carb but not keto?
I'm set to 35%c/35%p/30%f right now, which breaks down to:
1600 calories
140g carbs
140g protein
53g fat
Thanks in advance for the guidance!
Panda, I think your protein intake should be reconsidered, as 140grams for a female is quite a bit high.
Some mention has been made before that excessive protein is suspected of being converted to fat storage's, I'm not 100% sure this is truly how it works, but feel certain that most woman do not carry a high level of muscle mass that 140 would be needed to support....
Is 100g of protein better, and up the fat to fill out the calories? I have no idea what I'm doing.0 -
How did you come up with your LBM? Just wondering, because that would make you very muscular. And tall. For example, I was told that without excessive work (working out intensely hours daily, meticulous on dietary intake no matter what, etc.), being 5'4", give or take, my LBM will likely never naturally hit stasis above 110-120 pounds, just by the nature of height. But, if I hit 120 pounds of LBM, my body fat should level out eventually too...0
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »How did you come up with your LBM? Just wondering, because that would make you very muscular. And tall. For example, I was told that without excessive work (working out intensely hours daily, meticulous on dietary intake no matter what, etc.), being 5'4", give or take, my LBM will likely never naturally hit stasis above 110-120 pounds, just by the nature of height. But, if I hit 120 pounds of LBM, my body fat should level out eventually too...
I am 5'11 and typically read around 36% BF. That typically comes out to around 140 - 160lb LBM.1 -
Here's a link to an article that explains why you don't want your protein too high and helps you to calculate how much you might need. The article is a few years old, but maybe it will work as a starting point and you can research and adjust the recommendations to your needs. It recommends about 1/2g of protein per pound of lean body mass.
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/09/03/too-much-protein.aspx0 -
Nora Gedgaudas has some good thoughts on the matter:
http://www.primalbody-primalmind.com/protein-how-much-is-too-much/
(video embedded at the end, too)1
