Do macros really matter?

As long as you get enough protein and fat, you can have whatever macro balance you wish. Experiment to find a mix that gives you energy while being filling.

Have you tried the MFP default of 50%C-20%P-30%F or the Zone balance of 40%C-30%P-30%F? Those are both pretty popular.

Unless I cycle for more than an hour, my carb intake will not go over 65g per day. If I am cycling over the hour I use a carb drink just to get me round. More often than not it will be 45g per day. I can cycle and run up to an hour and function without feeling too tired. I eat starchy carbs once per week, potato's with one meal. I would suggest tweaking your carb balance in small amounts, until you get the balance of enough energy and feeling satisfied, you are happy with. As for loosing muscle. You need to protect the muscle you have by using it. Lift weights, using all of your muscles. Any low calorie diet will have your body eat the muscle as well as fat if you don't use them. If you want to look toned, you must work those muscles.

lady_ghost wrote: »

When I did low carb, high protien and fat macros for my diet, I never felt starved but had no energy in my workouts. So I switched to high carb, moderate protien and fat macros and I have more energy in my workout but I am starving to death. Will my appearance be more leaner if I went low carb or will it not matter as long as the calories stay the same? I am trying to loose body fat and look toned. Will I loose muscle depending on how I arrange my macros? Help!

No you will only be leaner if you lose weight by eating at deficit, how you get there is up to you. I mean, lower carb can reduce water weight so you may not look as bloated. As long as you are getting enough protein and doing some form of resistance training you should maintain the muscle you have.

I would keep a diary about how you felt each day based on your food choices and macro ratios. Through trial and error, I have realized that when I'm cutting I do best on moderate carb with high fiber, higher protein and moderate fats which satiates me the best, but you will have to play around with your macro ratios to find something that is best for you.

I eat fairly high protein but have a carb-rich breakfast and work out in the morning, which works really well for me!

If you feel better low carb but want carbs for your workout, look into cyclical LCHF or keto or targeted keto (TKD). You can be LCHF most of the time to deal with hunger issues and then add carbs right around your workouts. I know of one member on MFP who was keto but he ate his 200g+ carbs around his 4 hour bike rides so he stayed in ketosis.

Also, the fatigue that comes with lower carb is often due to low electrolytes. Low carb causes lower insulin which causes water to no longer be retained. With water loss comes electrolyte losses. Low carbers find they need to consume about 3000-5000mg of sodium per day which is about 2 tsp of salt. Many do well adding magnesium and potassium too as the body leeches that out if you let sodium get low. Symptoms of low sodium are fatigue, headaches, crankiness, sore and weak muscles, or muscle spasms, brain fog.

Most find it takes their body a month or more to adjust to fat burning. During that time there is a slight dip in energy during exercise but it is very slight and should not impact performance much.... elite athletes will notice it more. Once you get past that the reward is usually a steadier energy. You'll never hit the wall again.

stevencloser wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

If you feel better low carb but want carbs for your workout, look into cyclical LCHF or keto or targeted keto (TKD). You can be LCHF most of the time to deal with hunger issues and then add carbs right around your workouts. I know of one member on MFP who was keto but he ate his 200g+ carbs around his 4 hour bike rides so he stayed in ketosis.

Also, the fatigue that comes with lower carb is often due to low electrolytes. Low carb causes lower insulin which causes water to no longer be retained. With water loss comes electrolyte losses. Low carbers find they need to consume about 3000-5000mg of sodium per day which is about 2 tsp of salt. Many do well adding magnesium and potassium too as the body leeches that out if you let sodium get low. Symptoms of low sodium are fatigue, headaches, crankiness, sore and weak muscles, or muscle spasms, brain fog.

Most find it takes their body a month or more to adjust to fat burning. During that time there is a slight dip in energy during exercise but it is very slight and should not impact performance much.... elite athletes will notice it more. Once you get past that the reward is usually a steadier energy. You'll never hit the wall again.

That is patently false. And has been shown to you before.

http://www.mysportscience.com/single-post/2016/12/01/Ketogenic-diets-for-athletes

What is false?

It takes a month or more for most to get fat adapted. That's true. I'm not saying it takes a month to get into ketosis but to get fat adapted where the body prefers burning fats.

There is a slight dip in energy as people become fat adapted. It's true. Most athletes will notice it, especially the elite athletes who have less room for a temporary decline in energy. True.

Once you get past fat adaption, energy is steadier. Hitting the wall is when you run low on glucose for fuel and your brain makes it tough to go on. That's when the body is switching over to primarily fat burning. True.

Not sure what part you think is false.

The FASTER study looking at ketogenic athletes that have been long fat adapted: http://www.metabolismjournal.com/article/S0026-0495(15)00334-0/abstract?cc=y=

I can't remember where I saw it, but I remember seeing how a few of the higher carb athletes switched over to ketosis after particpating in this study becaise of the results of the low carbers. They said it took a few months to get through fat adaption but found it worth it.

A participant in the FASTER study: http://zachbitter.com/blog/2014/04/takeaways-from-the-faster-study.html

Ketosis for a single jerk and lift may not be ideal, but the ketogenic power lifter will have steadier energy... it may not be what he wants but that doesn't change anything.

cwolfman13 wrote: »

How about a balanced diet? I don't understand the need for a diet to be an extreme one way or the other...

Aren't you mostly vegetarian now? That's leaning towards one extreme.

nvmomketo wrote: »

cwolfman13 wrote: »

How about a balanced diet? I don't understand the need for a diet to be an extreme one way or the other...

Aren't you mostly vegetarian now? That's leaning towards one extreme.

I'm vegetarian at least 3 days per week...but my macro split doesn't lean to one extreme or the other. My carbs may be a bit higher than many, but not extremely so...I'd say on a veg day I'm probably around 50%. I also eat dairy and eggs and vegetarian days...

My macros provide for a pretty moderate split in that I hit requisite fats and protein for health and round out the rest with carbs. I'd say I'm pretty moderate carb, moderate protein, and moderate fat...

lady_ghost wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

Moderate? Like 40-30-30%

I am starving on that. But I have alot more edgy so I changed it to 40 carb 35 pro 25 fat for tomorrow. I'll see how that goes

FWIW, I lost 36# over 5 months on high protein diet with the same macros (35P/40C/25F) at a deficit of 300 cals/day below TDEE while also gaining LBM and losing fat, as measured by DXA, when combined w/heavy lifting 3-5 days a week and cardio (mainly rowing) as needed to burn cals to meet my daily cal limit.

Never felt starved or lacking energy while on this diet.