Macro calulation
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jactyrer8968
Posts: 1 Member
Hi I've have been reading a lot of blogs regarding macro dieting.
I've put my weight,age and activity in a few macro calculators.
All of them are saying to have higher carbs than protein.
Having higher carbs help me with weight lost?
I've put my weight,age and activity in a few macro calculators.
All of them are saying to have higher carbs than protein.
Having higher carbs help me with weight lost?
1
Replies
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I have never kept track of macros and I have lost weight here !!! It's about CALORIES not macros. At most, I look at protein.5
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Weight loss, gain or maintenance is a function of calories not macros.
So on a day when I had a huge carb intake (621g) I was still in a calorie deficit and would have lost weight because my total calories eaten was less than my total calorie burn.3 -
Op, where and how are you calculating? You should be able to select a high prot/ low carb diet as well as calorie intake depending on your TDEE. Then you can adjust how you want it. I am currently on 60%p/30%f/10%c and its working amazing. Dont let anyone tell you it doesn't work especially if they have never done it. Everything is diff for everyone and it is the best thing I evee did for me.2
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Op, where and how are you calculating? You should be able to select a high prot/ low carb diet as well as calorie intake depending on your TDEE. Then you can adjust how you want it. I am currently on 60%p/30%f/10%c and its working amazing. Dont let anyone tell you it doesn't work especially if they have never done it. Everything is diff for everyone and it is the best thing I evee did for me.
Nobody said it doesn't work, they said the macros are an individual preference for the most part. I lost fine eating 40-50% carbs, but I don't think I could sustain that loss eating lower carb.0 -
jactyrer8968 wrote: »Hi I've have been reading a lot of blogs regarding macro dieting.
I've put my weight,age and activity in a few macro calculators.
All of them are saying to have higher carbs than protein.
Having higher carbs help me with weight lost?
Calorie deficits help with weight loss no matter what the macros are. Macros are more important for composition. If you are losing you want to make sure you are eating enough protein to prevent muscle loss. Fats are good for hormone regulation. Carbs are for energy, but typically yes you will find the carbs will be higher than protein. This also depends on the calculator and the input you provide.2 -
Dieting is about calories, not macros.0
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When I was actively losing weight I tried to keep an eye on hitting those minimum protein and fat goals. I just used this site's macro distribution, which is 50C/30F/20P. I found that the best combos food-wise were 1/2 of my protein in each of two meals. Then I made sure I got at least two vegetables and/or fruits with each feeding.
If I didn't work on the protein I tended to eat too many carby things and then I was hungry an hour later. It took some experimenting to learn what gave me the most satiety.2 -
cmriverside wrote: »If I didn't work on the protein I tended to eat too many carby things and then I was hungry an hour later. It took some experimenting to learn what gave me the most satiety.
Me too.
Macros can be a useful tool for figuring out what foods make you happy on your weight loss journey!
Through experimentation, I have found that I notice a deficit less if I mostly take it out of my carbs, and keep up sensible amounts of protein and fats.
But if I want to fuel workouts, I need more carbs and less fat in my day.
I still don't understand why, but I obsess way less over macros than calories. I have some weird mental thing that coming in under my calories is always a good thing, but somehow macros are targets that I want to try and reach. I can't even begin to understand the psychology of this, but as someone who has previously had dangerously obsessive behavior over my calorie intake, I now prefer to focus on the macros instead. The end result is exactly the same, but my head is happier!0 -
Op, where and how are you calculating? You should be able to select a high prot/ low carb diet as well as calorie intake depending on your TDEE. Then you can adjust how you want it. I am currently on 60%p/30%f/10%c and its working amazing. Dont let anyone tell you it doesn't work especially if they have never done it. Everything is diff for everyone and it is the best thing I evee did for me.
Nobody said it doesn't work, they said the macros are an individual preference for the most part. I lost fine eating 40-50% carbs, but I don't think I could sustain that loss eating lower carb.
That is why i said everything is different for everyone. Look at first reply. It os essentially saying just do calories dont do macros. It depends on what you are trying to do. Though. In hogh protien low carb, uou tend to lose the weight while putting on healthy muscle. If you aren't trying to lean, then maybe hogh complex carb will work as long as you are getting enough fiber. I havr always seen high p/ low c for loss, then balance zoning for maintaining work the best.1 -
Op, where and how are you calculating? You should be able to select a high prot/ low carb diet as well as calorie intake depending on your TDEE. Then you can adjust how you want it. I am currently on 60%p/30%f/10%c and its working amazing. Dont let anyone tell you it doesn't work especially if they have never done it. Everything is diff for everyone and it is the best thing I evee did for me.
Nobody said it doesn't work, they said the macros are an individual preference for the most part. I lost fine eating 40-50% carbs, but I don't think I could sustain that loss eating lower carb.
That is why i said everything is different for everyone. Look at first reply. It os essentially saying just do calories dont do macros. It depends on what you are trying to do. Though. In hogh protien low carb, uou tend to lose the weight while putting on healthy muscle. If you aren't trying to lean, then maybe hogh complex carb will work as long as you are getting enough fiber. I havr always seen high p/ low c for loss, then balance zoning for maintaining work the best.
You can also lose weight and put on muscle eating moderate protein and higher carbohydrate.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
You can also lose weight and put on muscle eating moderate protein and higher carbohydrate.
Some maybe, I cannot, and generally speaking, a higher-carb focus if working it off that day (cardio, hiking, long days out). If you want lean muscle, and that is your focus, eating lean meat is proven to be better for "healthy" muscle repair and longevity carbs are good for energy, I do not disagree with that. Protein being the most thermogenic means by the time it is digest there is not much to store. that is why high protein/low carb works well. Just gotta make sure that if you take this route, you are raising your carbs as you get closer to your goal (if you are doing this), other wise you have a weight rebound when one starts to eat regular again.
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Tracking calories and tracking macros is the same thing.
Fat has 9cals per gram
Protein has 4cals per gram
Carbs have 4cals per gram
Your total calories will be made of a combination of the three above.0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
You can also lose weight and put on muscle eating moderate protein and higher carbohydrate.
Some maybe, I cannot, and generally speaking, a higher-carb focus if working it off that day (cardio, hiking, long days out). If you want lean muscle, and that is your focus, eating lean meat is proven to be better for "healthy" muscle repair and longevity carbs are good for energy, I do not disagree with that. Protein being the most thermogenic means by the time it is digest there is not much to store. that is why high protein/low carb works well. Just gotta make sure that if you take this route, you are raising your carbs as you get closer to your goal (if you are doing this), other wise you have a weight rebound when one starts to eat regular again.
I'd be extremely surprised if you couldn't lose weight or put on muscle while eating to a moderate protein goal instead of a high protein one. You may find it easier, as some people do, to meet your calorie goals when you're eating higher protein. But that doesn't mean that it's the only way one can do it.
It isn't necessary to work out more if one chooses to avoid low carbohydrate diets. Yes, carbohydrates can be great fuel for exercise. But assuming one's calorie goal is set correctly and one meets it, you can be successful while exercising moderately (or even not at all, if one's lifestyle prohibits it).
I'm not sure what the term "lean muscle" means -- are there different types of muscle?
Any rebound weight gain when one transitions off a low carbohydrate diet is water (unless one is eating more calories than they are using). Why even worry about it?1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »
You can also lose weight and put on muscle eating moderate protein and higher carbohydrate.
Some maybe, I cannot, and generally speaking, a higher-carb focus if working it off that day (cardio, hiking, long days out). If you want lean muscle, and that is your focus, eating lean meat is proven to be better for "healthy" muscle repair and longevity carbs are good for energy, I do not disagree with that. Protein being the most thermogenic means by the time it is digest there is not much to store. that is why high protein/low carb works well. Just gotta make sure that if you take this route, you are raising your carbs as you get closer to your goal (if you are doing this), other wise you have a weight rebound when one starts to eat regular again.
I'd be extremely surprised if you couldn't lose weight or put on muscle while eating to a moderate protein goal instead of a high protein one. You may find it easier, as some people do, to meet your calorie goals when you're eating higher protein. But that doesn't mean that it's the only way one can do it.
It isn't necessary to work out more if one chooses to avoid low carbohydrate diets. Yes, carbohydrates can be great fuel for exercise. But assuming one's calorie goal is set correctly and one meets it, you can be successful while exercising moderately (or even not at all, if one's lifestyle prohibits it).
I'm not sure what the term "lean muscle" means -- are there different types of muscle?
Any rebound weight gain when one transitions off a low carbohydrate diet is water (unless one is eating more calories than they are using). Why even worry about it?
You can be surprised now then lol. I have tried it before, it doesn't work into what I am trying to do. But everyones body reacts different. And I guess what I am getting at is that complex carbs are good for long spurts of energy, simplex carbs are good for short bursts. generally speaking, when i eat carbs i opt for complex because i know it will last longer, if it is pre work out, I do a mix of 2/3 complex- 1/3 simplex. This is simply science. The problem i see with a lot of people who have gone for high carb diets and are very sedentary, they do not work out or exercise and their body starts storing the calories before it has a chance to burn them. If you work in construction or area mail man or something like that, you have a lightly active outside of work life style, you may easily lose off of high carb because it tends to be less fat which is essentially what a High carb diet is. But at that point you are moving enough to break down the carbs and use the energy instead of store it.
As for lean muscle.. there are two types of muscle. lean and mass a.k.a. elastic and explosive respectively. Lean generally comes from mid carb to high protein and you are doing a lot of reps of mid weight for exercises, or yoga, or something along those lines and making sure you are getting your cardio in. This kind of muscle tends to last longer when not working and stays healthier.
Mass/explosive/bulk.. think power lifters. They tend to carry more water in their muscle and having more carbs gives them more bursts of energy. Although the muscle is bigger, it i less dense and tends to deteriorate(?) faster when not working those muscles. This muscle is gained by doing bulking exercises. Like 2 sets 4 reps of 500 pounds. And if they go 3 days with out lifting you can really tell.
A lot of the time rebound weight is water. A lot of times it is also the diet change and storing more than what they are used to. So you go from 35-40 grams of carbs a day and switch it to 200, your body doesn't really know what to do with it. (mainly if it is a sedentary life style with simplex carbs. ) Whenever I transition, for me personally, I work my way up to where I am comfortable. I am more focused on a mix of strengh training and fat loss though.. so my diet varies from many.1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »
You can also lose weight and put on muscle eating moderate protein and higher carbohydrate.
Some maybe, I cannot, and generally speaking, a higher-carb focus if working it off that day (cardio, hiking, long days out). If you want lean muscle, and that is your focus, eating lean meat is proven to be better for "healthy" muscle repair and longevity carbs are good for energy, I do not disagree with that. Protein being the most thermogenic means by the time it is digest there is not much to store. that is why high protein/low carb works well. Just gotta make sure that if you take this route, you are raising your carbs as you get closer to your goal (if you are doing this), other wise you have a weight rebound when one starts to eat regular again.
I'd be extremely surprised if you couldn't lose weight or put on muscle while eating to a moderate protein goal instead of a high protein one. You may find it easier, as some people do, to meet your calorie goals when you're eating higher protein. But that doesn't mean that it's the only way one can do it.
It isn't necessary to work out more if one chooses to avoid low carbohydrate diets. Yes, carbohydrates can be great fuel for exercise. But assuming one's calorie goal is set correctly and one meets it, you can be successful while exercising moderately (or even not at all, if one's lifestyle prohibits it).
I'm not sure what the term "lean muscle" means -- are there different types of muscle?
Any rebound weight gain when one transitions off a low carbohydrate diet is water (unless one is eating more calories than they are using). Why even worry about it?
You can be surprised now then lol. I have tried it before, it doesn't work into what I am trying to do. But everyones body reacts different. And I guess what I am getting at is that complex carbs are good for long spurts of energy, simplex carbs are good for short bursts. generally speaking, when i eat carbs i opt for complex because i know it will last longer, if it is pre work out, I do a mix of 2/3 complex- 1/3 simplex. This is simply science. The problem i see with a lot of people who have gone for high carb diets and are very sedentary, they do not work out or exercise and their body starts storing the calories before it has a chance to burn them. If you work in construction or area mail man or something like that, you have a lightly active outside of work life style, you may easily lose off of high carb because it tends to be less fat which is essentially what a High carb diet is. But at that point you are moving enough to break down the carbs and use the energy instead of store it.
As for lean muscle.. there are two types of muscle. lean and mass a.k.a. elastic and explosive respectively. Lean generally comes from mid carb to high protein and you are doing a lot of reps of mid weight for exercises, or yoga, or something along those lines and making sure you are getting your cardio in. This kind of muscle tends to last longer when not working and stays healthier.
Mass/explosive/bulk.. think power lifters. They tend to carry more water in their muscle and having more carbs gives them more bursts of energy. Although the muscle is bigger, it i less dense and tends to deteriorate(?) faster when not working those muscles. This muscle is gained by doing bulking exercises. Like 2 sets 4 reps of 500 pounds. And if they go 3 days with out lifting you can really tell.
A lot of the time rebound weight is water. A lot of times it is also the diet change and storing more than what they are used to. So you go from 35-40 grams of carbs a day and switch it to 200, your body doesn't really know what to do with it. (mainly if it is a sedentary life style with simplex carbs. ) Whenever I transition, for me personally, I work my way up to where I am comfortable. I am more focused on a mix of strengh training and fat loss though.. so my diet varies from many.
When I write about a moderate protein and higher carbohydrate diet, I'm not talking about a high carbohydrate diet necessarily. I'm simply saying it isn't low carbohydrate and pointing out that a low carbohydrate diet isn't required for weight loss or muscle gain. This was in response to you saying that one must eat LC in order to lose weight or gain muscle -- this isn't necessary, I'm saying that weight loss or muscle gain is possible in a diet where one is getting sufficient protein (not necessarily high) or eating more carbohydrates than would be included in a low carbohydrate diet.
Anybody will store the calories from the food they eat if they don't burn them in some way. This will happen with calories from any type of food, including protein. So your points about very sedentary people -- these people will gain weight on any type of diet if they're eating more than their bodies are using.
Why would someone easily lose on higher carbohydrates because it is less fat? Less fat doesn't mean one will lose weight -- fat doesn't make you fat. Again, it's about the calories.
Do you have a source for there being two different types of muscle? I attempted to go a Google search on "explosive muscle" and it didn't turn up very much except for supplement ads.
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I love tracking by macro. I'm a clean eater but really if it fits my macro's I can eat whatever I want. I set my calorie target based upon my goal and my macros adjusted accordingly based upon my goal and level of physical activity. At the end of the day if you hit your macro's you hit your calorie target. Mine right now are set at about 120/C 40/F and 160/P give or take. And I have one reefed day where I bump up the carbs. But that's me, I lift heavy and daily with only minimal cardio because I am prepping for a competition. When I'm ready to cut I'll lower the carbs and bump up the fat/protein and cardio but will stay at the same calorie target.0
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I do not think I said one MUST eat LC to lose fat or gain muscle. If it came out that way, sorry for the conusion. I did state that from my experiences, seeing people trying to lose weight, wen hey switch to a HiC diet, they have all seen great results. As for muscle gain, carbs are helpful to carry the proteins to the muscle for repair, but they are not the best for muscle gain, when you break down the science, protein is where it is at, which is the reason behind keto.
And you are absolutely right in the aspect that people will store extra unsused calories, but protein is harder to store so most of it is automatically broken down. hence, if you hit your goal and go "well now that I am at where I am at I can just eat so and so" with out the proper meal plan, people tend to gain weigh that they weren't gaining on a higher protein diet simply because the carbs break down and start to store quicker. again, science. protein takes longer to break down so you store less of it.
Simply counting calories doesn't work for me and if i just ea cheese milk and butter I wouldn't feel good nor would I mintain any muscle or endurance, therefore become more stagnant and be more sedentary.
i tried to find the source but i think it was from a AP book back when I was in college. Essentially you can just see it by looking at athletes. Look at a runner vs a power lifter. A runner is much more lean, and can go for a longer time using his muscle but with very little resistence. A power lifter is very bulky and can't go nearly as long as a runner but can handle much more resistence.0 -
I do not think I said one MUST eat LC to lose fat or gain muscle. If it came out that way, sorry for the conusion. I did state that from my experiences, seeing people trying to lose weight, wen hey switch to a HiC diet, they have all seen great results. As for muscle gain, carbs are helpful to carry the proteins to the muscle for repair, but they are not the best for muscle gain, when you break down the science, protein is where it is at, which is the reason behind keto.
And you are absolutely right in the aspect that people will store extra unsused calories, but protein is harder to store so most of it is automatically broken down. hence, if you hit your goal and go "well now that I am at where I am at I can just eat so and so" with out the proper meal plan, people tend to gain weigh that they weren't gaining on a higher protein diet simply because the carbs break down and start to store quicker. again, science. protein takes longer to break down so you store less of it.
Simply counting calories doesn't work for me and if i just ea cheese milk and butter I wouldn't feel good nor would I mintain any muscle or endurance, therefore become more stagnant and be more sedentary.
i tried to find the source but i think it was from a AP book back when I was in college. Essentially you can just see it by looking at athletes. Look at a runner vs a power lifter. A runner is much more lean, and can go for a longer time using his muscle but with very little resistence. A power lifter is very bulky and can't go nearly as long as a runner but can handle much more resistence.
A runner is lean because they typically have low levels of body fat and not much muscle mass. It isn't that they have the same amount of muscle as a power lifter but it's a different type of muscle. I think your book was either mistaken or outdated. The reason a runner can go longer at running than a power lifter is that a runner practices running and they typically spend much more time doing cardiovascular work. It isn't that they have a different type of muscle, it's that the power lifter has more muscle and spends their training time very differently.1 -
You just said you weren't aware there were different types of muscle. I just went over how these two have the different types of muscle. you are saying they i/the book is wrong but supporting what I am saying. I am really confused. Also, A body builder can be compared to a sprinter. use the same thing with a sprinter vs a marathon runner, there are very few athletes that do both. so since their muscles are trained for the jobs they do it forms the muscle in a way to perform that job better. I know that muscle is muscle but how you train something is how it is going to form. Do you do a lot of strength training? I would love to know more. And does a power lifter have to have a high amount of body fat to be a power lifter??0
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You just said you weren't aware there were different types of muscle. I just went over how these two have the different types of muscle. you are saying they i/the book is wrong but supporting what I am saying. I am really confused. Also, A body builder can be compared to a sprinter. use the same thing with a sprinter vs a marathon runner, there are very few athletes that do both. so since their muscles are trained for the jobs they do it forms the muscle in a way to perform that job better. I know that muscle is muscle but how you train something is how it is going to form. Do you do a lot of strength training? I would love to know more. And does a power lifter have to have a high amount of body fat to be a power lifter??
I'm saying those aren't different types of muscle as far as I am aware. They are different *amounts* of muscle. A runner isn't lean because s/he has a different type of muscle. They're lean because they have less muscle than a power lifter combined with low levels of body fat.
Are you talking about slow twitch and fast twitch muscle? Those are real, but they're influenced by genetics, age, and possibly sex. They aren't created by the type of food you eat, as you claimed above. And they have nothing to do with differences in size. Slow-twitch, for example, is used for long distance running and fast-twitch is used in sprinting. But when you look at the bodies of those runners, neither are like power lifters.
I have no idea if one has to have a high amount of body fat in order to be a power lifter. I strength train, but I'm not a power lifter.2
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