Where can I find out what I need nutritionally each day? Is this what macro management is?

T3NACI0USM3
T3NACI0USM3 Posts: 9 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Because I'm trying to make a rotated fortnightly meal plan since my new job is extremely demanding. My weekends will be when I can treat myself to something spontaneous. I'm 5'6 female 198lbs. My new job is literally being active, easily 30k steps a day with a lot of lifting (nothing heavy but by the end of the day I'm dying).

This might seem really stupid but how would I know that I'm getting all the nutrients I need? I've googled but instead I'm coming up with premade mealplans. Where can I start so I know what my body NEEDS?

Much appreciated!

Replies

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    Yep, that's what macros are for. You can also look under the nutrition tab to see other nutrients. Set your activity level, goals, and go from there.
  • Old_Cat_Lady
    Old_Cat_Lady Posts: 1,193 Member
    edited August 2017
    I use a site called cronometer from time to time. It works well if you eat mostly natural foods since it's database is really bad for processed foods (nothing like this). It can be time consuming, so if you are a busy person, this may not be for you.
    The site tells you all the vitamins and minerals you have eaten in food and if you meet the RDA's. This is how I found out I was not getting enough magnesium. I also found my ratio of Omega3 vs Omega 6 fats were way off.
    * I don't watch macronutrients except for protein. I think micros are more important.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    MFP's default macros cover the basics. If you hit that, it's going to be challenging NOT to eat nutritionally sound. You can look up "nutritional needs" or get your bloodworks done, but it's not really necessary. Balanced meals are made up of real food from the various food groups, and that is exactly what you'll eat to get in the nutrition you need. Just the way we always ate. If you grew up with any home cooked food, you can use that as a model. I think a rotated meal plan is a good idea (that's what I'm using myself). If you fill it with a variety of meals you like, you'll be eating well.
  • SaraydaB
    SaraydaB Posts: 120 Member
    Youtube videos Help.. and the macro section after you log on MFP
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,622 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    MFP's default macros cover the basics. If you hit that, it's going to be challenging NOT to eat nutritionally sound. You can look up "nutritional needs" or get your bloodworks done, but it's not really necessary. Balanced meals are made up of real food from the various food groups, and that is exactly what you'll eat to get in the nutrition you need. Just the way we always ate. If you grew up with any home cooked food, you can use that as a model. I think a rotated meal plan is a good idea (that's what I'm using myself). If you fill it with a variety of meals you like, you'll be eating well.

    Good advice, for starters. I just want to expand a tiny bit on the "balanced meals/real foods" point.

    Besides macros (carbs, fats, protein, fiber), micronutrients are important - things like vitamins, minerals, other phytochemicals, etc. I personally believe that it's most beneficial to get micros from real food, rather than from extracts/supplements.

    As a simple place to start on this piece, try to get at least 5 servings of varied, multicolored fruits and veggies daily, and more is better (within reason). By varying the ones you eat, you stand a better chance of getting a range of micros.

    It may be good to research and balance micros more explicitly at some point, but this strategy is a way to get a "pretty good" outcome while you're initially focused more on the macros.
  • jfdi6960
    jfdi6960 Posts: 76 Member
    Human Dietary Needs

    The human diet must provide the following:
    1.calories; enough to meet our daily energy needs.
    2.amino acids. There are nine, or so, "essential" amino acids that we need for protein synthesis and that we cannot synthesize from other precursors.
    3.fatty acids. There are three "essential" fatty acids that we cannot synthesize from other precursors.
    4.minerals. Inorganic ions. We probably need 18 different ones: a few like calcium in relatively large amounts; most, like zinc, in "trace" amounts.
    5.vitamins. A dozen, or so, small organic molecules that we cannot synthesize from other precursors in our diet.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited August 2017
    Congrats on your new job. May I ask how you currently make sure you are getting all needed nutrients? Why do you feel this will change when you begin meal planning for 2 weeks? YOu could log your current meals into MFP and review the nutrient breakdowns, then tweak from there. The government gives out recommended daily nutritional info, if that would help.
    Bascially, put your stats into MFP, get your calorie and macro goals and go from there. It seems like you might be making it too complicated simply because you have to start preplanning more. Preplanning should make it easier to get your nutritional goals, not harder.

    These guidelines came up on a quick google search for "daily nutritional needs". Maybe they will help answer your questions.
    http://www.mydailyintake.net/daily-intake-levels
    https://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm064928.htm

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