Did you manually change your macros? Did it help?

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kiela64
kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I’ve noticed I feel better (fuller, more energy, fewer headaches) when I eat more protein. I’ve been making an effort to increase it and now I’m usually close to my protein goal - before it used to feel impossible to hit. I’ve noticed I’m no longer really following the MFP macros, but just monitoring my protein and fibre. And on days when I feel better protein is a higher % than MFP gives me.

I’m wondering if I should just change the macros, I believe you can manually change them. I don’t really know what to. But just a little in the way I’ve been going.

If you changed them, what did you change it to? And did you find it helpful to plan your day, etc?

Replies

  • thisPGHlife
    thisPGHlife Posts: 440 Member
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    I did. I went high protein and moderate carb and fat. I don't necessarily want to go low carb, but when I'm given to many, I tend to easy emotions carbs and I'm not as full. With fewer carbs I usually try to "spend" them on worthwhile things like in season fruit and sweet potatoes and a frozen yogurt bar that has a good amount of protein.

    My primary reason for bumping protein was to combat lean muscle loss but it ended up having a pleasant mental side effect. If I focus on calories my brain thinks, "I only have x amount of calories," and it sets me up to feel very negative about how I'm eating. When I focus on trying to get my protein in, my brain goes to a more positive place and thinks, "I get to have that much protein!" I'm able to stay within my calories because I'm trying to get as much person as possible and the carbs and feta fall into place because I'm trying to make the protein taste good or I'm adding sides as an afterthought to go with the protein.

    Different things work for different people. This keeps me full and positive about what I'm eating. Others may go lower our higher with their macros. The above link is really good. I've seen the range for optimal day being between .4 and .5 grams per bodyweight. Since I am morning obese (wow that sounds so much more negative then I'm trying to be!), I calculated my macros based on my goal weight. However, the .35 of my current weight falls just within the range for my goal weight so it works out. Try different things and see what works for you. You can change your macros goals in MFP to make it easier to track because you don't have to mentally keep track. Or you could leave them if that works better for you.

    The really awesome thing about weight loss is that eating at a deficit is the only thing that's actually required to lose weight. How you do it is up to you! (Granted, I would love for everyone to be super healthy and successful and happy. You may be able to do this all on pizza and twizzlers. Usually that's not the case, but you do you. Yay, personal choice and accountability!)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Yes, i swapped some carbs for more fat.
  • MagnumOpus1
    MagnumOpus1 Posts: 161 Member
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    Yep, upped my carbs and lowered my fat. I need carbs to be explosive in my workouts. Although I IF the stored glycogen does it's thing. I'm more satisfied eating more carbs than fat too.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
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    I didn't change them on the app - I just manually calculate them (I'm going to say they're probably close to the numbers suggested in the link @AnvilHead posted) and know what numbers I want to hit.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    I don't change them on the app but I do use different macros than the defaults. I aim for .8 grams or more of protein per pound of bodyweight (usually surpass this as it's my favorite macro) and then .4 grams or more of fat. Don't really have a carb goal but once I hit my protein and fat the rest of my cals come from either carbs or more protein or more fat.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
    edited August 2018
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    I set my macros at 40P/40C/20F. Even so, they have averaged 32P/38C/30F over the past 2 yrs.

    However, my main goal is to average at least 1g/P/#BW every day, which I have achieved even though my daily cal limit has varied from 2000 down to 1650 cal/day (currently 1850) over the same time period.

    I chose this as my protein goal in order to improve the likelihood of muscle development and maintenance thru lifting and other exercise and to address my additional protein needs as an older person.

    While not chosen for specifically for weightloss, according to what I've read, it also helps in this regard by increasing saiety and reducing hunger and enhancing thermogenesis.

    Whether this is,true or not, I cannot say but I have lost 42#, reduced my BF to 8% (as measured by hydro) and increased muscular strength to the advanced snd elite levels as compared w/other men my age/wt (based on the Strength Level database).

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