Macro help

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Hi! I starting up on my fitness journey again after a couple years. I did really well about 4 years ago just by walking 10k steps and logging my food.

This time I want to actually try to stay within macros and not just calories.

My question is how do I figure the correct macros? I tried the keto thing but it's not for me although the macros were easy to follow.

I'm currently 5'3 and 221 pounds.

Thanks!

Replies

  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,644 Member
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    Why not just start with a calorie deficit first?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,959 Member
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    Just use the default macros. It's a process. The defaults are set by reasonable standards. 50C/30F/20P. Perfectly good starting point...I've been at that setting forever. It isn't a matter of being perfect. No one gets it perfectly every day. I tend to be way over on fats and under on carbs nearly every day because that's the way I like to eat.

  • MyfiveJs
    MyfiveJs Posts: 8 Member
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    Weird I replied but it's not showing up on my end lol.

    This is what I done about 4 years ago just log food on mfp and walk. I ended up losing about 30 pounds.

    I was second guessing myself over all the talk about macros.

    Thanks for the help! :)
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    MyfiveJs wrote: »
    Weird I replied but it's not showing up on my end lol.

    This is what I done about 4 years ago just log food on mfp and walk. I ended up losing about 30 pounds.

    I was second guessing myself over all the talk about macros.

    Thanks for the help! :)

    Macros can be helpful with feeling more satisfied at a deficit. The tricky part is that different people are satiated by different macros. I would say start with the MFP default and just see where your normal eating puts your macros. Also make a note of times when you are struggling with hunger, as well as days you comfortably hit your calorie goal. Then start to look for patterns. If the days you are hungrier your fat is high, or days that you are comfortable your protein is high, you can tweak your macros from their.

    Lots of us look at our protein and fat goals as minimums to be exceeded and let carbs fall where they may. I personally find that higher protein and fiber keeps me full, high fat days tend to make me hungry (others may be the exact opposite). Good luck!
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    laurie7075 wrote: »
    If you google macro calculators you should be able to come up with what you should be at by your height/weight. It should be roughly 70% healthy fats/20% protein/5% carbs. You can go into the settings on here and change your settings. I set my carbs to 18 per day. Then at the end of the day I just subtract the fiber to get my net carbs. Best of luck! I'm back on board myself, did Keto almost a year ago and lost 20 lbs in under 2 months but didn't stick with it. Back on day 2 now~ feel free to add me (though I'm not the best at tracking or finding a variety of foods).

    Those macros would only be a "should" if OP is doing keto, which she didn't mention.
  • RoboLikes
    RoboLikes Posts: 519 Member
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    Google IIFYM to figure out macro & calorie goals. Its a great online macro calculator