Macro counting
janejuliegurevich
Posts: 1 Member
Hi there! Just getting back into fitness and healthy eating to lose weight. I am aiming to lose about 25 lbs and as fast as possible but need help trying to calculate macro tracking? I have found a few websites that have free ones, and I got a rough estimate but does anyone know exactly how to track these and plan your meals by them? I’m just confused and want to stick to 1200 cals a day. I workout everyday and give myself 1-2 rest days if needed.
Thank you for your input and feel free to add as a friend!
Thank you for your input and feel free to add as a friend!
1
Replies
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This is well worth reading.
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/819055/setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets/p1
A far more flexible approach compared to fixed percentages or ratios.3 -
janejuliegurevich wrote: »Hi there! Just getting back into fitness and healthy eating to lose weight. I am aiming to lose about 25 lbs and as fast as possible but need help trying to calculate macro tracking? I have found a few websites that have free ones, and I got a rough estimate but does anyone know exactly how to track these and plan your meals by them? I’m just confused and want to stick to 1200 cals a day. I workout everyday and give myself 1-2 rest days if needed.
Thank you for your input and feel free to add as a friend!
If you have 25 pounds to lose, you should take your time losing it. If you lose your weight fast, that means you’re following an unsafe plan. It also means that you’ll put that weight and probably more back on quickly.
1200 calories is the minimum for women. I started with 70 pounds to lose at age 61. I’m halfway to my goal and am still above 1200 calories.
Fill out your profile, choose a reasonable rate of loss and go with the numbers mfp assigns you.
Good luck.5 -
janejuliegurevich wrote: »Hi there! Just getting back into fitness and healthy eating to lose weight. I am aiming to lose about 25 lbs and as fast as possible but need help trying to calculate macro tracking? I have found a few websites that have free ones, and I got a rough estimate but does anyone know exactly how to track these and plan your meals by them? I’m just confused and want to stick to 1200 cals a day. I workout everyday and give myself 1-2 rest days if needed.
Thank you for your input and feel free to add as a friend!
If you have 25 pounds to lose, you should take your time losing it. If you lose your weight fast, that means you’re following an unsafe plan. It also means that you’ll put that weight and probably more back on quickly.
1200 calories is the minimum for women. I started with 70 pounds to lose at age 61. I’m halfway to my goal and am still above 1200 calories.
Fill out your profile, choose a reasonable rate of loss and go with the numbers mfp assigns you.
Good luck.
Excellent advice here. ^
I kind of cringed when I read that the OP wanted to lose "as fast as possible." That is usually a formula for compliance problems, possible binging, muscle tissue loss and rebound weight gain. Slow and steady and learning the proper eating habits to maintain at a lower weight are always a more sustainable option.4 -
I dunno. She looks really young. Delayed gratification isn't really the forte of the young.
Janejulie, I'd say focus on getting enough protein. Set up your profile to, "Lose one pound per week," like it suggested when you signed up. Don't pick "Sedentary" as an Activity Level. Eat more on Exercise days. Watch your protein and don't under eat, that's important if you want to keep your hair, nails, healthy skin and still be able to function in the world.
I found when I under eat I get depressed and anxious and sleep a lot and lose hair and my fingertips crack and I just generally don't feel well. It doesn't happen right away but it does happen if I under eat (and if you under eat.) Once you do that damage to your hair it takes months to a year to repair. It's not worth it for 25 pounds.5 -
cmriverside wrote: »I dunno. She looks really young. Delayed gratification isn't really the forte of the young.
Too true! 🙌
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cmriverside wrote: »I dunno. She looks really young. Delayed gratification isn't really the forte of the young.
Janejulie, I'd say focus on getting enough protein. Set up your profile to, "Lose one pound per week," like it suggested when you signed up. Don't pick "Sedentary" as an Activity Level. Eat more on Exercise days. Watch your protein and don't under eat, that's important if you want to keep your hair, nails, healthy skin and still be able to function in the world.
I found when I under eat I get depressed and anxious and sleep a lot and lose hair and my fingertips crack and I just generally don't feel well. It doesn't happen right away but it does happen if I under eat (and if you under eat.) Once you do that damage to your hair it takes months to a year to repair. It's not worth it for 25 pounds.
To the bolded: True. But "losing weight fast", over and over again, seems to be an influential part of the history of most women my age (63) who are now in pretty bad shape from cumulative tiny amounts of muscle loss followed by mostly-fat regain; under-eating protein long term (mostly salads during loss, mostly low-nutrient carbs/fats during regain); over-restricting calories then binging; avoiding exercise (especially strength exercise); etc.
When young, it's hard to imagine being old. When old, watching the fruits of bad practice all around me, I can't help wanting to talk young women into thinking harder about their long-term well being.
Rest of the post: Yes, Janejulie, do that. Losing weight fast is also a route to poor appearance, in the ways listed, long before you even reach old age. sijomial gave you a good link for info about macros.7 -
cmriverside wrote: »I dunno. She looks really young. Delayed gratification isn't really the forte of the young.
Janejulie, I'd say focus on getting enough protein. Set up your profile to, "Lose one pound per week," like it suggested when you signed up. Don't pick "Sedentary" as an Activity Level. Eat more on Exercise days. Watch your protein and don't under eat, that's important if you want to keep your hair, nails, healthy skin and still be able to function in the world.
I found when I under eat I get depressed and anxious and sleep a lot and lose hair and my fingertips crack and I just generally don't feel well. It doesn't happen right away but it does happen if I under eat (and if you under eat.) Once you do that damage to your hair it takes months to a year to repair. It's not worth it for 25 pounds.
Right - Janejulie do you want to reach your goal weight fast only to start losing hair just as fast? (Hair loss from undereating will take months to manifest so it won't clue you in to the problem until damage has been done, and it will take a very long time to repair.)
What Are the Risks of Rapid Weight Loss?
Rapid weight loss creates physical demands on the body. Possible serious risks include:- Gallstones, which occur in 12% to 25% of people losing large amounts of weight over several months
- Dehydration, which can be avoided by drinking plenty of fluids
- Malnutrition, usually from not eating enough protein for weeks at a time
- Electrolyte imbalances, which rarely can be life threatening
Other side effects of rapid weight loss include:- Headaches
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Constipation
- Menstrual irregularities
- Hair loss
- Muscle loss
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