Can someone help me figure out what calories fats carbs and protein I should be eating to lose my la

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Hello everyone! I'm so happy to join the group. I am new to fitness pal and having some struggles and confusion. I'm not sure how many calories fats carbs and protein I should eat to get off this plateau I've been on. I need to lose 30 more lbs. Hope I can figure this app out soon because I really do like it 🙂

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  • frhaberl
    frhaberl Posts: 145 Member
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    For weight loss, the most impact will be had by finding the right number of calories. Tracking macros (fat, protein, carbs) is more about overall nutrition and sustainability. My recommendation is to start with focusing on the total calorie goal and only worry about the macros if the "right" number of calories leaves you hungry or constantly battling cravings.

    I'll caveat all of this with the statement that what works for me may need some tweaking to work for you, so no need to take this as a "must do" list.

    Step 1 - Set up MFP to put you in a sustainable calorie deficit estimate. Enter all your stats and set target weight loss at 0.5 lbs/week or 1.0 lbs/week (definitely don't recommend going any higher than 1 lb/week if you only have 30 lbs left to lose).
    Step 2 - Track your calories in as accurately as possible. Get a food scale and use it to weigh everything that you eat. Building recipes and meals in MFP can feel time consuming at first, but once you have those "libraries" built up it will save you tons of time in the long run.
    Step 3 - Track your calories out as accurately as possible. This actually starts with setting the right activity level in step 1. One option is to set your activity level at a low baseline and record any intentional exercise. If you have a sedentary job and are not that active outside intentional exercise, then set your level at "sedentary" and start tracking your intentional exercise. I find a fitness watch to be helpful for this, but if you don't have one you can use the exercise options in MFP or look up estimates of calories burned online. Another option is to set your activity level at a level that includes your intentional exercise and not log exercise sessions. I personally like the first approach, but either can work.
    Step 4 - Track your weight. I prefer daily weigh ins - mornings right after a trip to the restroom and before eating or drinking anything. It gives me more data about how my weight fluctuates due to things not related to fat loss (hormones, salty foods, travel, etc). Some prefer weekly or even monthly weigh ins, or don't weigh at all and rely on measurements or the fit of clothing to judge progress.
    Step 5 - Be consistent and patient. This "experiment" takes 4-6 week to generate any meaningful data in terms of weight loss, especially if you are woman who has menstral cycles. What may seem like a "plateau" or even weight gain could just be where you are in your menstral cycle or the water retention from muscle recovery from a new exercise routine. I have lost track of the number of times I thought I was in a plateau but stuck it out without changing anything and the pounds started coming off without any intervention.
    Step 6 - Make adjustments to make this process more sustainable. If you aren't enjoying the foods you're eating or the exercise you're doing then you won't keep doing it long enough to hit your goal or maintain it once you get there. If you've given something a good try and it's still hard after a week or two, look for other ways to achieve the same goal. I put macro changes in this bucket, though it could have it's own bullet point. My goal is to be in a calorie deficit, but the macros I eat to get there can have an impact on my hunger and energy levels. I add protein and fiber when I'm struggling to feel satisfied on the total calories, so I'm achieving the same goal in a more sustainable way.
    Step 7 - Celebrate your progress and learn from your failures. I'm a big fan of non-scale victories (NSVs) to keep myself in the right mindset. A week ago I was 1 lb up from the previous week but I focused on how much longer I could jog and how that 1 lb "gain" put me at 28.5% of my body weight lost instead of 28.9% (that's a rounding error in my books) and how I had enjoyed a celebration dinner without either leaving feeling uncomfortably full or white knuckles restricted. And when I found that I ate 2x the calories I had intended for lunch today I chalked it up as a "failure" that taught me to measure my portion before rather than subtracting the weight of the empty dish from the full dish (I was trying to dirty one less bowl) and I am moving on.

    Hopefully this helps you. It can all feel overwhelming at first, but please trust me when I say that the only thing that matters is starting to move in the right direction. You will have tons of opportunities to adjust your pace and change directions if/when you find something isn't working for you. And there are plenty of us to point out obstacles and cheer you on along the way.
  • m2f5r8gcjc
    m2f5r8gcjc Posts: 6 Member
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    If you’re starting a weight loss journey the most important thing is simplicity. The most optimal thing on paper is not always the most optimal thing for YOU. If you can’t stick to a diet for the rest of your life then it’s destined to fail so keep it simple and easy.

    1. Get a starting point, use any basic calorie calculator.
    2. Don’t worry about macros just aim for 100g protein a day and let the fats and carbs fill the remaining.
    3.Weigh yourself daily and get the weekly average, you want to aim to beat each weekly average by 1lb-2lbs
    4.When the average drops below 1lb just skim 100 off and repeat

    The most important thing is to not get overwhelmed, you don’t need a complete diet and lifestyle change to see results you just need to control your calorie intake.

    Most you nailed that you can start to really optimise your nutrients and vitamins
  • DFW_Tom
    DFW_Tom Posts: 221 Member
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    m2f5r8gcjc wrote: »
    3.Weigh yourself daily and get the weekly average, you want to aim to beat each weekly average by 1lb-2lbs
    4.When the average drops below 1lb just skim 100 off and repeat

    The most important thing is to not get overwhelmed, you don’t need a complete diet and lifestyle change to see results you just need to control your calorie intake.

    Maybe you know the OP's details and can offer this advice without concern. For others reading this thread, it is very unhealthy to run a deficient of 500-1000 calories a day unless very obese. The OP made a statement that she needs to lose 30 more pounds and has hit a plateau. That doesn't sound like someone new to losing weight who is morbidly obese.

    Telling someone to just eat less ("control your calorie intake") without making lasting changes in their diet/lifestyle is a recipe for lifetime of yo-yo diets/weight gain. While losing weight should never be overwhelming, there does need to be some changes for long term success to have a chance.

    I don't mind others offering canned advice - unless it might be harmful to others reading this public forum.