Where Do MFP Targets Come From?

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lilylight
lilylight Posts: 128 Member
in Food and Nutrition
MFP tells me that 55% of calories should be from carbs, 30% from fat, and 15% from protein. Are these the same targets for everyone? And where do they come from? I am consistently higher in protein and lower in carbs and fat than these targets. I gravitate towards protein, having been on low carb diets before. Also, protein staves off hunger longer, it seems to me. Thoughts?

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  • quilteryoyo
    quilteryoyo Posts: 6,107 Member
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    I'm not sure where they come from either. I just ignore that part and am like you...always go over on protein and under on carbs. My fat intake depends on how much peanut butter I decide to eat that day. :laugh:
  • Shayztar
    Shayztar Posts: 415 Member
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    You can change the setting to whatever suits you. If you are into strength training, you SHOULD change them to have higher protein for example. I have been told a good standard ratio is closer to 40 30 30. Good luck.
  • secretlobster
    secretlobster Posts: 3,566 Member
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    Alien technology from The Distant Future
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    If you'd like to customize yours you can click the tab 'My Home' then click 'Goals' and then click 'Change Goals', when you get to that screen check custom and you can go from there.:flowerforyou:

    I go with 40, 30, 30 (c,p,f) many others on the site have theirs set up according to what type of goals they have. Someone into body building will have much higher protein needs than another etc.

    There's some previous posts on this question but I'm sure you'll get many helpful ones on this thread as well.:flowerforyou:
    Hope this helps a bit!:happy:

    Hearts:heart:
  • broxi1979
    broxi1979 Posts: 30
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    I would advise changing them anyway even if it just for weight loss.

    I set mine to:

    P: 50%
    C: 30%
    F: 20%
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    You can change them at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_custom

    I suspect they are US government recommendations, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/healthy-diet/NU00200 says

    "Get 45 to 65 percent of your daily calories from carbohydrates. "
    " Get 10 to 35 percent of your total daily calories from protein."
    " Limit total fat to 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories"
  • twinmom01
    twinmom01 Posts: 854 Member
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    it's based on SAD (standard American Diet) - I had to go in and switch mine so reflect my eating style...I set mine so it reflects a lower % for carbs and higher for fat and protien...I basically went in and picked numbers for carbs and protien - for carbs I picked a number I want to try and stay UNDER per day...and for Protien I picked a number I wanted to GET AT LEAST THAT MUCH per day - the rest went to fats...

    Part of making MFP work for you and your goals is to know what is most optimal for your particular body and what you are looking to do...for myself my body does better on lower carbs and because of my exercise routines (kickboxing and lifting) I need a certain amount of protien. For yourself you are going to have different goals and a different lifestyle....
  • CoderGal
    CoderGal Posts: 6,800 Member
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    it's based on SAD (standard American Diet) - I had to go in and switch mine so reflect my eating style...I set mine so it reflects a lower % for carbs and higher for fat and protien...I basically went in and picked numbers for carbs and protien - for carbs I picked a number I want to try and stay UNDER per day...and for Protien I picked a number I wanted to GET AT LEAST THAT MUCH per day - the rest went to fats...

    Part of making MFP work for you and your goals is to know what is most optimal for your particular body and what you are looking to do...for myself my body does better on lower carbs and because of my exercise routines (kickboxing and lifting) I need a certain amount of protien. For yourself you are going to have different goals and a different lifestyle....

    SAD hey? Thanks forr clearing that up for us!
  • lilylight
    lilylight Posts: 128 Member
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    Thanks for all the replies! I guess I'll keep doing what I'm doing and not worry about the percentages for now, since I don't know what an appropriate goal would be.

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