Are macros necessary for Fat loss as a vegan?!

[asuheel24]

I am new to the vegan community (going on 7 weeks). I initially saw a great response in my body when I transitioned to a plant based diet, tons of bloating gone, visible size difference in just 2 weeks. However the scale has not moved. I was doing only cardio for the first few weeks and just switched back to my normal weight lifting workouts (heavy compound lifts 5x/week with ploys and 3-4 HIIT sessions/week).

I counted macros for 5 years as a non vegan and when I transitioned I threw macros out the window just filling my meals with tons of veggies and plant based foods.

However, I recently counted my macros one day to see where I was since I felt like I was making backwards progress and noticed my fat was wayyy too high. (90 grams!) so i did a macro calculator and read a bunch of threads on here and decided I would shoot for 50-60g protein, 55g fat, and just whatever my carbs landed at for the day, as long as I am filling myself with veggies. (I am 27 y/o female, 5’4”, 143lbs)

Is counting macros pertinent to fat loss as a vegan? Can I just eat as many carbs as I want and still lose? Or do I need to track my carbs and stay within a certain range? I don’t want to put a number on it really but I’d love to be back in the 130s. I’ve been stuck at 143 for 6 MONTHS OMG.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice!!

 

[god4ever91]

@asuheel24 All that matters for fat loss is calories. Eat below your TDEE and you will lose weight. If you haven't lost weight in 6 months, then you are eating at maintenance.

For health though, it's probably a wise idea to count macros. The specific ratio depends on your goals and just how you personally prefer to eat. You can do higher fat or higher protein or higher carbs. Whatever you want. Just have a minimum of fat cause it's important for health and a minimum protein for maintaining muscle mass (~1g protein per kg of body weight is a good guesstimate). And however many carbs you want. Just make sure the calories are below your TDEE.

Good luck!

 

[asuheel24]

@god4ever91 Thanks so much! I think I keep struggling with the old carni macro bodybuilding way of thinking “high protein, low carb” BS lol

 

[jhillaire84]

@asuheel24 Old bodybuilders used to eat tons of carbs. But I’m just gonna throw out that when I “ate however many carbs as I wanted” I gained weight even at a deficit while weighing my food. I lost weight eating a lot higher fat. I still eat like 150-200g of carbs a day so it’s by no means low carb but there is definitely something to macros especially if you’re lifting.

Lastly, there is a Ted ex video in which the dude found that certain healthy carbs like quinoa and buckwheat and shit would cause similar insulin spikes to ice cream and shit in certain people, while in others it wouldn’t and they could even eat donuts and crap with no insulin response so it’s important to play around with stuff.

Like I respond super well to steel cut oats but a friend of mine says they make him need a nap immediately.

 

[asuheel24]

@jhillaire84 Ahh that’s good to know. Thank you!

 

[diegos23]

@asuheel24 Your body doesn't know that calories or macros are vegan calories or vegan macros. The same rules apply for vegan fitness as non-vegan fitness.

Carbs are energy. If you feel like you are getting a lot of carbs, increase cardio.