Let's talk macros...

[pjfl]

So by this point we all know around here that calories are based on things like TDEE's and BMR's, age and height, activity level, etc. But everyone seems to have different splits! How did you come up with your splits?

For example, I think MPF defaults to 35%C, 35%P, 30%F for weight loss. I have a coach that has me at 45%C, 35%P, 20%F for loss, 1650 calories, 5'7, CW154, GW130. (Which at this point isn't really working....)

What are your splits? Stats? Goals?

 

[therealq]

@pjfl I'm 5'3 137lbs eating 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein. I've been slowly loosing about .5 lbs a week. I don't really care about my fat and carbs TOO much, mostly I just try to hit my protein goal (100 g). Oh, and I aim for 1350 calories but usualllly average 1400 or 1500 weekly. Previously, I exercised 2 or 3 times a week doing whatever but I just started the Strong Curves program so I'm pretty excited about that. I'm only down 10 lbs but I feet better and can see some muscle development

 

[shalviya7]

@pjfl 5'6" CW: 164

Down 1.5 lbs since 2 weeks ago.

1700-1800 calories to maintain

I don't have a specific split. I just keep the calories in this range. Of course I make sure to get protein in a majority of my meals and stick to healthy fats. Also I try to balance my meals so higher carb meals have little fat and higher fat meals have little amount of carbs.

Goal is to lose .5lbs a week so I'll keep it in this range until weight loss stops. At which point I'll decrease caloric intake by ~50 calories again until it stops. Rinse and repeat. This is a 3-4 month progression. The purpose is to reprogram my body to eat as much as possible and still lose weight slowly - vs - crash dieting which is super unhealthy and not plausible long term.

 

[musicproducer01]

@pjfl I'm on a cut and lifting regularly and my average macros this past week have been 23%C/41%F/36%P. Shooting for ~1800 calories a day. Stats: 170 lbs, 5'10. Goal: lower BF%

I didn't really put much though into this split - it just happened. My main intention is to eat a lot of protein and minimize refined sugar/carbs. But i'm not super strict and not trying for keto or "low carb" or anything like that. I mainly try to eat whatever is going to satiate me the most. I have plenty of energy for good workouts and feel better than I have in a LONG time.

 

[spirituallycurious]

@pjfl I don't intentionally set a percentage-based split because IMO, it doesn't matter. My current (cutting) macros happen to fall at 48%C, 25%F, and 27%P. This is based on maintenance macros before my cut, bodyweight equations, and small tweaks as progress slows.

I subtracted 300 calories from maintenance to determine calories. Protein is based off BW(LBS)x0.82, and fat started at BW(LBS)x0.43. Carbs filled out the rest. If I stall or progress slows down, I subtract anywhere from 50-150 calories. These are usually a combination of fats and carbs to prevent either from getting uncomfortably low. I've lost an average of about 1% of my weight each week.

 

[solonotsingle]

@pjfl Every single body is different. How long have you been on this diet? You don't have much to lose, so loss will be slow. .5-2lbs a week is recommended for sustainable fat loss. You could maybe up your fat slightly and decrease carbs slightly. Also, I found eating most my carbs around my workout for energy is best for me, and taper off through the day (I work out in the morning).

But again, it's all about how your body responds, and you need to give it some time (4-6 weeks) to really judge how you are responding.

 

[solonotsingle]

@pjfl Have you measured yourself? Sometimes weight may stay the same but you lose inches. Also, remember it is a process. You won't see huge progress in a month. Give it some time and trust the process

 

[pjfl]

@solonotsingle Yep! Weight, pictures and measurements each week. I know I can't see huge process but even SOME would be nice.

 

[solonotsingle]

@pjfl When I got back into training it wasn't until week 4-5 I noticed changes. Subtle at first. Keep it up lady!

 

[pjfl]

@solonotsingle Thank you! That's good to know!!

 

[surfsouthoz]

@pjfl Macros: 20%/20%/60% c/p/f 1600 calories goal, but I've been eating closer to 2000. Still maintaining here because I'm pretty active.
Stats: 27 F, 5'5" 125lbs athletic build
Goals: Maintain. Training to get stronger (for climbing) without building additional muscles.

I eat basically paleo (GAPS diet, specifically) for controlling inflammation and gut problems from autoimmune disease. When I started the diet, I tracked my macros for a few weeks while eating what I should be eating based on other metrics and the 20/20/60 split was about where I was landing naturally. Your goals should be based on an ideal day, but close enough to an average day that you aren't constantly fighting to achieve them.

If you have a limit or a goal for one of your macros, start there. My starting place is .8g protein per pound of lean mass, which I estimate to be 80g per day. My diet is naturally low carb because I don't eat any grains, legumes, starches, or sugars, so this puts me around 20% for carbs and the rest for fat.

 

[sabrina_]

@pjfl I have MFP set for 35% carbs, 40% fat, and 25% protein, but it really varies day by day, what I'm actually aiming for. Protein always stays at a .8 gram per lb - 1.2 gram per lb goal. On rest days, I try to cut starchy carbs all together, and fat goes way up. On really heavy workout days, fat goes down and carbs go up.

My goal is to be as strong as I can be, and maintain a decent body comp, with slowly decreasing body fat. My new, secondary goal is to stay within a weight range that will allow me to cut to the 52 kg weight class without going insane. I pretty much stay around 115 - 118 lbs anyway, so this isn't a huge deal. Still, I'd like the next weigh in/ lead up to weigh in I do, to be less stressful than the last one.

Maintenance calories are ~2,300. I'm 33, and was 116 lbs this morning.

 

[dynamitex]

@pjfl Goals: strength and recomp. Have 5-10# extra fat to lose. Want to grow all the muscles.

Macros: 5% carb (limit), 25% protein (goal), 70% fat (negotiable).

 

[clary]

@dynamitex with such low carb, do you feel tired or limited during your workouts? I tried this macro split awhile back and while I dropped weight fast, I was just smoked trying to workout. These days I'm more around 50-70g carb.

 

[dynamitex]

@clary There have been a few times where I've "cheated" and had a burrito or sandwich and then went to the gym and hit PRs. But I don't actually feel tired when I'm working out low carb.