5 wks in & questioning macros

(Tracy B) #1

Hi All!
As stated above, my husband and I are at the beginning of the 5 week mark of going keto. We are both losing weight weekly and feeling better than ever.
My question is, when should we adjust our macros? I have lost 14 lbs & he has lost 21 lbs.

We track & log our food religiously but I am getting to the point that I am not hungry either in the mornings or sometimes in the evenings and do not want to force myself to eat. Do I need to hit my macros every day? Ive been reading up on fasting so that may be a route I need to explore.

We are excited about this new chapter of our lives and look forward to learning more on here.

Thanks!

(Liz S) #2

Check your BMR levels. The more weight you loose the less calories you need. http://www.bmrcalculator.org/

I generally check mine every 5-10lbs. The % of fat vs % protein vs %carbs doesn’t really change just the actual amount you eat. Plus if you are full and don’t want to eat, don’t feel like you have to. You don’t have to reach a specific number of calories in a day.

#3

Congratulations on your progress thus far! So, I tracked my macros for two days a couple of months ago and decided it wasn’t worth the effort. I’ve lost consistently. I know everyone is different, and I may be an anomaly, but not sure everyone really needs to track macros religiously. If it works for you though, keep it up.

(Consensus is Politics) #4

Don’t chase the numbers. The most important thing is keeping carbs super low. Some say under 50 grams a day. Most people here will say under 20 grams a day. Personally I shoot for ZERO per day, but realistically probably hitting around 10 or just under.

If you aren’t hungry, don’t eat. Very quickly after starting Keto I ended up eating just one meal a day [OMAD]. I have had several accidental fasts that lasted two or three days at a time. I just wasn’t hungry. Scared myself with that and found out it’s pretty normal, just listen to your body, it’s usually telling you what it needs. Ever heard of pica?(sp?). Was a malady pregnant women would get would make them want to eat clay. Turned out they were deficient in certain minerals, that clay just happened to have. [thats something I remember from biology class back in the late 70’s. Who knows, maybe it’s been disproven, but I remember it]

Other than keeping carbs strictly limited, don’t forget to keep protein in the correct range for your lean body mass. Roughly 1 gram of protein per 1 kg of lean body weight. Too much protein can lead to insulin spikes which lead to blocking fat from being burned.

(Tracy B) #5

I certainly thank everyone for the info & encouraging words.

Looking back through my tracking, on average my carb count has been 9 grams per day. That part of my diet hasnt been an issue. All of the carbs I am ingesting is from my veggies and the occasional small serving of cheese I may have.

I suppose my biggest issue is I am so anal about numbers. In fact, its my job…literally. I am in the healthcare accounting world so letting go of that mentality is going to take some getting used to. :smiley: But nonetheless, I will try and I will get better.

Again, thank you for the responses.

(Richard Hanson) #6

Hi Tracy,

It is hard to give any advice on how to adjust your macros if we don’t know what your macros are now or your goals.

If you have a lot of weight to loose, now that you are largely keto adapted and can access your stored fat for energy, you can eat a lot less and be quite comfortable.

If you are at your goal weight, then eat unless you are not hungry.

The primary macro focus should be net carbs < 20 g/day, but many people can eat more if they are not insulin insensitive. Secondary is you protein goal but it is hard to give advice as “expert” opinions cover a very wide range of values. I am eating < 50 g/day on average or less then 0.8 g/day per kg of lean body mass. All that is left is total intake of fat which will be highly contingent on your personal goals and haw much fat you have already stored on your body.

I hope this helps.

Let’s not forget: Welcome to keto to you and your husband. That is a bold and courageous choice. Awesome and awe inspiring!

Ask and ask and ask any question you might have. You will get a range of views, but almost all of them will be worth considering based on your personal situation.

Keto for Life!

Warmest Regards,
Richard

(Tracy B) #7

Thank you, Richard.
My apologies for not including that information.
As for myself, I am currently 216 lbs, will be 45 yrs old next week & I am 5’8
My goal weight would anywhere around 160ish.
Current macros are 131 fat, 20 carbs, 65 protein. (This was from inputting stats on a ‘keto calculator’ I found online.
Little to no exercise. 20-30 fast walk on a treadmill maybe 2-4 times a week.