Re-evaluating my macros

(David Russell) #1

I have re-evaluated my macros and would love some feedback…I used this ket calculator http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

I am 6’4" and currently 291 lbs. My macros are as follows…

calories 2008
protein 163g - 32%
fat 151g - 68%
carbs 0g

I set my body fat percentage to 28, which mean my lean body mass would be 202lbs
I set activity to sedentary (software developer)
I set my deficit to 20%

The Christmas holidays were rough for me and i want to start the new year off right. I am back to logging everything i consume in a spreadsheet and will be trying this zero carb January.

Any feedback would be appreciated. :slight_smile:

(G. Andrew Duthie) #2

I don’t personally track macros, but from having observed many discussions on the topic, that protein level seems kinda high (32% if my math is right)

One question is what you are looking to achieve? Weight loss? Treat/prevent T2D?

Your goal(s) will help drive the discussion of whether your proposed macros are on track.

(ianrobo) #3

your protein is far too high for sedentary use I would look to keep that around 100g myself but experiment, try this, see how it goes then make adjustments. presume that carbs are 50g or less ? you state zero carbs but if you want all nutrients (i.e. green leafy veg) some carbs are fine then.

(David Russell) #4

My goal is weight loss…general health. I am very concerned with muscle loss. Thankfully not diagnosed with T2D, but i was well on my way when i started Keto 4 months ago.

The calculation of my lean body mass is basically this…

When i was 18 and in fabulous shape, i was skinny as a tooth pick at 185 lbs…with maturity and time, i figured i easily packed on a fair amount of muscle, so i picked 202 as my lean body mass.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #5

I’m not a doctor, nor a trainer, so take this with a grain of salt. If you want to maintain muscle mass, use your muscles. Either body weight exercises or barbells are good…resistance training.

Depending on how much and how hard you train, you may build more muscle than you currently have, particularly if you’re sedentary. The downside there is that if you replace fat with muscle, you’ll actually gain weight. So don’t let the scale freak you out.

I would start with less protein and more fat, and not worry too much about calories. You don’t burn fat because of a caloric deficit, you burn it because you get insulin under control. And if you’re eating good fats to sateity, you are less likely to eat more than your body needs.

And to reiterate, you need to be moving and challenging your muscles if you want to maintain (or grow) them.

(dawn.hakala) #6

I am a trainer and I do have to say, if your not using them, your not building them therefore loss will be inevitable at some point. I’m 5’9 188# Dexa scan 16%bf…I have a lot of mass… My macro setup is 25c, 151f & 110p… Hope you find the info you’re looking for. Don’t guess at numbers… take measurements, find your bf% as close as possible… Don’t guess… you could be cheating yourself or over doing it if you guess. Just my 2¢

(David Russell) #7

I appreciate the feedback. I am much more active than i used to be, but up until now have not started an exercise regime. I will be starting one today.

I think i am going to look into getting a Dexa scan.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #8

Start simple. Bodyweight squats, push-ups, planks. I have a pull-up bar on my office door so I can do a few on my way in or out.

YouTube can be a good source of videos for good form, which is especially important for squats.

(David Russell) #9

Oh yeah. I will be starting out super basic and easy…I need to really prime my muscles for the first few weeks when i first start out. Thanks for the suggestions. :slight_smile:

(dawn.hakala) #10

That’s so fucking AWESOME!! Wonder if my bank would let me do that to come out of break room! Lololol

(dawn.hakala) #11

David, the 5x5 is a nice easy one to start… Just using the bar to start… That 45# out of the gates… Nice and easy wins the race…

Best of luck to you and don’t be afraid to ask questions :slight_smile:

(G. Andrew Duthie) #12

Well, it helps that my office is in my home, and while my boss can be a jerk sometimes, he has an investment in my health and wants me to do pull-ups (at least when he’s not too lazy).

(Brian Miller) #13

I would thing protein high as well. Like others without knowing for sure 202 lean mass sounds generous however, even if we use that number 1-1.5g/kg of lean mass would produce a range of 91-136. I’m 6’0 290 and have lifted weights even while gaining weight before finally going Keto and I’ve settled on 120 and might lower mine to 100 soon. As with all things you’ll learn your body and we are all slightly different but lowering that protein intake looks like a good 1st step.