How To Calculate Your Macros For Rapid Weight Loss
Apr 11, 2018 mindpumpPeople love to complain about how hard getting consistent and intuitive with their eating is. Yet ironically spend even more time complaining then if they just shut up and did it.
Before we begin…
This is not a final goal. Focusing on tracking every day and not listening to your body is not a healthy relationship. I’ve gotten so wrapped up in macro tracking I’ve revolved my life around it. I would bring Tupperware of my carefully mapped out meal to my friends when they were ordering food.
The recommendations will vary. Everyone has different preferences and you have to explore what works for you. Just because Chris Hemsworth carb cycles and Channing Tatum goes keto, doesn’t mean that is your destiny. It’s up to YOU and time spent experimenting, to figure out what works. You are an adult. Grow up and own your life.
U + ME = US. Lets Calculate!
First off I apologize for that title. Let’s move on.
Your body is an adaptation machine. It’s damn good at its job. It doesn’t care you wanna look good for your wedding. It just knows it’s starving and wants to hold onto the fat as long as it can.
Try alternating between 2 weeks of caloric restriction and one week at maintenance. This will give your body the hormone reset it needs so your metabolism doesn’t slow down or hunger hormones get too out of control.
1) Find your maintenance
There are all these fancy calculators that specifically narrow down your exact caloric intake. In reality, who the f**k cares. This is a STARTING point. We need a close enough number. From there, you’ll know after the first week if you are dropping too fast or not fast enough. Generally, multiplying your bodyweight x 12-15 tends to be accurate enough.
Example: If I weigh 180lbs then 180×13 = 2,340 calories
2) Find your preferred percentages
Depending on your metabolism and body type, we respond differently, so let me guide you.
For those with fast metabolisms that lose weight by farting (and screw you guys):
A higher carb approach works better as their insulin sensitivity is higher than most.
25% protein 55% carb 20% fat is a good starting point
Example (continued) –
2,340 calories x .25 = 585 calories from protein
585 / 4 (calories per gram of protein) = 146 grams of protein
2,340 x .55 = 1287 calories from carb
1287 / 4 (calories per gram of carb) = 321 grams of carbs
2,340 x .20 = 468 calories of fat
468 / 9 (calories per gram of carb) = 52 grams of fat
For those with an average metabolism that doesn’t lose too quick/too fast: 30% protein 40% carb 30% fat
For those with a slow metabolism, who stare at a bowl of rice just gained 15lbs: 20% protein 25% carb 55% fat
*** If you’re debating between whether you fall between average and slow metabolism, I’d err on the side of the slower. We tend to do better on a higher fat, lower carb diet. HOWEVER, if you know that transition will be hard for you, feel free to start with the 30% fat option.***
Again, this is just a BASIS. The responsibility is on you to stop relying on everyone else to tell you how your body works. Check in with yourself weekly to see how you’re responding to those percentages. Feeling bloated off the higher carb intake? Bring up the fat and lower the carb.
How to Use this Information
***WHAT makes up those percentages is just as important!!***
Don’t be a bro and distort my advice like every friggin IIFYMer, vegan, keto, and any other diet hopper does. You should be shooting for 30-40 grams of fiber a DAY. And I don’t mean slingback a high fiber protein bar, or scoop some Metamucil and call it a day. Those aren’t wrong options, but you should be trying to get a VARIETY of fiber sources from whole foods, not looking to cheat the system so you can save the calories for Doritos. I’m sick of everyone botching really good nutrition plans, and I’ve had so many clients do the same when I give them this exact advice. FIBER. Got it? FIBER (there I’ve repeated it multiple times).
As you start tracking, notice how certain foods make you feel. You’ll notice processed nutrient lacking foods that the IIFYM crowd loves to post about (pancakes and fudge, pop tarts, fries) while they taste amazing, leave you crashing and bloated as hell.
Work Smarter, not Harder
Hey, here’s a wild f**king concept. Ditch the processed goods and high sugar items that are giving you rashes, bloating your stomach, and making you fall asleep. Shoot for 2 fistfuls or cups of veggies with EVERY meal. You’re not a kid anymore. Stop complaining veggies don’t taste good. OWN YOUR EXCUSES. It is not hard to make veggies taste good. Throw a little butter or olive oil in the pan (no it won’t kill your macros), and add your favorite 2-3 seasonings. Done. This is called being an adult and not being a lazy ass excuse maker.
The processed food misfires your hunger hormones and creates an imbalance. They were structurally made to be palatable with no nutrients, and cheaper inflammatory ingredients, which leave you hungrier, not satiated.
You’ll find if you actually stick to whole foods and listen to your body, you’ll naturally start to lose weight. Also, bodybuilders like to brag about how they need all this protein to get swole. Hey smartass, how do you plan to absorb all that protein if your gut microbiome is inflamed and can’t handle it? Yeah, your GH enlarged skull didn’t factor that in, did it? All those protein farts you laugh about and stink up expos with? That’s your body not absorbing protein.
In the end…
When you eat right, all these chronic issues you think are the result of outside circumstances fix themselves. Your hair, skin, and nails are better, energy levels soar, and brain functions optimally.
Let’s take the equivalent time spent complaining how long this process would take to achieve, and just do it.
