Quote:
Originally Posted by maisie_girl  what do you mean by this???:
Carbs + fat = easy. Fat + protein = easy. Carbs + protein without fat is harder. |
If you're aiming for a 40/30/30 ratio, and you don't necessarily get that ratio every time you eat, one day, you're going to find yourself with 300
calories left for the day - and you'll have already reached your "budget" for a given macronutrient.
For example, maybe you've had 44g of
fat (one gram too high, alas) and 85g of carbs (13g short) - but only 90g of protein. So you need to figure out how to get 40g of protein, 13g of carbs, and no
fat. That's a tough one to do. If you need more protein and
fat, but no more carbs, you have some meat. If you need more carbs and
fat, but no more protein, you have a starchy veggie (like potato or corn) with butter. If you need lots of carbs and a little protein, legumes will work. But it's hard to get a large quantity of
fat-free protein unless you use protein powders or other supplements.
Now, if you can get the ratio you're aiming for in every meal, you'll never have that problem. I had that problem all the time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by maisie_girl what was your main plan??? how long has it taken you??? |
It took me about 11 months. I started out just eating less, and trying to make better choices. Didn't count
calories, didn't give up anything I really loved, weighed myself daily (I always used to be a daily weigher, so I knew that random scale fluctuation doesn't bother me). Didn't exercise because I was having weight-related nerve problems that made it painful to walk even short distances. Didn't lose anything for the first handful of weeks, then started to lose steadily at about 6-8
pounds a month. About 4 months in, my
weight loss slowed down, so I added exercise, started counting
calories, and tried to figure out macronutrient targets that worked for me. Kept losing steadily at about 6-8
pounds a month. Got really close to
goal, bumped my
calories up closer to maintenance level, and struggled for a month or so until I got my weight at the point where it fluctuates in a range I'm happy with.
I still count
calories and weigh every day, but mostly because I have a strong tendency to nibble out of boredom and/or
stress, and when I count
calories, I keep my nibbling within a reasonable range. On an average day, I eat about half of my
calories between 5pm and bedtime, because that's what works best for me.
