It doesn't matter if someone has 20% body fat or 40%. There is only one way to lose body fat and that is through diet. You need to be in a calorie deficit. If retaining muscle is important to you during this deficit period, then your diet needs to be in a calorie deficit PLUS heavy on protein. You can figure out your macros using a macro calculator online. They will typically calculate a 500 calorie deficit if you want to lose fat. So let's say during your calorie deficit, you need to limit your daily intake to 1500 calories. You need to figure out what type of food will comprise those 1500 calories that gives you 1.2-2 grams per kilogram of your body weight-- if you want to retain muscle. Then once you've figured out your protein intake for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks... you can fill it the other calories around that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So daily protein needs range from .8 to 2 grams per kg of body weight, depending on goals and current fitness?
I still am confused about how anyone concerts these numbers into actual food, and keeps trsck if it. Apologies if I am clueless… this is all new to me!

One caution -- I think those numbers assume:

1. That you are a strength or serious endurance athlete. Like an Olympic or Powerlifter or running 70+ miles per week.
2. That your body composition is that of an athlete. A person with 40% body fat doesn't need to eat more protein than a similar size person with the same lean muscle mass and only 20% body fat.

I disagree. If someone is trying to lose weight while maintaining lean muscle mass, protein is key. Losing muscle will help slow metabolism.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Protein recommendation is .8 - 1.2 grams, depending on your goals, multiplied by your bodyweight in kilograms.

Take your bodyweight and divide it by 2.2kg. Take that number and multiply it by .8. That is a ballpark estimate of the amount of protein you will need each day.

Example: 165 = 75kg

75kg x .8 = 60gram of protein per day

Not sure whose recommendation that’s meant to be or to whom it’s meant to apply. The answer of “how much protein” depends entirely on the activity level and activity type of the individual.

The general guidelines for endurance and strength-trained athletes from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine suggest consuming between 1.2 and 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for the best performance and health.

Note that this applies to athletes, who have significantly less body fat than non-athletes who are trying to lose weight, so many people adjust this recommendation to “per kg of lean body mass.”

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2016/03000/Nutrition_and_Athletic_Performance.25.aspx

Just an example of what I would prescribe someone of the general population depending on their current lifestyle, e.g. sedentary or very active, and their goals, e.g. body comp changes or building muscle. Strength and endurance athletes have way more variables and get into nutrient timing, carb cycling, etc. This is why I avoid these kinds of threads. There are too many variables to make a blanket protein recommendation.

Not to mention, that my first macro recommendation would be to find your maintenance and then decrease from there. People jumping into deficits without knowing their maintenance is why you have metabolic adaptations and not being able to shed weight despite eating 1200, which for the record, NO ONE should be eating less than 1200 calories per day....

Anonymous wrote:So daily protein needs range from .8 to 2 grams per kg of body weight, depending on goals and current fitness?
I still am confused about how anyone concerts these numbers into actual food, and keeps trsck if it. Apologies if I am clueless… this is all new to me!

One caution -- I think those numbers assume:

1. That you are a strength or serious endurance athlete. Like an Olympic or Powerlifter or running 70+ miles per week.
2. That your body composition is that of an athlete. A person with 40% body fat doesn't need to eat more protein than a similar size person with the same lean muscle mass and only 20% body fat.

Anonymous wrote:So daily protein needs range from .8 to 2 grams per kg of body weight, depending on goals and current fitness?
I still am confused about how anyone concerts these numbers into actual food, and keeps trsck if it. Apologies if I am clueless… this is all new to me!

Why don’t you post the macros that you need to hit and the types of food you normally eat so we can help you plan your meals.

So daily protein needs range from .8 to 2 grams per kg of body weight, depending on goals and current fitness?
I still am confused about how anyone concerts these numbers into actual food, and keeps trsck if it. Apologies if I am clueless… this is all new to me!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've found that I need snacks in between meals to hit my protein target. And you need a solid source of protein in all 3 of your main meals.

Breakfast- egg whites

Snack- protein shake

Lunch- chicken

Snack- siggys nonfat yogurt

Dinner- fish


Then you can plan what you are going to eat with the protein by looking at the macros you need or need to avoid...

This ^^^ reminds me of the 1980's-90's Snackwells era type of eating. You NEED fat! Where the hell is the fat in this diet ^^^? Egg whites? Yolks are where all of your nutrients are. Nonfat yogurt? Why? Chicken for lunch - what just a slab of chicken breast on a lonely plate - no fiber, no veg? Same for your fish for dinner.

DP but her point is that she plans her protein then just adds fat and carbs each meal . Protein is the important macro to hit so she preplans that and the rest falls into place more easily. And this way her protein is distributed throughout the day and she’s not chugging protein shakes and egg whites at 8pm.

Anonymous wrote:I've found that I need snacks in between meals to hit my protein target. And you need a solid source of protein in all 3 of your main meals.

Breakfast- egg whites

Snack- protein shake

Lunch- chicken

Snack- siggys nonfat yogurt

Dinner- fish


Then you can plan what you are going to eat with the protein by looking at the macros you need or need to avoid...

This ^^^ reminds me of the 1980's-90's Snackwells era type of eating. You NEED fat! Where the hell is the fat in this diet ^^^? Egg whites? Yolks are where all of your nutrients are. Nonfat yogurt? Why? Chicken for lunch - what just a slab of chicken breast on a lonely plate - no fiber, no veg? Same for your fish for dinner.

I've found that I need snacks in between meals to hit my protein target. And you need a solid source of protein in all 3 of your main meals.

Breakfast- egg whites

Snack- protein shake

Lunch- chicken

Snack- siggys nonfat yogurt

Dinner- fish


Then you can plan what you are going to eat with the protein by looking at the macros you need or need to avoid...

Anonymous wrote:Protein recommendation is .8 - 1.2 grams, depending on your goals, multiplied by your bodyweight in kilograms.

Take your bodyweight and divide it by 2.2kg. Take that number and multiply it by .8. That is a ballpark estimate of the amount of protein you will need each day.

Example: 165 = 75kg

75kg x .8 = 60gram of protein per day

Not sure whose recommendation that’s meant to be or to whom it’s meant to apply. The answer of “how much protein” depends entirely on the activity level and activity type of the individual.

The general guidelines for endurance and strength-trained athletes from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine suggest consuming between 1.2 and 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for the best performance and health.

Note that this applies to athletes, who have significantly less body fat than non-athletes who are trying to lose weight, so many people adjust this recommendation to “per kg of lean body mass.”

https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2016/03000/Nutrition_and_Athletic_Performance.25.aspx

Anonymous wrote:“Macro Inc doesn't use percentages. They use actual grams.
My macros are 120 g P, 145 Carb, 52 F for a total of 1,567 calories per day.
To do it right you should have them review age, physical activity, health concerns and whether you want to lose, gain, or maintain.”

NP here. My goal numbers are very similar but I’m really struggling to get my protein over 100 g per day, even if using protein powder or bars. What do you eat for the protein?

I struggled in the beginning too. I recommend you get +60% protein the first half of the day. Also, I know that EVERY NIGHT before bed I’ll have either a protein bar, high protein yogurt or LF cottage cheese. If I don’t do this I wake up mid night hungry, lose sleep and will just eat a bowl of cereal. Plus I work out first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and the sustains me until post workout meal.

Here is a typical day:
Breakfast
Oatmeal with mixed berries (TJ frozen)
Scoop of protein powder
Either side of egg whites, high protein yogurt or low fat cottage cheese
Gets me close to 40grams

Lunch
Open face sandwiches.
Dave’s killer bread (2 slices)
Tuna w/ soft boiled egg or Turkey w/ lite cheese
Veggies or little fruit
35-40 g

Dinner
Salad or stir fry veggies w/ chicken/fish/turkey.
Rice/quinoa/air fry potatoes slices (w/ harissa spice is my new fave!) Maybe add beans.
30ish

Bedtime
20 grams

My biggest struggle is fat. I need to be mindful of whole eggs, avocado, salmon. Get tuna packed in water. No nuts. Very rarely eat red meat.

I have learned what I can, and can’t eat as a 48-year-old woman who is not very tall but I still enjoy going out. I have just learned to forgo the chile relleno (never as good as I remember) and get ceviche or chicken & shrimp fajitas and forego tortillas (which I don’t like anyway) but I can happily eat a basket of chips and salsa, and do!

I hope this helps.

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone recommend an online macro calculator that doesn't require me to enter my email? Thank you!

IIFYMwomen.org

“Macro Inc doesn't use percentages. They use actual grams.
My macros are 120 g P, 145 Carb, 52 F for a total of 1,567 calories per day.
To do it right you should have them review age, physical activity, health concerns and whether you want to lose, gain, or maintain.”

NP here. My goal numbers are very similar but I’m really struggling to get my protein over 100 g per day, even if using protein powder or bars. What do you eat for the protein?

Can anyone recommend an online macro calculator that doesn't require me to enter my email? Thank you!

Honestly if you don't have diabetes and you're not preparing for a bodybuilding competition, there's no reason to track anything besides protein and calories. Bodybuilders need to monitor and decrease their carb intake the closer they get to a show because it helps dehydrate them and make their muscles show more.