lynnde43

I love to share what I have learned and as I mentioned in my last post, I have learned so much in the last two months….more than I have learned in the last five years.  I felt clueless, and wished someone had shared this information with me sooner.

So, what is a macro?  Well, we all know that carbs, protein and fat are important.  Carbs give us energy (our brain needs carbs to function), Protein helps our muscles to grow as well as providing growth for nails and hair and then there is fat.  We can’t overlook fat, we need fat too.  Fat helps to slow the absorption of food, helping you to feel full longer.  If you eat to much fat, it is not good.

Okay, so where am I going with all of this? I am sure you have heard people talk about following a 40, 30, 30 diet, which basically means they are getting 33% of their nutrients from carbs, protein and fat.  Some people follow different ratios, and it really is individual as to what will work with your body.  Please note, I am not suggesting that you follow this split, I just want to explain how the percentages are obtained.  Also, I would advise never to go below a 40% split for carbs, you might even want to go higher, just so that you numbers all work out to a 100.  You could go 50/25/25.  Just make sure you are getting in enough carbs.

So, let’s just say…I’m following a 40/30/30 split.  This means that:  40% of my calories are coming from carbs, 30% of my carbs are coming from protein, and 30% are coming from fat.  This is how it all works out:

Carbs:  have 4 calories per gram

Protein:  also has 4 calories per gram

fat:  has 9 calories per gram

So….in order to figure out my split, I have to know what my resting metabolic rate is.  Mine is 1,680 (see my last post)

Now I need to figure out 40% coming from 1680, so…..

1680 X .40= 672 and then I have to divide 672 by 4 because there are 4 calories per gram carbohydrates.  672/4= 168.  I should have 168 grams of carbs each day.  Remember yesterday I said you need 130 grams just to keep your brain functioning?

Now let’s figure out what my protein and fat gram intake should be.

1680X.30=504.  Protein has 4 calories per gram, so I need to divide 504/4=126.  I should consume 126 grams of protein each day.

How much fat will I need?  1680X.30=504, but fat has more calories per gram, so I will divide 504 by 9=56.

So, this is how macros are figured out.  As I mentioned this is all individual.  I know some people follow a different split, with more grams coming from carbs and less from fat and protein. 

You have heard of low carb diets?  I would not advise this.  We need energy from carbs.  Our brains run on carbs and can not get the energy it needs from protein or fat.  Another reason why it is soooo important to eat carbs.

What are good sources of carbs?  Fresh fruits, Oats, Sweet Potatoes and brown rice.

Have a great day everyone!  And enjoy your thanksgiving.

than what I was yesterday!! 

In the past two months, I have learned more about getting and staying fit.  I have learned how important it is to EAT.  I spent years limiting my calories…and exercising without including strength training or not lifting heavy enough to really gain any muscle.  This is what I have learned so far…

1.)  Eat enough to nourish your body.  But how do you know how much to eat?  It depends on your activity level.  Your body (yes..everyone’s body) requires 1000 calories a day…just to function, that’s without doing anything else.  But where do you go from there? 

multiply your body weight by:

10-12 (no or little activity-like a desk job)

12-14 (moderate activity..exercising 3X a week, some strength training)

14-25 (like a masonary or other strenous job)

I am 140 pounds:  140 X 12= 1,680 calories.  That is my resting metabolic rate.  I can eat this much every day and not gain weight.  But it has to be healthy…clean foods, not boxed or bought in a package.

2.)  Drink enough water.  You should have 8- eight ounce glasses of water every day.  I am now drinking 128 ounces daily. 

3.)  Eat every 2-3 hours.  It helps to keep your metabolism “fired” up. 

4.)  Pick up some weights and start strength training.  I incorporated weights into my workouts and am so happy that I did.  I am now starting to grow little poppy muscles  :)  If you’re a lady, don’t be afraid to lift heavy weights…you don’t have the testosterone to grow muscles like Arnold.  It also helps to keep the metabolism burning.

5.)  Eat a lot of fibrous vegetables, like green beans and broccoli.  They have a lot of fiber and you should get at least 25-35 grams of fiber a day!!

6.)  Calories are important, but all calories are not created equal.  You have to get in the right amount of carbs, protein and fat for your body.  You need 130 grams of carbs a day to keep your brain functioning!

7.)  Eat fat!  Yes, forget the fat free stuff…and start concentrating on some healthy fats like Omega 3’s and flax.  I include 2 TBS of milled flax seed in my Oatmeal everyday.

8.)  Ditch the Jif (I know…I loved it too, and it was hard to give up)  Switch to Natural Peanut Butters.  There are several out there on the market.  I use “Smart Balance Natural Peanut Butter”

9.)  Get your protein from lean sources:  Chicken, Turkey, Pork Tenderloin, Steak Tenderloin and Fish.  Remember the more marbling steak has, the more fat it has (bad fat!)

10.) Plan a “cheat” meal.  It’s not about depriving yourself, it’s about making a lifetime committment to a healthier and happier YOU!

Hello….I’m a newbie to this site.  Stumbled on it this morning while doing a google search.  I’m 43, and wanting to lose 20 pounds, get healthy and enter a figure competition.

I belong to a couple of other fitness sites, which are great, but I love to network, and I love meeting new people.  I recently gave up caffiene….about a month ago.  I decided I didn’t need all those extra chemicals in my body mostly from diet soda.  I will occasionally have a cup of coffee…as a matter of fact, I’m enjoying a cappucino right now…My third one this month.  I was feeling a little tired this morning (have been all month) and decided I needed a little bit of a boost.  Fortunately for me, I didn’t go through any withdrawl symptoms when giving up my favorite drinks.

 I recently discovered the “clean eating magazine” and love it, they have so many great recipes in there!  I’ve tried a few of them and really like them.  I am also an avid reader of Oxygen and Muscle Fitness and Hers.

I look small….but my body fat percentage is 29%, which is a lot for my medium frame.  Currently I check my body fat percentage on my home scales as well as on this fabulous site:  www.lockedonfitness.com.

I don’t have the finances to join a gym, so I work out with dumbells at home.  I have seen some improvement as far as muscle growth, but not enough to “shout about!”  My goal is to reach a bf% of 18%, which I think would be an ideal percentage to maintain on a yearly basis.

So…I’m lookinf forward to making some new friends, sharing fitness goals, roadblocks and having some fun while doing it.