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# System prepended metadata

title: 'Course Video #4'
tags: [plan-smart-eat-real]

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###### tags: `plan-smart-eat-real`

# Course Video #4

### My Fitness Pal and Protein calculations

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 How to customize MFP if you are going to track and how to calculate protein requirements.

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All things MFP... There are tons of apps available for food tracking, however the database and ease of MFP makes it simple.

Okay, so you've calculated your calories. And if calorie counting is as far as you want to go, great. Use this video as a resource to learn more and leave it at that.

There are 3 macro nutrients our bodies rely on... 

Fats
Carbs
Protein

All 3 are important to get in your diet... no carbs aren't the devil. But of the three, protein is often the one most women struggle to get enough of.

Proteins are the building blocks of life. They are important for metabolic function, repair, hormones and more. And because of their importance, protein is the first macro nutrient we'll calculate. 

How much protein do you need? 

No exercise... .6g/lb

A women who exercises regularly should aim for .8-1g/lb.

So grab a calculate. Take your weight and multple it by .8 then by 1. This is your range, for starting, I suggest taking the mean for your goal. I.e. for a 100lb woman, this would be 90g.

Now, let's get that set into my fitness pal. 

Your calories should already by set to what you calculated. 

Now go to the macro-nutrients and under protein, move the slider until 90g or as close as you can get to 90g. 

I'm going to guess your % is now over 100. So take your fat to 30% which is the general recommendation and move the carb bar to make the total 100.

Your experimental macros are now determed.

In the next video, I'll share my favorite protein sources that go beyond chicken breast.