how in the hell do you get the 50-30-20%
 

I've been trying to get it right, but failing to do so. I don't see how a person can do it without eating a but load of meat(which is fine with me) or drinking a bunch of protein shakes. Btw if you know of one that tastes good, lmk please. The ones I've tried taste like sh**!!! I'm confuesed on how to get the 50% protein, 30% carbs and 20% fats and still eat other healthy foods, like fruits and salads. I'm 5'10", 220lbs and trying to lose about 40 lbs. Doing P90x lean and running a few days a week. I try to keep my calrorie intake between 1800 and 2000 cals a day. But my weight is staying the same.

give egg whites or fish a try to up protein

Is there a reason why you want 50% of your calories from protein? That is pretty high. The ratio is usually carbs/protein/fat so you may be referring to the carb portion and not protein.

you may need more carbs to get you through the day with P90X and running. I did a 40/40/20 ratio during P90X and that was without additional running.

I read some where on here it was 50% protein and 30% carbs. If it is the other way around, then I'm doing ok with it. Btw, how many grams of protein should I be getting a day? I'm 5'10" and 220 and trying to lose 40 more lbs. I'v been tying to keep the calories between 1800 and 2000.

Thanks to all that has helped.

I was in a similar situation as you. I am 6' and at heaviest was ~230. Now down to about 190 but have added a lot of muscle and waist size is pretty much where I need it to be. So take my opinion for what it's worth.

For the amount of exercising you do you should get about 150-200 g of protein per day. Eggs, grass fed (if possible) meats etc. Protein shakes are fine to replace if in a pinch but try to stick with natural choices if possible. Make sure you stay away from high carb shakes however.

I'll keep the response specific to what you asked but let me know if you want more info on what works for me.

Good luck

well I've only tried 2 different flavors(also the only 2 shakes) of protein powder. Didn't care too much for either. Last night a friend gave me some protein bars. And of course, they were nasty. Plus I don't like the idea of replacing a meal with a "candy bar".

If you wouldn't care, I would be interested in seeing wha worked for you. I no everyone one is different and not all diets works for everyone. But, any info helps. Thanks in advance.

Hi DJBlankenship

A good rule of thumb is 1gram of protein per pound of lean body mass. So a 180lb person would be aiming for 180 grams of protein. This amount could be lower if you are on a low calorie diet. I would stick to PCF ratios of 40,40,20. 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% healthy fats.

As for what protein. I would recommend SPAM . The website is UK based but im certain you can purchase it where ever you are. I go for the Choc Mint which tastes exactly the same as Aero chocolate bars. I couldn't believe it when i first tried it

Ways of getting more protein in your diet:
Eggs
Lean meats (chicken, turkey, beef)
Fish (also contain healthy fats and oils)
Dairy (milk, cheese yogurts)
Whey

Hope this helps

Shep

Chobani Greek yogurt is excellent, tasty and high in protien. Comes in many different flavors including chocolate!

My basic philosophy is whatever the mainstream says is the right way to do things, do the opposite and you will be fine. I don’t count calories, as I don’t believe all calories are created equal.

I am pretty much 100% processed food free. No sugar or grains (whole grain or otherwise). My carbs are vegetables and bit of fruit.

I try to get most of my calories from fat. Pretty much any fat that is not vegetable in origin. I eat lots of coconut oil, coconut milk (great in coffee) and animal fats (eggs cooked in duck fat is a little bit of heaven on earth). Saturated fats in abundance, olive oil for taste occasionally. Nuts and seeds in moderation.

Any and all animal protein (as mention before – high quality grass-fed due to its omega 3 content). Eggs – organic (non vegetarian feed if possible) most days.

Exercise – I do very little cardio. My cardio is more of sprints and high intensity interval training for 10-30 minutes couple times a week. I lift heavy weight a couple times a week as well. My workouts are always completed within 45 mins to an hr. Too much and too long exercise is counter productive.

This has worked well for me. I love the food I eat, love that I have time for my family and am healthier than ever before. Don’t be obsessed with the scale or calories. Be obsessed with good eating habits everything else will take care of itself.

Probably way too much info but let me know if I can help or confuse you even more…

I buy unflavoured whey and flavour it myself at home. Sometimes with cinnamon, cocoa, vanilla etc.. I notice though that if you have the same protein everyday no matter how good it tastes at first I will eventually become sick of it. So you might change up your brands every now and then (every 2lb).

That ratio seems ok, but I would expect you may feel a little flat if you are doing excercise with high energy output. If you are feeling good then no need to change at all, that should be work. Just keep honest with how much you put in your body and if you are and you are not losing, then recalculate your average caloric expenditure to what you take in now (on average). Then simply lower your intake by 100-200 cal at each review.

thanks to all that has replied. I will try to put all this advice to good use.

Pbright, you sound kind of like the paleo/crossfit type. Do you do either? I have been for a couple months now and love it. I am surprised I haven't found more people that are involved in either, you're the first that i've come across that has posted anything close to it. I haven't read a whole lot of posts yet though.

Hi, All! I am following the Primal Blueprint which is derived from the Paleo Diet. The book suggested using FitDay. I have been doing this now for about 19 days. So far, really good. Exceptions - I had a couple of Shiner Bock beers last night with my husband and the other night at a business dinner I had a couple of bites of bread pudding - other than that I have been very faithful. It is hard to think about moving away from a grain centered diet at first, but once you get the hang of it, it is easy and makes you feel so much better.

The Primal Blueprint, by Mark Sisson, a former marathoner and Triathelete, also proposes a less is more approach to fitness - high intensity but for shorter durations with adequate rest - very Crossfit style. I do crossfit workouts (except for the Olympic lifts which I find inimidating) P90X and recently found Body By Fish, which is new to me, but a very cool system of intense workouts using mostly body weight exercises.

I hope to see you around on the boards with your experiences and advice.
KC

I was doing paleo and crossfit and moved a bit more towards primal blueprint. Very similar, but for me I wanted something a bit less programmed and to be honest less cultish than crossfit.

I think Sisson has it exactly right about how unhealthy too much cardio is. Of course he knows this 1st hand given his background. I highly recommend that anyone who wants to get healthy get his book.

I read marks daily apple frequently and just bought his book. Can't wait to read it!

All protein powder tastes bad however, it all tastes better with water and fruit. Try 12oz of water and throw in some frozen strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or rasberries. use a hand blender and your set.

I have almost exactly your height, calorie intake and weight and weight loss goal. I have lost 22 pounds in 5 weeks and feel great. You are eating too much protein and carbs and too little fat. I eat 10% carbs (a little more now), 30% protein and the rest fat. My account name is RichardBuckner and my food logs are public. You are welcome to see them
Rick

A can of tuna contains 42.6 grams of protein, costs $.69 and tastes much better than your average protein bar. Another good source is cottage cheese, 26 grams per cup, and it's pretty tasty in a cheesy sort of way.

I generally use the Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex, chocolate flavor. I think it tastes pretty good. I had the guy at GNC just talk me into the GNC Amplified Wheybolic Extreme 60 - chocolate. I think it tastes great but I am disappointed at how it dissolves. I haven't found anything yet which dissolves like ON.

The thing about tuna fish is you should limit it in your diet because of the mercury. Study: Mercury in canned tuna high - News - ReviewJournal.com

Edit: Oh, I neglected to mention I still eat tuna fish ~twice a week.

I want to join you in giving props to ON. I just discovered this powder today and am using it as a means to keep my ratio 65-30-5 (fat-protein-carb) on a ketogenic diet. That ON 100% Whey Protein powder dissolves in cold water really well! I just stirred it with a spoon, no blender needed. I got the Vanilla ice cream flavor, and it tastes great to me. An added bonus for my situation is that it is so low in carbs and fat, so it makes a great tool to bump my protein level up on days that I dip below 30%.

__________________________________________________
stats, inspired by Ron

Male, 6'0" tall, 37 y/o

Starting weight, 4/19/10 (started Atkins) = 287
6/16/10 (finished Atkins book & joined Fitday) = 261
latest weight 6/28/10 = 255
mini goal (wedding) 9/4/10 = 220
ultimate goal for lifetime maintenance by 4/19/11 (one year mark, 100 pounds loss) = 187
This will be my lightest weight since high school!