FitDay's Best of Series: Macronutrients (Carbs/Protein/Fats)

[cjohnson728]

Originally Posted by MakerBabe

So my chart says 50% carbs 33% fat and 17% proteins. Is this ok? I dont eat meat so I get my protein from eggs, peanut butter, nuts and beans.

I think the fat might be a little high? Im totally new to all of this so any advice would be awesome!

Thanks.

Hi MakerBabe,

The percentages in the pie chart are very individualized. Everyone's is different. You will find yours with trial and error.

With that in mind, then, some would say your percentage of fat is high; some would say it's fine. IMO, you would want to make sure that it's more "good fats" than bad...in other words, try to keep your mono- and polyunsaturated fat percentages higher than your saturated fat percentage. But, to be fair, others say that doesn't matter.

Many folks on the site have found that increasing proteins leads to better weight loss; again, that's very individualized. Protein does help build muscle, which in turn stokes your metabolism, so you burn more calories even at rest. Are you able to get protein from dairy sources at all?

I realize that this doesn't really answer your question, but that's because there is no one "right" answer. The best I can offer is: find out what works and do it. Find out what doesn't work and don't do that.

[jackdup]

You need 50 to 60 percent of your calories from carbs.

You can eat two sandwiches, but you just have to eat whole grain bread.
Where I live, I found Diet whole grain bread that is only 50 calories per slice, and no fat.

The carbs that are bad are white bread, white sugar, regular potatoes, white rice.

What happened is that from the popularity of the Atkins diet, everyone including me thought that you were not supposed to eat carbs.

Then I found out the truth, that 50 to 60 percent of your calories should come from carbs, and 20 to 25 percent from protein, and around 15 to 25 per cent should come from fat.

That is how I arrived at FITDAY, because the notebook was tedious to do my tallies constantly.

Eat carb, count carbs, eat the correct amount, and don't go over.

WHOLE GRAINS!

Brown rice, veggies, fruits, oats, anything natural is extremely good for you.

[mecompco]

I shoot for 40/30/30 on average. This is the mix around which "The Zone" diet is based, but it expects you to keep this mix for every single meal--WAY too much work and hassle for me! Of course, everybody is different and a different calorie mix might work better for you.

Regards,
Michael

[k00lBr33ze]

Personally, my protein intake is 1g protein/body weight (so currently, my intake ~130 - 140g since I weigh in @ 140lbs). This is the rule I use & has been helpful with my weight loss.

I try to keep my fat intake < 30%. Everything else is carbs but I do what I can to stay away from simple/processed carbs.

As of the last 2 months, my ratio has been 46% carbs, 27% protein, 27% fat. Protein intake got lowered cause I deliberately didn't work out all month to recover from shoulder pain. I will be upping protein intake once I go back to working out.

[rpmcduff]

A common goal for carb/protein/fat is 40/30/30. Personally I find that my weight loss is much easier when I keep my protein above 30%. There are lots of old threads in the forums that discuss this. Another recommendation says .75 to 1 gram of protein per pound of LEAN body weight. I try to get my fat from whole foods like eggs, meat, nuts and olive oil and my carbs from complex carbs like oatmeal, whole grains and vegetables. So while I try to keep my protein at 30% I really don't worry about how my carbs and fats fill out the rest of my calorie intake.

While the 40/30/30 ratio is a good starting point it doesn't mean it is the best for you. Your body may react better to a slightly different ratio. My advice is to keep your protein up, maintain your calorie deficit and most of the rest will take care of itself.

Beside the success stories here on Fitday I find the Bodybuilding.com site to have some very inspirational stories. Especially the Transformation of the week archives (complete with pictures) there.

Welcome and good luck on your journey.

[redninja2]

I go for 45% Carbs, 30% Protein and 25% Fats.

I take slightly more protein than average as I workout a lot and am aiming to build more muscle. 50% is definitely too much though as it will over work the kidneys as someone else has said.

Also the 25% fats also includes the good fats ie. mono and poly. Keep saturated fats to below 10%.

[VitoVino]

From FitDay Articles: Proteins, Fats, and Carbs: How to Balance Your Diet / Nutrition

Proteins, Fats, and Carbs: How to Balance Your Diet

Dieting can be confusing. High-protein diets claim to help you lose weight quickly, but can lead to high cholesterol and increase your risk for heart disease. High-carbohydrate diets may be low in fat, but can lead to high triglyceride levels, which cause hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis). To add to the confusion, a new study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that people who eat very little protein and too much carbohydrate and fat will have more body fat and less muscle mass. So what does this all mean for you? Which diet is best?

Diet and Exercise

First, most of these diets don't make any specific recommendations on physical activity. Exercise is an extremely important component to weight loss or maintaining weight. Routine exercise helps build muscle mass and gives you more energy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes (2.5 hours) per week of "moderate-intensity" activities as well as muscle strengthening exercises twice a week. "Moderate-intensity" activities can include brisk walking, jogging, or bike riding. Basically, you just want to sweat and increase your heart rate. Muscle strengthening exercise can include weight lifting, yoga, pushups, or sit-ups.

Load Up on Lean Protein

Once you increase your physical activity, you will need to make sure you consume enough protein to help build and repair muscles. It is recommended that you aim for 20-25% of your daily calories from protein. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this would be about 400-500 calories from protein (100-125 g) per day. Make sure to choose lean protein such as chicken, fish, beans, lentils, nuts, or non-fat milk. By choosing lean protein, you decrease the amount of fat you consume, which typically is the cause of high cholesterol and heart disease.

Choose Healthy Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are also an important part of a balanced diet. While most diets recommend cutting back on carbohydrates, these foods actually provide you with the energy you need to keep going throughout the day. Aim for 45-60% of your daily calories to come from carbohydrates. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this is between 900-1200 calories (225 - 300g) per day. Choose "healthy" carbohydrates, such as fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. If you consume mainly refined grains (white bread, cookies, crackers, etc), then it may contribute to weight gain. Find carbohydrates that are high in fiber content, as this will keep you feeling fuller longer. Beans and legumes are also a good source of carbohydrates.

Limit Fat

Finally, limit your fat intake to 15-20% of your daily calories. You still need fat, just in small amounts. Choose "healthy" fats (unsaturated fats) that can help keep your cholesterol within normal limits. These can be found in olive oil, canola oil, nuts, avocados, and fish. Try to limit your intake of sweets (junk food), since these fats tend to have more saturated fat which can lead to heart disease and high cholesterol.

In conclusion, all fad diets may work to some extent. However, each has its own possible side effects that could affect your overall health. Try to find a nice balance between all the food groups (fruit, vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, and dairy). Start exercising a little each day, and you will find out how quickly 150 minutes adds up.

Author: Rhea Li

[VitoVino]

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